Filipinos optimistic their quality of life will be better, poll shows

MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos are less optimistic when it comes to the economy but  are looking forward to better quality of life, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll showed.

The survey, conducted among 1,550 people from December 11 to 16, revealed a plunge in the net economic optimism score from a “very high” +17 in September to a “high” +8.

It was a result of 30 percent of the respondents saying the economy will be better in the next 12 months and 21 percent saying it will be worse.

On the other hand, net personal optimism remained “very high” at +33, a slight dip from the +35 in September. Eight percent were pessimistic while 41 percent said their life will soon improve.

Done more than a month after the devastation of Super Typhoon “Yolanda,” the survey showed that personal optimism among Class A, B and C respondents substantially decreased by 23 points from +49 in September to +26 in December. It fell by 12 points to +24 for Class E but rose by two points to +35 for Class D.

Personal optimism was “very high” for National Capital Region and the rest of Luzon and “high” for Visayas and Mindanao.

While outlook on the economy remained “very high” at +20, from +28 in September, among A, B and C, optimism fell by eight points to +9 for D and by 11 points to +2 for E.

Optimism on the economy was highest for the rest of Luzon at +13, a decrease from +23 in September. An improved +7 score, from +5, was recorded in Metro Manila while Visayas and Mindanao both have “high” but downgraded scores of +4.