Half of Filipino adults reported a decline in their quality of life over the past year, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, pulling the country’s Net Gainers score to a “low” level in the first quarter of 2026.
Results of the March 24 to 31 survey showed that 50 percent of respondents classified themselves as “Losers,” or those who said their lives had worsened compared to 12 months ago. Meanwhile, 26 percent said their situation remained the same, while 23 percent considered themselves “Gainers,” or those who experienced improvement.
This resulted in a Net Gainers score of -26, calculated as the difference between the percentages of Gainers and Losers. SWS categorized the figure as low, marking a sharp 19-point drop from the -7 recorded in November 2025.
The latest data extends a downward trend from earlier survey rounds, which posted a “very high” +12 in June 2025 before slipping to -2 in September and further declining toward year-end.
The nationwide survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults aged 18 and above. Respondents included 300 each from Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao, and 600 from Balance Luzon.
SWS said the survey carries a margin of error of ±3 percent for national estimates, with higher margins for regional results. The polling firm added that results were weighted using 2026 population projections from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The survey was non-commissioned and released as part of SWS’s regular public reporting.