Opinion Polls
By Marichel Teves-Magalona

As per survey… Filipinos are the happiest people in Asia , and 6 th happiest people in the world. What do you think of the survey findings?

HEDI GARCIA
…I was sad till I saw a man without 2 arms, shaking his shoulder & jumping with joy when I asked why he is happy? He replied, I'm not happy… katol ITLOG KO. Di ko makalot.

MISSY TEVES-CAMAHORT
I agree completely.

NONEL GEMORA
False. They are not happy. They only have higher tolerance levels brought by the chronic exposure pain.

MELANIE TEVES
I think we are the happiest!

MICHAEL CALING
I think it is true. We are an amnesiac and masochist people. Amnesiac meaning short termed memory so we easily forget what we fought hard to achieve like independence. Masochist means we seem to be numb and enjoy the hardships inflicted to us by blood sucking political and technocrat sadists that we have and still come out smiling.

MARILOU CACHO
Yes, because many times they don't know or don't want to know what is happening to them. Ignorance is bliss.

MACHALEN TEVES-CAMAHORT
Very true. Because no matter how horrible the situation is, we still have a smile on our faces and say “it could be worse”. Happy shalalala!

MONA AYESA
Having a happy disposition differs from being happy. I think that Filipinos have a happy disposition but don't think that Filipinos are happy.

MANOLET TEVES
Nice to dream.

LEILA CARAM
That's because we Filipinos are good humored maski gutom or problematic, we can still afford to smile and leave our worries to our GOD and the BLESSED MOTHER!

DR. LOUIE KANAPI
I think so. Filipinos became resilient and used to problems brought about by calamities, dictatorship and poverty. But because of our faith and hope towards God and a close knit family, there's always a reason to smile.

MANOLO RAMOS
I agree! We are just happy where we are now! Tomorrow? That is another question.

MIKE HECHANOVA
I think that is true. We must all be happy despite some problems that we are facing now.

MARTIN SORIANO
They are happy because they do not know what they are missing. Ignorance is bliss. Mentalidad sang Mananguete kag manog sanggot sang tuba, mentalidad sang manogkahoy. I'm sorry, they have no word of honor, they are perennially short of cash, they sit on the toilet bowls like monkeys, and the Bushido Code of the Samurai is alien to them. Oh yes, we have a damaged culture and we need a lot of improvement.

DR. KRISTIN TREÑAS
We have a beautiful country and wonderful people, of course we are happy!

KHUY HARESCO
Yes, I agree. We were experiencing economic crisis yet we manage to smile and stay happy.

DR. LOUIE TIRADOR
I agree. Filipinos smile their problems away. Fatalistic attitude. Sanay na sa problema.

MALS TINSAY-LOCSIN
This is true. We find humor even at all situations and even laugh at ourselves! At the US President sex scandal: B. Clinton and M. Lewinsky jokes. At the worst Philippine political situation: ERAP JOKES! And now the wedding bells of the royalty: Prince Charles & Camilla Parker Bowles jokes! You should read the book “You Are a Filipino If”.

MARY DEEN
I don't believe in that statement because happiness is not permanent state of feelings. One can be happy at a particular time and may be easily lost few moments later due to a sudden change of mood. So it's impossible to quantify number of people who are happy and rank them accordingly among nations.

FR. MANNY UY, SJ
Our joy springs from our prayerful sense of gratitude and our amazing capacity to bounce back after a fall.

LYNNIE DENILA
I guess so, because we are used to hard times. So when little blessings come, we are not only contented but over joyed.

DR. LULAY TUPAZ
Yes, I agree.

KRISTIN ROJO-YAP
They are? Well, it is not impossible especially when we always find a way to relax and have our comfortable moments, no matter the pressures nor difficulties we encounter.

LYN LYN BELDIA-JAEN
Just wondering what criteria were the measure of happiness based on? Happiness is so relative… could be culture; we readily smile amidst crisis. Religion; which gives majority of the population faith in the face of suffering and hope in spite of harsh realities as Indians belonging to the lower caste believe reincarnation will elevate them to a higher status thus making them generally accepting. So are acceptance, endurance and hope gauges of happiness? Or are they symptoms of a complacent and naïve society?

MITCH MAALAT
I agree. Because in spite of the condition of our economy we Filipinos never run out of reasons to celebrate life.

MIKE CHUA
I think so. Filipino culture defines the true meaning of “family”.

MIGUEL CORDOVA
It's probably because Filipinos are contended with what they have. Whatever we lack in material things, we replace it with God's love. We always find humor even in the most serious and life threatening situations.

LOURDES LIM
I think Filipinos are the happiest people for they are contented whatever they have. As a Catholic, we believe in prayer that JESUS will provide for our future. So they spend and enjoy what they have for today.