At least 90 percent of Filipinos are welcoming 2025 with hope and not fear, according to the latest public opinion poll of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
In a survey conducted from December 12 to 18, this year’s result is six points below the 96 percent rate of optimism recorded in 2023, and the lowest since the 89 percent in 2009.
On the other hand, 10 percent will enter the New Year with fear, up by 7 points from three percent in 2023. This is the highest since 11 percent in 2009.
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, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, and from 2010 to 2024.
“Hope for the coming New Year has always been higher among those who expected a happy Christmas than those who expected a sad Christmas,” the SWS reported.
The research institute also observed that hope for the coming New Year was highest in Balance Luzon at 92 percent, followed by Metro Manila at 91 percent, Mindanao at 89 percent, and the Visayas at 87 percent.
Compared to the end of 2023, hope for the coming New Year fell in all areas: from 97 percent in Balance Luzon, 97 percent in Metro Manila, 96 percent in Mindanao, and 93 percent in the Visayas.
Those entering the New Year with hope were higher among those with higher levels of education but fell across educational levels.
As of December 2024, hope for the coming New Year was highest among college graduates at 96 percent, followed by those with some senior high school education at 93 percent, junior high school graduates at 91 percent, elementary graduates at 89 percent, and non-elementary graduates at 83 percent.
The survey likewise said that 53 percent hopeful Filipinos are from urban areas, and 47 percent are from rural areas.
