Pinoy kids seek lucrative careers, not so much marriage: survey

FILIPINO children desire high-paying jobs by the age of 30, but show less enthusiasm for marriage, according to Cartoon Network’s New Generations 2012 survey results.

Of the 1,000 children surveyed by the leading children’s entertainment channel, 63 percent indicated that they desire a lucrative career and would also like to be physically fit (45 percent), rich (42 percent), happy (40 percent) and have lots of friends (26 percent). Lesser priorities for kids include being well traveled (22 percent), married (12 percent), having a fast car (11 percent) and having babies (10 percent). The respondents were asked to choose their top three from a list of 10 priorities.

The results also revealed a disparity in preferences among genders and socio-economic classes. Demographically, older girls (11-14) were the most focused on career (74 percent want a high paying job) and on health (51 percent want to be fit and healthy).

Younger boys (7-10) were also more focused on being wealthy (53 percent). Boys were also more likely to aspire for marriage than girls (15 percent versus nine percent).

The study also revealed that kids in more affluent homes were more likely to want to be rich (49 percent, AB; 39 percent, D).

Duncan Morris, vice president of research and market development, Turner International Asia Pacific Ltd., said: “Today’s kids are tomorrow’s leaders in the Philippines, and Cartoon Network’s New Generations survey provides insights into what makes them tick.

This is our fifth study, and based on the findings it shows that Pinoy kids are ambitious yet still place value on maintaining healthy lifestyles.”

Other areas of the study delved into the children’s current concerns and attitudes.

According to the results, Filipino kids displayed high levels of contentment with most aspects of their lives: from their appearance (87 percent), to quality time spent with their parents (87 percent), to making friends (85 percent), to their health (85 percent), hobbies/interests (79 percent), and having people they can trust and talk to (77 percent). A majority of the children (82 percent) also indicated that they were happy about meeting their parents’ expectations.

Filipino children also expressed a need to improve themselves in certain focus areas such as their weight (14 percent), academic performance (11 percent), height (11 percent) and their health (seven percent).

Cartoon Network’s New Generations 2012 study was based on face-to-face, in-home interviews with 1,000 randomly selected children from Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao, and across socio-economic classes A, B, C and D. The study was conducted by research company Ipsos from Feb. 25 to March 26, 2012.

New Generations 2012 marks the fifth Cartoon Network New Generations survey focused on the Philippines, with prior studies conducted in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009. (PR)