Opportunities abound as Philippines to become aged society by 2028 -- CPD

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The Philippines will be classified as an “aged society” by 2028, which will be accompanied by more potential opportunities for the country's development, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) said Thursday.

Speaking at the 2026 World Contraception Day Forum in Pasig City, CPD Deputy Executive Director III Lolito Tacardon said the proportion of the working age population is steadily outpacing the non-working population.

As of 2024, 66.2% of the country's population was 15 to 65 years old, which is considered to be the working age group.

Meanwhile, Filipinos aged 0 to 14 years old are at 27.7% of the population, and those aged 65 and above were at 6.1%. The latter two age groups are the non-working population.

"And 6.1% of our older populations, we are getting close to the estimated period where the Philippines will be experiencing or be will considered as an aged society by 2028, because by UN (United Nations) definition, a country is considered to be an aging society if the proportion of its 65 years old and above, is at 7% already," Tacardon said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Tacardon said that 16 out of the 18 regions in the Philippines experienced slower population growth rates—with Bicol even having a negative population growth rate. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is the only region with an increasing population growth rate.

Window for development

According to Tacardon, there is a "time-bound opportunity" for the Philippines to use this period to advance socioeconomic development. The large working age population could help develop the country.

If the government is able to provide more employment opportunities, the working population could have better income and savings, Tacardon said. This older population could then still contribute to the economy later.

"This period is very tight because… by around 2050, 'yung working age population natin will start to decrease na rin, and ang tataas ay 'yung portion of older population naman," Tacardon said, citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

(This period is very tight because… by around 2050, our working age population will also decrease and then the portion of the older population will increase.)

Quality of life

Tacardon said this is a good opportunity for people to focus more on improving the quality of their lives. For example, if a household already believed that they have enough children, they could invest in other opportunities such as education.

While family planning was initially used to control population growth, it is now a chance to help prepare people for having children. Tacardon said family planning still allowed people control over their reproductive right.

"Women have to make choices between having children and being part of the labor force. Hindi sila makapag-participate sa labor force kasi mayroon silang anak to take care of. Pero hindi ba puwede pagsabayin?" Tacardon said.

(Women have to make choices between having children and being part of the labor force. They could not participate in the labor force because they have a child to take care of. But can this not happen at the same time?)

"Family planning… regardless of their conditions, they should achieve their personal aspiration," Tacardon said in a mix of English and Filipino. — VDV, GMA News