The recent Pulse Asia's Ulat ng Bayan November 2022 survey results are very interesting. To me, they reflected the Filipinos' collective sentiment of confidence and optimism toward our new set of leaders.

In its "Holiday Season and the Year Ahead" surveys conducted from 27 November to 1 December 2022 among 1,200 respondents, Pulse Asia reported that:

(1) "Among Filipino adults, almost the same percentages say their family's Holiday (Christmas) celebration this year will be either more prosperous than last year (43 percent) or just as prosperous as what they had a year ago (42 percent)"; and

(2) "Hopefulness is nearly universal among the country's adult population as far as the New Year is concerned as virtually all Filipino adults (92 percent) will face the year ahead with hope, a sentiment echoed by 89 percent to 99 percent across geographic areas and by 86 percent to 94 percent in the various socio-economic classes. Ambivalence on the matter is expressed by 8 percent of adults while less than 1 percent say they will face the coming new year without hope."

The surveys show simply that more than 9 out of 10 adult Filipinos will spend their holidays this year feeling hopeful and prosperous.

As to provide a broader perspective of the public sentiment, Pulse Asia noted that during the time that the surveys were conducted, the following events have transpired or are transpiring:

(1) The Philippine Statistics Authority reported in its 4 November 2022 release that inflation surged to 7.7 percent in October 2022 due to an increase in consumer goods prices;

(2) On 16 November 2022, President Marcos launch his "Kadiwa ng Pasko", a program to link agricultural producers directly to consumers, particularly during the holiday season;

(3) Meralco and MWSS reported rates increases, while oil companies implemented a series of price rollbacks;

(4) Labor groups asked for P100 across-the-board salary increase;

(5) On 28 November 2022, Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senior Majority Floor Leader Sandro Marcos, among others, filed the Maharlika Investment Fund Bill;