(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Most Filipinos are facing 2015 with hope rather than fear, a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey said.
Nearly 93% of Filipinos surveyed were optimistic about 2015, slightly below the 94% registered last year.
SWS conducted the survey from November 27 to
December 1.
The pollster noted that "hope for the New Year has always been high, starting with 87% when questions was first asked in 2000, and with 88% on 2001."
Only 6% are facing 2015 with fear, SWS said.
The optimism reached an all-time high of 95% in 2002, slipping to 90% in 2003, and 81% in 2004.
It picked up again, to 85% in 2005 and 91 to 92% from 2006 to 2008, dropped to 89% in 2009 before bouncing back to 93% in 2010.
Hope reached 95% in 2011, 92% in 2012, 94% in 2013 and 93% in 2014.
The survey found that as in previous years, optimism for the New Year spread across all areas. It was 91% in Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao; and 96% in Balance Luzon.
"Compared to 2013, the percentages of those who are hopeful of the 2015 New Year hardly changed in all areas," SWS said.
It noted New Year hope had been flat for three years in Metro Manila, at 91% in 2013 and 2014, and 93% in 2012. This was 96% in 2010 and 2011.
In the Visayas, the 91% is similar to the 93% in 2012 and 2013, but slightly lower than the record 97% in 2010 and 96% in 2011.
Mindanao's 91% in 2014 is similar to the 92% in 2013. It was a low 85% in 2012, from 94% in 2011.
SWS said more respondents see a brighter New Year than those who expected a happy Christmas this year.
Of the 71% who expected a happy 2013 Christmas, 95% also look forward to 2014 with hope.
"Even among the 24% who say their Christmas would neither be happy nor sad, 91% are entering 2015 with hope," SWS said.
On the other hand, of the 6% who expected a sad Christmas, 76% are hopeful and 24% are fearful of the coming New Year.
The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,800 respondents, 300 each in Metro Manila, the Balance of Luzon and Mindanao, and 900 in Visayas.
Sampling error margins of ±2.3% for national percentages, ±5.7% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon and Mindanao, and ±3.3% for Visayas applied to the survey.
Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said the optimism is grounded on the Filipinos' belief that the "foundations for sustainable growth have been laid."
"Opportunities for meaningful work have been created. Millions of Filipinos are reaping the fruits of sound economic policies and good governance," Coloma said.
Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda gave almost the same assessment.
"Hope and optimism have always been characteristic of the Filipino people, who, throughout history, have consistently refused to give in to negativity, or to be cowed by challenges. The Aquino administration itself has been witness to this: we are a government borne of our people's belief that the tide can turn in the Philippines; that good governance can replace an entrenched culture of corruption," Lacierda said in a statement.
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