Explanatory Notes
 

 

 

The number of registered live births showed a decreasing trend in the last three years.  A decrease from 1,790,367 in 2012 to 1,744,767 in 2015 or at about -2.5 percent in the three-year period was observed.  However, this does not mean that the number of babies born in the country is on a decline, as some may have not yet been registered during the reglementary period of 30 days after the event occurred. (See Figure 1 and Table 1)

 

 

 

The number of births registered in 2015 had a total of 1,744,767, a decrease of about 0.2 percent compared to 1,748,857 births in 2014.  On the average, there were about 4,780 babies born daily in 2015 or about 199 babies born per hour or approximately three babies per minute.

 

More males (910,877 or 52%) were born than females (833,890 or 48%) which resulted to a sex ratio of 109 males per 100 females.

 

 

Of the total live births, 59 percent were born in Luzon, 20 percent in Visayas and 21 percent in Mindanao.  Three regions in Luzon recorded more than 10 percent of the total live births (NCR, Region IVA and Region III).

 

 

 

Seven out of the 17 regions in the country reported higher number of babies born outside the usual residence of the mother.  In Luzon, the receiving region is the National Capital Region which accounted for 21,060 births, this is the difference of births by place of occurrence and place of usual residence of the mother.  Notably, expectant mothers from Regions IVA,Region III and other areas in Luzon preferred to give birth in NCR.  These may indicate better health care facilities and social services in the receiving region. (See Figure 2 and Table 2)

 

 

Nine out of ten birth deliveries were attended by health professionals (physicians, nurses, and midwives).  Births attended by health professionals increased from 87.4 percent(1,020,341) in 2014 to 90.2 percent(1,573,628) in 2015, while births attended by traditional birth attendants (TBAs) or “hilots” decreased from 11.8 percent(205,571) in 2014 down to 9.1 percent(158,178) in 2015. (See Figure 3 and Tables 3a and 3b)

 

 

Nine in ten birth deliveries in seven regions were attended by health professionals in 2015. In 2014, there were only five regions with medically attended birth deliveries. 

 

Births attended by health professionals show a remarkable improvement from the previous year. ARMM recorded the highest percentage point increase of 9.5, from 53.7 percent in 2014 to 63.2 percent in 2015, and Region IVB increased by 7.0 percentage points, from 75.1 percent in 2014 to 82.1 percent in 2015.  

 

Meanwhile, ARMM showed the highest birth deliveries attended by traditional birth attendant (hilot/unlicensed midwife) of 35.9 percent.

 

 

 

More than half (909,783 or 52.1%) of the total registered live births in 2015 were born out of wedlock. The three regions that recorded the highest number of illegitimate children born in 2015 were Region IVA(146,382), NCR (146,100) and Region III(97,834).

 

The proportion of illegitimate babies born in 2015 in NCR (63.0%), Region IVA (56.2%), Region V (52.5%), Region VII (54.9%), Region VIII (64.2%), Region XI (55.9%) and Caraga (52.0%) were more than half of its total births.

  

On the contrary, 70.7 percent of the total births in foreign countries are legitimate children. (See Table 4)

 

 

Babies born to teenage mothers (207,830) were higher than those babies sired by teenage fathers (52,789).  Moreover, babies sired by fathers aged 50 years old and over (28,460) were far greater than babies born to mothers of the same age group (367) (See Table 5).

 

Mothers at age group 20-24 recorded the highest frequency of live births (498,927 or 28.6 percent).  On the other hand, fathers aged 25-29 were recorded to have sired the highest frequency of live births (424,115  or 24.3 percent).

 

The median age for women that gave birth in 2015 was 29, while most men became parents at age 33.