Fewer Filipinos are optimistic that the country’s economy will improve next year, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results showed.
In the nationwide survey conducted last March 20-23 among 1,200 respondents, 27 percent were “optimistic” that the Philippine economy would get better next year, while 20 percent were “pessimistic.” This resulted in a net optimism on the national economy of +6.
This compares with the 31 percent “optimistic” and 15 percent “pessimistic” – for a net rating of +16 — in the survey conducted in December last year.
Between the December, 2014 and the March, 2015, surveys, there was a decline in net rating of 10 points.
By region, there was a decline of 24 points in Mindanao and 11 points in the rest of Luzon (outside Metro Manila). But there was an increase of 4 points in the Visayas and 2 points in Metro Manila.
By class, there was a decline of 31 points in the ABC (upper-to-middle) class; by 7 points in class D or “masa”; and 12 points in the poorest class E.
PERSONAL OPTIMISM
In a parallel survey on personal optimism last March, the SWS said 42 percent of the respondents said they expect their quality of life to improve in the next 12 months while 5 percent expect it to get worse.
This brings to a “very high” +37 (optimistic minus pessimistic) net rating on personal optimism.
This compares with 41 percent optimistic and 6 percent pessimistic in the December survey, for a net rating of +35 .
By region, there was a 7-point increase in net personal optimism in the rest of Luzon (outside of Metro Manila), a 1-point increase in Metro Manila, a 1-point increase in the Visayas, and a 9-point decline in Mindanao.
MANILA BULLETIN
