More Filipinos are feeling stressed frequently in their daily lives, with finances emerging as the top source of pressure, according to a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The national poll, conducted from September 24 to 30, 2025, revealed that 34% of adult Filipinos experience stress “frequently”, a sharp rise from 27% recorded in December 2019. Meanwhile, 32% said they experience stress sometimes, 30% rarely, and 4% never.
SWS said the survey was part of its effort to monitor Filipinos’ well-being and “track public attitudes toward stress factors, including one’s financial situation, health, job or school, and family.”
Findings showed that financial concerns weigh most heavily on Filipinos, with 53% reporting “big” stress related to money matters. This was followed by worries about health (42%), work or school (39%), and family (38%).
Women were found to be more prone to frequent stress than men—41% compared to 27%—marking an 8-point increase among women and a 7-point increase among men since 2019.
Regionally, Metro Manila residents reported the highest levels of stress, with half of respondents (50%) saying they frequently feel stressed. This figure was notably higher than in Balance Luzon (36%), Mindanao (28%), and the Visayas (26%).
The Third Quarter 2025 Social Weather Survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults nationwide and carried a ±3% margin of error for national estimates. SWS noted that the survey was non-commissioned and conducted independently.
