Population Institute

This study filled information gaps in the country’s death statistics from an assessment of the sources of death registration data and a review of the processes in the generation of death statistics. More importantly, infant mortality rates (IMR) for the Philippines and its constituent regions, provinces, and highly urbanized cities (HUCs) were interpolated from Model Life Tables following indirect estimation techniques on vital registration data. In order to achieve this, death registration was adjusted by the application of a correction factor derived from the “best” estimate of level of completeness of death registration using three (3) indirect approaches (Brass Growth Balance, Preston and Coale, and Courbage and Fargues methods). For comparison, estimates obtained using direct techniques are also supplied. Results show that 7 out of 10 deaths were registered in the Philippines while the estimated IMR for the country is 33 deaths per thousand live births in 2010. Sub-national analyses revealed that more developed areas have higher levels of death registration and lower levels of IMRs while the inverse is true for less developed areas. Given the overall quality of data from the vital registration, the indirect approach of estimating mortality indicators in the country is still recommended. The findings also suggest the need for the government to have intensive civil registration programs and information education campaigns with focus on Muslim and Indigenous People populated areas.