Most Filipinos Say Women Should Focus on Home & Family According to New Survey
WOMEN – A new nationwide survey has revealed that a large majority of Filipinos still believe that a woman’s primary role should be managing the home and caring for the family.
A large majority of Filipinos still hold traditional views regarding the role of women in the family, according to the latest survey released by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Results from the Fourth Quarter 2025 SWS survey show that many Filipinos continue to believe that women should primarily focus on managing the home and caring for the family.
Based on the survey conducted from November 24 to 30, 2025, 83% of respondents agreed with the statement: “A man’s job is to earn money; a woman’s job is to look after home and family.” Meanwhile, 8% disagreed with the statement, while 9% said they were undecided. This resulted in a net agreement score of +75, which SWS categorized as “extremely strong.” The figure is higher than the +69 recorded in September 2021, indicating that the traditional belief remains widely held among Filipinos.
The survey also found that 81% of Filipinos agreed with the statement “Being a housewife is just as fulfilling as working for pay,” while 11% disagreed and 7% said they were unsure. This produced a net agreement score of +71, higher than the previous +67 recorded in earlier surveys.
Another finding showed that 75% of respondents agreed with the statement “a job is all right, but what most women really want is a home and children.” Meanwhile, 14% disagreed, and 10% were uncertain, resulting in a net agreement score of +60, which is higher than the previous +53.
When asked about working mothers, 71% of respondents agreed that “a working mother can establish just as warm and secure a relationship with her children as a mother who does not work.” About 18% disagreed, and 10% were undecided, giving the statement a net agreement score of +53, an increase from the previous +48.
However, the survey also showed that 63% of respondents believed that “a pre-school child is likely to suffer if his or her mother works.” Meanwhile, 27% disagreed and 9% were unsure, resulting in a net agreement score of +37, which is lower than the earlier +54.
In addition, 51% agreed with the statement “all in all, family life suffers when the woman has a full-time job,” while 36% disagreed and 12% were undecided. This resulted in a net agreement score of +16, which is nearly unchanged from the previous +21.
The nationwide survey interviewed 1,200 respondents aged 18 and above through face-to-face interviews. Participants were evenly distributed with 300 respondents each from Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
READ ALSO: Inspiring House Husband Shares Valuing His OFW Wife’s Earnings