QUEZON CITY (PIA) — Most Filipino couples see living together or cohabitation as a more practical and beneficial way of building their relationship and family.
Still, they continue to consider marriage as a long-term goal, according to a recent study by the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) and the Asian Center of Education, Research, and Training for Innovation (ACERT).
Love first, vows later: Why do Filipino couples find live-in setups more practical?
The study looked into the factors behind the changing relationship dynamics, aligning with recent trends from the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), which revealed a steady increase in the number of women aged 15-49 living with a partner—from 5% in 1993 to 19% in 2022. Similarly, the 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS) Study discovered that 12% of the 20 million youth aged 15 to 24 are in a live-in setup.
The study identified several factors that influence the decision to live together:
Romantic motivation
Men view living together as the next step in a relationship, while women enjoy the romantic aspects of it without marriage.
Affirmation from family
Couples frequently ask for their parents’ permission, especially when their families have similar arrangements.
Pregnancy before marriage
Pregnancy pushes couples to live together, sharing income and responsibilities which may also lead to more children.
Practicality
Living together helps couples share childcare, household responsibilities, and career commitments, which reduces the burden on women.
Relationship and family trauma
For some women, living together gives them an escape from past relationship traumas, and a chance to build trust without the pressure of marriage.
Logistic challenges
Marriage paperwork is viewed as too difficult and expensive, thus couples delay marriage until their finances are better.
Influenced by social media
Social media shows the challenges of marriage, leading many women to see it as an important lesson and choose to live together.
Contradictions in religion
While some people respect marriage for religious reasons, social and financial limitations frequently cause them to prefer living together instead.
According to the CPD, the growing trends of living together and marriage stress the need for programs and policies that support families regardless of marital status.
Currently, CPD leads various population and development programs, including Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning (RPFP), that help individuals, couples, and men and women of reproductive age. Meanwhile, the Adolescent Health and Development (AHD) program is dedicated solely to meeting the needs of adolescents. (GLDG/PIA-NCR)
