The country’s largest microfinancial services company, Cebuana Lhuillier, has formally opened this year’s Search for the Happiest Pinoy. The competition celebrates the Filipinos’ indomitable spirit of resilience and positivity and gives honor and recognition to outstanding Filipinos that best represent these values.
“Cebuana Lhuillier has always believed that Filipinos are one of the most resilient people in the world. We have always faced life’s challenges with optimism, faith, and a can-do attitude—and we believe that this should be recognized and encouraged at all times. We have been celebrating this culture of happiness and resilience through the Search for the Happiest Pinoy since 2009,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president and CEO of PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies.
In the 41st Annual Global End of Year Survey of Gallup International (http://www.gallup international.com/surveys/happiness-hope-economic-optimism/), the Philippines ranked third among the happiest countries in the world. The survey revealed that Filipinos exude a positive outlook in life in spite of economic uncertainties and financial upheavals.
The 2018 Search for the Happiest Pinoy will be the most inclusive in its ten-year history since it now covers ten categories: youth, senior citizens, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), lingkod bayan, professionals, manggagawang Pinoy, entrepreneurs, employees, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community.
Cebuana Lhuillier and a panel of judges representing the academe and the business community, as well as past Happiest Pinoy winners will pick a finalist from each category. The new Happiest Pinoy will be selected from the roster of 10 category winners.
This year, the country’s happiest competition requires no third-party nomination. To join, interested individuals must first choose a category that best applies to them and answer the application form via SMS by texting their full name, birthdate, and category code to (0920) 958-2455 (Smart/Talk ‘N Text), (0917) 878-2453 (Globe/TM), or (0932) 842-8562 (Sun); via online by logging on at www.happiestpinoy/register.aspx; or dropping their application form in any of Cebuana Lhuillier’s 2,200 branches nationwide.
The grand winner of the 2018 Search for the Happiest Pinoy will take home P1 million tax-free while category winners will win P50,000 each. The winner will also join an exclusive group of Filipinos composed of 2009 Happiest Pinoy winner Winston Maxino, 2012 Happiest Pinoy winner Rommel Arellano, and 2015 Happiest Pinoy winner Richardson Navor.
