SWS: Half of Filipinos happy with love life

MANILA, Philippines — Half of Filipinos are happy with their love life, according to the latest poll conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The survey, conducted from Dec. 16 to 19 last year and released only yesterday, found that 51 percent of adult Filipinos are “very happy” with their love life against 14 percent who said they “do not have a love life.”

Almost four in 10 Filipinos or 36 percent said their love life “could be happier.”

Filipinos with a happy relationship, however, dropped from 57 percent in 2017. Those who said it could be happier rose from 29 percent while those who have no love life stayed at 14 percent.

Overall, half of men (53 percent) and women (50 percent) claimed to have a “very happy” love life.

Among men, the proportion of those who are very happy with their love life was highest among those who are married at 64 percent, followed by those with live-in partner at 44 percent and those who are single at 31 percent.

Among women, it was also highest among those who are married at 59 percent, followed by those with live-in partner at 56 percent and those who are single at 20 percent.

The proportion of those with no love life was higher among single women at 59 percent, compared to their male counterparts at 43 percent, the SWS said.

It added that one percent of the sample of married adults and those with live-in partner said they have no love life.

The survey also showed that 50 percent – at least 33 percent answered it “definitely matters” and 17 percent said it “somewhat matters” – of adult Filipinos believe that age gap matters in a relationship. At least 41 percent say otherwise.

Forty-one percent said it does not matter (13 percent “somewhat does not matter” and 28 percent “definitely does not matter”). The remaining nine percent were undecided. In general, women are relatively unwilling to have a relationship with someone 10 years younger than them (23 percent willing and 58 percent not willing), which is much lower compared to men in general (48 percent willing and 31 percent not willing).

On the other hand, women are more willing to have a relationship with someone 10 years older than them (54 percent willing and 28 percent not willing) compared to men (43 percent willing and 33 percent not willing).

The survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide.

Meanwhile, Fr. Melvin Castro, the former executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, said love that is freely given is better than a love received out of gayuma (love potions). 

“Love is freely given and freely received. (The) use of love potions is contrary to the very nature of love,” said Castro, a Tarlac priest. 

In the Philippines, there have been many stories of love potions being sold in different parts of the country such as in Siquijor, Dumaguete and Iloilo. For those based in Metro Manila, love potions are sold in Quiapo.   

Castro believes a relationship that is being forced on someone is doomed to fail.  

He advises the young and single not to be in a hurry to look for love and to wait for the right time and the right person to come along.

The priest added that it would also help if the person who is searching for love prays for guidance and help in finding the right partner. – With Evelyn Macairan