Better Late than Never: Factors that Affect Filipino Women to Marry Late

Abstract

As urbanization grows in the country, age at marriage tends to follow a certain trend and for the past years, late marriage seemed to be very prominent in urban areas most especially in Metro Manila. This study was designed to gain a deeper understanding on why women marry late. Fifteen women from Manila, Caloocan and Quezon City, who got married within the age of 31 to 45 years old, participated in a qualitative study on the factors that affect women to marry late. In depth interviews were conducted on married women of the selected area to provide richer information to determine the factors that affect women to delay marriage. Current findings indicated that two major factors affect a woman’s decision to marry late: career orientation and familial responsibility and obligations. In relation with this a woman’s educational attainment and birth order were taken into consideration. It was able to prove that in cities like Manila, Caloocan and Quezon City, marriage is labelled to be late when a woman enters marriage within the age bracket of 31 to 45 years old. This present study was also able to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages for a woman of entering marriage at a late age.