Survey: 86% of Filipinos embrace 2024 with optimism

Filipinos ring in the new year with optimism, survey reveals | Photo by cottonbro studio/Pexels

It’s just highly usual to feel the familiar flutter of apprehension that accompanies the arrival of the new year. The heightened sense of concern is merely the anticipation of the unknown, a natural response to the infinite possibilities that lie ahead.

But according to a survey conducted by France-based market research and consulting firm Ipsos, the Philippines is among the top five countries with the highest optimism levels for 2024. 

The survey, which spanned 34 countries and targeted individuals aged 16 to 74 years old, disclosed that 86 percent of Filipinos are optimistic that 2024 will bring better fortunes than 2023. 

“Optimism for the coming year appears to be on the rise, with 70 percent thinking that 2024 will be a better year than 2023,” Ipsos reported. “This marks a 5-percentage point increase from 2022, when optimism reached a decade-low of 65 percent.”

Topping the global optimism chart is Indonesia, where 91 percent of respondents expressed positivity about the coming year. Following closely behind are India, Mexico, and China, with the same optimistic rate of 87 percent.

Countries that are the most optimistic in 2024

They added that this year’s figure “hopefully signals optimism heading back to the levels more typically seen over the past decade.”

However, the survey uncovered a dual perspective: 59 percent of Filipinos found the past 12 months personally challenging, and 66 percent perceived 2023 as a difficult year for the country, highlighting a nuanced blend of optimism for the future alongside acknowledgment of recent challenges.

As Filipinos step into the new year, these survey results indicate a pervasive optimism that extends beyond personal and global contexts, providing a hopeful beginning amid a backdrop of resilience and determination.