40% of Pinoy Adults Believe in Cupid

By Helen Flores
Thursday, February 14, 2008

Forty percent or about 21 million Filipino adults believe in Cupid, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in its latest survey.

The survey, conducted from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, found that more than four out of five or 85 percent of those who believe in Cupid say they “have already been struck by his arrow.”

The December 2007 survey specifically asked the respondents, “Naniniwala po ba kayo kay Kupido?” (Do you believe in Cupid?), referring to one of the gods in Roman mythology that has power over love.

Belief in Cupid is 49 percent in Visayas, 47 percent in Metro Manila, and 36 percent each in balance Luzon and Mindanao, the SWS said.

It is relatively higher among class E, with 46 percent, compared to class D, with 39 percent, and class ABC, 36 percent, the survey firm said.

Belief in Cupid is similar among men, with 40 percent, and women, with 41 percent. It is higher among those with at most some high school education (43 percent), some college education (41 percent), and at least a college degree (40 percent), compared to those with at most some elementary education (33 percent).

By civil status, half (51 percent) of those with live-in partners say they believe in Cupid, compared to 40 percent among those who are married and 37 percent among those who are single or never been married, the SWS said.

About three out of five (62 percent) women with live-in partners believe in Cupid, compared to 42 percent of married women and 31 percent of women who are single or never been married, it said.

“Belief in Cupid hardly varies among men of different status. It is 43 percent both among men who are single or never been married and men with live-in partners, and 38 percent among married men,” the pollster said.

Meanwhile, among those who believe in Cupid, over four out of five (85 percent) said yes to the question, “Masasabi po ba ninyo na kayo ay napana na ni Kupido?” (Could you say that you have already been struck by Cupid’s arrow?)

The proportion of those “already struck by Cupid’s arrow” is higher in balance Luzon (88 percent), the Visayas (85 percent), and Metro Manila (84 percent), compared to Mindanao (78 percent), the SWS said.

“Across the board, majority of those who believe in Cupid say they have already been struck by his arrow,” it said.

The survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, the balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

President Arroyo will spend Valentines’ day attending public engagements like giving gifts to elementary school children in Pasig and attending a lunch with media featuring guest singers Richard Carpenter and Claire dela Fuente. But she will also have a private dinner with the First Gentleman, who usually gives her a bouquet of one white and 11 red roses. (who cares? blech!)