SWS: 4 out of 10 Filipinos optimistic about economy

MANILA, Philippines — More Filipinos are optimistic about the country’s economic outlook this year, according to the results of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The first to be done through in-person interviews since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the survey was conducted among 1,500 adults from Nov. 21 to 25.

Based on the results, 42 percent of adult Filipinos said the Philippine economy would improve in the next 12 months. Twenty-eight percent said it would stay the same while 18 percent believed it would worsen.

This resulted in a net economic optimism score of +24 (percentage of economic optimists minus percentage of economic pessimists), classified by the SWS as “high” and a recovery from last year’s “mediocre” scores of -9 in July and -5 in September.

By area, Mindanao had the highest net economic optimism score with a “very high” +36. Next was Metro Manila

with a “very high” +31, followed by Luzon outside Metro Manila with a “high” +24 and Visayas with a “mediocre” +4.

From September 2020, the net economic optimism scores also improved by 51 points in Mindanao, 28 points in Visayas, 24 points in Metro Manila and 19 points in Luzon outside Metro Manila.

By educational attainment, net economic optimism recovered in all groups. It was “high” among elementary graduates (+27), junior high school graduates (+24) and nonelementary graduates (+21). Among college graduates, it was “fair” with a net score of +18 .

According to SWS, net economic optimism was higher among personal optimists at an “excellent” +55 than those who said their personal lives would stay the same at +10, classified as “fair.” Among personal pessimists, it was at an “execrable” -40.

—Inquirer Research