The changing context of union and family formation in Cebu, Philippines

Michelle J. Hindin, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Jessica D. Gipson, University of California, Los Angeles
Socorro A. Gultiano, University of San Carlos

This mixed-method study incorporates qualitative and life history data from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (CLHNS) in Metro Cebu, Philippines to describe the timing and sequence of demographic events for young Filipino men and women. Preliminary findings indicate a disconnect between prevailing social norms for adolescent transitions and reality. For a substantial proportion of the cohort, pregnancy preceded cohabitation and marriage, indicating a deviation from the dominant ideology. Moreover, the data indicate that the life trajectories of young men and women may be differentially influenced by contextual factors, resulting in disparate union and family formation patterns. Findings from this study data indicate that there is a need to identify and address the generational and societal changes that may put adolescents at risk for adverse outcomes, by engaging in ‘alternate’ patterns of union and family formation.