Even as marriage remains an important institution for many Filipinos, fewer couples are seen tying the knot, choosing not to formalize their unions.
The Commission on Population and Development (CPD), in a news release on Tuesday, noted that the number of registered marriages in the country has steadily declined over the past decade. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), registered marriages declined by 13.5 percent over the last 10 years, from 429,723 in 2014 to 371,825 in 2024.
The CPD says the decline in formal marriage reflects economic realities and shifting social aspirations. CPD Undersecretary Lisa Grace Bersales said the data clearly shows that the Filipino family is evolving, reflecting changing economic realities, shifting aspirations, and emerging pathways to family formation.
Bersales emphasized that understanding these shifts enables the government to design more responsive population and development policies that support Filipino families in their diverse circumstances. The agency notes that the changes in marriage patterns have broader implications for fertility intentions, child well-being, social protection, housing, education, and long-term development planning.
The CPD said these data also show that Filipinos are entering marriage at a more mature age than they did a decade ago. In 2024, the median age at marriage was 30 years for males and 28 years for females, compared with 28 years for males and 26 years for females in 2015.
The agency noted that marriage registrations remain to be concentrated in the country's most populous regions, with Calabarzon recording the highest number of marriages in 2024 at 54,981, representing 14.8 percent of all registered marriages. The National Capital Region follows with 48,448 marriages or 13 percent, and Central Luzon with 42,227 or 11.4 percent.
Beyond the numbers, the CPD said these trends provide important demographic insights into how family formation is changing in the Philippines. The agency noted the increase in cohabitation reflects broader changes in family formation.
For many couples, living together has become a practical arrangement shaped by economic realities, changing social norms, and individual aspirations, the CPD said. Research indicates that economic well-being remains a priority for many Filipinos, with cohabitation often viewed as a more accessible arrangement for couples coping with unintended pregnancy and rising living expenses.
Based on the 2023 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, there were 842,728 births outside marriage, compared with 605,794 births among couples in formal unions. Bersales emphasized that government policies must evolve to support Filipino families in their diverse circumstances.
The Commission on Population and Development is now calling on the government to design more responsive population and development policies that support Filipino families in their diverse circumstances.
In a statement, Bersales said that our policies must evolve as well to ensure that every Filipino family has the opportunity to thrive regardless of its structure. The agency notes that the changes in marriage patterns have broader implications for fertility intentions, child well-being, social protection, housing, education, and long-term development planning.
Couples aged 25 to 29 years continued to account for the largest share of newlyweds, based on the data released in 2024. The increase in the median age at marriage suggests that many Filipinos are entering marriage later in life, reflecting changing educational, employment, and economic circumstances.
The agency said that the downward trend was briefly interrupted during the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. After marriages fell to 240,775 in 2020, registrations rebounded to 449,428 in 2022, as weddings postponed during the pandemic were finally held.
However, the decline resumed thereafter, with marriages falling by 7.8 percent to 414,213 in 2023 and by another 10.2 percent to 371,825 in 2024.
The Commission on Population and Development is now calling on the government to design more responsive population and development policies that support Filipino families in their diverse circumstances.
The agency noted that the changes in marriage patterns have broader implications for fertility intentions, child well-being, social protection, housing, education, and long-term development planning. Bersales emphasized that understanding these shifts enables the government to design more responsive population and development policies that support Filipino families in their diverse circumstances.
The CPD said these data also show that Filipinos are entering marriage at a more mature age than they did a decade ago. In 2024, the median age at marriage was 30 years for males and 28 years for females, compared with 28 years for males and 26 years for females in 2015.
The agency noted that marriage registrations remain to be concentrated in the country's most populous regions, with Calabarzon recording the highest number of marriages in 2024 at 54,981, representing 14.8 percent of all registered marriages. The National Capital Region follows with 48,448 marriages or 13 percent, and Central Luzon with 42,227 or 11.4 percent.
For many couples, living together has become a practical arrangement shaped by economic realities, changing social norms, and individual aspirations, the CPD said. Research indicates that economic well-being remains a priority for many Filipinos, with cohabitation often viewed as a more accessible arrangement for couples coping with unintended pregnancy and rising living expenses.
Based on the 2023 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, there were 842,728 births outside marriage, compared with 605,794 births among couples in formal unions. Bersales emphasized that government policies must evolve to support Filipino families in their diverse circumstances.
In a statement, Bersales said that our policies must evolve as well to ensure that every Filipino family has the opportunity to thrive regardless of its structure. The agency notes that the changes in marriage patterns have broader implications for fertility intentions, child well-being, social protection, housing, education, and long-term development planning.
The Commission on Population and Development is now calling on the government to design more responsive population and development policies that support Filipino families in their diverse circumstances.
The agency said that the downward trend was briefly interrupted during the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. After marriages fell to 240,775 in 2020, registrations rebounded to 449,428 in 2022, as weddings postponed during the pandemic were finally held.
However, the decline resumed thereafter, with marriages falling by 7.8 percent to 414,213 in 2023 and by another 10.2 percent to 371,825 in 2024.
Couples aged 25 to 29 years continued to account for the largest share of newlyweds, based on the data released in 2024. The increase in the median age at marriage suggests that many Filipinos are entering marriage later in life, reflecting changing educational, employment, and economic circumstances.