Happiness

Those were touching results from the uncommissioned Christmas survey of Social Weather Stations. The results reaffirmed a similar SWS survey for Christmas 2002.

Filipinos, the latest survey showed, expected their Christmas to be happy. They were grateful for their health, for surviving amid poverty, for just being alive — "Buhay pa rin hanggang ngayon."

I remember those cartoons that always started with "Happiness is…" They could be syrupy, but they were a celebration of life’s little blessings. Journalists and certain quarters in this country may carp endlessly about traffic, corrupt politicians and shrinking purchasing power. But the average Pinoy finds reason to thank the heavens for little mercies every day. He may have only cheap gin and pulutan on the Christmas table, but he’s going to have a merry Christmas, you better believe it.

And so yesterday we made merry, no matter what the noche buena fare was, no matter what the gifts were under the faux Christmas tree. There was no day off for the children rapping on car windows and pressing doorbells endlessly, begging for alms. But they did this with a bit more energy and laughter, probably because they received more charity on Christmas Day.

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There have been articles about Filipinos being among the happiest people in the world. I’m not sure how those reports rate happiness, but some were based on surveys taken among different nationalities. The surveys, a number of them taken among overseas Filipino workers, showed that Pinoys — even those separated for long periods from their loved ones — were generally happy with their lives.

Laughter also comes easy to us — a trait that confounds some foreigners. We laugh not only at funny things, but also when we’re nervous or embarrassed. We laugh when we’re so exasperated we want to cry. We laugh, believing that the world will laugh with us. There will never be a need here for the government to encourage citizens to smile more often, as they’ve done in Hong Kong, to lure more visitors.

Some people say Filipinos are easily pleased — mababaw ang kaligayahan. This could be a source of strength for those who have so little or who have suffered a lot. It could indicate unbounded optimism, a "what, me worry?" attitude toward life. It’s a stress-free, healthy existence – a luxury few people can afford in this troubled world.

But being easily pleased could also indicate an uncritical appreciation of life, a willingness to settle for mediocrity. If you are easily satisfied, there is no drive for excellence. We create a product and think it’s puede na – it will do — and put it on the market without bothering to strive for world-class quality. Global competition is too stressful. If the price of being world class is suffering from stomach acid, high blood and hemorrhoids, we’ll settle for puede na, thank you.

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One scary aspect of that SWS survey: 42 percent of the respondents said they believed in Santa Claus. Although 58 percent said they did not believe, 42 percent is still a worrisome figure.

Class E accounted for much of the 42 percent. That’s the class that went for Joseph Estrada in 1998, and is likely to pick another movie star in 2004 for president. If they can believe in a jolly old man delivering gifts to children while traveling around the globe on a reindeer-drawn sleigh every Christmas, they can surely believe in Ang Panday.

Don’t get me wrong – once upon a time I also believed in Santa Claus. I think it lasted until I stopped taking milk from a feeding bottle. Then I was so relieved that I didn’t have to be on my best behavior throughout the year to receive gifts on Christmas.

But how can anyone who has reached puberty still believe in Santa Claus? I don’t think SWS polled children. This survey should give you an idea of the level of literacy in this country. And it should also give an indication of how certain people will pick their candidates in May 2004.

It’s enough to wipe that "what, me worry?" smile from your face.

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On Christmas Day I thought of national events or developments that brought a smile to Filipino faces this year. When you’re a journalist used to carping and whining in a year of national despair, this is one of the most difficult undertakings.

But I did scrounge up some items that all my colleagues considered good news. Here they are, in no particular order:

• The Abu Sayyaf’s Ghalib "Commander Robot" Andang as well as terrorist suspects Moklis Yunos and Taufik Refke are captured. (Even better news: they still haven’t escaped!)

• The Manila Electric Co. starts refunding households with low electricity consumption.

• Manny Pacquiao defeats Mexican champion Marco Antonio Barrera.

• The Supreme Court rules with finality that the Marcoses’ $685 million Swiss deposits belong to the Filipino people.

• The Ermita-Malate district, including Manila’s bay area, undergoes beautification and revival. Even the gaudy lights are better than the seedy darkness of the past.

• Cialis hits the Philippine market. The office Lotharios who suggested this swear you get more value for your money with Cialis compared with the original drug for erectile dysfunction, Viagra.

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As for the bad news, we have enough of that throughout the year. This week is for happiness, for looking on the bright side, for celebrating life.