A Radio Veritas survey showed that more Filipinos are no longer interested in getting married first before living together.
The online survey conducted last January found that the majority of Filipino Catholics disagreed with the question: Should couples get married first before living together; and not engage in a common-law partnership arrangement?”
The survey included 1,200 respondents nationwide and a margin of error of 3 percent.
Around 45 percent of the respondents believed that marriage was no longer needed before living together, 40 percent said marriage was essential, 15 percent were undecided.
The survey also revealed that 48% of those aged 40-60 years old said couples should be married first before living together, while 29% said it’s unnecessary and 23% were undecided.
Moreover, 58% of the 21-39 age group said that marriage is no longer necessary, 21% said marriage first before living in, while 21% were unsure.
As for the teen respondents, 34% said marriage is a must before living together, 51% said it is not a must, and 15% were uncertain.
The Church said the new survey reflects the need for the church to strengthen its mission in highlighting the beauty of the sacrament of marriage.
“To instill this social reality on the respondents’ perception towards common-law partnership, we should evangelize our Catholic faithful on the transcendent value of marriage which places God in union between husband and wife,” Radio Veritas president Fr. Anton Pascual said in a statement.
