Fewer Filipinos are saying “I do.”

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

This follows a post-pandemic rebound in marriages but signals 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 comes as more couples are choosing 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 are 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 is reflected in the number of children being born outside marriage.

PSA data showed that in 2023, 842,728 babies were born to unmarried parents, compared to 605,794 births from couples in formal unions.

“The decline in marriages reflects changing realities as families of today come in many forms,” CPD Executive Director Undersecretary Lisa Grace S. Bersales said.

“While we uphold marriage as a sacred institution, we must also protect couples who choose alternative arrangements and ensure the welfare of every individual, ensuring no family is left behind in our nation’s development,” she added.

Bersales said comprehensive programs must be developed to protect families in non-traditional setups.

Despite long-held beliefs that June is the most popular wedding month, PSA data revealed that February had the most number of marriages in 2023 with 52,501 weddings or 12.7 percent of the total.

December came second with 43,966, while June was third with 43,295.

Valentine’s Day remains the top choice for couples to get married, consistently topping the charts since 2009, except in 2021. Meanwhile, November recorded the least number of marriages with 20,525.

Regionally, CALABARZON had the most number of weddings with 60,541 or 14.6 percent of the total. It was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 51,892 and Central Luzon with 47,684.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) registered the lowest number of weddings with only 2,162.

In terms of ceremony type, civil weddings accounted for 42.9 percent of all marriages in 2023, slightly down from 43.3 percent in 2022.

Roman Catholic weddings made up 31.4 percent, followed by other religious rites at 23.5 percent. Muslim weddings accounted for 1.5 percent and tribal ceremonies for 0.7 percent.

The median marrying age held steady in 2023 at 28 for women and 30 for men, unchanged from the previous year.

However, early marriages continue. A total of 12,630 adolescent girls under the age of 20 got married in 2023, compared to only 3,058 boys.

Of these young brides, 54 percent married men aged 20 to 24, while 22.5 percent married those aged 25 to 29.

Bersales emphasized that strengthening families should remain a priority regardless of how they are formed.

“Policymakers, government agencies and organizations should continue working together to strengthen the family, the basic unit of our society,” she said.