The Social Weather news cycle

The mission of Social Weather Stations (SWS) is to conduct surveys that track the well-being of the Filipino people over time, as a public service. We call these Social Weather Report (SWR) surveys since they contain unsponsored, or own-account, indicators meant specifically for public reporting. These SWR surveys were semi-annual in 1986-1991, and have been quarterly from 1992 to the present. They will continue indefinitely.

The latest SWS media release is, “Gainers minus Losers rises from +5 in March 2024 to +15 in June 2024” (www.sws.org.ph, 9/19/24). The numbers refer to the differences in the percentage of adults. Though the title mentions only two quarters of 2024, it has all the data, in charts and tables, from the beginning, now totaling 153 surveys. Of these 153 surveys, only 28 had more gainers than losers.

Every media release contains not only the latest numbers but also the entire series of results from the very beginning. Every SWS survey uses a fresh, statistically representative, sample of households, built up from representative subsamples in the National Capital Region, Balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The minimum sample per area is 300, so the minimum national sample is 1,200.

In June 2024, the net gainers score was +26 in the Balance of Luzon, +16 in NCR, +7 in Mindanao, and +1 in Visayas. The advantage of people in northern over those in southern Philippines to improve their well-being is typical.

By educational attainment, the net gainers score was +21 among college graduates (11 percent of the sample), +19 among junior high school grads (49 percent), +14 among elementary graduates (29 percent), and zero among elementary dropouts (11 percent). It being harder for the less educated to be gainers, social inequality is bound to grow.

Gaining or losing refers to how survey respondents compare their present quality of life (uri ng pamumuhay) to that of a year ago. The next media release will be on the people’s optimism or pessimism about their quality of life a year hence, and their optimism/pessimism about the economy in general. Thus the surveys will enable the connection of past improvement to expected future improvement.

Earlier this month, SWS reported on the people’s grading of the performance of the national government in general and on specific subject matters—“Net satisfaction with the National Administration at +40, up from +29 in March 2024” (9/13/24). This provided a report card on 15 subjects, with grades of “very good” or +50 to +69 on three subjects, “good” or +30 to +49 on five, “moderate” or +10 to +29 on three, “neutral” or -9 to +9 on two, and “poor” or -10 to -29 on two. The “very good” subjects were “Helping victims of disasters,” “Improving the quality of children’s education,” and “Helping the poor.” The “poor” subjects were “Eradicating graft and corruption in government” and “Fighting inflation.”

In August, SWS reported ratings for major national government institutions: “Net satisfaction for the Senate at +50, House of Representatives at +41, and Supreme Court at +41” (8/14/24). It also reported on its surveys on people’s satisfaction with major national officials: “Net satisfaction rating for Vice-President Duterte at +44, Senate President Escudero at +47, Speaker Romualdez at +29, and Chief Justice Gesmundo at +32” (8/9/24); and “Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s net satisfaction rating at +27, up from +20 in March 2024” (8/1/24).

Every report has charts that mark off the presidential administrations of Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III, Rodrigo Duterte, and Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., for analytical convenience. The changes in incumbent officials in each administration are likewise marked.

In July, SWS reported its findings on economic deprivation: “Hunger rises to 17.6% in June 2024 from 14.2% in March 2024” (7/23/24); and “58% of Filipino families feel Poor, up from 46% in March 2024” (7/18/24). Thus, the surveys can discover the relation of economic deprivation to satisfaction with the performance of government, including the performance of specific officials.

The deprivation topic started off the cycle of reports for the Second Quarter. The Third Quarter SWR survey is set for fielding by the end of this month; its topline findings should be ready during October, when the next news cycle will begin.

The Social Weather reports are permanently filed on the webpage, which may be consulted for details omitted by the mass media. To request inclusion in the SWS e-alert list, write to leo.laroza@sws.org.ph, SWS communications specialist.

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Contact: mahar.mangahas@sws.org.ph.