Fewer deaths registered in January to June 2020 compared to the same period in 2019
The preliminary number of registered deaths from January to June 2020 reached 259,426 and was lower than the registered deaths in the same months of 2019, numbering at 309,010. The gaps from the registered deaths in the same months of the previous year were lowest in February (45,730 in 2020 vs. 48,806 in 2019 or a 3,076 difference) followed by January (53,078 in 2020 vs. 57, 704 in 2019 or a 4,626 difference).
Moreover, bigger gaps from the registered deaths in 2019 can be observed beginning March, but these gaps are expected to narrow as more deaths during those months get registered. (Table 1 and Figure 1)
High number of late registrations of deaths in March and April 2020
The number of late registrations, or those whose deaths were registered beyond 30 days after the occurrence, for March and April 2020 showed a dramatic rise compared to the same months in 2019. As of 24 July 2020, late registrations for March 2020 deaths, numbering at 4,073, already grew by about 282 percent from 1,066 in March 2019, while the April 2020 late registration of 3,522 already recorded a growth of about 182 percent from the 1,250 late registrations in April 2019.
Consequently, since the period for timely registration of deaths which occurred in March until May this year has already ended, only the number of late registrations for deaths occurring during this period are bound to increase as more deaths may still be registered in the coming days. Moreover, while the period for timely registration of death occurrences in June is still open, no late registration was recorded yet for the month. (Table 1)
January recorded the highest daily average of deaths, while June recorded the least daily average of deaths from 2015-2019
In terms of daily average, January deaths recorded the highest with 1,677 average deaths per day in the past five years (2015-2019), which translates to 70 deaths per hour. On the other hand, the lowest daily average number of deaths occurred in June with an average of 1,537 deaths per day, equivalent to about 65 deaths per hour.
The first two months of 2020 have already exceeded their corresponding monthly averages in the last five years, with 53,078 deaths for January 2020, and 45,730 deaths for February 2020.
Meanwhile, the relatively fewer registered deaths in June 2020 were expected since not all deaths were registered yet as per reglementary period. (Figure 2 and Table 2)
Late registered deaths surge in March and April this year
The share of late registered deaths since the beginning of the year were highest in March and April. By end of June 2020, the number of late registered deaths already reached 4,073 for March and 3,522 for April. Comparatively, only 622 of the 1,066 late registrations (58.3%) of March 2019 deaths, and 600 of the 1,250 late registrations (48.0%) of April 2019 deaths were recorded by end of June 2019. (Tables 1 and 3)
Deaths in the National Capital Region (NCR)
The same cities registered the most deaths in the first quarters of 2019 and 2020
Quezon City registered the highest number of deaths in the NCR during the first quarter of 2020 at 3,847 or 20.5 percent of the total registered deaths in the region. The city similarly had the highest share in 2019, with 4,462 or 22.3 percent of the total deaths during the first quarter. Meanwhile, the City of Manila recorded the second highest with 2,936 registered deaths (15.7%) while the City of Caloocan came in third with 2,279 deaths (12.2%) of the total registered deaths in the NCR. Likewise, Manila and Caloocan were the second and third highest in 2019 with 3,070 (15.3%) and 2,339 (11.7%) deaths, respectively. These three cities comprised nearly half of the total registered deaths in 2019 (49.3%), and 2020 (48.4%).
On the other hand, Pateros had the lowest number of deaths in the NCR with shares of 0.6 percent (113 deaths), and 0.5 percent (101 deaths) in the first quarters of 2019 and 2020, respectively. (Table 4)
Most cities in NCR recorded less number of deaths in the first quarter of 2020 than in the same period of 2019
Registered first quarter deaths in all cities in NCR were lower in 2020 than deaths in the same quarter of last year, except for four (4) cities with higher registered deaths, namely: San Juan City (13.3%), Las Piñas City (1.3%), Muntinlupa City (0.8%), and Mandaluyong City (0.7%).
Despite registering the highest deaths, Quezon City posted the biggest decline of 13.8 percent, from 4,462 registered first quarter deaths in 2019 to 3,847 registered first quarter deaths in 2020. This was followed by declines in the following areas: Taguig City with 12.3 percent, Makati City with 10.7 percent, Pateros with 10.6 percent, and Navotas City with 10.6 percent. (Figure 3, and Table 4)
Approved by:
DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General
Explanatory Note
Data on deaths presented in this press release were obtained from the timely and late registered deaths at the Office of the City/Municipal Registrars throughout the country and submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar General through the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-Provincial Offices (POs) for encoding. Information presented includes the deaths that occurred from January 2019 until June 2020 (cut-off date is as of 24 July 2020 on the submission of encoded data files to the PSA-Central Office from POs). Cumulative figures for 2019 reflect updated data received from previous months and may differ from preliminary counts previously published. Deaths of Filipinos abroad are not yet included in the data, only those who died in the country but whose usual residence is abroad.
Table 1. Number of Registered Deaths by Month of Occurrence and Registration Status, Philippines: 2019-2020(p) (as of 24 July 2020)
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority (Data on deaths are those registered at the Office of the City/Municipal
Registrars throughout the country and submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar General;
Certificate of Death-Municipal Form 103)
(p) - Preliminary
Table 2. Average Number of Death from 2015 to 2019 and Number of Registered Deaths by Month of Occurrence and Registration Status,
Philippines: 2020(p) (as of 24 July 2020)
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority (Data on deaths are those registered at the Office of the City/Municipal
Registrars throughout the country and submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar General;
Certificate of Death-Municipal Form 103)
(p) - Preliminary
Table 3. Late registration in 2019 and 2020(p),
by month of occurrence and month of registration
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority (Data on deaths are those registered at the Office of the City/Municipal
Registrars throughout the country and submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar General;
Certificate of Death-Municipal Form 103)
(p) - Preliminary
Table 4. Number of Registered Deaths in Cities of NCR:
Q1 2019-Q1 2020(p), (as of 24 July 2020)
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority (Data on deaths are those registered at the Office of the City/Municipal
Registrars throughout the country and submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar General;
Certificate of Death-Municipal Form 103)
(p) - Preliminary
