An average of 57 deaths registered per month

The Philippines reported 679,766 deaths in the year 2022, which is a decrease of 22.7 percent from the 879,429 registered deaths in 2021. This is equivalent to crude death rate1 of 6.1 or six deaths per 1,000 population in 2022. This corresponds to an average of 1,862 deaths per day, which translates to 78 deaths per hour in 2022.

In 2022, a total of 18,966 deaths were registered in the MIMAROPA Region, which is a decrease of 17.3 percent from 22,934 in 2021. This is equivalent to a crude death rate of 5.8 or 6 deaths per 1,000 population in 2022. On average, this corresponds to 52 deaths per day, which translates to two deaths per hour.

For the province of Oriental Mindoro, the number of registered deaths was recorded at 5,745 in 2022, a decrease of 20.8 percent compared to 7,258 registered deaths in 2021. This corresponds to a crude death rate of 6.23 deaths or 6 deaths per 1,000 population in 2022. On average, this translates to 16 deaths per day.

On the other hand, the municipality of Naujan was able to register 686 deaths for the year 2022, translated to an average of 57 deaths per month. Months of July, August and December have the highest registration of deaths in 2022 with 63 registered deaths in July followed by 67 registered deaths both in August and December. The month of May had the least number of registered deaths with only 44. (Figure 1)

Acute myocardial infarction leads the cause of death

The top three causes of death in the municipality of Naujan from January to December 2022 were Acute myocardial infarction, Stroke, not specified as hemorrhage or infarction, and Unspecified diabetes mellitus.

Acute myocardial infarction, the top leading cause of death in Naujan, managed to take 106 lives or 15.5 percent share of the total deaths in the municipality. On the other hand, Stroke, not specified as hemorrhage or infarction, came in second with 65 deaths or 9.5 percent share of all the total deaths in the municipality. Further, Unspecified diabetes mellitus was the third leading cause, which accounted for 38 deaths or 5.5 percent share of all the total deaths in the municipality. (Table 1)

Similarly, Acute myocardial infarction, is the leading cause of deaths in males, registering 73 deaths or 17.1 percent share of male deaths. Followed by Stroke, not specified as hemorrhage or infarction with 46 deaths, and Motor- or nonmotor-vehicle accident, type of vehicle unspecified with 25 deaths. (Table 2)

Additionally, Acute myocardial infarction, is the leading cause of deaths in females, recording 33 deaths or 12.8 percent share of female deaths. Followed by Stroke, not specified as hemorrhage or infarction with 19 deaths, and Unspecified diabetes mellitus with 18 deaths. (Table 3)

Almost 100 percent of deaths were timely registered

Out of the 686 registered deaths, 678 deaths or 98.8 percent were timely registered in the municipality of Naujan, the remaining eight deaths were registered late. (Figure 2)

More male deaths than females

Of the 686 deaths in the municipality of Naujan in 2022, there were 424 male deaths (62.4 percent) and 254 female deaths (37.6 percent). (Figure 3)

Infant deaths

Infant deaths are deaths that occur before reaching age one. In the municipality of Naujan, 16 infant deaths occurred, of which 13 were males and three were females. (Table 4)

69.7 percent of the deceased have no attendant at death

Out of the 686 registered deaths in the municipality, 478 deaths or 69.7 percent were not attended by any of the private physicians, public health officer or hospital authority. Of the 478 deceased individuals with no attendant at death, 299 were males and 179 were females.

Moreover, a total of 185 registered deaths were attended by hospital authorities. Of this, 112 were male deaths and 73 were female deaths, respectively. (Figure 4)

70.8 percent deaths occurred at home

In the municipality of Naujan, 486 registered deaths or 70.8 percent occurred at home, from these, 305 deaths were males (62.8 percent) and 181 deaths were females (37.2 percent). Moreover, there were 199 deaths or 29.0 percent occurred at the hospitals, wherein 123 deaths were males (61.8 percent) and 76 deaths were females (38.2 percent). (Figure 5)

CHARLYN ROMERO-CANTOS, PhD
(Chief Administrative Officer)
Officer-in-Charge
Oriental Mindoro Provincial Statistical Office

HBDL

TECHNICAL NOTES ON VITAL STATISTICS

INTRODUCTION

Vital statistics are derived from information obtained at the time when the occurrences of vital events and their characteristics are inscribed in a civil register.

Vital acts and events are the births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, and all such events that have something to do with an individual's entrance and departure from life together with the changes in civil status that may occur to a person during his lifetime. Recording of these events in the civil register is known as vital or civil registration and the resulting documents are called vital records.

STRUCTURE OF VITAL STATISTICS SYSTEM

The production of vital statistics comprised of a system of operations in which the registration of vital events is an important component. The system begins with the registration followed by the processing and controlling of vital records and ends with the compilation and analysis of vital statistics.

Under Commonwealth Act (CA) 591, the Bureau of Census (now Philippine Statistics Authority) is mandated to generate general purpose statistics and to carry out and administer Act No. 3753.

Under the same law, the head of the PSA is also the Civil Registrar General (CRG) who directs and supervises the local civil registration activities in the country. The CRG in this regard is empowered to prepare and issue implementing rules and regulations on civil registration and to prepare and order printed the necessary forms for proper compliance.

The set-up of vital statistics system involves different entities and cuts across different departments and personalities.

For the registration of vital events, the Local Civil Registry Offices (LCROs), which are the registration units in the country and headed by the City/Municipal Civil Registrars (C/MCRs), are under the Local Government Units (LGUs). The hospitals, clinics, rural health units and similar institutions including barangay secretaries, practicing physicians, midwives, nurses, traditional midwives, solemnizing officers from various religious sects and denomination are required to assist in the reporting of vital events for registration at the LCROs. The concerned parents, next of kin, contracting parties, a witness or the person who has full knowledge of the occurrence of the event are also required to report the event, in default of the first mentioned set of informants.

The processing and controlling of vital documents are done at the LCROs and at the PSA Provincial and Central Offices.

The compilation and analysis of vital statistics is taken cared of by the PSA Central Office under the Vital Statistics Division of the Civil Registration and Central Support Office.

THE REGISTRATION METHOD

As mandated in Act 3753, all vital events that marked the entry and departure of a person in his lifetime and the changes in his/her civil status shall be registered. The registration method is defined as the continuous, permanents and compulsory recording of the occurrences and characteristics of vital events, primarily for their value as legal documents and secondary for their usefulness as a source of statistics.

Place where to register the event

As a general rule, the place of registration is the LCRO of the city of municipality where the vital events occur.

Out of town reporting of vital event occurs when the documents presented to the civil registrar of LCRO, which is not the place of occurrence, not for registration but to be forwarded to the civil registrar of LCRO where the event occurred and where it should be registered.

Forms to use

The civil register consists of certificates and the registry book. It also includes the actual copies of the registrable court decisions and the legal instruments concerning the civil status of persons. The certificates are loose-leaf forms in a set of four copies except for the Certificate of Foundling which is in a set of three.

Person who will report the event

The informant is the one who reports the event for registration and who gives information to be recorded in the civil register.

For death occurrences, the report shall be made by the hospital or clinic administrator if the person dies in the hospital or clinic, or by attending physician or by the nearest relative or by any interested party who has knowledge of the occurrence of death. In all cases, the report shall be submitted to the Local Health Officer (LHO) who shall direct and order the C/MCR to enter the death in the civil register.

Period when to report the event

Death or fetal death shall be reported to LHO within forty eight (48) hours from the time of death and the LHO shall direct or cause the registration to the C/MCR not later than thirty (30) days from date of death.

Any report made to the LCROs beyond the reglementary period are considered late and can be entered only in the civil register after the informant complies with the requirements for delayed registration.

Operative Act of Registration

The C/MCR sees to it that appropriate form it used; form is properly and completely filled-up; and proper attachments are submitted. In case, the entries are found incomplete, the C/MCR has to require the person concerned to fill up the document completely or to correct the entries.

When the document is accepted for registration, the date of receipt is recorded in the space provided and the documents received for the day are entered immediately in the appropriate civil registry book, assigning therein the corresponding registry number. After registration entry/entries found erroneous can only be corrected through RA 9048, except sex, nationality, age and status which require court approval.

Distribution of registered documents

Upon registration, the C/MCR distributes the copies accordingly: the first copy to the informant; the second copy to the CRG; the third copy shall be retained by the LCRO; and the fourth copy to the attendant or solemnizing officer, as the case may be. The CRG copy is the source of vital statistics published in this report.

DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS

Significant terminologist and descriptions in the foregoing highlights and tables are defined below. Included are some items found in the certificates and summary measure used in describing the facts of events.

Death refers to the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any time after live birth has taken place (postnatal cessation of vital function without capability of resuscitation).

Crude Death Rate (CDR) refers to the number of deaths per 1,000 mid-year population.

Daily Average refers to the arithmetic mean of birth, death or marriage occurrences per day.

Daily Index is the increase/decrease from the overall daily average of event occurrences.

Usual Residence refers to the place where the person habitually or permanently resides.

Place of Occurrence refers to the place where the vital event took place.