The percentage of Filipinos who are very happy with their lives has increased in the first quarter of 2019, a Social Weather Stations survey said.
In the nationwide survey from March 28 to 31, 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.
About 44 percent answered very happy or “talagang masaya,” 49 percent said fairly happy or “medyo masaya,” seven percent said not very happy or “hindi masyadong masaya,” and one 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 eight percent unhappy (seven percent not very happy and one percent not at all happy) is a five-point decline from the 13 percent (11 percent not very happy and two 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. (Ellalyn Ruiz)