Filipinos are next only to the Indians as the “happiest” and most optimistic about life, according to a recent survey in eight Asian countries.
The survey by global research firm Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS), commissioned by AXA Asia Pacific, also covered China, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
AXA, one of the largest global financial life insurance and financial institutions, is represented here by AXA Philippines, which is a joint venture with the Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank).
Two years ago, a similar survey showed that Filipinos were tops in the region, and 12th in the world.
Filipinos were generally happy with their life within a 12-month period and a five-year outlook.
However, Dr. Alma S. de la Cruz of the Ateneo de Manila University said that Filipinos are really mababaw ang kaligayahan (easy to please).
“Filipinos are used to a deep level of deprivation, that they are easily content with simple gains or have learned to adapt to the difficulties of life,” De la Cruz said during the TNS-AXA presentation yesterday.
The doctor of sociology said that Filipinos seem to have low expectations regarding their jobs, society and the government.
In contrast, citizens of Japan and the western region of Europe record high cases of suicide since they place higher expectations on society and themselves.
Meanwhile, the survey said that job prospects and opportunity to use one’s skills are the key drivers for the Filipinos’ high level of optimism and happiness.
“Filipinos are relatively satisfied with their current career situation,” it added.
The survey covered over 300 individuals per country with age range from 25 to 50. Average monthly income of those surveyed is roughly P15,000 or their equivalent in the other Asian countries surveyed. These are classified as mass affluent.
However, only 28 percent of those surveyed placed some kind of investment for the education of their children.
Filipinos consider themselves relatively healthy within the next 12 months, but are quite unsure in the next five years. Only 21 percent of those surveyed acquired “on their own” some kind of health care.
Rising medical costs are one of the key considerations for not having a medical or health program.
The Filipinos’ easy-going attitude is also partly fatalistic and rooted in the bahala na or come-what-may outlook.
A majority of those surveyed have not prepared at all for their retirement, with just 31 percent taking it seriously.
De la Cruz said that the most likely reason for such an attitude is that Filipinos expect family to take care of them in their old age. Most think that they still have a long way to go to consider retirement.
TNS indicated that improving macroeconomic conditions weighed heavily on the Filipinos’ optimism within a five-year spread.
But proponents of the survey said that higher positive outlook on life does not mean adequate preparation for life or the future.
“People who have already achieved high standards are most worried about maintaining those standards, and that optimism is driven by the relative position one was born in.”
It added: “There is a likelihood that expectations and concerns about the future by the mass affluent will increase.”
Tags: Pinoy Culture, Survey Says
