PH fertility rate drops to less than 2 kids per woman
The fertility rate in the Philippines has dropped to less than two children per woman, according to a statement by the Commission on Population and Development (PopCom) on Facebook on Tuesday, November 15.
The average number of children born per Filipina ages 15 to 49 years fell to 1.9 last year from 2.7 in 2017, the sharpest decline ever recorded.
“Despite expected increase in the fertility of Filipino women because of impeded access to family planning services during lockdowns and quarantine protocols, as well as the world’s total headcount projected to hit 8 billion on November 15, the Philippines was able to register recent population statistics unheard of in years, with fertility numbers plummeting to less than two offspring per woman,” the agency said.
The statement was made based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) National Health Demographic Survey (NDHS) for this year.
PopCom says that this level, a birth rate enough just to sustain population levels, was attained even as the country expects higher fertility due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting reproductive services.
The statement came as the country welcomed the world’s symbolic 8 billionth baby — Vinice Mabansag of Delpan, Tondo.
The NDHS data also revealed that most Filipino women do not want more children, with 17 percent saying that they want to delay their next childbirth.
PopCom officer-in-charge and Executive Director Lolito Tacardon said the decline presents an opportunity to maximize the momentum of slowing down the birth rate, while simultaneously being a challenge to sustain the developments.
“On one hand, this can be considered as a ‘breakthrough’ for the country’s programs on population and development (POPDEV) as well as family planning, which were instituted more than five decades ago,” he said.
“The Philippines’ latest TFR is now comparable to those of upper middle-income countries’ 1.8 children and Thailand at 1.5 children. In the ASEAN region, the Philippines has now the third lowest after Singapore’s 1.1 children. It is lower than the Asian average of 2.2, and is comparable to Latin America’s and the Caribbean’s, which is at 2.0 children. The Philippines, however, has lower fertility levels than Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia,” he added.
