2015 Census: PH population at 100.98 million

MANILA, Philippines – The population of the Philippines grew to over 100 million in 2015, according to the latest Census of Population (POPCEN 2015).

As of August 2015, the number of Filipinos hit 100,981,437. The latest figure is 8.64 million or 9.36% higher than in 2010 when the population of 92,337,852 was recorded.

The Philippine population has grown by 8,643,585 over the past 15 years.

Biggest population in CARAGA

Just like in 2010, Regions IV-A, III, and the National Capital Region (NCR) are still the 3 most populous regions. The combined population of 3 regions accounted for 38.1% of the 2015 Philippine population.

Region IV-A (CALABARZON) registered the biggest population in 2015 with 14,414,774 among the 18 administrative regions. NCR placed second with 12,877,253, followed by Region III (Central Luzon) with 11,218,177.

The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), with 1,722,006, was the least populous region in 2015.

Most populous province: Cavite

Of the country’s 81 provinces, the most populous in 2015 was Cavite with a population of  3,678,301– higher than 2010’s 3,090,691, and bigger than the population in 4 regions: Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), Region II (Cagayan Valley), Region XIII (CARAGA), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CARAGA).

[Click to show/hide the full list of population per province in 2015]

Three provinces posted populations of less than 100,000: Siquijor (95,984), Camiguin  (88,478), and Batanes (17,246).

The population of 21 other provinces, meanwhile, surpassed the one million mark. The figures for the provinces, however, exclude the population of 33 highly-urbanized cities (HUCs).

Of all the HUCs, 4 surpassed the one million population mark: Quezon City (2,173,831), City of Manila (1,581,082), Davao City (1,147,116), and Caloocan City (1,177,604).

Slower growth rate?

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) estimated that the country's population increased by an average of 1.72% annually from 2010 to 2015.

This is slightly lower than the average annual population growth rate (PGR) of 1.90%  between 2000 and 2010. The annual population growth rate from 1990 to 2000 was 2.34%.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) had an average annual PGR of 2.89% – higher than the national average.

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 10625 and Executive Order No. 352, POPCEN is tasked to “generate critical data for decision-making” of both the government and the private sector.  

POPCEN 2015, conducted in August 2015, was the 14th census of population undertaken in the Philippines. According to the 2015 General Appropriations Act (GAA), around P2.13 billion of the total budget allotted to PSA was alloted to the 2015 Census. (READ: FAST FACTS: 2015 census of population)

The very first official census was conducted in 1903 when the Philippines had a population of only 7,635,426. – Rappler.com