Better 2023 for Filipinos?
A survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. showed that at least 68 percent of Filipinos remain optimistic that the Philippines is going in the “right direction” under the current administration’s governance.
Through its 2022 Pahayag End of the Year survey held from Nov. 25 to Nov. 30, 2022, PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. asked 1,500 male and female respondents across the Philippines to express their views on the current direction of the country.
68 percent of the respondents said it is going in the "right direction," 19 percent are “not sure,” while 13 percent believe that the Philippines is going in the “wrong direction” under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s governance.
In the third quarter of 2022, data showed that 71 percent of the respondents answered that the country is going in the "right direction." This has decreased in the fourth quarter of the year, gaining only 68 percent of positive feedback. Although considered a downtrend, this, according to Eric Yancy Estrabo of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc, is still a “strong view” indicating that Filipinos are still “optimistic” that the economic situation in the Philippines will improve.
“They are still optimistic that the country will improve... that there will be an improvement in the next quarter despite the fact that we have inflation. We, as Filipinos, are optimistic that we can recover from the pandemic,” Estrabo furthered.
Current state of PH
In terms of the country’s current state, 50 percent of the respondents consider the Philippine economy as “strong.”
At least 29 percent answered “neither weak nor strong,” while 21 percent said it is “weak.”
“Positibo ang binibigay na pahayag ng mga numero ukol sa kinalalagyan ng bansa (The data translates a positive feedback about the country’s position),” said Dr. Rosalina Ora'a-Fuentes of Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute.
Ora’a-Fuentes likewise stressed that the majority of the respondents are in the prime age or between 18 to 49. This indicates that the poll results encapsulate their voice, leaving a "good message" that many Filipinos are still “hopeful” for a better 2023.