Explanatory Note Data on births presented in this release were obtained from the timely and late registered births at the Office of the City/Municipal Civil Registrars all throughout the country and submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar General through the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-Provincial Statistical Offices (PSOs). The information presented includes births that occurred from January to December 2021 based on data files received by the PSA-Central Office from the PSOs that were registered as of 31 March 2022. Figures presented herein are not adjusted for under registration. This release includes births of Filipinos whose usual residence is abroad and births of foreign nationals that occurred in the country during the reference period. Births of Filipinos abroad which were reported to the Philippine Foreign Service Posts are presented in a separate report. |
Twelve births per thousand population
In 2021, a total of 1,364,739 live births were registered, which is equivalent to a crude birth rate (CBR) of 12.4 or 12 births per thousand population.
The number of registered live births showed a generally decreasing trend. A decrease of -23.8 percent in the registered live births was noted in the past ten years, from 1,790,367 in 2012 to 1,364,739 in 2021. The highest rate of decline was noted in 2021 with -10.7 percent. (Figure 1 and Table 1)
On the average, 3,739 babies were born daily, which translates to 156 babies born per hour or approximately three (3) babies born per minute. (Table 1)
Figure 1. Number and Percent Change of Registered Live Births in the Philippines: 2012-2021
More males were born than females
In 2021, more males (711,434 or 52.1% share) were born than females (653,305 or 47.9% share), resulting in a sex ratio at birth of 109 males per 100 females. (Figure 2 and Table 2)
Figure 2. Percent Distribution of Registered Live Births by Sex, Philippines: 2021
Highest occurrence of births recorded in CALABARZON
Areas with relatively large population reported the highest number of live births by place of occurrence and by usual residence of mother. Of the total live births, 57.4 percent were born in Luzon, 18.4 percent in Visayas, and 24.2 percent in Mindanao. Among regions, the CALABARZON recorded the highest number of birth occurrences with 14.3 percent share. This was followed by National Capital Region (NCR) (12.5% share) and Central Luzon (11.8% share). The same regions recorded the highest number of live births by usual residence of mothers, collectively sharing 38.5 percent or two in every five babies born in 2021. (Figure 3 and Table 2)
Figure 3. Percent Distribution of Registered Live Births by Region of Place of Occurrence and by Usual Residence of Mother, Philippines: 2021
Most number of births registered in September
In 2021, most registered births occurred in September at 133,409 or 9.8 percent of the total births in the country. It was followed by the months of October (9.7% share), November (9.2% share). On the other hand, the month of February had the least number of births (6.2% share). (Figure 4 and Table 3)
Figure 4. Number and Percent Distribution of Registered Live Births by Month of Occurrence, Philippines: 2021
In terms of daily average, September recorded the highest with an average of 4,447 births per day, which translates to 185 births per hour. On the contrary, February had the lowest daily average number of births with 3,043, equivalent to 127 births per hour. (Table 3)
Nine in ten birth deliveries were medically attended
Of the total number of births in the country, 93.1 percent were attended by health professionals (physician, midwife, or nurse). Majority of births were delivered by physicians (61.0% share), followed by midwives (30.2% share). On the other hand, 6.6 percent of births were delivered by a hilot/ traditional birth attendant. (Figure 5 and Table 4)
Figure 5. Percent Distribution of Registered Live Births by Attendant at Birth, Philippines: 2021
The number of births by place of occurrence and by usual residence of mother showed a remarkable proportion of births attended by health professionals in 16 regions. This is indicative of improving health services in terms of maternal and child health care. Fourteen regions had medically attended births higher than 90.0 percent. On the other hand, only three-fifths (59.9%) of the births that occurred in BARMM were medically attended while the rest were attended by traditional birth attendants—either hilot or unlicensed midwives, or other type of attendants. (Table 4)
Nine in ten births delivered in health facilities
In 2021, nine out of 10 births were delivered in a health facility (91.7%), which was either a hospital, birthing clinic, lying in, outpatient care center, specialized care center, and the like. Only 8.0 percent of total births were delivered at home and 0.3 percent were delivered in other locations. (Figure 6)
Figure 6. Percent Distribution of Registered Live Births by Site of Delivery, Philippines: 2021
About nine in ten newborn babies weighed more than 2,500 grams
Birth weight serves as a measure of the nutritional status of newborns. Low birth weight is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as weight at birth less than 2,500 grams (5.5 lbs.).
Of the total number of newborn babies, 87.3 percent were above the defined low birth weight.
The median birth weight was about 3,000 grams. In other words, half of the newborn babies weighed at least 3,000 grams.
Moreover, most babies or about four in ten (38.0%) weighed between 2,500 to 2,999 grams, while 2,167 (0.2% share) babies were born weighing less than 1,000 grams. (Figure 7)
Figure 7. Percent Distribution of Registered Live Births by Birth Weight, Philippines: 2021
Majority of babies were born to mothers aged 25-29 years old
In 2021, majority of registered births had parents aged 25-29 years (381,289 or 27.9% for mothers while 352,406 or 25.8% for fathers). However, babies born to adolescent mothers (136,302 or 10.0% share), those younger than 20 years old, were more than three times of babies sired by adolescent fathers (42,618 or 3.1%). (Figure 8 and Table 5)
Figure 8. Percent Distribution of Registered Live Births by Age Group of Father and Mother, Philippines: 2021
The median age of mothers was 27 years old while the median age for fathers was 30 years old. This means that half of the births in 2021 were to mothers and fathers who were at least 27 years old and 30 years old, respectively.
“High-risk” age of pregnancy covers the age group 17 years old and younger (3.7% share), and 35 years old and over (16.0% share). This is because childbearing in these age groups is more likely to have complications during pregnancy and labor that may result to higher morbidity and mortality to both mother and child.
About 9.8 percent of the births in 2021 were to mothers aged 15-19 years. Moreover, the adolescent birth rate, or the number of births to women ages 15-19 per 1,000 women in that age group, was 26 per 1,000 women in 2021.
More than half of babies were born to unwed mothers
More than half (779,154 or 57.1%) of the total registered live births in 2021 were born out of wedlock. The three regions that recorded the highest number of illegitimate children based on usual residence of the mother were CALABARZON (16.4% share), NCR (14.3% share), and Central Luzon (11.9% share). (Figure 9 and Table 6)
Figure 9. Percent Distribution of Registered Live Births by Legitimacy Status, and by Usual Residence of Mother (Region), Philippines: 2021
Moreover, 12 regions reported at least half of its registered births in 2021 as illegitimate, led by NCR (69.2%), Eastern Visayas (67.6%), and CALABARZON (62.6%). On the other hand, BARMM recorded the highest proportion of legitimate births at 94.8 percent. (Table 6)
Mothers aged 20-24 years had the highest number of illegitimate babies in 2021, contributing 250,999 or 32.2 percent of the total illegitimate births that year. This was followed by mothers aged 25-29 years, who contributed 204,525 or 26.2 percent of the total illegitimate births in 2021.
By age group of mothers, highest proportion of illegitimate births were to adolescent mothers aged under 15. Of the total number of babies born to adolescent mothers aged under 15, 96.1 percent were illegitimate. This was followed by births to adolescent mothers aged 15-19 years and mothers aged 20-24 years, with 90.5 percent and 75.6 percent, respectively. On the other hand, the least proportion of illegitimate babies (28.1%) were to mothers aged 45 years old and over. (Figure 10 and Table 7)
Figure 10. Percent Distribution of Registered Live Births by Age of Mother and by Legitimacy Status, Philippines: 2021
About 90 percent were registered on time
Timely registration refers to registration of the birth within 30 days of occurrence. In 2021, nine in every ten births were registered timely.
The three regions that recorded the highest share in timely registered births in 2021 based on usual residence of mother were CALABARZON (14.9% share), NCR (12.1% share), and Central Luzon (11.6% share). These three regions also recorded the highest number of late registered births, collectively sharing 37.7 percent of the total. (Table 8)
Fourteen (14) out of 17 regions had at least 90.0 percent of its births registered within the reglementary period. Davao Region had the highest proportion of timely registered births with 95.6 percent of its total registered births, followed by Ilocos Region with 95.4 percent. On the other hand, BARMM recorded the highest proportion of late registered births at 26.8 percent, followed by MIMAROPA (17.7%). (Figure 11)
Figure 11. Proportion of Registered Live Births by Registration Status and by Region of Usual Residence of Mother, Philippines: 2021
DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General
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
2Population estimate for females aged 15-19 years old used in the computation was from the 2015 census-based population projections available at https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/census/projected-population
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