Palace Welcomes Survey Showing High Optimism among Filipinos

(PNA) — Malacañang has welcomed the results of a recent survey showing high optimism among Filipinos in the past year and in the future.

“Ikinagagalak natin na sa kabila ng maraming hamon ay nananatiling positibo ang pananaw ng ating mga mamamayan tungkol sa kanilang kinabukasan,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said during a press briefing at the Palace on Tuesday.

“Kaya siguro masasabi natin na anuman ang background ng mga kaganapan, ang kanilang basic outlook ay positive at kapag ang nasa isipan ng mga mamamayan ay positibo, ang ganoong pananaw ay makakatulong sa pagkakaroon ng mga positibong aksyon kung sila ay mas gaganahang magtrabaho, magpursigi para sa isang mas magandang kinabukasan. Ang ultimate na benepisyaryo niyan ay ang kabutihan ng buong bansa,” he added.

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, conducted last March 20 to 23, showed that more Filipinos have become optimistic about the quality of their lives in the past year, and expect it to get better in the next 12 months.

The SWS said the net personal optimism score among Filipinos of all socioeconomic classes was “very high” after it reached a record-breaking +37.

This means 42 percent were optimistic that the quality of their lives would improve, while only five percent said it would be worse.

This survey result was higher than the previous record of +36 in June 2010 when President Benigno S. Aquino III started his term.

The data was also two notches up from the +35 recorded in December last year.

The SWS survey further showed that 32 percent of the 1,200 respondents felt that their lives improved over the past 12 months, higher than the 28 percent who thought otherwise, yielding a +6 net score.

According to the SWS, this was the highest in 28 years since March 1987 when the country recorded a “high” +11.

This figure was also a significant improvement from the –1 recorded in December last year. (PNA) SCS/PND/SSC