Trends and determinants of age at union of men and women in the Philippines

Abstract

This article examines changes in the trends and patterns in union formation of men and women in the Philippines, with primary focus on the role of education and urbanization. The study also investigates the determinants of marriage timing of both Filipino men and women to assess whether similar factors are at work in their decision to enter marriage. Data are drawn from the 2003 and 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey, and the Cox proportional hazard models are used for analysis. Results reveal that both Filipino men and women are delaying entry to marriage, as evidenced by their increasing age at marriage. The proportion of Filipinos living together has been increasing over time, compensating for the consistent decline in the proportion of those who are legally married. Education remains an important factor in marriage timing of both genders, although its impact is more substantial among the most recent cohort.