By Brian Campued
Romantic relationships are not always rainbows and butterflies, it seems, because the higher you float in love and magic, the more painful it gets when your partner leaves you clinging to what had been.
But are you willing to swallow your pride and let forgiveness mend the broken heart and put your pieces back together?
The Social Weather Stations (SWS), in its survey conducted on Nov. 24–30, 2025, asked 1,200 Filipino adults if they believed trust could still be restored in a relationship even after someone cheated.
According to the survey, 43% of respondents answered yes while 36% did not agree. The remaining 19% were undecided.
The poll results, which were released on Feb. 12, also found that only 27% of respondents have personally witnessed or experienced some form of cheating in a relationship, with the rest saying they have not.
The most common forms of cheating were physical and emotional, both at 11%. SWS defines physical cheating as engaging in sexual or intimate activities with someone else other than your partner, while emotional cheating is talking with another person about a problem or having romantic feelings for an individual even without physical connection.
Cyber cheating, or engaging in romantic or sexual activities online with someone else, as well as object cheating, or prioritizing games, cellphones, and other material things over your partner, both received 6%.
Some 5% said they experienced financial cheating, or when your partner hides their luxury purchases or debts from you, while micro-cheating, or using affectionate terms for someone other than your partner or even hiding one’s relationship status, was chosen by 4%.
Meanwhile, 8% said they have experienced multiple forms of cheating.
Navigating feelings after cheating
For those who have decided not to get back together with their cheating partner, millennial psychologist Riyan Portuguez urged them to choose themselves, no matter how cliché it sounds.
Putting mind over matter, Portuguez stressed that it is important to recognize our feelings and remember the bad things we’ve been through in order for us to realize that we no longer want to be in those painful situations anymore.
“Recognize your progress… Gaano ka na kalayo simula nung naghiwalay kayo,” Portuguez said, noting that to overcome the heartache, we must also let ourselves be open to new possibilities.
For Psychiatrist Kathryn Tan, practicing self-care is also key to overcoming heartbreaks.
“We can put a distance sa pag-use ng social media natin… Isali din natin yung meaningful coping like reaching out to friends, investing in yourself, or taking care of yourself,” Dr. Tan said.
“Understand yourself. Be kind to yourself. Respect yourself,” she added.
Above all, recovering from a painful experience in a relationship is not undertaken in a breeze. We must give ourselves time and space to heal, respect to yourself, and seek professional help if needed.
Help is available. The Department of Health urges those who may be struggling with mental health concerns to reach out to the National Center for Mental Health help line 1553 (landline) or 0917-899-8727 and 0919-057-1553 (mobile).
-jpv
