The effect of religiosity on fertility : a case of the Muslims in Southern Philippines

Abstract

This study is an investigation of the effect of religiosity on fertility among the adherents of Islam, specifically on the three Muslim ethnic groups in southern Philippines, the Sama of Tawi-Tawi, the Yakan of Basilan and the Tausug of Sulu. The data are derived from the KAP Survey Among Muslim Couples in Region IX (Western Mindanao), 1981 conducted by the Western Mindanao State University. The findings from the analysis confirmed the general hypothesis that the greater the degree of religious commitment or religiosity the higher the fertility. Muslim couples who scored higher on the religiosity index exhibited higher fertility (as measured by mean number of children ever born) and had larger family size ideals than did those who scored lower. An inverted U-shaped association was shown between religiosity and number of family planning methods known. The positive relationship between religiosity and fertility was shown by both cross-tabulation and multiple classification analysis (MCA) even after controlling for some demographic and socio-economic factors. However, religiosity was not as strong a predictor of the three fertility-related variables used in this study in comparison to other determinants of fertility. Education was the most important predictor followed by husband's occupation and ethnicity.