February 14, 2025
MANILA – Most adult Filipinos express love through acts of service, making it the most common love language in the country, according to a recent survey of Social Weather Stations (SWS).
Conducted from Dec. 12 to Dec. 18, 2024, the survey found that 67 percent of Filipinos show love by performing acts such as cooking, running errands, helping with chores, or fixing things around the house—often without being asked.
Following closely are words of affirmation and quality time, each preferred by 51 percent of respondents. Other love languages include giving gifts (33 percent) and physical touch (29 percent).
The SWS also revealed that love and companionship topped this year’s Valentine’s wish lists at 19 percent, surpassing money (10 percent), which was the most requested gift last year. Other popular wishes included flowers (10 percent), any gift from the heart (8 percent), and good family relationships (6 percent).
Also on the wish list were apparel (4 percent), the health of loved ones (3 percent), food and grocery items, greetings, happiness, chocolate (2 percent each), motorcycles, and others such as vehicles, cellphones, houses and lots, watches and jewelry, kisses, appliances, dates, children (1 percent each), travel, cake (0.4 percent), cosmetics (0.3 percent) and medicines (0.1 percent).
Meanwhile, one percent of respondents expressed a preference for gifts not included in the list.
When asked, “Which phrase best describes your love life?” A record-low 46 percent of Filipinos said they were “very happy”—a 12-point drop from 58 percent in December 2023.
‘Could be happier’
Meanwhile, the percentage of those who felt they “could be happier” rose from 23 percent to 36 percent, while those who reported having no love life hardly moved from last year’s 19 percent to 18 percent.
Compared to 2023, happiness with love life fell for both men and women across civil status, especially among men with live-in partners.
The noncommissioned survey used face-to-face interviews among 2,160 adults nationwide. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percent for national percentages, plus or minus 3 percent for Luzon outside Metro Manila, and plus or minus 5 percent each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. —INQUIRER RESEARCH