Philippine fertility rates continue downward trend

ECFL Media Bulletin Number 7

Data from the United Nations show that during the period from 1995-2000 the Total Fertility Rate in the country was 3.64 children born per woman.

From 2000-2005, the number of children born per woman went down to 3.24; and from 2005-2010, it was to further drop to 2.79.

Thus, from the Tenth to the Fourteenth Congress while lawmakers were trying to legislate the Population Management/Reproductive Health bill in its various versions, fertility rate was already declining.

When the Fifteenth Congress opens, the projected children per woman would be down to a precarious 2.33. Passing a population control/reproductive health law would further cut down the fertility rate and put the country below the required number of births (2.1 children per woman) needed for the population to replace itself.