85% of Filipinos satisfied with everyday freedoms

MANILA - Filipinos enjoy the best freedoms among the 20 Asian countries included in the recent 104-country study done by the London-based Legatum Institute in tandem with Gallup World Poll and other groups.

“Filipinos enjoy excellent freedom of movement, religion, and speech, and 85% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the freedoms afforded to them in their daily lives,” the poll found.

Japan was second and Taiwan third. In the bottom of the list was Pakistan.

“Freedom of movement, religion, and speech are strongly upheld in Japan,” according to the poll, “and fully 83% of respondents were satisfied with the freedoms afforded them in their daily lives.”

As for Taiwan, residents have many freedoms despite notable dissatisfaction with their daily affairs. Only 64% of respondents were satisfied with their personal freedoms.

Pakistan has the most restricted freedoms of all countries polled.

“In a setting of extreme political and regional instability, freedom of movement, religion, and speech are nearly non-existent in Pakistan,” the poll found. 

Worldwide, Norwegians enjoy the best personal freedoms, followed by the Danes and the Canadians.

The freedom poll is part of the Legatum Prosperity Index 2009, which is a continuation of an annual ranking of 104 countries based on a number of prosperity-driving factors such as economic fundamentals, democratic institutions, governance, health, education, entrepreneurship and personal freedoms. (Newsbreak)