More PH couples preferring live-in setup over marriage

MANILA, Philippines — An increasing number of Filipino couples are choosing to be in a common-law or live-in arrangement instead of getting married, to cope with living expenses as well as unplanned pregnancies, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the CPD noted that the number of registered marriages in the country have decreased by 13.5 percent over the past 10 years, from 429,723 in 2014 to 371,825 in 2024, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

In 2022, the commission said the number of registered marriages was at 449,428, which fell by 7.8 percent in 2023, down to 414,213, before further declining by 10.2 percent in 2024 to 371,825.

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The CPD noted that 20.5 percent of women aged 15 to 49 years old were cohabiting or living together with their partners in 2025, higher than the 18.8 percent recorded in 2022, based on data from the National Demographic and Health Survey.

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It further pointed out that the number of women living with their partners had quadrupled in the span of three decades, noting that just 5 percent of women were recorded to be cohabiting in 1993.

Growth in cohabitation

Citing data from the 2023 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, the CPD also noted that the number of children born outside marriage was at 842,728, higher than those born from couples in formal union, which was at 605,794.

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It said a total of 12.66 million Filipinos were in common-law or live-in arrangements, consisting of 6.36 million males and 6.30 million females, based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing.

“The growth 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,” said the CPD.

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“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,” it added.

The CPD said that while marriage remains an important institution, factors such as “changing economic realities, shifting aspirations, and evolving pathways to family formation” are influencing how Filipinos build their families.

In 2024, the commission noted, the median age where men and women choose to get married was 30 and 28 years old, respectively. This was higher compared to the median age of marriage in 2015, which was 28 for men and 26 for women.

Changing realities

This increase “suggests that many Filipinos are entering marriage later in life, reflecting changing educational, employment, and economic circumstances,” said the CPD.

It pointed out that the oldest individuals to get married in 2024 were a 96-year-old male and an 87-year-old female, while the youngest were a 14-year-old male and a 10-year-old female.

The majority of marriages that year were recorded in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), which accounted for 14.8 percent, or 54,981, followed by the National Capital Region with 13 percent or 48,448, and Central Luzon with 11.4 percent or 42,227.

The three regions have consistently accounted for the majority of marriages in the country for the past 10 years, said the CPD.

The commission also noted that the number of civil ceremonies also surpassed Church marriages in 2024.

Civil ceremonies accounted for 41.8 percent, or 155,604, of all registered unions compared to Roman Catholic Church marriages that accounted for 31.7 percent, followed by other religious rites at 24.1 percent.

The CPD said this shift to a live-in arrangement underscores the need for “adaptive population and development policies that respond to the changing realities of Filipino families.”

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It said that the government needs to create an environment where Filipinos “who aspire to marry and raise families are not constrained by financial hardship or unnecessary barriers,” while those in informal unions also “receive appropriate protection and access to essential services.” /cb