More couples prefer live-in arrangements – CPD

MANILA, Philippines — With social media depicting marriage as a tough vocation, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) yesterday said couples who prefer live-in arrangements have been increasing.

According to Mylin Mirasol Quiray of the CPD Knowledge Management and Communications Division, social media depicts marriage as difficult and requires hard work which is why a majority of young Filipino couples, aged 20 to 29, prefer to just live together instead of getting married.

She noted that from nine percent in the 2015 census, the number of couples cohabitating rose to more than 14 percent in the 2022 census.

At the same time, she said young couples are discouraged to tie the knot because of several documents being asked of them prior to marriage.

“You have to get a license. You have to go through pre-marriage orientation and counseling,” said Quiray.

“There are others who see it as a practical arrangement especially if the female partner suddenly gets pregnant. For some, it serves as a romantic motivation like they treat it as a next step to a committed relationship,” she said.

She also noted differences in religion as one factor that prevents couples from getting married.

This increase in live-in arrangement among couples result in more children being born out of marriage, according to the CPD.

Citing 2023 figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the CPD said there are more than 800,000 children born outside marriage compared to the 600,000 children born of married parents.

Despite being married or not, the CPD emphasized that what they are pushing is protection especially of women and children in a live-in arrangement.

“What we want is protection, that even if you are born outside of a formal marriage, you also get to enjoy the rights of children with married parents. So protection of both women and children in this kind of relationship – that is our call,” Quiray added.