Pinoy new year optimism hits 15-year low – poll

MANILA, Philippines — Most Filipinos remain hopeful for the coming year, but pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS) noted that expectations ahead of 2025 are the lowest in 15 years.

The survey, conducted from Dec. 12 to 18, found that 90 percent of Filipinos are entering the new year with hope rather than fear.

While the number remains high, it was six points below the 96 percent obtained in a similar survey in 2023.

SWS said it was the lowest since the end of 2009, when 89 percent said they were entering the new year with hope.

In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, 91 percent of the survey respondents said they were entering the new year with hope.

Meanwhile, 10 percent said they are entering 2025 with fear, up by seven points from three percent in 2023. It was the highest since the 11 percent in 2009.

According to SWS, hope for the new year fell across all areas and educational attainment.

It was highest among those in balance Luzon at 92 percent (from 97 percent), followed by those in Metro Manila at 91 percent (from 97 percent), Mindanao at 89 percent (from 96 percent) and the Visayas at 87 percent (from 93 percent).

Hope for the new year was highest among college graduates at 96 percent, followed by those with some senior high school education at 93 percent (from 96 percent), junior high school graduates at 91 percent (from 96 percent), elementary graduates at 89 percent (from 97 percent) and non-elementary graduates at 83 percent (from 93 percent).

SWS said there was higher hope for the new year among those who expected a happy Christmas this year.

The survey had 2,160 adult respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus two percent.