Some 96 percent of Filipinos expressed optimism that they will have a better life in 2024, the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said.
The SWS poll, fielded from Dec. 8 to 11, revealed that 96 percent of adult Filipinos have “hope” rather than “fear” as they face the new year.
“This is a point above the 95 percent in 2022 and the highest since the pre-pandemic 96 percent in 2019,” the SWS said.
The survey observed that only 3 percent will enter the New Year with fear, down by 2 points from 5 percent in 2022.
Hope for the New Year was 87 percent when first surveyed by SWS at the end of 2000. It was in the 80s at the end of 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2009. It was in the 90s at the end of 2002 and 2003, from 2006 to 2008, and from 2010 to 2023.
Compared to the end of 2022, hope for the coming New Year rose slightly from 93 percent to 97 percent in Metro Manila and from 93 percent to 96 percent in Mindanao. It stayed at 97 percent in Balance Luzon, while it fell slightly from 95 percent to 93 percent in the Visayas.
Meanwhile, hope for the New Year rose slightly in all educational levels. Compared to the end of 2022, New Year hope rose slightly across educational levels: from 92 percent to 93 percent among non-elementary graduates, from 95 percent to 97 percent among elementary graduates, from 95 percent to 96 percent among junior high school graduates, and from 96 percent to 98 percent among college graduates.
The SWS interviewed 1,200 adult Filipinos, with sampling error margins of ±3 percentage points for national percentages, and ±6 percentage points each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
A similar poll by Pulse Asia released Dec. 22 said nine in 10 Filipinos face 2024 “with hope.”
The same survey found the majority of Filipinos or 41 percent of the respondents said their holiday celebrations this year will be just as prosperous as in 2022.
At least 30 percent of the respondents said they will be having a “more prosperous” Christmas this year than last year’s, while 13 percent said their celebrations will be “poorer” now.
“Amid the various challenges Filipinos face on a daily basis, most of them continue to remain optimistic, with 92 percent saying they will face the new year with hope. This is the prevailing sentiment in every geographic area and socio-economic grouping,” Pulse Asia said.
Only 1 percent of the respondents said they will face 2024 without hope while 7 percent were ambivalent on the matter.
The survey, conducted from Dec. 3 to 7, 2023, had 1,200 respondents.
A third survey, by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc., said the administration’s approval rating surged by eight percentage points to 61 percent in the last quarter, driven by increased ratings in North-Central Luzon, South Luzon, and the Visayas.
President Marcos logged a performance rating of 59 percent during the last three months of the year, the Pahayag survey said.
The non-commissioned survey, conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc., said the administration “witnessed a notable recovery” from its 53 percent performance rating in the third quarter.
The survey said among the issues affecting the performance of President Marcos’ administration was inflation, which was ranked as the most pressing concern at 44 percent.