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Rhodina Villanueva - The Philippine Star
July 8, 2026 | 12:00am
Stock image shows a man holding a woman wearing a white wedding dress
Pexels / Jeremy Wong
MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipinos refusing to tie the knot is growing, as shown by a consistent downward trajectory in registered marriages, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) said, citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
“Over the past 10 years, the number of registered marriages fell by 13.5 percent, from 429,723 in 2014 to 371,825 in 2024,” the CPD said.
It noted that in 2022, marriage registrations were as high as 449,428.
“It continues its downward path with a 7.8 percent drop to 414,213 in 2023 and a further 10.2 percent decline to 371,825 in 2024,” the CPD said.
At the same time, the commission revealed that based on the 2025 National Demographic and Health Survey, women aged 15-49 who are in a live-in relationship have increased to 20.5 percent in 2025 from 18.8 percent in 2022, quadrupled within the span of three decades from only 5 percent in 1993.
“For many couples, cohabitation is viewed as a practical marital arrangement. Research indicates that economic well-being is the priority of Filipinos. Cohabitation is often viewed as a more accessible way to economically cope with unintended pregnancy and living expenses, with some couples viewing formal marriage as expensive,” said the CPD.
It added the decrease in couples getting married coincides with the released data that the number of children outside marriage is at 842,728, compared to 605,794 births from couples in formal union, based on the 2023 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics.
The CPD emphasized that this decline in formal marriage is a reflection of economic realities and shifting social aspirations.
“The data clearly show that the Filipino family is evolving. This reflects changing economic realities, shifting aspirations and emerging pathways to family formation. Our policies must evolve as well,” CPD executive director Lisa Grace Bersales said.
“Government has a responsibility to create an environment where Filipinos who aspire to marry and raise families are not constrained by financial hardship or unnecessary barriers,” she added.
