Winston Maxino, chief operating officer of Hooven Phils., was declared the Happiest Pinoy by Cebuana Lhuiller Insurance Solutions last night at the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati City.

Maxino was chosen for exhibiting an optimistic outlook on life, a cheerful disposition, the ability to rise above life’s challenges and having a positive impact on the life of others.

The search for the Happiest Pinoy began last year with the goal of rekindling the values of optimism, resilience and hope in the Filipino nation.

The search went around the country with192 nominees from Luzon, 19 from Visayas and seven from Mindanao.

Last night, all entries were narrowed down to the top seven finalists, each with inspiring stories: Maxino, Maria Kathrina L. Yarza, Gerardo Gamez, Rex A. Bernardo, Nona David Andaya-Castillo, Celestino Habito and Carolina Reyes. The finalists received R25,000 each while the Happiest Pinoy awardee got P200,000.

Maxino is battling a degenerative bone condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis. Almost at the same time he was diagnosed with the disease he discovered that his daughter Brina Kei suffers from Down syndrome.

Instead of allowing the setbacks to get him down he used them as motivation to help others.

He said: “My daughter with Down syndrome, Brina Kei, frequently declares ‘I love my life and I love my future!’ I realize that she is right: This is what happiness is really all about I look forward to the day when a cure for Ankylosing Spondylitis will have been discovered but I have graciously accepted that this is my life now. I am grateful for everything I am and everything I have. I am not less of a person because my body is broken and I do not dwell on what I do not have. Happiness is a choice. No matter what the circumstances of my life are and will be, with God’s grace, I choose and will continue to choose to be happy.”

The true prize, according to Maxino, is the insight that he gained about happiness through this campaign.

“St. Augustine who is the favorite saint of my two daughters Alayne and Carlin wrote, ‘Happiness is rejoicing in the truth.’ Buddha taught that life is suffering. If we combine the two ideas, happiness is rejoicing even if the reality of our lives is that we are suffering. What is common among the finalists is that we are suffering in a major way, in my case because of an incurable disease or physical disability. We rise above our physical pain and limitations to live full happy lives. Happiness is our daily therapy and positive outlook gets us through the most trying times. May our stories inspire you to believe that laughter truly is the best medicine because it is free. It has no expiry, it does not require a doctor’s prescription and it is internally generated so it never runs out of stock.”

CNN Hero Efren Peñaflorida was a guest speaker at the event.

As one example of hope, Peñaflorida rose out of poverty and was honored with his efforts of educating street children. His life story will be featured in an episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya.”

Peñaflorida also presented a video by GMA-7’s Jessica Soho. It featured the story of Chris Valdez who lost his left arm when it got severely burned. Not more than ten years of age he was adopted by Peñaflorida. Valdez is now well enough to be educated and also help out in Dynamic Teen Phils.

As a reflection of happiness in media, columnist, TV and radio personality Larry Henares singled out Manila Bulletin.

He said, “Manila Bulletin is the only paper that specializes in good news. You can’t read anything on the front page that is negative. It is a newspaper of record which means to say they print everything.

When we want to know about everything we go to the Bulletin library and everything is on record, like the New York Times and London Times. That’s what’s nice about Bulletin.”

Henares was cheering for Nona David Andaya-Castillo who was among the top 7 Happiest Pinoy finalists.

Castillo is a breastfeeding movement advocate and founder of Nurturers of the Earth, a support group for vegetarians to help people understand the link between personal health and the environment.

Both Henares and his daughter Dr. Elvira L. Henares-Esguerra are active members of the breastfeeding movement.