About 93 percent of Filipinos are entering 2022 "with hope rather than with fear," the results of the 4th quarter of 2021 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Wednesday, Dec. 29, showed.
"The difference from the 91 percent recorded in 2020 is not statistically significant, but both readings are below the pre-COVID-19 96 percent in 2019," SWS in a statement.
The non-commissioned survey that was conducted from Dec. 12 to 16 with 1,440 respondents also found 7 percent who are welcoming the new year with fear, which was unchanged from 2020.
The exact phrasing of the survey question was: "Ang darating na taon ba ay inyong sasalubungin nang may pag-asa o may pangamba? Sasalubungin ang darating na taon nang may pag-asa or sasalubungin ang daratin na taon nang may pangamba. (Is it with hopes or with fears that you enter the coming year? Enter the coming year with hope or enter the coming year with fear). The source language was Filipino and English translation was included.
SWS noted that hope for the new year started at 87 percent when it first asked the question at the end of 2000.
It was in the 90s at the end of 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010 to 2021, and in the 80s at the end of 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2009.
Hope for 2022 rose in all areas except Mindanao
Compared to the end of 2020, hope for the coming year increased in Metro Manila (from 90 percent to 95 percent), Balance Luzon (from 92 percent to 93 percent), and Visayas (from 88 percent to 90 percent).
Meanwhile, it stayed at 93 percent in Mindanao.
Moreover, compared to the end of 2020, hope for 2022 rose among elementary graduates (from 89 percent to 90 percent), among junior high school graduates (from 92 percent to 94 percent), and among college graduates (from 94 percent to 98 percent).
It declined slightly from 91 percent to 89 percent among non-elementary graduates.