Basco had the highest number of registered births

The total number of registered births in the province of Batanes in 2024 was 226 births, lower by eight births from 234 registered births in 2023. Among the six municipalities of the province, Basco recorded the highest number of registrations with 201 births, accounting for 88.9 percent of the total registered births. However, only 134 births or 59.3 percent of mothers reported Basco as their place of usual residence.

In contrast, Ivana recorded the lowest number of births by place of occurrence with only three births or 1.3 percent. Meanwhile, 19 births or 8.4 percent of mothers identified Ivana as their place of usual residence. (Table 1)

In terms of changes, the municipality of Basco registered the highest decrease with a reduction of six births from 207 births in 2023 to 201 births in 2024.

Conversely, Uyugan recorded the highest increase with five births in 2024 compared to three births in 2023, reflecting an increase of two births. The municipality of Mahatao maintained their figures with no changes in the number of registered births between the two periods. 
(Figure 1 and Table 2)

Most births were registered in November

Most births in 2024 were registered in November with 33 births or 14.6 percent. The least number of registered births were recorded in March with eight births or 3.5 percent. On the other hand, in 2023, most births were registered in September, which had 33 births or 14.1 percent, while the least births were registered in June with nine births or 3.8 percent. 
(Figure 2 and Table 3)

Among the months, November showed the highest increase with an addition of 11 births in 2024 to the 22 births recorded in 2023. Conversely, October had the biggest decline with only 13 births in 2024 compared to 22 births in 2023, showing a decrease of nine births. 
(Figure 2 and Table 3)

Most babies were born of unmarried mothers

Out of the 226 registered births in 2024, 59.7 percent or 135 births were born "out of wedlock," while only 40.3 percent or 91 births were legitimate. This indicates that a higher proportion of births were registered as illegitimate compared to legitimate ones. (Figure 3 and Table 4)
 

More female births were registered than male births

In 2024, more female births were registered than male births. There were 118 female births or 52.2 percent of the total, while male births recorded 47.8 percent or 108 births. 
(Figure 4 and Table 5)

The sex distribution of births in Batanes showed variations between the place of occurrence and the place of usual residence across municipalities. In Basco, more females were born by place of occurrence with 107 births compared to 94 male births, and the same trend was observed in the place of usual residence of the mother with 72 females and 62 males.

Moreover, Ivana had no male births by place of occurrence and recorded the least total registrations in this category with only three female births. Meanwhile, Mahatao had the least number of births when considering the place of usual residence of the mother with 10 males and six females. Registered births, whose mothers were residing outside the province recorded two male births while no female birth. (Table 6)

Most births were registered on time

In terms of timeliness of registration, 88.9 percent or 201 births were registered on time in 2024 while the remaining 11.1 percent or 25 births were registered late. (Figure 5 and Table 7)

Most mothers gave birth at ages 25 to 29 years old

The distribution of registered births by age group of mothers in Batanes shows that the highest number of births occurred among mothers aged 25 to 29 years old with 59 births or 26.1 percent. Meanwhile, the least registered births were recorded among mothers aged 40 to 44 years old with 13 births or 5.8 percent. In addition, there were eight births or 3.5 percent registered under unknown age due to late registration. Moreover, there were 16 registered births from teenage mothers aged 15 to 19 years old, accounting for 7.1 percent of the total births. (Figure 6 and Table 8)

The comparison between the place of occurrence and the place of usual residence of the mother by legitimacy status reveals key trends. Basco consistently recorded the highest number of births in both categories with 124 illegitimate and 77 legitimate births by place of occurrence. In terms of usual residence, Basco also leads with 86 illegitimate and 48 legitimate births.

Conversely, Ivana had the lowest number of births by place of occurrence with two illegitimate and one legitimate birth. However, in terms of usual residence of the mother, Mahatao had the lowest number of births with 10 illegitimate and six legitimate births.

In terms of age distribution of mother by place of occurrence and by legitimacy status, the municipality of Basco recorded the highest number of both legitimate and illegitimate births. Mothers aged 35 to 39 years old had the most legitimate births with 26 births, while mothers aged 25 to 29 years old had the most illegitimate births with 39 births.

Similarly, in terms of the usual place of residence of the mother, Basco also recorded the highest number of both legitimate and illegitimate births. Most legitimate births were from mothers aged 30 to 34 years old with 15 births, while the most illegitimate births were from mothers aged 25 to 29 years old with 23 births.

Notably, there were 16 teenage mothers aged 15 to 19 years old, all of whom had illegitimate births. By place of occurrence, there were 14 births from Basco, one birth from Mahatao, and one birth from Uyugan. By place of usual residence, there were 10 births from Basco, three births from Itbayat, one birth from Mahatao, and two births from Uyugan.

Moreover, mothers residing outside the province recorded one legitimate birth in the age group 25 to 29 years old and one illegitimate birth in the age group 30 to 34 years old.
(Table 9 and Table 10)

Most newborns had a birth weight of 2,500 grams and above

Birth weight serves as a measure of the nutritional status of newborns. Low birth weight is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as weight at birth less than 2,500 grams (5.5 lbs.).

Of the total 226 birth registrations in 2024, 184 babies or 81.4 percent were recorded above the defined low birth weight, indicating that most babies were born with normal weight. Meanwhile, 29 babies or 12.8 percent were born with weights below 2,500 grams. Moreover, there were 13 babies or 5.8 percent whose weights were not stated due to late registration. (Figure 7 and Table 11)

Most registered births were attended by health professionals

In 2024, out of the 226 registered births, 205 births or 90.7 percent were attended by health professionals, which may include a physician, midwife, or nurse. Most births delivered with the assistance of health professionals were registered in Basco with 196 births by place of occurrence and 129 births by usual residence. Meanwhile, there were 21 late registered births or 9.3 percent which were attended by traditional birth attendants or “hilot” and others. Moreover, Basco registered two births whose mothers were residing outside the province. (Figure 8 and Table 12)

Most registered births were first-born babies

The distribution of registered births by birth order for 2024 shows that the highest number of births was recorded for first-born children with 72 births or 31.9 percent.

In contrast, the lowest number of births were recorded for sixth-born and seventh-born children with only three births or 1.3 percent each. No births were registered for ninth-born and tenth-born and above birth orders. (Figure 9 and Table 13)

EXPLANATORY NOTES

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.

The data on vital statistics presented in this release were obtained from the Certificates of Live Birth (Municipal Form 102) that were registered, either timely or delayed, at the Office of the Municipal Civil Registrars and subsequently submitted for encoding to the Office of the Civil Registrar General through the Provincial Statistical Offices (PSOs) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The information presented includes provisional vital events that occurred from January 2024 to December 2024 based on data files received by the 
PSA – Batanes Provincial Statistical Office. Thus, the figures presented herein are still preliminary and may differ from the final count.

DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS

Birth is a complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached; each product of such a birth is considered live born.

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

RAMIL G. ABAD, MBA, MPopS
Chief Statistical Specialist