32% of Filipinos say quality of life improved, 43% say nothing changed—Stratbase-SWS survey

A recent survey by Stratbase and Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed that 32 percent of Filipinos felt their quality of life was better than 12 months ago (termed as gainers), while 25 percent said it got worse (losers.)

A total of 43 percent said nothing changed compared to a year ago.

The January 2025 survey showed a new gainers score of +7 (gainers minus losers), classified by SWS as "high."

However, this is below the "very high" +13 in December 2024 and September 2024, and similar to the high +5 in March 2024 and December 2023, Stratbase-SWS said.

The pre-election survey on quality of life was conducted from January 17 to 20, 2025, using face-to-face interviews of 1,800 registered voters nationwide: 300 in Metro Manila, 900 in Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila), 300 in the Visayas, and 300 in Mindanao.

The sampling error margins are ±2.31% for national percentages, ±5.66% for Metro Manila, ±3.27% for Balance Luzon, and ±5.66% each for the Visayas and Mindanao.

The survey question was: “Kung ikukumpara ang uri ng inyong kasalukuyang pamumuhay sa nakaraang 12 buwan, masasabi ba ninyo na ang uri ng inyong pamumuhay ay MAS MABUTI KAYSA NOON, KAPAREHO NG DATI, o MAS MASAMA KAYSA NOON?"

(Comparing your quality of life these days to how it was 12 months ago, would you say that your quality of life is BETTER NOW THAN BEFORE, SAME AS BEFORE, or WORSE NOW THAN BEFORE?)

The survey found the net gainers scored highest in Balance Luzon at very high +13, followed by Metro Manila at high +9, the Visayas at high +2, and Mindanao at fair.

According to Stratbase-SWS, the 6-point decline in the nationwide Net Gainers score from December 2024 to January 2025 was due to decreases in all areas except in Balance Luzon.

Net gainers was highest among 18-24-year-olds at excellent +34, followed by 25-34-year-olds at very high +13, 35-44-year-olds at high +4, 45-54-year-olds at high +2, and 55 years old and older at fair -2.—LDF, GMA Integrated News