Births, deaths decline in first half

THE NUMBER of registered births and deaths declined in the first six months of 2022 by 26.8% and 32.1%, respectively, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

Citing preliminary data from its Vital Statistics Report, the number of recorded births in the six months to June totaled 448,090, against 612,301 a year earlier.

Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) logged the most births with 66,876, or 14.9% of the national total.

This was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 54,264, 12.1% of the Philippine total. Metro Manila’s registered births declined 24.1% from a year earlier.

Registered deaths totaled 262,945 in the six months to June, down 32.1% from a year earlier.

Calabarzon accounted for the most deaths with 39,284 or 14.9% of the national total.

Metro Manila logged 32,093 deaths or 12.2% of the total.

HEART DISEASE STILL LEADING CAUSE OF DEATHIn a separate statement, the PSA said preliminary data indicated that ischaemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular disease, and neoplasms were the leading causes of death in the first six months of 2022.

Deaths due to ischaemic heart diseases (48,728) accounted for 18.5% of all deaths in the Philippines while, cerebrovascular diseases (27,361) accounted for 10.4%.

Neoplasms (26,138) had a 9.9% share of the total.

Deaths associated with COVID-19 totaled 11,677 in the six months to June, or 4.4% of the total.

Those with virus identified at the time of death numbered 8,429 cases or 3.2% of total deaths, making COVID-19 the eighth-leading cause of death in the period.

Deaths where the COVID-19 virus was not identified amounted to 3,248 cases or 1.2% of the total, coming in as the 18th leading cause of death.

Metro Manila recorded the most deaths due to COVID-19 with 2,849 or 24.4% of the total.

This was followed by Calabarzon with 1,762 (15.1%), and Central Luzon with 1,528 (13.1%).

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao logged the lowest number of COVID-19 deaths with 32 cases in the first six months of 2022.

MARRIAGES RISEThe PSA’s Vital Statistics data also show registered marriages rising by 0.1% year on year in the first six months.

Calabarzon was the leading region with 27,566 or 14.8% of the national total.

Metro Manila, on the other hand, registered 22,572 marriages, up 11.5% in 2021. This accounted for 12.1% of total marriages.

According to the PSA, COVID-19 death estimates were based on the descriptions filed in the deceased’s medical certificates as received and certified by health officers of local government units.

This varies from the criteria followed by the Department of Health, which only tallies confirmed cases.

The Vital Statistics report was compiled from tallies generated by city or municipal Civil Registrars, consolidated by the PSA’s Provincial Statistical Offices, and then submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar General as of July 31, 2022. — Abigail Marie P. Yraola