Most adult Filipinos expect their quality of life to improve in the next 12 months, but overall personal optimism declined to its lowest level in nearly six years, according to the March 2026 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results released on Tuesday, May 5.

The nationwide survey, conducted from March 24 to 31, found that 38 percent of adults expect their quality of life to improve in the next 12 months (“optimists”).

Another 32 percent said their situation would stay the same (“no change”), while 16 percent expected it to worsen (“pessimists“).

The remaining 14 percent did not give an answer.

Based on the results, the Net Personal Optimism score, computed by subtracting the percentage of pessimists from optimists, was +23, classified by SWS as “high.”

“This is 13 points down from the ‘very high’ +36 in November 2025, and 16 points below the 2025 average Net Personal Optimism score of ‘very high’ +39,” SWS said.

“The March 2026 Net Personal Optimism score of high +23 is the lowest since the mediocre +2 in September 2020,” it added.

Across regions, SWS noted that all areas except the Visayas recorded declines.

Balance Luzon fell from +40 in November 2025 to +22 in March 2026, a drop that brought it from “excellent” to “high.”

Metro Manila declined from +36 to +28, while Mindanao dropped from +35 to +20.

The Visayas remained at “high” +27, slightly down from +29.

Rural areas also fell from +36 to +24, while urban areas dropped from +37 to +22.

SWS said women recorded a sharper decline, from +39 to +20, while men fell from +34 to +26.

All age groups also showed lower optimism levels: 18 to 24-year-olds, from +54 to +39; 25 to 34-year-olds, from +41 to +22; and 35 to 44-year-olds, from +39 to +28.

Optimism among the 45 to 54 age group also fell from +34 to +16, and those aged 55 and above, from +28 to +10.

SWS also found that, byeducation, all groups registered declines.

College graduates fell from +44 to +26, those with some senior high school from +44 to +29, elementary graduates from +31 to +19, junior high school graduates from +33 to +22, and non-elementary graduates from +37 to +22.

SWS classifies Net Personal Optimism scores as follows: +40 and above, “excellent”; +30 to +39, “very high”; +20 to +29, “high”; +10 to +19, “fair”; +1 to +9, “mediocre”; -9 to 0, “low”; and -10 and below, “very low.”

The March 2026 survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults nationwide, with 600 respondents from Balance Luzon and 300 each from Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Sampling error margins are ±3 percent for national results and higher for regional estimates.