Explanatory Notes

This special release presents data on foreign marriages registered in different Philippine Foreign Service Establishments (PFSEs) all over the world. Such marriages were solemnized abroad and involved either or both Filipinos. The PFSEs forwarded such documents to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the country, then to the Office of the Civil Registrar General of the National Statistics Office. Included here are marriages that occurred in 2004 which were reported from January 2004 to March 2005. No adjustments for underregistration, however, were made in this report.

There are 6,387 foreign marriages reported in 2004

In 2004, there were 6,387 marriages registered abroad where at least one of the contracting parties is a Filipino. Of these, 72.9 percent (4,653) were interracial marriages (between Filipinos and foreigners) while 27.1 percent (1,734) were marriages between Filipino couples.

Comparing data on intermarriages of Filipinos, the number of interracial marriages contracted by Filipino brides with foreigner grooms in the country (15,166) was 3.3 times higher than those solemnized abroad (4,538). Marriages among Filipino grooms to foreigner brides in the Philippines (2,632) was 22.9 times higher than those that took place in other countries (115).

The median age at marriage is 37 years for grooms and 31 years for brides

The median age at marriage for grooms was 37 years and 31 years for brides. Compared with the median age at marriage of Filipinos in the country, the median age for foreign marriages was higher by six years for brides and 10 years for grooms.

About three out of 10 brides (31.3%) who got married belonged to age group 25-29 years (1,996). The modal age of marriage for grooms, meanwhile, was at age group 30-34 years (1,199 or 18.8 percent).

Moreover, the number of foreign marriages by age group continuously decelerated after reaching the peak of marrying ages -- 25-29 years and 30-34 years for brides and grooms, respectively. During the later ages (50 years and over), however, the number of marriages among grooms shot up while that for females slid.

June is the peak month for marriage

The daily average occurrence of foreign marriages in 2004 was 18. For couples who were either or both Filipinos, the choice month for marriage was June with 658 marriages, or a daily average of 22. In contrast, October had the lowest number of foreign marriages with 456, or 15 marriages on average per day.

Japanese grooms top intermarriages with Filipino brides

Approximately four out of 10 interracial marriages (2,433 or 38.1 percent) involved Filipino brides and Japanese grooms. Other foreign nationals who got married to Filipino brides were Americans (854), Germans (242), British (210), Australians (103), Swiss (100), and other nationalities (596).

Meanwhile, there were 115 registered interracial marriages between Filipino grooms and foreign brides. Of this total, 67.8 percent was contracted to Japanese brides.

Eight of ten brides and seven of ten grooms are married for the first-time

Single grooms married in their early thirties while their female counterparts married in their late twenties. By age group, the number of single brides and grooms continuously declined upon reaching the peak age of marriage -- 30 years for brides and 33 years for grooms. Sex ratio of remarriages was 167.6, or 168 males for every 100 females.

Most of the single brides and grooms, as well as currently married grooms belonged to age group 25-29 years. Most widowed grooms and brides, meanwhile, remarried at age groups 45-49 years and 30-34 years, respectively. The median age for widowed grooms who remarried was 55 years and 41 years for brides (widowers).

Among previously divorced brides, 65.2 percent got married again in their thirties, while 37.3 percent of previously divorced grooms remarried in their forties.