Philippines population grew by 9 million since 2014

MANILA, Philippines — Five years after the country’s 100 millionth baby was born, Philippine population has increased by almost nine million, the Commission on Population (PopCom) said yesterday.

According to PopCom executive director Juan Antonio Perez III, Chonalynn Sentino, the 100 millionth, and 99 other babies nationwide who marked the 100-million population in 2014, celebrated their fifth birthday yesterday.

He noted that the birth of Sentino “remains a challenge to the government as they are expected to demand an increase of the family’s capacity to provide for the needs of their children.”

“Half a decade ago, we welcomed these babies in our society. Everyone must do their part in the achievement of these children’s total well-being,” he said in a statement.

When the babies were born, the country’s population was pegged at only 100.9 million based on the 2015 Census of Population (POPCEN).

Perez told The STAR that the country’s population growth rate (PGR) between 2010 and 2015 was around 1.7 percent.

Based on projections, the population would reach almost 108.8 million by middle of this year, representing an increase of eight million babies since 2014.

“So the annual increase in five years is about 1.6 million to 1.7 million per year... Countries in general (will) have stable populatioon size with PGR of one percent,” he added.

The official urged everyone to “work together to ensure that their basic rights on social services are provided, for them to be productive members of the society.”

He cautioned that the number of Filipinos has been consistently growing since the 1970’s and the population issue that the country is facing “serves as an institutional reality check which calls for the involvement of everyone in the society.”