SWS: Pinoys bullish on 2017

NEARLY one of two Filipinos expect their quality of life to improve next year, the highest turnout in the last three decades, according to the results of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll.

The Second Quarter Social Weather survey also found that three of 10 Filipinos claim they had better lives in the past 12 months, while three of five expressed optimism in the economy in the coming year.

The SWS poll, the results of which were first published in BusinessWorld, was conducted on June 24-27, days ahead of President Duterte’s inauguration. It had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.

Nationwide, 49 percent of 1,200 respondents said they are optimistic their lives will improve in the next 12 months while 3 percent said it will get worse, yielding a “very high” net personal optimism score (optimists minus pessimists) of +46, a record high since 1984.

When asked about their quality of life in the last 12 months, 30 percent said it improved while 21 percent said it got worse, resulting in a “high” net gainers score (gainers minus losers) of +9, also a record high since 1983.

Compared to April results, the latest net personal optimism and net gainers scores are both 6 ticks up, from “very high” +40 (43-percent optimists minus 4-percent pessimists, correctly rounded) and “high” +3 (29-percent gainers minus 26-percent losers), respectively.

On the economy, 60 percent said it will be better next year while 4 percent said it will be worse, posting a “very high” net economic score (will be better minus will be worse) of +56, another record high since 1998 and 28 points up from +28 (35 percent it will be better minus 7 percent it will be worse) net score in April, which SWS also rated as very high.

Across areas, record-high net personal optimism scores were posted in Metro Manila (+56 from +42 in April), Mindanao (+54 from +39) and the Visayas (+42 from +34). It slightly moved in the rest of Luzon (+41 from +42).

By class, net personal optimism scores improved among Classes D (+49 from +41) and E (+39 from +35) but dropped 10 points among ABC (+37 from +47).

Record-high net gainers scores were registered in Metro Manila (+15 from +8) and the Visayas (+9 from +5), while it jumped 22 points in Mindanao (+10 from -12) and remained unchanged in the rest of Luzon (+7).

Net gainers scores also improved among Classes D (+9 from +4) and E (+6 from -6) but declined 10 points among ABC (+18 from +28).

Net optimism on the economy was record high across areas, with double-digit increases in Mindanao (+66 from +27), Metro Manila (+65 from +28), the Visayas (+50 from +23) and the rest of Luzon (+50 from +31).

Outlook on the economy also improved among socioeconomic groups, with record-high scores among Classes D (+57 from +28) and E (+54 from +27) and better rating among ABC (+49 from +32).

For net personal optimism, the SWS considers a rating of +30 and above as “very high”; +20 to +29 as “high”; +10 to +19 as “fair”; +1 to +9 as “mediocre”; 0 to -9 as “low,” and -10 and below as “very low.”

For net economic and net gainers optimism, a score of +10 and above is considered “very high”; +1 to +9 “high”; 0 to -9 “fair”; -10 to -19 “mediocre”; -20 to -29 “low,” and -30 and below “very low.” TVJ