MORE Filipinos are feeling stressed more often than they were five years ago, with financial problems identified as the leading cause.
A new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, released for World Mental Health Day on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, reveals that 34 percent of Filipino adults now experience stress frequently, a notable increase from 27 percent in 2019. The report pinpoints money, health and work or school as the primary sources of this growing pressure.
With a third of the adult population now frequently stressed, what are the underlying pressures driving this trend and who is most affected?
The weight of financial burdens. The survey found that money is the biggest worry, with 53 percent of Filipinos citing it as a source of “big” stress. This is followed by concerns about health (42 percent), job or school pressures (39 percent) and family issues (38 percent). Financial stress often links to the rising cost of daily goods, job security and providing for family needs, which are persistent challenges for many households.
The survey also found that 32 percent of adults experience stress sometimes, 30 percent rarely, and four percent never feel stressed.
A national look at stress levels. Stress is not felt equally across the Philippines. Metro Manila leads as the most stressed region, where half of residents (50 percent) report feeling stress frequently. This is followed by Balance Luzon or places outside the National Capital Region (36 percent) and Mindanao (28 percent).
In contrast, the Visayas is the least stressed area, with only 26 percent of adults feeling frequent stress. The SWS noted this figure has “hardly changed” in the Visayas since 2019, unlike other regions where stress levels rose. This may reflect differences between the fast-paced, high-cost urban life in the capital and the lifestyles in other parts of the country.
The gender gap in stress. The survey highlights a significant difference between men and women. Forty-one percent of women report frequent stress, compared to just 27 percent of men.
This gap is evident across all major life areas, particularly finances (57 percent of women vs. 48 percent of men) and family responsibilities (44 percent vs. 32 percent). This suggests women may feel a greater share of the pressure related to managing household budgets and caregiving duties.
Why this matters. The rise in reported stress has real-world consequences. Chronic stress is linked to serious health problems, including anxiety, depression and heart disease. The release of the survey on World Mental Health Day shows the growing need for accessible mental health support and resources. The findings also point to broader economic and social issues that affect the population’s well-being.
The non-commissioned survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults nationwide from Sept. 24-30, 2025, and was released by SWS as a public service. / JJL
