Filipino people’s aspirations

What are the aspirations of the Filipino people? Instead of listening to politicians, self styled analysts and the ubiquitous media commentators, the NEDA embarked on an ambitious national survey through a series of public consultations. The results is an epic document called Ambisyon Natin 2040. According to the NEDA this study reflects the following:

• Collective long-term vision and aspirations of the Filipino people for themselves and for the country for the next 25 years.

•  It describes the kind of life the people want to live, as well as how the country will look like by 2040.

• Anchor for development planning at least four administrations.

The Filipino people actually have a widely shared common vision for self and family. The Filipino wants a “comfortable life with the family, free of hardship and worry.”  An overwhelming majority ( 79.2 percent) of Filipinos aspire for a” simple and comfortable life.” Only 16.9 percent aspire for an affluent life; and, a tiny minority 3.9 percent  to have the life of the very rich. How does the Filipino describe a “simple and comfortable life.?”

• 73 percent say it is earning enough;

• 73 percent say all children are college educated;

• 62 percent say it means owning at least one car;

• 61 percent say having enough money for day-to-day needs;

• 61 percent say owning a medium-sized home;

• 30 percent say it means being a business owner;

• 30 percent say it means relaxing with family and friends;

• 21 percent say it means being able to take occasional trips around the country.

How much would a Filipino family need to earn to be able to live a “simple and comfortable life”? NEDA computed the income requirement that based on present prices and currency value, the Filipino family should earn a gross monthly income of P120,000 to fulfil his simple aspirations. Here is the breakdown of the monthly expenses:

• P40,000 for day-to-day needs;

• P30,000 for financing a medium sized home;

• P25,000 for income tax

• P10,000 for the children’s college education;

• P6,000 to be able to take occasional trips around the country;

• P5,000 for car financing;

• P4,000 for relaxing with family and friends.

The desired income level does not seem that high. The survey also asked what would be the attributes of a decent job. This how the Filipino described a decent job:

• A Job with a good salary which means enough wages paid regularly;

• The alternative is having a business with good revenues;

• A job with adequate benefits and incentives ( insurance, retirement);

• Job stability or security.

The desired occupation of the Filipino indicates that the entrepreneurial spirit of the Filipino is very strong. Here is their desired occupation:

• 47 percent want to be an employer in their own family-operated farm or business;

• 22 percent want to be self-employed without any paid employee, e.g. professional;

• 20 percent want to work for a private establishment;

• 20 percent want to work for the government or government owned corporation;

• 18 percent want to work with pay in their own family-operated farm or business;

• 13 percent want to work in a private household.

The preferred work location for Filipinos indicates that urbanization will continue in the next 40 years. Here are the results of the survey:

• 79 percent want to live within the same city they work in;

• 14 percent want to work in a big city but go home outside the city;

• 7 percent want to work and live outside the city.

Most of the respondents choose to live in cities but most also chose to live in houses with large lots. Here are the results:

• 73 percent prefer the small house with a large lot;

• 14 percent chose the big house with a small lot.

The preferred community to live in are:

• 30 percent prefer to live in a big city like Manila;

• 30 percent prefer to live in the town center in the province;

• 29 percent prefer to live in a small city in the province.

Mobility is apparently very important to the Filipino. Among the conclusions of the survey, here are some highlights:

• Mobility in day-to-day living and for leisure is important to Filipinos.

• Car ownership is part of many families’ vision of their future.

• Travelling within the country and to other countries is the most frequently cited leisure activity.

• Ordinary people’s measure of their own success is the degree to which they are able to afford travel for themselves and their families.

Filipinos clearly wants to be mobile as shown by the following results when asked for their preferred mode of transportation:

• 77 percent want to own a car or vehicle;

• 23 percent prefer good public transportation.

According to Ambisyon Natin 2040 , the Vision of Filipinos for Self is this:

In 2040, we will all enjoy a stable and comfortable lifestyle, secure in the knowledge that we have enough for our daily needs and unexpected expenses, that we can plan and prepare for our own and our children’s future. Our family lives together in a place of of our own, yet we have the freedom to go where we desire, protected and enabled by a clean, efficient and fair government.”

This is only half of the study. The second part focuses on the Filipino vision for their government and for the country. It also enumerates certain proposals on how  to achieve the vision. I will discuss the next part in my next column.

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