New surveys reveal the Philippines to be the most stressed country in Southeast Asia.

Global analytics and advice firm Gallup measured the emotional states of people in more than 100 countries through extensive surveys. In one survey conducted from 2021 to early 2022, the global analytic firm recorded “yes,” “no” and “don’t know or refused to answer” responses from respondents aged 15 and older.

In the recent survey, respondents were asked about their emotions, including stress level, anger and sadness, the day before the survey was conducted.

Of the Filipino respondents, 48% said they experienced stress, the highest percentage among Southeast Asian nations. Thailand follows with 44% and Cambodia with 40% of respondents who also answered “yes.”

In the category of anger, Laos takes the No. 1 spot with 29% of respondents saying they had felt angry prior to the survey. The Philippines ranks second with 27%. Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar followed at 20%. 

Gallup also found Cambodia to be the saddest country in Southeast Asia, with 42% of respondents saying they experienced sadness. The Philippines also ranks second in this category with 35% of respondents answering “yes,” while Vietnam comes in third with 27%.

Singapore is noted to be the least angry and the least sad country in the region. 

While the Philippines ranks among the top three in terms of the negative emotions of stress, anger and sadness, the country has also distinguishably ranked first in the “learned something” and “treated with respect” categories of the report.

When respondents were asked if they learned or did something interesting the day before the survey was conducted, 78% of Filipinos answered “yes,” the highest percentage of any country in the Southeast Asian region. Thailand ranked second at 71%, and Malaysia followed at 56%.

In the “respect” category, 95% of Filipinos agreed when asked if they felt they were treated with respect. Indonesia succeeded with 93%, and Vietnam followed at 92%.

The global analytics firm compiled the results of each country to create a Positive Experience Index (PEI) and a Negative Experience Index (NEI).

The PEI scores relate to respondents’ “perceptions about living standards, personal freedoms and presence of social networks,” while the NEI results are connected to people’s experiences of health problems and their ability to afford food, according to Gallup. 

“They offer an insight on people’s daily experiences, and the health of their societies which cannot be determined solely by economic measures,” Gallup reportedly stated. 

Featured Image via Gino