Study: Half of Filipinos reject ‘resilience’ narrative amid economic woes

Residents wade through thigh- to waist-deep floodwaters along Sto. Domingo Street in San Simon, Pampanga, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, amid intermittent rains. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA — One in two Filipinos reject the long-romanticized narrative of resilience, viewing it less as a badge of honor and more as an expectation to endure hardship amid mounting economic pressures, according to a consumer sentiment study released on Friday.

Titled “Pinoy, Kaya Pa?: Dissecting Filipino Resilience,” the study by think tank Organic Intelligence examines how inflation and global disruptions are affecting Filipino households and their ability to cope with daily challenges.

The study was based on a 15-minute quantitative online survey conducted in May 2026 among 800 Filipinos aged 18 to 65 from socioeconomic classes A, B, C and D in urban areas nationwide.

“Baka panahon na na pag-usapan at pagnilayan kung totoo pa ba talaga itong narrative na ito sa harap ng napakadaming mga problemang hinaharap natin at paano pa kaya natin mas palalalimin ang pag-intindi natin sa konseptong ito,” said Dr. Jason Ligot, Group Account Director for Development Communication and Communication Design at Organic Intelligence, explaining the rationale behind the study.

Filipinos scored 82 out of 100 on the study’s Resilience Index, with Purpose — encompassing faith, responsibility and meaning — and Confidence, which measures self-belief and composure under pressure, emerging as key drivers.

“Mababa na siya and kung tuloy-tuloy pa ito, hindi natin alam kung anong mangyayari. ‘Pag nawala na ‘yong patience, it could cause chaos to us, if we’re all unsatisfied with what’s happening. So, kailangan nating ma-address ito,” said Shiela Mangila, Group Account Director for Marketing Intelligence at Organic Intelligence.

The findings also highlight the financial and emotional pressures respondents face amid inflation.

Nearly half of respondents or 46 percent said they had taken out a loan in the past month or two to cover basic daily necessities, rather than emergencies or investments.

Meanwhile, 45 percent reported feeling so emotionally and behaviorally drained by inflation that they were losing the motivation to get ahead.

Gibby Gorres, chief storyteller at communications agency Gugma PR, which released the study, said the findings could also prompt Filipinos to demand accountability from government leaders and institutions.

“Kailangan malaman ng publiko na hindi nila kasalanan kung bakit sila naghihirap. There are systemic issues abound,” he said.

“The people need to know that it’s not their fault. There are systems and crises na political level, policy level, and system level [and they need] to exact accountability from government and from leaders. And the government should listen to them,” Gorres added.