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The Philippines
AsiaSoutheast Asia

As Asia grapples with declining birth rates, Catholic-majority Philippines wants fewer babies

  • The Philippines hopes to achieve broad economic success by addressing demographic issues, and is prioritising family planning
  • High fertility rates in the Catholic-majority nation are linked to religious, cultural expectations, and underscore weak access to contraceptives

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The Philippines, despite sterling growth rates for most of the past decade, still ranks among the poorest in the neighborhood. Photo: EPA-EFE
Bloomberg
As birth rates plummet across Asia and beyond, the Philippines stands out for having among the highest fertility ratios in the region.
For years, the Southeast Asian nation has wrestled with a dilemma considered enviable in countries like Japan and South Korea, where governments are offering cash incentives for couples who have children. As many countries record more deaths than births, the Philippines is a bright star for those who believe a young labour force portends greater productivity.
But officials in the Philippines, which has 113 million people, see the issue differently. The government, led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, warns that the country cannot achieve broad economic success without addressing demographic challenges.
The Philippines’ fertility rate fell to 1.9 children per woman in 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE
The Philippines’ fertility rate fell to 1.9 children per woman in 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE

The Philippines, despite sterling growth rates for most of the past decade, still ranks among the poorest in the neighbourhood and lowering the birth rate – which is more than twice South Korea’s – is a key strategy for development metrics.

Changing attitudes around family planning has proved a tall order in the Catholic-majority country. Elevated fertility rates are intertwined with religious and cultural expectations, and also underscore weak access to contraceptives and healthcare services.

One-third of the output gap between the Philippines and its well-off Asian peers can be “attributed easily to the fact that we haven’t entered the demographic dividend”, said Arsenio Balisacan, secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority.

Though a smaller labour force might be a problem in wealthy nations, Balisacan said officials in those places have the money to invest in technology and development. In the Philippines, more people are putting great strain on limited resources. The government has made family planning one of its biggest budget priorities this year.

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