Amid economic woes and corruption, Filipinos welcome 2026 with less hope and more fear

By Carlito Pablo

Faced with economic hardships and corruption in government, Filipinos welcomed 2026 with the lowest level of optimism in nearly two decades.

Not surprisingly, they also ushered in the new year with the highest level of apprehension in about 20 years.

The Social Weather Stations (SWS) reported that its survey between November 24 to November 30, 2025 revealed that 89 percent of adult Filipinos were entering the New Year with hope rather than fear.

In a media release dated December 31, 2025, the social research group noted that this represents a one-point decline from 90 percent in 2024, following a seven-point decrease from 96 percent in 2023.

Moreover, this “marks the lowest level in sixteen years, since the 89% recorded in 2009”.

SWS noted that on the other hand, 11 percent of adult Filipinos were entering the New Year with fear, up by one point from 10 percent in 2024, following a seven-point rise from three percent in 2023. 

“This is the highest since 11% in 2009,” the Metro Manila-based polling outfit stated.

Additionally, “Hope for the New Year was 87% when first surveyed by SWS at the end of 2000. It was in the 80s at the end of 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009, and 2025. It was in the 90s at the end of 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, and from 2010 to 2024.”

The survey respondents were asked: “Ang darating na taon ba ay inyong sasalubungin nang may pag-asa o may pangamba? [Is it with hopes or with fears that you enter the coming year].”

The results of another survey, which was done by Pulse Asia Research Inc., may provide some context about why hope is down and fear is up among Filipinos.

Pulse Asia conducted a nationwide poll between December 12 and December 15, and released its findings on December 30, 2025.

The survey showed that the need to control inflation is the leading urgent national concern of 

Filipino adults, with 59 percent identifying this as top priority.

Fighting graft and corruption comes second, 48 percent; increasing the pay of workers, 39 percent; reducing poverty, 22 percent; and creating more jobs and fighting criminality tied for fifth place at 19 percent.

With respect to other issues, fighting the widespread sale and use of illegal drugs got 18 percent;

enforcing the rule of law, 13 percent; protecting the environment, 10 percent; promoting peace, nine percent; helping farmers, nine percent; reducing taxes, eight percent; responding to the 

needs of calamity-hit areas, eight percent; and addressing the problem of involuntary hunger, eight percent.

Pulse Asia noted that Filipino adults are least concerned about aiding small entrepreneurs, six percent; protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers, three percent; defending territorial 

Integrity, two percent; and dealing with terrorism, one percent.

The government of Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said that its administration has shielded the country’s poorest families from rising prices by keeping inflation low and sustaining economic growth in 2025.

A report by the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) on December 28, 2025 noted that inflation eased to 1.6 percent from January to November 2025, down from 3.4 percent in 2024.

The report stated that this marked a steady decline from 5.8 percent in 2022 and six percent percent in 2023.

“To put this in perspective, a 6% inflation rate means that your PHP100 can buy only about PHP94 worth of goods and services. But with inflation down to just 1.6% in 2025, that same PHP100 can now buy about PHP 98.4 worth of goods and services,” Executive Secretary Ralph Recto explained in the PNA report.

“Kaya napakahalaga nito para sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino, lalo na ang mga mahihirap. Kapag mababa ang inflation, napapanatili natin na abot-kaya ang mga pangunahing bilihin, lalo na ang pagkain (That’s why it’s so important for every Filipino family, especially the poor. When inflation is low, we can keep basic necessities, especially food, affordable),” Recto added.

In November last year, Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said that P500 is enough to cover a basic Noche Buena for a family of four. This remark generated a lot of backlash from members of the public who said that the amount is not enough for a Christmas feast.

Roque defended her estimate, saying that based on the government’s price index, a simple spread for a family of four can include a Christmas ham (P170), spaghetti noodles and sauce (P78.50), macaroni salad (P152), fruit salad (P98.25), and 10 pieces of pandesal bread (P27.75), totalling P526.95.

A December 3, 2025 editorial by the Philippine Daily Inquirer described Roque’s Noche Buena as “fantastical” in the face of current prices and lack of jobs.

“Instead of using her time making P500 Christmas menus, Roque should get out of her office more and ramp up efforts to lower prices so that the wages and earnings will be enough for the majority of Filipinos to live in dignity and to spend more than P500 on a Christmas meal they deserve,” the Inquirer’s editorial suggested.