Filipino women are projected to live 74.60 years, compared with 68.05 years for men

A Filipino born in the late 1800s could expect to live only around 30 years. Today, life expectancy has more than doubled, with Filipino newborns expected to live beyond 70, reflecting dramatic improvements in medicine, sanitation, nutrition and public healthcare.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 68.05 years for men and 74.60 years for women.

The figures represent a remarkable transformation in Filipino longevity, although significant differences remain across regions and between men and women.

From 30 years to more than 70

Historical estimates show that Philippine life expectancy hovered around 30 years in the 1870s, when infectious diseases, poor sanitation and high infant mortality significantly reduced average lifespans.

By 1940, it had climbed to approximately 41 years. The introduction of antibiotics, vaccination programs and expanded public health services helped push life expectancy beyond 50 by the 1950s.

World Bank data show life expectancy reaching approximately 59 years in 1960, 64 years in 1990 and nearly 69 years by 2010.

These figures do not mean most Filipinos died at those exact ages. High infant and childhood mortality substantially lowered historical life expectancy at birth.

Women continue to outlive men

Filipino women born in 2026 are projected to live 6.55 years longer than men.

By 2035, male life expectancy is expected to reach 70.42 years, while female life expectancy could climb to 77.06 years.

The difference reflects biological, behavioral and social factors, including differences in disease risks, occupational exposure and healthcare utilization.

Where you live matters

Longevity gains remain uneven across the Philippines.

In Metro Manila, women born in 2025 are projected to live 80.25 years, compared with just 69.64 years in SOCCSKSARGEN—a difference of more than a decade.

For men, the corresponding figures are 73.56 years in Metro Manila and 63.44 years in SOCCSKSARGEN.

The Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley also rank among the regions with the highest life expectancy, while BARMM and MIMAROPA are among those with the lowest.

COVID-19 interrupted decades of progress

The pandemic temporarily reversed improvements in Filipino longevity.

World Bank figures show life expectancy falling from approximately 70.1 years in 2020 to 66.7 years in 2021 before recovering to nearly 70 years in 2024.

The decline highlighted how public health emergencies can erase years of progress in a relatively short period.

Living longer does not always mean living healthier

Despite improving life expectancy, Filipinos continue to face serious health challenges.

Heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic illnesses remain major threats, while expensive medical treatment and unequal healthcare access complicate efforts to improve longevity.

The PSA projects that Filipinos will continue living longer through 2035.

But the greater challenge is ensuring that these additional years are spent in good health—and that longer lives are not privileges enjoyed primarily by Filipinos living in wealthier regions.