Population Institute

ABSTRACT

The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) stood out as the region with the highest proportion of young women initiating early childbearing in 2013. Given the strong linkage between fertility preferences and fertility outcomes, the study examined the fertility preferences of young people in CAR and the sociodemographic factors associated with these preferences between Cordilleran and Non-Cordilleran youth. The study also addresses the paucity of research examining the intersection of culture and fertility as well as the limited studies on the fertility preferences of males and young people.

Using data from the 2013 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey (YAFS) – a cross-sectional survey of Filipino young adults aged 15–24 with 19,178 respondents nationally and 928 respondents from CAR – the study provided evidence that Cordilleran youth have a significantly higher mean desired number of children compared to Non-Cordilleran youth. The findings also indicate statistically significant differences in the mean desired number of children between Cordilleran and Non Cordilleran youth across the following sociodemographic subgroups: younger youth (aged 15–19), females, never-married youth, those who are at least high school graduates, those with fewer than three siblings, and those with internet exposure.

Based on these findings, the study recommends implementing interventions specifically tailored to address the preferred family size and the specific needs of Indigenous people in CAR, who constitute the majority of the youth in the region.

Keywords: Fertility Preferences, Youth, Indigenous People, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)