Fewer Filipinos are saying ‘I do’

They say it’s easy to get married, but hard to stay married.

And in the Philippines, it seems harder just to say “I do” at the altar.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that marriages declined for the second consecutive year in 2024, down 10.2 percent to 371,825 from 414,000 in 2023—well below prepandemic levels.

Many would say economic pressures, evolving social norms and the high cost of annulment—sometimes reaching half a million pesos—are keeping couples from tying the knot. Divorce is still off the table, making marriage a high-stakes gamble for many.

Or maybe, for some, it’s not economic in nature but purely philosophical.

What’s love gotta do with it?

Enter Michael de Jesus, president of the Development Bank of the Philippines, and his partner, actress, Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz. They’ve been together for 29 years. And no, they’re still not married—even though Diaz’s past marriage with Bong Daza had long been annulled.

“I was always scared. But, actually, when you’re not married, you work harder. The bonds are just as tight,” De Jesus says.

They met in 1996 when he was 37 with thick black hair. Now it’s mostly white and thinning, he notes in jest, while Diaz, eight years his senior, still looks far younger.

“We just evolved. We didn’t really discuss it,” he adds.

Still, this doesn’t mean marriage is completely off the table, De Jesus insists.

“You don’t put definitive things on—you’ll never get married or you will. It just kinda happens or doesn’t happen,” he says.

For the couple, commitment trumps ceremony. They navigate life together daily, sharing financial, emotional and spiritual support—proving that decades-long love doesn’t necessarily need a wedding certificate.

“Whether or not we’re married, we’ll always be there for each other—financially, spiritually, everything. Physically, financially, spiritually, everything,” he says.

In this economy?

Still, of course, economic realities play a major role in why many couples delay or skip marriage.

An earlier report by the Inquirer, citing the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey, found that the proportion of women aged 15 to 49 who were cohabiting or living with their partners “as if married” quadrupled over three decades—from just 5 percent in 1993 to 19 percent in 2022.

Meanwhile, the 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study found that about 2.4 million Filipinos aged 15 to 24 were already living with a partner outside of marriage.

Weddings, household expenses and raising children can be financially daunting—especially in a country where divorce is not available, and annulment can often cost more than the wedding itself.

As it is, Facebook users have pointed out that the tedious and expensive annulment process, coupled with the absence of divorce laws, is a major reason many Filipinos hesitate to get married.

“If there’s no way out, why go in?” one Facebook user quips.

De Jesus himself says he has witnessed many of his friends get separated.

“A lot of marriages are breaking up. It’s very easy to get married. It’s hard to stay married,” he says.

Another reason cited by netizens is domestic violence. Some note that certain abuses may only surface after couples are legally married—situations they could more easily leave if they remain in a cohabiting arrangement.

Call for laws

“Call on our legislators to pass laws that will improve and simplify the annulment process and strengthen further our current laws on violence against women and children (VAWC),” a netizen comments.

As of writing, divorce is still illegal in the Philippines, making it one of the last two countries in the world, along with Vatican City, without a divorce statute.

On the other hand, same-sex marriage remains contentious, meaning LGBTQ+ couples are still legally barred from marrying in the Philippines.

Some netizens note that if civil partnerships or same-sex marriage were legalized, the number of formal unions in the country could rise.

In any case, today’s marriage statistics reflects a broader trend: more Filipinos are choosing cohabitation over formal marriage for practical reasons, balancing long-term commitment with economic realities and evolving social norms.

Source: Inquirer

Unemployment hits 3-month high

The number of jobless Filipinos surged in October, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday, with rates hitting a three-month high.

The country’s unemployment rate was recorded at 5.0 percent, markedly up from 3.8 percent and 3.9 percent a year earlier.. This is the highest unemployment rate since July of this year at 5.3 percent.

This translates to 2.54 million unemployed Filipinos, higher than the 1.96 million recorded in September 2025 and 1.97 million in the same month last year.

Meanwhile, underemployment — which counts as those looking for more work or an extra job — rose to 12.0 percent, up from 11.1 percent last month. It is, however, lower than year-earlier 12.6 percent.

The number of underemployed individuals stood at 5.81 million. These are workers who expressed a desire for additional hours in their current job, an additional job, or a new job with longer hours.

Employment rate, meanwhile, recorded a downtick of 95.0 percent, down from 96.2 percent recorded a month earlier and 96.1 percent a year earlier. The number of individuals with jobs reached 48.62 million.

The country’s Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in October was registered at 63.6, lower than the 64.5 percent a month earlier but slightly higher than the 63.3 percent recorded a year earlier.

Source: Manila Times

Jobless rate drops to 3.2%

Unemployment fell to 3.2 percent in November — the second-lowest monthly rate in 2024 — as the holiday season led to more jobs for Filipinos, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Wednesday.

The jobless rate improved from 3.9 percent in October and 3.6 percent a year earlier. It was also the lowest since June's 3.1 percent and brought year-to-date unemployment to 3.9 percent.

The November result was equivalent to 1.66 million unemployed Filipinos, lower than October's 1.97 million and the year-earlier 1.83 million.

National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa attributed the gain to more job opportunities during the holiday season. In particular, he told reporters that the number of people working in accommodation and food services rose by over 500,000 during the month.

Underemployment — which counts those looking for more work or an extra job — also improved to 10.8 percent from 12.6 percent a month earlier and November 2023's 11.7 percent.

The number of the underemployed was said to be 5.35 million, improving from 6.08 million in October and 5.79 million a year ago.

With employment having improved to 96.8 percent from 96.1 percent in the previous month and 96.4 percent in November 2023, the number of Filipinos with jobs reached 49.54 million, higher than October's 48.16 million, but slightly lower than the year-earlier 49.64 million.

The labor force participation rate similarly improved to 64.6 percent from the month-earlier 63.3 percent, but fell from November 2023's 65.9 percent.

The services sector remained the main source of jobs, accounting for 63.1 percent of the employed. Agriculture and industry followed with 20 percent and 17.9 percent, respectively.

Wage and salary workers comprised 68.8 percent of those with jobs, followed by the self-employed at 27.8 percent.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, in a statement, said the government was prioritizing job quality and income improvements in order to sustain the labor market gains.

"Our labor market remains robust, with consistently high employment rates and reduced underemployment," he also said.

"The next step is to expand business and employment opportunities to enable more Filipinos to actively and productively contribute to the economy."

Balisacan said the government was keen to encourage business upgrading and skills training programs to ensure that jobs offer competitive wages as "our workers raise their productivity by developing their human capital."

"The government needs to facilitate the adoption of alternative work arrangements to account for workers' evolving preferences while considering organizations' emerging demands," he added.

It will also focus on "accelerating government programs that will increase employability, especially among the youth."

Source: Manila Times