For many Filipinos, marriage has long been seen as a major milestone in life. But recent data suggest that more couples are putting off, or completely skipping the walk down the aisle.
According to data from the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the number of registered marriages in the country has steadily declined over the past decade. From 429,723 marriages recorded in 2014, the figure dropped by 13.5 percent to just 371,825 in 2024.
Marriage rates briefly picked up after the pandemic as many couples pushed through with delayed weddings. However, the decline soon continued, with marriage registrations dropping by 7.8 percent in 2023 and another 10.2 percent in 2024.
So, what’s behind this shift?
The CDP points to money and shifting priorities. Many Filipinos are choosing to prioritize financial stability, career growth, and personal goals before tying the knot. With rising costs of living and the expense of hosting a wedding, marriage now often feels like a luxury they simply can’t afford
Instead, more Filipinos are opting to live together without getting married. Based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, around 12.66 million Filipinos were already in common-law or live-in relationships. The 2025 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) also found that 20.5 percent of women aged 15 to 49 were living with a partner, up from 18.8 percent in 2022 and four times higher than the five percent recorded in 1993.
Marriage is also happening later in life. In 2024, the median age of marriage was 30 for men and 28 for women, up from 28 and 26 nearly a decade ago. According to the CPD, this reflects changes in education, employment, and the country’s economic situation.
Birth records, moreover, show how family patterns are changing. In 2023, the Philippines recorded 842,728 births outside marriage, exceeding the 605,794 births among legally married couples.
Despite these trends, the CPD said the decline in marriages does not mean Filipinos no longer value family. Instead, it shows that the way people build relationships and start families is changing along with societal norms and the country’s economic conditions.
As more Filipinos choose different paths to building a family, experts say laws and government support should also keep up. No matter what a family looks like, every Filipino deserves access to protection, support, and opportunities to thrive.
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