Population Institute

ABSTRACT

Recognizing life expectancy as a key indicator of mortality and longevity, this study examined life expectancy trends and disparities in the Philippines and investigated how causes of death explained them.

Cause-of-death data from the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), augmented by the WHO Mortality Database and UN World Population Prospects, were analyzed using decomposition methods to quantify age- and cause-specific contributions to life expectancy differentials over time and between sexes.

Findings revealed that the cause-of-death profile reflects a dual burden: persistent communicable diseases alongside rising noncommunicable conditions, with ischemic heart disease gradually emerging as the leading cause.

From 1993 to 2023, life expectancy at birth increased by 4.7 years for males (62.2 years to 66.9 years) and by 3.6 years for females (69.2 years to 72.8 years), despite slower gains in recent years and the temporary disruption from COVID-19. Improvements happened across all ages, with sharp reductions in infant mortality (1.1 years for males; 0.9 years for females) contributing the most. Examined by cause of death, infectious diseases (1.8 years for males; 1.5 years for females) and respiratory diseases (1.6 years for males; 1.7 years for females) were the primary positive contributors to life expectancy gains, while ischemic heart disease (-0.8 years for males; -0.6 years for females), diabetes (-0.4 years for both sexes), and stroke (-0.1 years for both sexes) were the primary negative contributors. Male–female disparities in life expectancy narrowed from 7.0 years to 5.9 years, with females retaining advantage across all ages and causes except for neoplasms (-0.2 years in 2023). Time and sex differentials were shaped mainly by cumulative survival into older ages, rather than by changes in age-specific mortality.

These findings inform the evaluation of public health policies and enhance understanding of mortality and health transitions in the Philippines.

Keywords: mortality, life expectancy, causes of death, decomposition, CRVS, Philippines, SDG 3