SEN. Bong Go called on Filipinos to continue helping one another amid economic and personal challenges, as a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed a decline in personal optimism among adults nationwide.
Results of the March 24 to 31, 2026 survey showed that 38 percent of Filipino adults expect their quality of life to improve over the next 12 months, while 32 percent said it would remain the same.
Meanwhile, 16 percent said they expect their lives to worsen, double the 8 percent recorded in a previous 2025 survey. Fourteen percent of respondents did not provide an answer.
Despite the decline, SWS classified the country’s net personal optimism rating as “high,” although lower than the “very high” rating recorded in November 2025.
The nationwide survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults, including 300 respondents each from Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao, and 600 from Balance Luzon.
The survey carried a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent for national results, plus or minus 6 percent for Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao, and plus or minus 4 percent for Balance Luzon.
Go said the findings reflect the continuing struggles faced by many Filipinos dealing with rising costs of commodities, emergencies, unemployment, and other day-to-day hardships.
The senator said the survey should serve as a reminder for both public servants and ordinary citizens to remain compassionate and responsive to those in need.
The latest SWS findings followed an earlier survey showing that 50 percent of Filipino adults believed their quality of life had worsened over the past year, while 26 percent said their situation remained unchanged.
Go said that public service should focus on direct assistance to ordinary Filipinos, particularly families affected by disasters, financial difficulties, and other crises.
