Editing Demographics of the Philippines (section)

=== Single mother phenomenon and illegitimate birth rate ===
{{anchor | Single | Nonmarital | Illegitimate | Nonmarital birth rate | Philippines single mother phenomenon | Philippines single parent phenomenon | Philippines illegitimate birth rate}}

{{See also | Abortion in the Philippines | Likhaan | l2= Likhaan - the abortion advocacy NGO and free abortion clinic | Legitimacy (family law) | l3= Law regarding the illegitimate child | Filial responsibility laws | l4 = Filial responsibility laws holding children responsible for parents well being | Legitime#Philippines | l5= Inheritance laws of Philippines | Legitimacy_(family_law)#Nonmarital_births | l6= Nonmarital birth rates by country  }}

More than half of the children born every year in the Philippines are [[Legitimacy (family law)|illegitimate]], and the percentage of illegitimate children is rising by 2% per year.<ref name="religioushypocrisy1">{{Cite web |title=The Last Country in the World Where Divorce Is Illegal |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/01/19/the-last-country-in-the-world-where-divorce-is-illegal-philippines-catholic-church/ |access-date=December 21, 2017 |archive-date=February 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203134732/https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/01/19/the-last-country-in-the-world-where-divorce-is-illegal-philippines-catholic-church/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="religioushypocrisy2">{{Cite web|last=Leon|first=Sunshine Lichauco de|date=2014-10-06|title=The fight to make divorce legal in the Philippines|url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/10/06/world/asia/philippines-legal-divorce-battle/index.html|access-date=2023-02-06|website=CNN|language=en|archive-date=February 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206220715/https://www.cnn.com/2014/10/06/world/asia/philippines-legal-divorce-battle/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="religioushypocrisy3">{{Cite book
 |title         = Women's Roles and Statuses the World Over
 |author1-first = Stephanie
 |author1-last  = Hepburn
 |author2-first = Rita J.
 |author2-last  = Simon
 |date          = 2007
 |page          = 51
 |publisher     = Lexington Books
 |isbn          = 9780739113578
 |url           = https://books.google.com/books?id=vLOE6Rizq68C
 |access-date   = June 7, 2023
 |archive-date  = August 4, 2023
 |archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20230804042638/https://books.google.com/books?id=vLOE6Rizq68C
 |url-status    = live
}}</ref><ref name="religioushypocrisy4">{{Cite web|last=Corrales|first=Nestor|date=2015-03-27|title=CBCP: There is no need for divorce in PH|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/681804/cbcp-there-is-no-need-for-divorce-in-ph|access-date=2023-02-06|website=INQUIRER.net|language=en|archive-date=July 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714122319/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/681804/cbcp-there-is-no-need-for-divorce-in-ph|url-status=live}}</ref> The percentage of unwed woman in live-in relationship is consistently rising e.g. from 5.2% in 1993 to 18.8% in 2022, i.e. over 30 years the percentage of women in live-in increased nearly 360%; and the percentage of women in a married arrangement is consistently decreasing every year e.g. from 54.4% in 1993 to 36.2% in 2022, i.e. over 30 years 33% less woman chose to marry.<ref name=phd1/>

{{Table alignment}}{{mw-datatable}}
{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers col2right col3right col4right col5right mw-datatable"
! style="width:100pt;"| Reporting <br>Year 
!data-sort-type="number" | % of women in live-in relationship
! % increase in women in live-in relationship
! % of women in marriages
! % change in women in marriages
! style="width:100pt;"| [[Philippine Statistics Authority|PSA]] sources
|-
| 2022
| {{percentage bar|18.8}}
| {{percentage bar|1.3}}
| {{percentage bar|36.2}}
| -6.2%
| <ref name=phd1/>
|-
| 2017
| {{percentage bar|17.5}}
| {{percentage bar|3.0}}
| {{percentage bar|42.4}}
| -3.4%
| <ref name=phd1/>
|-
| 2013
| {{percentage bar|14.5}}
| {{percentage bar|3.3}}
| {{percentage bar|45.8}}
| -4.9%
| <ref name=phd1/>
|-
| 2008
| {{percentage bar|11.2}}
| {{percentage bar|3.2}}
| {{percentage bar|50.7}}
| -4.9%
| <ref name=phd1/>
|-
| 2003
| {{percentage bar|8.0}}
| {{percentage bar|1.8}}
| {{percentage bar|55.6}}
| -2.2%
| <ref name=phd1/>
|-
| 1998
| {{percentage bar|6.2}}
| {{percentage bar|1.0}}
| {{percentage bar|53.4}}
| -1.0%
| <ref name=phd1/>
|-
| 1993
| {{percentage bar|5.2}}
| {{n/a}}
| {{percentage bar|54.4}}
| {{n/a}}
| <ref name=phd1>[https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/872894/psa-women-living-with-partners-at-30-year-high-in-2022/story/ PSA: Women living with partners as if married at 30-year high in 2022] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717071033/https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/872894/psa-women-living-with-partners-at-30-year-high-in-2022/story/ |date=July 17, 2023 }}, GMA Network, 14 June 2023.</ref>
|}

The following table, based on the annual official data sourced from [[Philippine Statistics Authority]], shows the growing annual trend of [[Legitimacy (family law)|illegitimate child]] births by percentages:

{{Table alignment}}{{mw-datatable}}
{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers col2right col3right col4right col5right mw-datatable"
! style="width:100pt;"| Reporting <br>Year 
! style="width:100pt;"| Nationwide % of illegitimate children born every year
! style="width:100pt;"| Nationwide % increase in illegitimate children compared to previous year
! style="width:100pt;"| % of illegitimate children born in [[Metro Manila|NCR]] every year
! style="width:100pt;"| % of illegitimate children born in [[Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao|ARMM]] every year 
! style="width:100pt;"| [[Philippine Statistics Authority|PSA]] sources
|-
| 2021 || 57.1% || 0.1% || 69.2% || 5.2% ||<ref name=pn3>{{Cite web |title=Births in the Philippines, 2021 |url=https://psa.gov.ph/content/registered-live-births-philippines-2021-0 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |archive-date=March 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230305185139/https://psa.gov.ph/content/registered-live-births-philippines-2021-0 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2020 || 57.0% || 2.2% || 68.4% || 5.4% || <ref name=pn2>{{Cite web |title=Births in the Philippines, 2020 |url=https://psa.gov.ph/content/registered-live-births-philippines-2020 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |archive-date=July 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717063211/https://psa.gov.ph/content/registered-live-births-philippines-2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> 
|-
| 2019 || 54.8%  || 0.5% || 66.2% || 4.8% || <ref name=pn1>{{Cite web |title=Births in the Philippines, 2019 |url=https://psa.gov.ph/content/registered-live-births-philippines-2019 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204175222/https://psa.gov.ph/content/registered-live-births-philippines-2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2018 || 54.3% || 1.0% || 65.8%  || 4.3% ||<ref name="stathyp13">{{Cite web |title=Births in the Philippines, 2018, Reference Number: 2019-230 |url=https://psa.gov.ph/vital-statistics/id/144897 |access-date=December 27, 2019 |archive-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805082207/https://psa.gov.ph/vital-statistics/id/144897 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2017 || 53.3% || 4.1% || 64.9% || 4.3% ||<ref name="stathyp12">{{Cite web |title=Births in the Philippines, 2012017, Reference Number: 2018-199 |url=https://psa.gov.ph/vital-statistics/id/13697 |access-date=December 18, 2018 |archive-date=July 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200714233830/https://psa.gov.ph/vital-statistics/id/13697 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2016 || 49.2% || −2.9%  || 59.9% || 4.8% ||<ref name="stathyp11">{{Cite web |title=Births in the Philippines, 2016, Reference Number: 2018-033 |url=https://psa.gov.ph/vital-statistics/id/129678 |access-date=February 27, 2018 |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613120536/http://psa.gov.ph/vital-statistics/id/129678 |url-status=live }}</ref> 
|-
| 2015 || 52.1% || 1.8% || 63.0% || 6.2% ||<ref name="stathyp1">{{Cite web |title=2015 PSA data on live births by legitimacy by regions |url=https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/crd/specialrelease/SR%202015%20Births_tab4%265.pdf |access-date=December 21, 2017 |archive-date=November 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113072135/https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/crd/specialrelease/SR%202015%20Births_tab4%265.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2014 || 50.3% || 2.1% || 62.0% || 6.6% ||<ref name="stathyp2">{{Cite web |title=2014 PSA data on live births by legitimacy by regions |url=https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Birth%202014%20Tables.pdf |access-date=December 21, 2017 |archive-date=October 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026090627/http://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Birth%202014%20Tables.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2013 || 48.2% || 2.5% || 60.9% || 6.6% ||<ref name="stathyp3">{{Cite web |title=2013 PSA data on live births by legitimacy by regions |url=https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Table%204_4.pdf |access-date=December 21, 2017 |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215123615/https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Table%204_4.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2012 || 45.7% || 1.1% || 58.5% || 5.4% ||<ref name="stathyp4">{{Cite web |title=2012 PSA data on live births by legitimacy by regions |url=https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Table%204_7.pdf |access-date=December 21, 2017 |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215121253/https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Table%204_7.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2011 || 44.6% || 7.1% ||  56.9% || 7.6% ||<ref name="stathyp5">{{Cite web |title=2011 PSA data on live births by legitimacy by regions |url=https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Table%204_6.pdf |access-date=December 21, 2017 |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215122415/https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Table%204_6.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2008 || 37.5% || NA || NA || NA ||<ref name="stathyp6">{{Cite web |title=Live Births by Age Group of Mother, by Sex, and Legitimacy – Philippine Statistics Authority |url=https://psa.gov.ph/content/live-births-age-group-mother-sex-and-legitimacy |access-date=December 21, 2017 |website=psa.gov.ph |archive-date=October 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012163956/http://psa.gov.ph/content/live-births-age-group-mother-sex-and-legitimacy |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}

First time [[single parent|single mothers]] are mainly due to the [[teenage pregnancy]] among girls in the 17 to 19 years old age bracket, thus getting trapped in the [[cycle of poverty]] and [[Criticism of the Catholic Church#Abuse|abuse]].<ref>{{Citation |title="Sex: From Intimacy to "Sexual Labor" or is it a Human Right to Prostitute?" |publisher=Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific}}</ref> Some females become [[prostitution in the Philippines|prostitutes in the Philippines]] after they become unwed single mothers<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raymond |first=Janice G. |title=Sex Trafficking is Not "Sex Work |publisher=Conscience XXVI:1 |issue=Spring 2005}}</ref> from [[teenage pregnancy]]. As of 2016 more than half of Filipina women did not want additional children, but access to contraceptives was limited, and many people were hesitant to use what contraceptives were available due to [[Criticism of the Catholic Church#Abortion|opposition from the Catholic Church]].<ref name="churchopposed1">{{Cite book|last1=Barash|first1=David P.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5X1ZDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT693|title=Peace and Conflict Studies|last2=Webel|first2=Charles P.|date=2016| page= 693|publisher=SAGE Publications|isbn=978-1-5063-4423-2|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2023|archive-date=February 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218075808/https://books.google.com/books?id=5X1ZDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT693|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="churchopposed2">Aries C. Rufo, 2013, "Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics, and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church", Child sexual abuse by clergy Journalism for Nation Building Foundation.</ref> The reasons for the high illegitimate birthrate and single motherhood include the unpopularity of artificial contraception<ref>{{Cite book |last=Paul II |first=Pope John |title=Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body |date=2006 |publisher=Pauline Books and Media |location=Boston}}</ref> inadequate [[sex education]], delays in implementing [[Reproductive Health Bill|birth control legislation]] and a [[machismo]] attitude among many Filipino males. There are three million household heads without a spouse, two million of whom were female (2015 [[Philippine Statistics Authority|PSA]] estimates).

Between 2010 and 2014, 54% of all pregnancies in the Philippines (1.9&nbsp;million pregnancies) were unintended. Consequently, 9% of women between 15 and 19 years of age have begun childbearing, and every year there are 610 000 unsafe abortions. In 2017, [[Prevalence of birth control|modern contraceptive prevalence rate]] (CPR) in "the Philippines was 40% among married women of reproductive age and 17% among unmarried sexually active women" and "Forty-six percent of married women used no contraceptive method in 2017 and 14% a traditional method." The "unmet need for family planning' which is the lack of access of contraceptives to women do not want to have more children or wish to delay having children was 17% among married women and 49% among unmarried and among unmarried only 22% women were able to access modern contraceptive methods. "As a consequence of the low contraceptive met need, 68% of unintended pregnancies occur in women not using any method and 24% in those using traditional methods" and the rest had to resort to unsafe traditional methods.<ref name="churchopposed3">{{Cite journal|last1=Nagai|first1=Mari|last2=Bellizzi|first2=Saverio|last3=Murray|first3=John|last4=Kitong|first4=Jacqueline|last5=Cabral|first5=Esperanza I.|last6=Sobel|first6=Howard L.|date=2019-07-25|title=Opportunities lost: Barriers to increasing the use of effective contraception in the Philippines|journal=PLOS ONE|language=en|volume=14|issue=7|pages=e0218187|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0218187|pmid=31344054 |pmc=6657820 |bibcode=2019PLoSO..1418187N |issn=1932-6203|doi-access=free }}</ref>

The Catholic Church in Philippines opposes sex before or outside marriage, and the use of modern contraceptive and the passing of laws allowing for divorce. The Catholic religion that was introduced by Spanish colonial era Catholic [[friar]]s was adapted through a process of [[enculturation]].<ref name=churchopposed4/> Hence, there is a gap between the [relatively more orthodox] [[wikt:ecclesiastical|scriptural Catholic]] religion and the version practiced by Filipinos in daily life.<ref name=churchopposed4/> 84% Filipinos are Catholic, and what Filipinos actually do in practice is different from what they believe in,<ref name="churchopposed4">{{Cite book|last=Rood|first=Steven|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LmmtDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA157|title=The Philippines: What Everyone Needs to Know|date=2019|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-092062-3|pages=154–158|access-date=February 6, 2023|archive-date=February 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218075808/https://books.google.com/books?id=LmmtDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA157|url-status=live}}</ref> i.e. Filipinos practice a liberal cultural attitude towards sexual relationships while also contrastingly practicing orthodox Catholic religious belief which opposes the modern scientific contraceptives and laws based on the modern values, resulting in lack of access to family planning methods, stigmatization of medical abortions, a high number of unwanted pregnancies, lack of access to safe modern medical abortions, high and still rising trend of illegitimate newborn birth rate.

The law of the Philippines continues to differentiate and discriminate between filiation (recognition of the biological relationship between father and child) and legitimacy (legally considered a legitimate child), national law still continues to label the "nonmarital births" as "illegitimate", which has been criticized by the social and legal activists for the constitutional stigmatization and denial of equal legal rights.