By Genalyn Kabiling

A survey showing public optimism towards a better quality of life and stronger economy is considered a "vote of confidence” in President Duterte and his economic team, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)

"Our people are feeling the effects of a growing economy,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in welcoming the optimism survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

"We consider these latest survey results as a vote of confidence in the President and the members of his economic team. Our economy remains on target hitting 6.8 percent during the first quarter of 2018,” he added.

In the SWS conducted last March, optimism among Filipinos about a better quality of life and stronger domestic economy has slightly dipped compared to the previous quarter.

The survey showed 46 percent of the respondents expected their quality of life to improve in the next 12 months while 6 percent who said otherwise. It resulted in a personal optic score of +40, a decrease from last quarter's +46.

The same survey showed 42 percent felt the local economy would growth by next year, while 12 percent were concerned it would deteriorate. A net economic optimism was placed at +31, compared to +42 from the December 2017 data.

Nonetheless, Roque said they were still "pleased" with the SWS results since both personal and economic optimism scores were classified as excellent.

"We are pleased to announce that the Social Weather Stations (SWS) First Quarter 2018 survey shows that Filipinos expecting their personal quality of life to improve in the next 12 months remains 'excellent' at +40," he said.

"Further, the same survey reveals that net optimism about the economy continues to be ‘excellent' across all geographic areas and socioeconomic classes, standing at +31, which means that many of our countrymen are optimistic that the Philippine economy next year would get better," he said.