FILIPINOS ARE split on whether age gap matters in a relationship, a December survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.
The noncommissioned survey, released on the eve of Valentine’s Day, Feb. 13, also noted that half of Filipinos (51%) are also “very happy” with their romantic relationships.
The survey asked respondents: “In your opinion, does age gap matter in a relationship?” (Sa inyong palagay, mahalaga po ba ang pagitan sa edad sa isang relasyon?)
As opposed to the 50% of Filipinos who believe that age gap somewhat matters (17%) and definitely matters (33%), 41% said it somewhat does not matter (13%) and definitely does not matter (28%). Undecided respondents were at 9%.
The poll also revealed that the age gap matters most among older men aged 55 and above, compared to the younger age groups. Among women, the age gap in a relationship matters most among the youngest (18-24 age group) and oldest women (55 years old and above).
The survey also asked respondents on their willingness to have a relationship with someone 10 years old younger or older than them.
Results showed that women “are relatively unwilling” to have a relationship with a partner 10 years younger than them (23% willing, 58% not willing). Nearly half of men, or 48%, are willing while 31% are not willing.
Men aged 25-34 and 35-44 are most willing to be with a partner 10 years younger than them.
Meanwhile, women are “more willing” to have a relationship with someone 10 years older than them (54% willing, 28% not willing), compared to men with 43% willing and 33% not willing.
Both women and men aged 35-44 were among those most willing to have a relationship with someone 10 years older than them.
‘VERY HAPPY’
The December 2018 survey also showed that half of Filipinos (51%) said they are “very happy” with their love life, lower than 57% reported in 2017.
Thirty-six percent said “it could be happier,” up from the 29% in 2017. Meanwhile, 13% said they “do not have a love life,” a percentage point lower than the 14% in 2017.
A bigger portion of those who said their love life are very happy were married men and women. Meanwhile, a wish for a happier love life is stronger among those with live-in partners, the polling firm said.
Those who said they have no love life was higher among single women at 59%, compared to men at 43%.
The survey was conducted from Dec. 16 to 19, 2018 using face-to-face interviews with 1,440 adults nationwide, 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. Sampling error margins are at ±2.6% for national percentages and ±5% for each region. — Camille A. Aguinaldo

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