Sixty-nine percent of adult Filipinos believe that the worst of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is already "behind us," based on the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results released on Thursday, Feb. 11.

The survey conducted from Nov. 21 to 25, 2020 asked 1,500 Filipinos, "Alin po sa mga ito ang mas naglalarawan sa inyong nararamdaman tungkol sa krisis sa COVID-19 sa Pilipinas? Sa tingin po ninyo...Lumipas na ang pinakamalala o Mas lalala pa ito? (Which of the following best describes how you feel about the COVID-19 crisis in the Philippines? Do you think ... The worst has passed or will it get worse?)

The 69 percent who said "the worst is behind us" is up from the 47 percent in September 2020, 35 percent in July 2020, and 44 percent in May 2020.

Meanwhile, those fearing "the worst is yet to come" fell from 47 percent in September 2020 to 31 percent in November 2020. 

They used to be 57 percent in July 2020 and 47 percent in May 2020.

Optimism rises in all areas, education levels

SWS also found that the percentage of those saying "the worst is behind us" with the COVID-19 crisis is highest in Metro Manila at 78 percent followed by Balance Luzon at 69 percent, Visayas at 67 percent, and Mindanao at 65 percent.

Meanwhile, the percentage of those fearing "the worst is yet to come" is highest in Mindanao (35 percent), followed by Visayas (32 percent), Balance Luzon (31 percent), and Metro Manila (22 percent).

Moreover, compared to September 2020, SWS said the percentage of those saying "the worst is behind us" rose from 59 percent to 71 percent among non-elementary graduates, from 50 percent to 67 percent among elementary graduates, from 47 percent to 71 percent among junior high school graduates, and from 41 percent to 65 percent among college graduates.

Those fearing "the worst is yet to come," however, fell from 33 percent to 29 percent among non-elementary graduates, from 40 percent to 33 percent among elementary graduates, from 49 percent to 29 percent among junior high school graduates, and from 51 percent to 35 percent among college graduates.

Filipinos more optimistic than Americans, Canadians

SWS also noted that when it comes to the COVID-19 crisis, only 33 percent of Americans and 19 percent of Canadians say "the worst is behind us,” compared to 69 percent of Filipinos with that view.      

Conversely, 42 percent of Americans and 45 percent of Canadians fear "the worst is yet to come," compared to 31 percent of Filipinos with that view.