A total of 38% of Filipino adults expect their quality of life to improve over the next 12 months, according to the latest survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS), reflecting continued but slightly declining optimism among the population.
SWS described these respondents as “optimists,” while 32% said their situation would remain the same. Meanwhile, 16% classified as “pessimists”, expect their quality of life to worsen, and 14% did not provide an answer.
This resulted in a net personal optimism score of +23 (optimists minus pessimists), which SWS classified as “high.” However, this is 13 points lower than the “very high” +36 recorded in November 2025.
The polling firm said the decline was driven by lower optimism in most regions, except the Visayas.
By area, Balance Luzon posted the steepest drop from an “excellent” +40 to a “high” +22. Metro Manila also declined from “very high” +36 to +28, while Mindanao fell from +35 to +20. The Visayas remained relatively stable at a “high” +27, slightly down from +29.
The non-commissioned survey was conducted from March 24 to 31, 2026, involving face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults nationwide: 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao, and 600 in Balance Luzon. The results carry a ±3% national margin of error.
Earlier SWS findings showed a more cautious outlook on current conditions, with 50% of Filipinos saying their quality of life worsened over the past year, while 26% said it stayed the same.
