By Alexandria San Juan
Nearly half of Filipinos are optimistic that the coming Christmas day will be more prosperous for them and their families, the latest Pulse Asia Research survey showed.
A man dressed up as Santa Claus gives candies to residents at San Fernando City, La Union on Dec. 2, 2019
(ERWIN BELEO / MANILA BULLETIN)
In the survey results issued on Friday, Pulse Asia said that 48 percent of Filipinos expect the coming holiday season to be more prosperous for them and their families than last year.
However, a contrary opinion was expressed by 11 percent of Filipinos who said that they will be "poorer this year," while 41 percent do not expect their holiday celebration to be any different from the one they had last year.
Majority of Filipinos who expect a more prosperous Yuletide season was mostly Mindanawons at 57 percent, those in Class ABC at 68 percent, as well as by a near majority in Class D at 49 percent.
According to the survey firm, these figures were similar to those recorded by them in December 2018.
Exactly or around the same percentages of those in Metro Manila, the rest of
Luzon, and Class E expect their family celebration this coming holiday season to be either more prosperous than last year (35 percent to 48 percent) or the same as last year (38 percent to 48 percent).
Exactly or around the same percentages of those in Metro Manila, the rest of
Luzon, and Class E expect their family celebration this coming holiday season to be either more prosperous than last year (35 percent to 48 percent) or the same as last year (38 percent to 48 percent).
While in Visayas, a small majority of residents (52 percent) expect this year's holiday celebration to be the same as last year.
High hopes for new year
Meanwhile, more Filipinos or at least 93 percent said that they will face the new year with hope.
This was at least two points higher than the 91 percent in December last year.
Majority figures were recorded in all geographic areas and socio-economic classes (90 percent to 98 percent, and 91 percent to 97 percent, respectively).
On the other hand, seven percent of Filipinos expressed indecision on the matter, while less than one percent said that they will face the coming new year without hope.
During the period of December 2018 to December 2019, hopefulness becomes more pronounced among those in Class E (+15 percentage points) while indecision on the matter in the same socio-economic grouping eases (-15 percentage points).
Pulse Asia's latest "Ulat ng Bayan" survey was conducted among 1,200 Filipino adults nationwide.
It had a ± 2.8 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level. Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following error margins at 95 percent confidence level: ± 5.7 percent for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.