MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ population is expected to reach 107 million by the end of 2018.
By 2019, it is expected to grow further to 109 million people, according to the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM).
Based on the agency’s data, Region 4-A is currently the most populated region in the country.
From 14 million in 2015, the agency projects the number to increase to 16.1 million in 2019.
The National Capital Region (NCR), meanwhile, is expected to have 13.8 million while Central Luzon will have 12.2 million population by the end of next year.
These three regions hold almost 35% or one-third of the country’s total population.
Meanwhile, the least populated region which is the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is projected to increase by only a hundred thousand next year, that is 1.8 million people in total.
Based on the agency’s study, 70 million of the country’s population is within the working age of 15 years old to 64 years old.
The agency projects the country’s labor sector to increase by 1.4 million in 2019.
POPCOM Executive Director Antonio Perez III said this is a good indication of a stronger and larger workforce next year.
This means, however, that the government will be compelled to open more job opportunities for the growing number of workers for next year, according to Perez, not to mention the current 18 percent of the country’s population who are underemployed and unemployed.
“Ang pinaka-kawawa sa mga manggagawa natin ang single mothers dahil mag-isa lang siyang nagaalaga ng sarili niya at kung 2 hanggang 3 anak niya,” Perez said.
Perez also noted that the country fared well when it comes to the workers’ dependency ratio or the number of dependents the current labor force supports.
“Ang ideal ay silang manggagawa susuportahan ang sarili nya at saka isa pang dependent. Ang tawag doon dependency ratio na 50. So kapag malapit ka sa 50 tamang-tama iyan sa iyong populasyon. Ang Pilipinas ngayon nasa dependency ratio na 54 so konti nalang maaabot na natin yung 50,” Perez explained.
It can be noted also, according to Perez, that still a large number of the population prefers to seek job opportunities in major cities.
He recommends to the local governments, however, to strengthen the agriculture sector in the provinces to be able to provide employment to job seekers in the countryside and to minimize urban migration and overpopulation in rural areas.
“Hindi natin maiiwasan na maraming Pilipino na gustong manirahan sa urban area. So ang maganda niyan mag-develop pa tayo ng mga ibang urban areas outside of Metro Manila para hindi lahat nandito,” the POPCOM official concluded. – Marje Pelayo (with reports from Rey Pelayo)
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