SWS: More Pinoys upbeat in 2013

ALMOST two of every five adult Filipinos are optimistic about their quality of life, while one in three are optimistic about the Philippine economy this year, a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

The survey, conducted from Dec. 8 to 11 and first reported in BusinessWorld, found that 37 percent of Filipinos were optimistic that their quality of life would improve in the next 12 months, as against 8 percent who said it would get worse, for a “high” net optimism score (optimists minus pessimists) of plus 29.

The SWS asked respondents: “In your opinion, what will be the quality of your life in the coming 12 months?” and were told to choose from two answers: “Will be better” (optimists) or “Will be worse” (pessimists).

Better economy

The same survey found that 33 percent were optimistic the Philippine economy would be better this year while 14 percent were pessimistic, for a “very high” net optimism score of plus 19.

But the survey also found a bigger proportion (32 percent) saying their life had worsened compared to a year ago (losers) while 25 percent said their life had improved over the same period (gainers), for a “fair” net score of minus 8.

Across classes, net optimism about their own quality of life ranged from a “high” plus 24 among class E to a “very high” plus 40 among classes ABC. It was at plus 30 (“very high”) among class D.

Very high in Metro

Across areas, it ranged from a “fair” plus 19 in Mindanao to a “very high” plus 35 in Metro Manila and the Balance of Luzon. It was at plus 23 (“high”) in the Visayas.

Net optimism on the economy across classes, on the other hand, ranged from a “very high” plus 16 among class E to a “very high” plus 28 among classes ABC. It was at plus 19 (“very high”) among class D.

Net economic optimism across areas ranged from a “high” plus 9 in Mindanao to a “very high” plus 26 in Balance Luzon. It was at plus 11 in the Visayas and at plus 21 in Metro Manila (both “very high” scores).

Meanwhile, the net percentage of gainers over losers across classes was a “very high” plus 29 among classes ABC, a “fair” minus 7 among class D and a “mediocre” minus 17 among class E.

Across areas, the net percentage score of gainers over losers was a “fair” minus 7 in Metro Manila, zero in Luzon outside Metro Manila (“fair”), minus 13 in the Visayas (“mediocre”), and minus 18 in Mindanao (“mediocre”).

For net personal optimism, SWS considers scores of plus 30 and above as “very high”; scores from plus 20 to plus 29, “high”; plus 10 to plus 19, “fair”; plus 1 to plus 9, “mediocre”; zero to minus 9, “low”; and minus 10 and below, “very low.”

Face-to-face interviews

For net economic optimism and net gainers, SWS classifies scores from plus 10 and above, “very high”; plus 1 to plus 9, “high”; minus 9 to zero, “fair”; minus 10 to minus 19, “mediocre”; minus 20 to minus 29, “low”; minus 30 and below, “very low”

The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.