Most Filipino Gen Zs who want to marry: I will after I’m 35- Arkipelago Analytics

Gone are the days when marriage in the Philippines meant that couples tie the knot in their early- to mid-20s. 

The younger generation, particularly Gen Z, are quietly transforming how marriage is viewed— a union being reshaped mostly by the changing values of the country’s youngest adults.

In an article in Arkipelago Analytics, a recent survey counted only 40 percent of Gen Z respondents who said they want to get married someday. Of those respondents,  60 percent prefer to marry after the age of 35, well beyond the age norms of generations before.

Government data shows registered marriages went down by 7.8 percent in 2023, from 449,428 in 2022 to 414,213.

The crude marriage rate (CMR) also dropped from 4.0 to 3.7 marriages per 1,000 persons, reflecting a broader shift on how Filipinos approach marriage and family life.

“The findings indicate that Gen Z Filipinos are approaching marriage with greater intentionality,” Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo, Founder of Arkipelago Analytics, said. A leading data science and analytics firm, Arkipelago Analytics is dedicated to transforming complex data into actionable insight.

She observed, “Rather than following traditional timelines, many are prioritizing emotional readiness, personal goals, and long-term compatibility.”

The changing attitude towards marriage is also evident in regional trends.

The most registered marriages in 2023 occurred in CALABARZON (14.6% of the national total), trailed by the National Capital Region (12.5%) and Central Luzon (11.5%)—regions densely populated and with thriving urban centers.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had the lowest recorded marriages, 0.5 percent of the national total.

February, long associated with Valentine’s Day and romance, is still the most popular month to get hitched.

These findings suggest that while many Filipinos still consider marriage as a valued institution, the younger generations, specifically Gen Z, no longer view it as a rigid, mandatory life path.

As Gen Z comes of age, they are likely to reshape the future of family life in the Philippines. They might view marriage as not going extinct but simply as being redefined.