FEWER Filipinos remain optimistic about the economy and their prospects of achieving a better quality of life in the next 12 months, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed in its latest survey.
In its May 23 to 27 poll, the SWS said net personal optimism and net optimism about the economy fell six percentage points (to +40) and 11 percentage points (to +31), respectively, compared to scores recorded in December 2017.
Net optimism about quality of life and the economy remained "excellent," though.
Of the 1,200 respondents surveyed by the SWS, 46 percent are described as "optimists," as they are expecting that their quality of life would improve in the next 12 months, while six percent are classified as "pessimists" as they are expecting otherwise.
Net personal optimism was "excellent" in Balance Luzon (+40), Mindanao (+50), Class ABC (+42), and Class D (+42). It was followed by "very high" scores in Metro Manila (+37), Visayas (+31), and Class E (+31).
The SWS also showed that 42 percent are optimistic that the economy would "get better," while 12 percent feel that it would "deteriorate."
Net optimism about the economy stayed "excellent" in all areas (Balance Luzon, +28; Metro Manila, +28; Visayas, +23; and Mindanao, +43), and socio-economic classes (Classes ABC, +35; D, +32; and E, +24).
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the executive department welcomed the poll results, which showed the public's confidence in the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte and his economic team.
"We consider these latest survey results as a vote of confidence in the President and the members of his economic team. Our economy remains on target hitting 6.8 percent during the first quarter of 2018," Roque said in a press conference held in Marawi City on Thursday, May 24.
The SWS used sampling error margins of ±3 percentage points for national percentages, and ±6 percentage points each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. (SunStar Philippines)