The Rizal Monument is illuminated by a fireworks display during New Year’s Day celebrations in Manila. President Duterte recently signed an executive order mandating local government units to assign community fireworks displays to lessen firecracker injuries and pollution.(MNS photo)
MANILA, Dec 30 (Mabuhay) — About 96 percent of Filipinos will welcome 2018 with hope instead of fear, according to the results of a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Friday.
The score surpassed the 95 percent achieved in 2002, 2011, and 2016 and is considered an “all-time high” since the survey question was first asked in 2000.
In the Fourth Quarter 2017 Social Weather Survey conducted among 1,200 participants last December 8 to 16, only four percent said they would enter the New Year with fear, the lowest recorded score since 2011.
The SWS noted that hope for the New Year has “always” been high.
After dipping to 89 percent in 2009, the rating recovered to 93 percent in 2010 and stayed on the 90s level ever since.
This year, hopefulness for the New Year appeared to rise in all socio-economic classes, climbing to 96 percent among Class D; 97 percent among class E; and 97 percent among classes ABC.
Moreover, the SWS said New Year hope showed a “widespread” in all areas due to significant increases in the Visayas and Metro Manila, bringing the scores to the highest in Balance Luzon at 97 percent, followed by Metro Manila (96 percent), Mindanao (95 percent) and Visayas (95 percent).
Results gathered from the one-on-one interviews also indicated that hope for 2018 is greater among those who expected a “happy” Christmas this year.
Hope for the new year among those who looked forward to Christmas rose by two points (from 96 percent in 2016 to 98 percent in 2017) while it fell by four points among those who expected a “sad” Christmas (from 92 percent to 88 percent).
It likewise fell by three points among those who said they expected neither a “happy” nor a “sad” Christmas (from 93 percent in 2016 to 90 percent in 2017.)
Participants were also asked how many of their New Year’s resolutions, if they made any, were fulfilled or will be fulfilled.
Of the 46 percent of Filipinos who made resolutions for 2017, 12 percent said “most” of their New Year’s resolutions have been or will be fulfilled.
Scores were achieved from on one-on-one interviews conducted among adults aged 18 years old and above.
The total 1,200 participants included 300 each from Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao with sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages, and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. (MNS)