47% of Filipinos expect quality of life to improve in next 12 months, SWS survey shows
(Manila Bulletin file photo)
Nearly half of adult Filipinos expect quality of life to improve in the next 12 months, based on the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted from June 25 to 29.
In the survey results released on Friday, Sept. 12, 47 percent of respondents said they expect their quality of life to improve (optimists), 37 percent believe it will stay the same (no change), and 5 percent think it will worsen (pessimists).
The remaining 11 percent did not give an answer.
These figures result in a net personal optimism score of +41 (percentage of optimists minus pessimists), classified by SWS as “excellent.”
SWS said the score is similar to the +40 recorded in April.
It explained that the national increase of one point in net personal optimism between April and June 2025 reflects slight improvements in Metro Manila (from +40 to +44) and the Visayas (from +29 to +36), a small decline in Mindanao (from +40 to +38), and a steady score in Balance Luzon, or areas outside Metro Manila (+44).
Moreover, compared to April, net personal optimism stayed excellent in rural areas, from +40 to +43, and in urban areas, steady at +40.
It also stayed excellent among women (from +41 to +43), and improved from very high to excellent among men (from +39 to +40).
SWS also found that optimism remained highest among younger age groups: 18–24 years old at net +54 (excellent); 25–34 years old at +51 (excellent); 35–44 years old at +40 (excellent); 45–54 years old at +39 (very high); and 55 years and older at +33 (very high).
By education, the score increased from high to excellent among non-elementary graduates, rising 21 points from +23 to +44.
It remained very high among elementary graduates (+36), and excellent among junior high school(+40), senior high school (+44), and college graduates (+51).
The SWS survey was conducted nationwide through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults aged 18 and above, with a margin of error of ±3 percent at the national level.