Duterte gov’t determined in providing solid foundation for Filipinos’ happiness

January 2, 2018

The Duterte administration vowed on Tuesday to provide Filipinos with "solid foundation" for their happiness.

In a statement, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar welcomed the Philippine ranking as the third happiest country in the world according to a survey by a US- based polling firm.

"In the coming months and years of this administration, we are determined to give greater substance and a more solid foundation for our people’s happiness through a booming economy, effective governance, enduring peace and justice," he said.

The Philippines ranked as the third happiest country in the world with a net score of +84, according to Gallup International’s 41st Annual Global End of the Year Survey.

Andanar said the survey reaffirms this well-known facet of the Filipino’s character.

Even in the bleakest and dire moments of the Philippine history as a nation, he said Filipinos have shown their immense capacity for hope and happiness.

"While Gallup places the Philippines as the third happiest country in the world with a net score of +84 and two places behind Fiji, many Filipinos will agree that we are the happiest peope in the world despite our circumstances," he said.

In a separate statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque noted that it is good news that in the same survey, the Philippines is the fifth most optimistic about the country's economic prosperity and 9th most optimistic about the prospects for 2018.

"(H)ope about the country’s economic prosperity and hope about the new year can be attributed to the palpable change our people have felt under the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte," he said.

He cited that the Philippine economy is one of the fastest growing in the region as the local stock market ended the last trading day of 2017 in an all time-high.

He also noted that Board of Investments-approved investments are record-breaking and the government "decisively" liberated Marawi.

"Our people have, indeed, appreciated these changes as reflected in the survey numbers.  The challenge, therefore, is for us in the government to sustain the pace and momentum of our economic growth and bring it to the greatest number of our people," Roque stressed. Gallup said Fiji, with +92 score, remained the happiest place in the world out of the 55 countries included in the survey, followed by Colombia, with +87 score.

Iran was the unhappiest country in the world in 2017 after posting a net score of +5. Celerina Monte/DMS