By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
The percentage of Filipinos considering their lives as “very happy” has increased in the first quarter of 2019, based on the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results.
(ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN)
In the nationwide survey, 1,440 respondents were asked, “If you were to consider your life in general these days, how happy or unhappy would you say you are on the whole?” A set of showcards was shown to them.
The survey was fielded over the period of March 28 to 31.
About 44 percent answered very happy or “talagang masaya,” 49 percent said fairly happy or “medyo masaya,” 7 percent said not very happy or “hindi masyadong masaya,” and 1 percent said not at all happy or “talagang hindi masaya.”
The 44 percent who said they are very happy is a five-point increase from the 39 percent in December 2018.
Prior to this, SWS pointed out that it had been declining for two consecutive quarters since the record-high 57 percent in December 2017.
Meanwhile, the 49 percent fairly happy is similar to the 50 percent in June 2018 and 48 percent in December 2018, following the 37 percent in December 2017.
The 8 percent unhappy (7 percent not very happy and 1 percent not at all happy) is a five-point decline from the 13 percent (11 percent not very happy and 2 percent not at all happy) in December 2018.
SWS attributed the five-point rise in the nationwide very happy score to increases of 14 points in Metro Manila, 12 points in Visayas, and seven points in Mindanao, combined with a one-point decline in the rest of Luzon.
It was highest among college graduates at 56 percent, up from 43 percent in December 2018, followed by non-elementary graduates at 43 percent from 34 percent), elementary graduates at 43 percent from 38 percent, and high school graduates at 42 percent from 39 percent.
Meanwhile, the proportion of those fairly happy was highest among high school graduates at 51 percent from 48 percent, followed by non-elementary graduates at 50 percent from 51 percent, elementary graduates at 48 percent from 49 percent, and college graduates at 41 percent from 44 percent.
Unhappiness was highest among elementary graduates at 10 percent from 13 percent, followed by non-elementary graduates at 8 percent from 15 percent, high school graduates at 7 percent from 13 percent, and college graduates at 3 percent from 12 percent.
During the same survey period, the respondents were asked, “On the whole, are you very satisfied, fairly satisfied, not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with the life you lead?”
Another set of showcards was shown, where 37 percent answered very satisfied or “lubos na nasisiyahan,” 53 percent said fairly satisfied or “medyo nasisiyahan,” 8 percent said not very satisfied or “hindi nasisiyahan,” and 2 percent said not at all satisfied “lubos na hindi nasisiyahan.”
SWS explained that the 37 percent who were very satisfied with life is a three-point increase from the 34 percent in December 2018.