ABOUT 46 percent of Filipinos think the Philippine economy will improve in the next six months, the latest OCTA Research survey released on Monday showed.

OCTA’s “Tugon ng Masa” survey from July 22 to 26 showed that less than half of the 1,200 respondents remain optimistic about the shortterm economic growth.

It is 4 percent lower than the 50 percent recorded in OCTA’s first quarter survey last March.

The poll also showed that 43 percent think the economy will “stay the same,” and 6 percent think it will “worsen.”

The percentage of respondents who think the economy will improve in the next six months ranges from 31 percent to 54 percent across major areas.

The highest percentage is in Balance Luzon (54 percent), and the lowest is in the Visayas (31 percent).

The percentage of respondents who think the economy will worsen ranges from 2 percent to 11 percent.

The highest percentage is in the Visayas (11 percent), and the lowest is in Balance Luzon (2 percent).

In terms of socioeconomic classes, the highest percentage of respondents who think that the economy will improve comes from Class D at 47 percent.

Class ABC has the highest percentage of respondents at 14 percent who believe the economy will get worse.

The percentage of respondents who are pessimistic about the economy ranges from 0 percent to 19 percent.

Central Visayas has the highest percentage of pessimism at 19 percent.

The highest percentage of respondents who think the economy will stay the same is in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) at 82 percent.

The poll showed 55 percent believe that their quality of life will improve in the next six months, 36 percent think it will remain the same, and 4 percent believe it will worsen.

Across different major areas, the percentage of respondents who are optimistic their life will improve ranges from 46 percent to 58 percent.

OCTA said “there is a relatively lower percentage of adult Filipinos in the Visayas (46 percent) who think that their quality of life will improve over the next six months compared to other major areas.”

In contrast, the National Capital