Filipinos prefer cash over fancy dates for Valentine's Day — survey

Most Filipinos would like to receive cash as a gift instead of having a fancy dinner date this upcoming Valentine's Day on Wednesday, a poll conducted by the Social Weather Stations showed.

Data from the non-commissioned SWS survey revealed on Sunday, 11 February, that 16 percent of Filipinos wanted to become more practical and receive cash as their gift wish for Valentine's Day.

Flowers (10 percent) and love and companionship (11 percent) came in next, SWS added.

Other Filipinos also wanted apparel (9 percent), "any gift from the heart" (5 percent), smartphones (5 percent), watches and jewelry (5 percent), positive family relationships (5 percent), food and grocery items (3 percent), chocolate (3 percent), the well-being of loved ones (3 percent), motorbikes and other vehicles (2 percent), and appliances (2 percent) this Wednesday.

"More men wished for apparel and any gift from the heart, while more women wished for money and flowers. Both sexes wished for love and companionship equally," SWS said.

Moreover, other Filipinos also wanted written or in-person greetings (1 percent), kisses (1 percent), children (1 percent), supper or date (1 percent), houses (1 percent), cakes (1 percent), stuffed toys (0.4 percent), weddings (0.3 percent), alcoholic drinks (0.3 percent), and fragrances and cosmetics (0.3 percent).

Happier lovelife

Meanwhile, the December 2023 survey also found that 58 percent of Filipinos were very happy with their love life.

"The latest percentage of those very happy with their love life is the highest since the record-high 59% in 2011," SWS said.

The private pollster also noted that 23 percent of the Filipinos felt their romantic life "could be happier," and 19 percent had "no love life."

SWS conducted the Fourth Quarter 2023 survey using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult respondents nationwide.

For nationwide percentages, the sample error margins are ±2.8 percent; for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, they are ±5.7 percent apiece.