Registered marriages down by 5 percent in 2023

A total of 51,892 marriages were registered in the National Capital Region (NCR) with a decrease of 5.0 percent from the total marriages of 54,629 in 2022.  Further, there was a 13.9 percent decrease in registered marriages in the past ten years from 60,238 in 2014 to 51,892 in 2023. 

Concurrently, the crude marriage rate (CMR)¹ decreased to 3.6 or 4 marriages per thousand population from 3.9 or 4 marriages per thousand population in 2022. On average, 142 marriages were solemnized daily and 6 hourly in 2023. 
(Figures 1a and 1b, Table1 and 2)

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¹Population estimate used was taken from the updated population projections based on the 2015 Census of Population available at www.psa.gov.ph/statistics/census/projected-population.

Quezon City registers the most marriages in the region 

Among the 16 cities and a municipality in NCR, Quezon City recorded the highest number of registered marriages with 15,901 or 30.6 percent share of total marriages. The City of Manila recorded the second-highest number of marriages with 8,564 or 
16.5 percent share followed by the City of Caloocan with 5,736 or 11.1 percent share. 

These three cities collectively shared 58.2 percent or almost two-thirds of the total registered marriages in NCR. The same cities also reported the highest number of marriages in 2022.  On the other hand, the Municipality of Pateros recorded the lowest number of registered marriages, with only 208 representing 0.4 percent share of the total marriages in NCR.

Meanwhile, the highest increase in registered marriages was observed in the 
City of Malabon with 25.2 percent from 761 in 2022 to 953 in 2023. In contrast, the City of Valenzuela experienced the largest decrease with a negative 17.1 percent from 3,202 in 2022 to 2,653 in 2023. (Figure 2, Table 2)

The highest number of marriages occur in February

Registered marriages reveal that February recorded the highest number of occurrences, with 7,996 marriages, accounting for 15.4 percent of the total marriages. In contrast, August and November had the lowest numbers of registered marriages, with 3,240 and 3,205, respectively, each accounting for approximately 6.2 percent of the total. (Figure 3 and Table 3) 

In terms of daily average, the months of February, March, June, and December recorded higher daily averages of 286, 145, 164, and 187 compared to the region’s average of 142.

Most couples marry between the ages of 25 to 29

Among the total registered marriages in the region, approximately one in every five couples involved both males and females aged 25 to 29, accounting for 
10,652 marriages or 20.5 percent share of the total. Additionally, around three in ten grooms (15,873 or 30.6%) and four in ten brides (19,563 or 37.7% share) belonged to this age group. The median age of marriage was 28 years old for women and 30 years old for men. 

Registered marriages between adolescent males and females accounted for 32 or 
0.1 percent share of the total marriages in the region. (Figure 4, Tables 4 and 5)

Most marriages between Filipinos and non-Filipinos involve American, Chinese, and Japanese nationals

There were 46,087 or 89.4 percent share registered marriages between Filipino men and women, while 4,460 or 8.6 percent share were between Filipinos and foreign nationals. Among intermarriages with foreign nationals, 4,137 or about 92.8 percent of Filipino women married non-Filipino men, while 323 or approximately 7.2 percent of Filipino men married women of foreign nationals. The other 1,345 marriages or  2.6 percent involved foreign nationals. (Tables 6a and 6b)

About one in five marriages were between Filipinos and Chinese nationals accounting for 1,269 or 28.5 percent share. Filipino American and Filipino Japanese marriages accounted for 1,094 or approximately 24.5 percent and 621 or 13.9 percent, respectively.

Most Filipino males in intermarriages were married to American nationals 
with 21.7 percent share, followed by Canadian nationals with 14.2 percent share and Chinese nationals with 13.6 percent share. On the other hand, three in five Filipino females with 29.6 percent share married Chinese nationals, while 24.8 and 13.9 percent married American and Japanese nationals, respectively. (Figures 5a and 5b, Table 6b)

Civil ceremony marriages decline by 41.0 percent in 2023

In 2023, a total of 31,609 marriages, or 60.9 percent of all registered marriages, were solemnized through other religious rites. Approximately one-fifth or 10,882 (21.0%) were officiated solely through civil ceremonies. A decrease of 41.0 percent of marriages contracted through a civil ceremony was recorded, from 18,430 in 2022 to 10,882 in 2023. There is no recorded tribal marriage in 2023. (Figure 6 and Table 7)

The City of Mandaluyong achieves 99.8 percent On-Time marriage registration

Timely registration refers to the registration of marriage within 15 days following the solemnization of the marriage while in marriages exempt from license requirement, the prescribed period is 30 days, at the place where the marriage was solemnized. In 2023, 94.4 percent of marriages were registered on time while 5.6 percent were registered late. 

The City of Mandaluyong recorded the highest percentage of timely registration with 99.8 percent while the City of Caloocan recorded the lowest percentage with 80.0 percent. (Figure 7, Table 8)

PACIANO B. DIZON
Regional Director