The number of registered marriages in La Union increased by 56.62 percent from 733 to 1,148 in 1^st quarter of 2021 and 2022.

Almost all city/municipalities have increased number of registered marriages in 1^st quarter 2022 compared with their figures in the same quarter last year. The top three municipalities that posted the highest increase in terms of percentage were Bangar from 9 to 55 (511.11%), Burgos from 5 to 26 (420.00%) and Santo Tomas from 16 to 72 (350.00%).  (Table 1)

The Municipality of Rosario recorded the greatest number of registered marriages in La Union in 1^st quarter of 2022 with 134 marriages or 11.67 percent of the total registered marriages in the province. City of San Fernando ranked second with 133 marriages (11.59 percent share) followed by Bauang with 125 marriages (10.89 percent share).

In the same quarter in 2021, the City of San Fernando topped among the city/municipalities with 125 marriages or 17.05 percent of the total registered marriages in the province.  Bauang ranked second with 67 marriages (9.14 percent share) followed by Balaoan with 65 marriages (8.87 percent share).

On the other end, the municipality of Santol posted the least number of registered marriages both in 2022 first quarter with 17 (1.48 percent share) while municipality of Burgos recorded the least number of registered marriages with 5 (0.68 percent share) in the same quarter of 2021. (Figure 1)

The month of March is the most preferred month to tie knots in the first quarter of 2022 with a total of 399 marriages. It corresponds to a daily average of 13 which surpassed the provincial daily average of 12 registered marriages. This was followed by month of January with 378 registered marriages and 371 registered marriage for February.

Meanwhile, in 2021 of the same quarter, the month of January recorded the highest number of registered marriages with 292 or a daily average of 9 marriages. The month of March followed with 229 marriages corresponding to a daily average of 7 marriages. Lastly, the month with the least number of registered marriages was recorded on the month of February with 212 registered marriages translated to a daily average of 8 marriages. (Figure 2)

The biggest proportion of grooms who got married in 1^st quarter of 2022 belonged to the age group 25 to 29 with 403 grooms. Similarly, the  of brides also belonged to age group of 25 to 29 with 417.

On the contrary, the least number of grooms who got married belonged to the below 20 age group with 9 registered marriages. Meanwhile, the least number of brides belonged to the age group 45 to 49 with 22 registered marriages. (Figure 3)

In 1^st quarter 2022, marriages performed through Civil Rites ranked first with 728 registered marriages (63.41 percent share). Marriage ceremonies solemnized in Roman Catholic churches ranked second with 232 or 20.21 percent of the total marriages in the province. This was followed by other religious rites with 182 marriages (15.85 percent share). Marriage ceremonies conducted by Muslim recorded the least number having only 6 ceremonies (0.52 percent share).

SGD. DANITES E. TEÑIDO, Ph.D.
Chief Statistical Specialist

Explanatory Notes

            Data on marriages presented in this release were obtained from the Certificate of Marriage (Municipal Form No. 97) registered at the Office of the City/Municipal Civil Registrars in La Union and forwarded to the Philippine Statistics Authority - La Union Provincial Statistical Office. Information presented includes marriages registered from January to Marriage of 2021 and January to Marriage of 2022.