Fewer Pinoys expect ‘happy’ Christmas - poll

Metro Manila, Philippines - Around 65% or 6 out of 10 Filipinos expect a “happy” Christmas this year, fewer than the past two years’ count, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

This year's survey outcome was eight percentage points down from the 73% recorded in 2022 and 2023, the non-commissioned poll noted.

It matched 2021’s tally, but was still higher than the 50% logged in 2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid the consequent stringent lockdowns.

Those expecting a “sad” Christmas this year also inched up to 10% from 6% last year, while 26% answered “neither,” an increase from last year's 21%.

Mindanao had the highest ratio of respondents expecting a happy Christmas at 73%, followed by Visayas (71%), Balanced Luzon (59%), and Metro Manila (58%).

The SWS said that for this year, expectations of a happy Christmas fell in all areas except in Mindanao. The decline was also observed in all educational levels.

Most of the respondents also said good health, family, and being alive are the top three reasons to be grateful for in life, the pollster said.

The SWS polled 2,160 adults nationwide with the question: “Sa pangkalahatan, masasabi po ba ninyo na ang inyong Pasko ngayong taon ay magiging (Read out: Masaya; Malungkot; Hindi masaya at hindi rin malungkot)? [On the whole, would you say that your Christmas this year will be (Read out: Happy; Sad; Not happy and not sad)?]”

The research institute said the sampling error margins are ±2% for national percentages, ±3% in Balance Luzon, and ±5% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

NewsWatch Plus multiplatform producer Jelo Ritzhie Mantaring contributed to this report.