THE RATE of births and marriages in the Philippines increased in 2022 compared with the previous year, while deaths were significantly down at -24.5% in the same period, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday.
A total of 1,382,377 were born from January to December of 2022, based on the cut-off date of April 30, 2023 for data collected. This is 1.3% higher than the 1.36 million births in 2021.
For marriages during the same period and cut-off date for data collection, there were 433,871 – a 21.6% increase from the 356,839 couples who tied the knot in 2021.
Death statistics in 2022 were down as the PSA’s Vital Statistics Report reflected only 664,221 compared with the previous year’s 879,429.
In a separate report, the PSA said that ischemic heart disease was the leading cause of death in the country at 121,558 cases in 2022, accounting for 18.3% of the death statistics.
Close figures for the second- and third-highest causes of death in the Philippines were neoplasms diseases that claimed 67,669 lives and cerebrovascular diseases at 67,475 cases — each accounting for a rounded figure of 10.2%.
Deaths due to COVID-19 totaled 12,610 in 2022, declining by 84.1% from the 79,423 deaths registered in 2021.
Meanwhile, Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon or Region 4-A) had the highest registration of births, accounting for 15.2% or 210,421 of all births nationwide, followed by Central Luzon (Region 3) for a 12% share (165,584), and Metro Manila at 10.4% (143,115).
Likewise, Calabarzon accounted for the biggest number of registered marriages at 63,759 or 14.7% of the total nationwide. It was followed by Metro Manila with 51,616 marriages or 11.9% share and Central Luzon with 50,142 or 11.6%.
The information in the vital statistics report was compiled from tallies generated by city or municipal Civil Registrars during the period, consolidated by the PSA’s Provincial Statistical Offices and then submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar General as of April 30. — Lourdes O. Pilar
