This Valentine's season, more Filipinos are choosing to receive love and companionship over material things like money and flowers. In a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey from December 12 to 18, 19 percent of Filipinos said they want to receive love and companionship, up eight points from 11 percent in 2023. Meanwhile, those who want money dropped from 16 percent to 10 percent this year.
Ten percent of Filipinos said they would like to receive flowers, the same as last year. Other desired gifts were “any gift from the heart” (8 percent), good family relationships (6 percent), clothes (4 percent), and health of loved ones (3 percent). Two percent chose food, greetings, happiness, and chocolate.
Among the less frequently requested gifts (1 percent or less) are motorcycles, cellphones, houses and land, watches, appliances, dates, travel, cakes, and medicine. Love and companionship top the wishlist of both men and women, according to the survey.
Meanwhile, cases of romance scams have also increased in the Philippines this year, according to Moody's data. 1,193 new profiles related to romance scams were identified globally in 2024, an increase of 14 percent from 2023. In the Philippines, the number of individuals and entities connected to this scam climbed from 10 in 2023 to 45 this year.
According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Elmore Capule, senior citizens and other vulnerable members of society are often victims of romance scams. These cases show the need for stricter vigilance against internet fraud, especially now that online relationships are in vogue.
