MORE Filipinos expect the economy and their household finances to improve in the coming months but pessimism over the country's overall direction and growing anti-administration sentiment prevail, the latest Pahayag survey released on Monday showed.
The survey found that the number of Filipinos expecting the economy to worsen in the next quarter fell to 41 percent from 56 percent in the previous survey, while those expecting an improvement increased to 29 percent from 23 percent.
Filipinos also expressed greater confidence in their personal finances. Forty-six percent said they expect their household's financial situation to improve, up from 34 percent previously, while those anticipating a decline dropped to 22 percent from 36 percent.
The survey said the improving economic outlook was driven mainly by respondents from Luzon, those aged 25 to 49 and 50 years old and above, high-income households, and private sector employees and self-employed workers.
Despite the improved expectations, respondents remained skeptical about the country's condition.
More than half, or 53 percent, described the country's present situation negatively, up from 50 percent in the previous quarter. Only 21 percent viewed current conditions positively, down from 23 percent.
Similarly, 51 percent said the country is moving in the wrong direction, compared with 48 percent previously, while those who believe the country is headed in the right direction slipped to 26 percent from 28 percent.
The survey noted that declining confidence in the country's current situation was most pronounced among respondents from Mindanao, Filipinos aged 18 to 24, middle-income households and private sector workers.
Overall public sentiment also remained largely pessimistic.
Seventy-two percent of respondents said they were pessimistic about the country's near-term prospects, a slight improvement from 74 percent previously, while 28 percent expressed optimism, up from 26 percent.
The survey also found that 26 percent of respondents described themselves as anxious, while only 21 percent said they felt optimistic.
Political sentiment also continued to shift away from the administration.
Only 14 percent identified themselves as pro-administration, down from 21 percent in the second quarter of 2025, while anti-administration sentiment rose to 47 percent from 37 percent. Thirty-nine percent described themselves as politically neutral.
Meanwhile, pro-opposition sentiment remained at around 20 percent, while anti-opposition sentiment increased to 33 percent from 25 percent. Forty-five percent said they were neutral.
According to Pahayag, the results suggest that more voters are moving away from identifying with the administration, with many shifting either toward anti-administration views or political neutrality.
The survey was conducted from June 28 to 30 among 1,509 registered Filipino voters selected from the PureSpectrum online research panel. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The survey was independently conducted and was not commissioned by any client.
