More Filipinos ‘very happy’ with life – SWS

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 3) — More Filipino adults were happier in the first quarter than in the previous period, according to an independent pollster, reversing a downward trend.

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted March 28 to 31 and released Monday said 44 percent of Filipinos assessed their lives as generally very happy.

This was up five points from 39 percent in the last quarter of 2018 based on the December survey. The score had declined for two consecutive quarters since it hit a record-high 57 percent in December 2017.

Forty-nine percent of respondents, meanwhile, said they were “fairly happy”, seven percent said they were “not very happy”, while only a percent answered “not at all happy.”

The happiness score rose in all regions except Luzon, and was highest among college graduates at 56 percent.

Among religious sectors, the Muslim community was the happiest at 66 percent, followed by Christians and Catholics at 50 and 42 percent, respectively.

The survey also found that 37 percent of Filipino adults were “very satisfied” with the lives they lead, a three-point increase from 34 percent in December 2018.

Fifty-three percent of respondents said they were “fairly satisfied” with their lives.

The nationwide poll was conducted through face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults.

The survey had a ±2.6 percent error margin, and ±5 percent each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.