A recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) reveals that 50% of Filipino adults nationwide believe that divorce should be an option for couples who are “irreconcilably separated.” The March 2024 poll also found that 31% of respondents opposed divorce, while 17% were undecided.
Support for legalizing divorce has declined from previous years, with 55% in favor in June 2023 and 65% in March 2023. Despite the drop, the net agreement score remains “moderately strong” at +19, though it is lower than the +27 score from June 2023.
The survey highlighted that agreement with divorce is very strong among people with live-in partners compared to other groups, including unmarried, widowed, separated, and married individuals. Geographically, support is highest in Metro Manila, followed by Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Religious affiliation also plays a role in opinions on divorce. Other Christian denominations showed the highest net agreement score at +21, followed by Roman Catholics at +20, and Muslims at +11. In contrast, the issue is “moderately weak” among members of Iglesia ni Cristo, with a score of -10.
The SWS March 2024 survey included 1,500 adults, with 600 from Balance Luzon and 300 each from Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. The margin of error for national percentages is ±2.5%, while it is ±4.0% for Balance Luzon and ±5.7% for both Metro Manila and Mindanao.
