Almost 9 out of 10 Pinoys 'very/fairly happy' with their lives —SWS 4Q 2018 poll

Close to nine out of 10 Filipinos regarded themselves as "very/fairly happy" in life in the fourth quarter of 2018, a Social Weather Stations survey showed.

Eighty-seven percent of respondents in the survey conducted from Dec. 16-19, 2018 said they were "very/fairly happy".

This represents a decline of seven points from the record high 94 percent in December 2017. It is also the lowest since December 2014, when the happiness score was at 85 percent.

Of the 87 percent, 39 percent were very happy, and 48 percent were fairly happy.

The unhappiness score, on the other hand, was at 13 percent—11 percent not very happy and 2 percent not at all happy—the highest since the December 2014 score of 15 percent.

The SWS said 1,440 respondents aged 18 years old and above 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? Are you (SHOWCARD)? [Kung iisipin ninyo ang inyong buhay sa kabuuan sa ngayon, masasabi ba ninyo na kayo ay (SHOWCARD)]?” 

Some Filipinos spent Christmas Day with their loved ones at Rizal Park (Luneta) in Manila on Dec. 25, 2018. Danny Pata

Satisfaction with life

Meanwhile, asked if they were satisfied with their lives, 82 percent of respondents said they were "very/fairly satisfied".

Of this score, 34 percent said they were very satisfied, while 48 percent said they were fairly satisfied.

This was the lowest since the 79 percent recorded in Sept. 2014.

The score is also 10 points down from the 92 percent recorded in Dec. 2017.

Meanwhile, the dissatisfaction with life was recorded at 18 percent, correctly rounded (14 percent not very satisfied, and 3 percent not at all satisfied). It was 21 percent in Sept. 2014.

Areas

Eight out of 10 areas were happy, but scores were lower compared to a year ago, the SWS said.

In Mindanao, the happiness score was at 89 percent, down from 96 percent in December 2017.

Visayas also had a happiness score of 89 percent, down from 94 percent a year ago.

Balance Luzon's happiness score was at 86 percent, down from 95 percent a year ago, while Metro Manila's was 82 percent, down from 90 percent.

Meanwhile, the unhappiness scores in the areas are as follows: Metro Manila, 17 percent; Balance Luzon, 14 percent; Visayas, 11 percent; and Mindanao, 11 percent.

Classes

Class ABC registered the highest happiness score at 91 percent.

Class D had 88 percent, while Class E was at 79 percent, a big drop from the 90 percent a year ago.

In terms of unhappiness, Class E was at 21 percent; Class D at 12 percent; and Class ABC at 9 percent.

Education

Happiness was highest among college graduates at 88 percent, although down from the 94 percent a year ago.

High school graduates registered 87 percent, down from 97 percent; elementary graduates at 87 percent, down from 92 percent; and non-elementary graduates at 85 percent, down from 90 percent.

Non-elementary graduates scored high in unhappiness at 15 percent. 

Elementary and high school graduates had 13 percent each in unhappiness score, while college graduates scored 12 percent.

Religion

Happiness was highest among members of Iglesia ni Cristo, at 96 percent; followed by other Christian denominations at 94 percent.

Catholics scored 86 percent, and Muslims at 83 percent.

Satisfaction with life

Meanwhile, at least 8 out of 10 areas were satisfied with life: Visayas and Balance Luzon at 83 percent, Metro Manila at 81 percent, and Mindanao at 80 percent.

Class ABC had 92 percent satisfaction with life; Class D had 83 percent, and Class E scored 75 percent.

College graduates were satisfied with life more, at 89 percent. They were followed by high school graduates at 83 percent, elementary graduates at 80 percent, and non-elementary graduates at 79 percent.

Across religions, Iglesia ni Cristo members were satisfied with life at 89 percent; Christians at 86 percent; Catholics at 81 percent; and Muslims t 81 percent.

The survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews with respondents, 350 in each area, spread throughout Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

It had sampling error margins of error margins of ±2.6 percent for national percentages, and ±5 percent each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. —KG, GMA News