Fewer deaths posted in 2020 than 2019

MANILA, Philippines — Although the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country last year, the number of deaths recorded by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) declined by 3 percent to 601,811.

Citing the latest preliminary data coming from city and municipal registrars nationwide, the PSA on Friday reported that the deaths registered in 2020 were lower than the 620,414 in 2019, a difference of 18,603 deaths, excluding those of Filipinos working or living abroad.

The PSA said only the months of July, August and September 2020 posted higher deaths year-on-year, while the rest of the months recorded lower registrations compared to a year ago levels.

During the most stringent enhanced community quarantine, late death registrations surged in March and April last year with 6,540 and 6,017, respectively, due to restrictions on nonessential movement of people.

PSA data showed these late reports were eventually reduced as quarantine restrictions gradually eased.

The PSA said “the number of registered deaths in January, February and May to November [2020] already exceeded their corresponding monthly averages in the last five years.”

The PSA said “registered March and April deaths remain relatively low despite catchup in registration until December.”

In Metro Manila, the number of deaths last year increased by 6.8 percent to 83,980 from 78,604 in 2019, the PSA said.

When the PSA started to release death statistics more frequently last year amid the pandemic, Dennis Mapa, the national statistician, said the agency was working on eventually including data on causes of death to see the impact of COVID-19 compared to other causes.

Sought for comment, Acting Socioeconomic Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua, who chairs the PSA board as head of the state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority, said a breakdown of death statistics would show “fewer accidents, drowning, injuries and communicable diseases” as causes of deaths last year.

Chua said more deaths were being recorded due to noncommunicable diseases.