SWS: Most Filipinos expect a happy Christmas 2019

Most Filipinos expect a happy Christmas this year and believe in the popular adage "it is better to give than to receive," according to the latest Social Weather Stations survey released on Tuesday.

The Fourth Quarter 2019 SWS, conducted from December 13 to 16, 2019, showed four out of five or 79% of adult Filipinos expect a happy Christmas.

This is the highest percentage since the record-high 82% in 2002. Last year, Filipinos' expectation of a happy Christmas was at 77%.

Meanwhile, 2% of the survey respondents said Christmas will be sad, while 19% said it will be neither happy nor sad.

Moreover, expectations of a happy Christmas are highest in Visayas at 82%, while Mindanao and Balance Luzon followed at 80% and 70%, respectively.

The number of people who expect a happy Christmas was lowest in Metro Manila with only 70% of its respondents.

'Better to give'

Meanwhile, the December survey also found out that 76% believed it is "better to give" this holiday, while 23% said it is "better to receive."

The percentages of respondents who said it is "better to give" were highest in Metro Manila at 82% and Balance Luzon at 81%.

On the other hand, Mindanao rose to a record-high 75% this year from 2018's 72%.

Meanwhile, Visayas scored a record-low 63% this year from 67% in 2018.

The survey, which is non-commissioned, used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide, asked 300 respondents each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

It had a sampling margin of error of ±3% for national percentages and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. — MDM, GMA News