More Filipinos choosing not to marry; number of weddings drops in 2023

Fewer Filipinos are saying “I do.”

- By JEL SANTOS

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) recorded 414,213 registered marriages in 2023, representing a 7.8-percent drop from the 449,428 weddings recorded in 2022.

This followed a post-pandemic rebound in marriages, but signaled a deeper shift in how Filipinos view formal unions.

The Commission on Population and Development (CPD), which analyzed the data, said the decline in marriages came as more couples were more inclined to live together without tying the knot.

Per the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), the number of women aged 15 to 49 who were cohabiting rose from five percent in 1993 to 19 percent in 2022.

The 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS) study also found that 12 percent of Filipinos aged 15 to 24 are already living with a partner.

This was reflected in the number of children being born outside marriage.