MANILA, Philippines — Fewer Filipinos are set to enter 2025 with hope, as the Social Weather Stations (SWS) recorded the highest number of people who are fearful of what the New Year will bring.
The SWS found that 90% of respondents remain hopeful about the New Year. While this is still a significant portion of the population, it is also the lowest figure recorded since 2009, when 89% expressed hope.
In contrast, 96% of Filipinos were hopeful for the New Year in 2023.
The SWS noted, “10% will enter the New Year with fear, up by 7 points from 3% in 2023. This is the highest since 11% in 2009.”
Hopefulness for the New Year declined across all areas, with the following decreases recorded:
- Metro Manila: 91% in 2024; 97% in 2023 (down six points)
- Balance Luzon: 92% in 2024; 97% in 2023 (down five points)
- Visayas: 87% in 2024; 93% in 2023 (down six points)
- Mindanao: 89% in 2024; 96% in 2023 (down seven points)
Declining in hope. The survey also revealed that hopefulness declined across all education levels compared to 2023. Among college graduates, the hopeful proportion dropped from 98% to 96%. For those with some senior high school education, it fell from 96% to 93%.
Among junior high school graduates, it declined from 96% to 91%, while the proportion of hopeful respondents who only completed elementary school decreased from 97% to 89%.
For those with no formal education, hopefulness dropped from 93% to 83%.
The happiness factor. The survey also noted a correlation between those who anticipated a happy Christmas and those who are hopeful for the New Year.
However, fewer Filipinos expected a merry Christmas this year, with the percentage dropping from 73% in 2023 to 65% in 2024.
The SWS conducted the survey from December 12 to 18 through face-to-face interviews with 2,160 adults: 1,080 from Balance Luzon and 360 each from Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
“The sampling error margins are ±2% for national percentages, ±3% for Balance Luzon, and ±5% for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao,” the SWS reported.