Fewer Filipinos are entering the New Year with hope compared to previous years, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Friday, December 27.
The latest SWS survey, conducted from December 12-18, 2024, revealed that 90% of adult Filipinos welcome 2025 with hope rather than fear—a six-point drop from 96% in 2023. This marks the lowest level of optimism since 2009, when the figure stood at 89%.
Meanwhile, 10% of respondents said they are entering the year with fear, a notable increase from 3% in 2023 and the highest since 11% in 2009.
The survey found that respondents’ outlook for the New Year was closely tied to their expectations for Christmas.
Those expecting a happy Christmas (65% of respondents) were more likely to enter the New Year with hope (94%) compared to those who anticipated a sad Christmas (74%).
However, the percentage of Filipinos expecting a happy Christmas has also dropped, from 73% in 2023 to 65% in 2024.
New Year hope declined across all major regions, with Balance Luzon and Metro Manila leading at 92% and 91%, respectively, followed by Mindanao (89%) and the Visayas (87%).
These figures represent a decrease from 2023 levels, which saw hope levels at 97% in Balance Luzon and Metro Manila, 96% in Mindanao, and 93% in the Visayas.
Similarly, optimism dropped across educational levels. College graduates remained the most hopeful at 96%, but this was down from 98% in 2023. Non-elementary graduates showed the lowest level of hope at 83%, down from 93%.
The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 2,160 adults nationwide, with a ±2% margin of error for national results. The questions were patterned after an annual poll conducted by Germany’s Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach. (TCSP)
