Filipinos are naturally a happy bunch and always have a smile ready for every occasion even if they are faced with problems that would normally depress or put down people from other nations.
A survey of the ten happiest countries in the world from news site “Gallup” tied the Philippines and Guatamela as the seventh and eigth happiest countries with 82 percent of the respondents saying that they are, indeed, happy.
Conducted last year, the survey had a thousand respondents in 148 countries who answered questions that indicated happiness such as smiling and laughing.
In the Philippines, a woman is still all smiles even if she is having problems with her budget for Christmas celebrations, since her husband did not receive a salary bonus.
“Kahit walang pera, kahit walang bonus ang asawa, okay lang masaya parin,” said Josephyn Arcnio in an interview by Tina Panganiban-Perez for GMA News' “State of the Nation.”
She then said that it was due to her family being together; is the ultimate source of happiness for her.
Others Filipinos who were faced with problems also seemed like they weren't carrying any worrisome burden and kept on smiling. An unnamed woman said that amid problems and calamities Flipinos still know how to smile.
“Hindi parin nawawala yung ngiti. Kasi mababaw lang tayong mga Pinoy,” she explained
Meanwhile, a professor of Philippine studies from the University of the Philippines said that it wasn't suprising that the Philippines ranked high in the survey due to the happy nature of Filipinos. Instead, he would have been surprised if the Philippines did not make the top 10 of the survey. He also said the the basis of happiness of Filipinos include religion, family and health.
“Ang isang taong religious, isang taong mataas, malalim at punong-puno ng spiritwalidad dahil sa kanyang paniniwala ay nag ke-create ng pag-asa,” Dr. Jovy Peregrino said.
Peregrino also said that the Philippines is generally a tightly-knit communitarianist nation where you can commonly rely on someone to support you whenever you're feeling down.
“Mayroon tayong tinatawag na laging kasama, laging ka-isa, laging kapanalig, laging karamay, laging kadikit,” he said adding that good health is another thing that keeps Filipinos happy.
Aside from this, Peregrino noted that material things usually don't determine the happiness of Filipinos.
“Hindi maiaalis na ang mga bagay at material na bagay ay nakakapagbigay ng saya. Ngunit mataas na diyan ang pananaw ng Pinoy. Maraming walang material na bagay sa mga Pilipino pero kakikitaan mo ng saya,” he said. – KDM GMA News
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