SWS: Fewer Pinoys see their lives improving

Fewer Filipinos claimed their lives were better compared to a year ago and expected their lives to improve next year, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

The Second Quarter Social Weather Survey conducted from June 22 to 26 found that 36 percent of the 1,200 respondents said their lives had improved (gainers) last year while 22 percent said their lives had worsened (losers), for a net gainers score (gainers minus losers) of “very high” +13.

It was a four-point decline from the +17 net gainers rating (38 percent gainers, 21 percent losers) in March.

The latest +13 rating became the third consecutive time that the net gainers score was “very high” under the Duterte administration.

46% optimistic

Nearly half or 46 percent were optimistic their lives will improve next year, as against 4 percent who thought it would get worse, resulting in an “excellent” +42 net optimism score (optimists minus pessimists).

The latest personal optimism net figure was five points down from the “excellent” +47 net rating (50 percent optimistic, 4 percent pessimistic) in March, which was also the highest score posted during the Duterte administration.

Those who feel positive about the economy slightly decreased to 42 percent from 45 percent, while the pessimists remained at 10 percent, yielding a net economic optimists score (economic optimists minus pessimists) of “excellent” +33.

The survey used face-to-face interviews and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.

Net gainers scores declined in all areas, except the Visayas (+12 to +17 in March).

 Quality of life

It fell by nine points in Mindanao (+16 to +7), five points in Luzon outside Metro Manila (+19 to + 14) and three points in Metro Manila (+21 to +18).

In all socioeconomic groups, net gainers score also decreased among classes ABC (+31 to +21), D (+18 to +16) and E (+8 to 0).

Net optimism on quality of life rose only in Metro Manila (from +42  to +44 in March).

It fell by 10 points in Balance Luzon (+52 to +42), one point in Mindanao (+47 to +46) and remained at +37 in the Visayas.

Across classes, net personal optimism decreased from +51 to + 35 among classes ABC, from +48 to +45  among class D and from +39 to + 32 among class E.

Outlook on the economy went up in Visayas by 14 points (+25 to + 39 in March), but fell in Metro Manila (+30 to +25) and Balance Luzon (+36 to +27).

It remained “excellent” at +44 in Mindanao.

It rose by five points among class E (+28 to +33), and by three points among classes ABC (+27 to +30). But it went down among class D (+37 to +33).

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.” —INQUIRER RESEARCH