More dramatic is the shorter lifespan for Filipino men which is 66.2 years compared to the worldwide average of 69.2 years. Women residing in the Philippines typically live until age 72.6 while the global benchmark is 74.2 years for females.
Below, we examine the average life expectancies for home country Philippines versus the 10 most popular locations around the world where Filipinos migrate permanently. These geographies are organized below starting with those with the longest average lifespans.
Average Lifespans for Overseas Filipinos
Both Sexes
Immigration Countries Where Filipinos Live Longest
In contrast to the average 69.3 years for the 105.9 million residents in the Philippines, Filipinos who immigrate to Japan belong to an island country where residents live more than 15 years longer. The United States, where almost two-thirds of Filipinos permanently relocate, boasts an average lifespan almost 4.5 years greater.
- Japan: 84.2 years (21.5% longer than average lifespan in Philippines)
- Spain: 83.1 years (19.9% longer)
- Singapore: 82.9 years (19.6% longer)
- Australia: 82.9 years (19.6% longer)
- Italy: 82.8 years (19.5% longer)
- Canada: 82.8 years (19.5% longer)
- New Zealand: 82.2 years (18.6% longer)
- United Kingdom: 81.4 years (17.5% longer)
- Germany: 81 years (16.9% longer)
- United States: 78.5 years (13.3% longer)
Males
Immigration Countries Where Filipino Men Live Longest
The average male in the Philippines lives until he attains 66.2 years of age. Most Japanese men live almost 15 years after that age. In the United States, where the greatest number of Filipinos permanently relocate, the average male lives to be 10.7 years older than in the Philippines.
- Japan: 81.1 years (22.5% longer than average male lifespan in Philippines)
- Australia : 81 years (22.4% longer)
- Canada: 80.9 years (22.2% longer)
- Singapore: 80.8 years (22.1% longer)
- Italy: 80.5 years (21.6% longer)
- New Zealand: 80.5 years (21.6% longer)
- Spain: 80.3 years (21.3% longer)
- United Kingdom: 79.7 years (20.4% longer)
- Germany: 78.7 years (18.9% longer)
- United States: 76 years (14.8% longer)
Females
Immigration Countries Where Filipino Women Live Longest
On average, women in the Philippines live to age 72.6 – over six years longer than Filipino men. Females residing in the Philippines have an average lifespan over 14 years less than women living in Japan and 9 years less than women in America.
- Japan: 87.1 years (20% longer than average female lifespan in Philippines)
- Spain: 85.7 years (18% longer)
- Singapore: 85 years (17.1% longer)
- Italy: 84.9 years (16.9% longer)
- Australia: 84.8 years (16.8% longer)
- Canada: 84.7 years (16.7% longer)
- New Zealand: 84 years (15.7% longer)
- Germany: 83.3 years (14.7% longer)
- United Kingdom: 83.2 years (14.6% longer)
- United States: 81 years (11.6% longer)
Leading Causes of Death in the Philippines
Based on a 2016 World Health Organization study, 35% of all deaths and at all ages in the Philippines result from cardiovascular diseases. That percentage exceeds comparable metrics for Canada and the United Kingdom (25%), Japan (27%), Spain and Australia (28%), Singapore (29%), America (30%) and New Zealand (31%).
However, cardiovascular disease for Germany (37%) and Italy (36%) represent even higher mortality rates than in the Philippines.
Cardiovascular disease cause another 30% of deaths in the Philippines, followed by cancers at 10%. Respiratory diseases account for 5% of home country fatalities, and 4% are caused by diabetes.
An earlier study from the World Lung Foundation showed that over a third (34.7%) of men living in the Philippines smoke regularly compared to 7.7% of Filipino women. One might argue that smoking is one reason why females live almost 7 years longer than men in the Philippines.
Resources
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profile: Philippines. Accessed on January 28, 2018
World Health Organization, World Health Statistics 2018: Annex B tables of health statistics by country, WHO region and globally. Accessed on January 28, 2018
World Health Organization, Causes of Mortality in the Philippines. Accessed on January 28, 2018
World Health Organization, WHO: Health Inequalities Persist. Accessed on January 28, 2018
World Lung Foundation, Anti-Tobacco Campaign in the Philippines Highlights Serious Health Harms of Smoking and Second-Hand Smoke. Accessed on January 28, 2018