‘Slight downgrade’ in optimism

FILIPINOS’ OPTIMISM about their personal prospects has fallen somewhat, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said, even though more say their lives have improved and the economy likely to perform better.

A March 27-30 nationwide survey found 38% of the respondents saying they expect the quality of their lives to become better, compared to 9% who said otherwise, for a “high” net personal optimism score of +29.

The result, the SWS said, was a “slight downgrade” from the “very high” +33 (41% optimists, 8% pessimists) recorded last December.

The survey also found 28% of the respondents claiming the economy would get better, versus the 19% who said it would deteriorate, for a “high” net score of +9 — up marginally from the +8 (30% optimistic, 21% pessimistic) seen three months earlier.

Asked about how their lives had changed over the last 12 months, 26% said it had improved and 32% said it worsened, for a “fair” net gainers score of -6.

This, the SWS said, was an “upgrade” from December’s “mediocre” -13 (23% gainers, 37% losers) result.

The survey research institution classifies net personal optimism scores of +30 and above as “very high”, while those from +20 to +29 are “high”. The +10 to +19 range, which contains the historical median and mode, is “fair”, +1 to +9 “mediocre”, zero to -9 “low” and -10 and below “very low.”

In the case of net optimism about the economy and gainers/losers, with scores historically speaking having been highly negative, -30 and below is classified as “very low” and -20 to -29 is “low”. Zero to -9 is “fair”, with the SWS saying a “slightly negative score is already better than normal”, while -10 to -19 is “mediocre”. Scores of +1 to +9 are “high” and +10 and above merits a “very high.”

A movement from one classification to another is called by the SWS as either an “upgrade” or a “downgrade.”

The fall in net personal optimism was primarily traced to a downgrade in Metro Manila, where the score fell by six points to a “high” 29%. The latest result, the SWS said, is the lowest since December 2009’s +25.

A larger seven-point fall was recorded in Balance Luzon to +32 but the result remained “very high.” It also stayed “high” in the Visayas (up by two points to +24) and Mindanao (down three to +26).

By socioeconomic class, net personal optimism saw an upgrade among the ABC, gaining 14 points to a “very high” +40.

It stayed “high” in class E, up three points to +27, but saw a downgrade among the D or masa via a six-point fall to a “high” +29.

Net optimism about the economy, meanwhile, barely changed given upgrades in Metro Manila (up three points to a “very high” +10) and Mindanao (up 10 to a “very high” +14), a steady “high” in the Visayas (up three to +7), and a downgrade in Balance Luzon (down five points to a “high” +8).

By socioeconomic class, an upgrade was recorded among the E, up 12 points to a “very high” +14. It stayed “very high” in class ABC, although down by five points to +15, and was basically unchanged among the masa at a “high” +8, down a point from three months ago.

The net gainer improvement, lastly, was due to upgrades in almost all regions. A two-notch jump was recorded in Metro Manila, courtesy of a 20-point improvement to a “fair” -2. Mindanao rose to “fair” via a seven-point gain to -5, and the Visayas improved seven points to a “mediocre” -13. The score stayed “fair” in Balance Luzon, which still gained four points to -5.

Net gainer upgrades were also recorded by socioeconomic class, with the masa up nine points to a “fair” -5 and the ABC adding two to a “very high” +10. The score stayed “mediocre” in class E even as it improved seven points to -11.

Asked to comment on the survey results, Communications Secretary Herminio D. Coloma, Jr. said: “We are gratified that many Filipinos remain optimistic about their future.”

The government, he added, remains “determined to do what is needed to fulfill our people’s expectations by way of improved delivery of basic services and creation of meaningful opportunities for decent jobs and a stable future.”

Political analyst Ramon C. Casiple, meanwhile, said: “The downturn comes from the job pessimism, upturn from hope that economy improves.”

The first quarter SWS survey utilized face-to-face interviews of 1, 200 adults nationwide. The sampling error margins are ±3% for national and ±6% for area percentages. –Businessmirror