Rising Hope: Nearly Half of Filipinos Optimistic About Future Quality of Life

A recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed a significant portion of the Filipino population is optimistic about their future. As per the September 2023 survey, 48% of adult Filipinos anticipate an improvement in their quality of life over the next 12 months. Contrastingly, 40% expect no change, and only 6% foresee a decline. This optimism has resulted in a net personal score of +42, classified as “excellent” by the SWS, marking a slight increase from the +41 score recorded in June 2023.

The regional analysis of these results shows varying levels of optimism. In Balance Luzon, net personal optimism rose by 6 points, reaching an “excellent” score of +50. Mindanao experienced a rise from “very high” to “excellent,” now standing at +43. However, optimism in Metro Manila dropped to “very high” with a score of +30, an 11-point decrease. Similarly, in the Visayas, the score remained “very high” but decreased by 9 points to +30.

Educational attainment seems to influence this sentiment. Optimism remained “excellent” among individuals with higher education levels, with a score of +46. This trend was consistent across those with varying educational backgrounds, from junior high school to college graduates. Interestingly, even among those with no formal education or just some elementary education, optimism rose from “high” to “very high,” reaching a score of +30.

Economic status also plays a role, as 48% of Filipino families consider themselves poor, yet their optimism score is “very high” at +39. Families who consider themselves not poor or borderline poor show an even higher optimism score, at +46 and +43, respectively.

The survey, conducted from September 28 to October 1, 2023, interviewed 1,200 adults nationwide and has a margin of error of ±2.8% for national percentages.