The Philippines faces increasing challenges from low fertility rate and aging population

The Philippines is struggling with a low population growth rate and dropping fertility rates, along with a growing "aging population," which the government is attempting to address.

Key Takeaways:

• Reports indicate that fertility rates in The Philippines are suffering as the country also deals with an "aging population."

• Nearly all regions of the country are experiencing a population drop.

• The government hopes to institute a "whole of government" approach to address issues of population decline.

The Details:

Recent census figures have disclosed that the population growth rate for The Philippines has dropped from 1.6 percent (2015-2020) to a mere 0.8 percent (2020-2024), mirroring a steady fall in fertility rates.

By 2030, Filipinos aged 65 and more will comprise 7 percent of the population, thus sealing country’s current status as one with an "aging population,” according to a Newsweek report.

The Newsweek report added:

With a fertility rate of around 1.9 births per woman, the country of 116 million is now below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to sustain population growth. While many nations face a similar trend, the Philippines—one of Asia’s youngest countries—grapples with these shifts while lacking the safety nets and health infrastructure that help cushion the blow in wealthier economies.

Newsweek also quoted the Philippine Institute for Development Studies from a 2023 study, which said:

Analyses indicate that the primary driver behind the country’s fertility decline in the last 50 years is the enhancement of material measures of well-being, with marriage and contraceptive usage playing secondary roles.

Reality Check:

The Philippines will join countries like Japan and South Korea that are encountering demographic winters, though it still lags behind these "super-aged" societies. Nonetheless, lawmakers have to face the reality that the Philippines lacks similar social, health, and educational resources to properly address the needs of an aging population.

In remarks cited by the Philippine Inquirer, the country’s Commission on Population and Development (CPD)  Deputy Executive Director Lolito Tacardon stated that an aging population would be challenging for the government, as the latter is “still in the process of implementing, for example, universal health care.”

By 2050, Tacardon said the trend of an aging population may reach its “peak” with around  12 percent of Filipinos aged 65 years and older. Tacardon highlighted that 16 out of the 18 regions in the Philippines faced a drop in population growth rate, with the Bicol region reporting a negative population growth. 

In view of these prospects, the Philippine government is pushing for a "whole-of-government" approach that leverages on the workforce, population conditions permitting, by investing in human capital and economic initiatives that generate jobs and opportunities, fostering cooperation across agencies and sectors.

The Bottom Line:

As can be seen, the Philippines' declining birth rate and aging population indicate key societal transformations in the long haul.

While the government should tackle existing problems pertaining to labor force sustainability, economic security, and social services, it should also foster pro-life values promoting family, respect for the sanctity of all human life, and inter-generational solidarity.