Confidence and optimism

No matter how bad a year has been, Filipinos can be expected to ooze with confidence and optimism for the new year.

- BOO CHANCO

It must be a coping mechanism that makes Filipinos resilient in the face of natural and man-made challenges.

The SWS year-end surveys consistently show high Filipino optimism for the New Year, with figures often above 90 percent entering the new year with "hope rather than fear." We are still waiting for the New Year survey results.

This year, the SWS survey that covered expectations for Christmas done Nov. 24-30, 2025 found that 68 percent of adult Filipinos are looking forward to being happy (masaya).

The 68 percent is three points higher than 65 percent in 2024, but five points lower than 73 percent in both 2023 and 2022. It is 18 points above the record-low 50 percent in 2020 but 11 points below the pre-pandemic level of 79 percent in 2019.

The BSP also conducts quarterly surveys to measure consumer and business confidence, used by the Monetary Board to guide them in formulating monetary policies.

In its latest Consumer Expectations Survey (CES), the BSP found that Filipino consumer confidence was lower in the fourth quarter of the year due to graft and corruption concerns, higher inflation, lower household income, unfavorable weather conditions and other natural calamities.

Results of the latest survey show that the overall consumer confidence index (CI) turned more negative at -22.2 percent in Q4 2025 from -9.8 percent in Q3 2025.

A negative CI means there are more respondents with a negative outlook than a positive outlook on the economy.

On the other hand, Philippine businesses were more optimistic about the economy in the fourth quarter of the year, driven by an expected increase in OFW remittances and consumer spending during the holiday season.