Overview
The Philippines, with its 7,641 islands, is a nation that sprawls over 300,000 square kilometres. Its three major island groups, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, are diverse in size and culture.
Proof of the country’s rich culture is its over 170 indigenous languages. Mindanao is also home to the unique Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, established in 2019. Filipino and English are the official languages.
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The total population of the country stands at over 109 million as of 2020. Population growth has slowed from 1.72 per cent annually during the period 2010-2015 to 1.63 per cent annually between 2015 and 2020.
Children under 18 years make up about 36.5 per cent of the total population equivalent to around 39.7 million, with children under five years comprising 10.2 per cent or 11.1 million in 2020. Data shows that the share of children to the total population has been declining — from at least 39.7 per cent in 2010 to 38 per cent in 2015 and 36.5 per cent in 2020.
Total population is projected to reach 118 million by 2030 and 138.7 million by 2055 on assumption of slowly declining total fertility rates, reduced annual growth rates, and increasingly smaller young population. The midyear population of children and adolescents aged 19 years and under is expected to reduce in share from 40.3 per cent in 2020 to 33.2 in 2030, and 25.8 per cent by 2055. In particular, the share of under five children population will drop from 10.2 per cent in 2020 to 7.8 per cent by 2030, and only 6 per cent by 2055[1].
Urban areas have been swelling rapidly across the country with urban population increasing from 45.3 per cent in 2010 to 54 per cent in 2020. Forty one per cent of total population including four in every ten children, reside in the country’s 149 cities (as of 2024). City population grows at approximately 1.9 per cent annually outpacing that of annual total population growth of 1.63 per cent. Half of the children in cities are in highly urbanized cities which comprise only 22 per cent of all types of cities; and eight in ten children live in the top half of the 6-tier income classification of cities.
The demographic shift hints at a younger, urbanized future that points to a burgeoning workforce and a critical period for investing in education and job training to capitalize on this 'demographic dividend.'
[1]Philippine Statistics Authority. (2024, January 31). Philippine Population is Projected to be around 138.67 Million by 2055 under Scenario 2. https://psa.gov.ph/content/philippine-population-projected-be-around-13867-million-2055-under-scenario-2
- Dominant religion: A vibrant Roman Catholic faith characterizes much of the country, with 80 per cent of the population following the religion.
- Regional variations: The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) region stands out, with over 90 per cent of its inhabitants practising Islam.
- Ethnic diversity: Rich in ethnic variety, the nation is home to many groups such as the Tagalog, Cebuano and Ilocano, among others.
- Indigenous communities: Indigenous peoples, constituting 10 per cent–20 per cent of the populace, have a strong presence, especially noted in groups like the Igorot and Lumad.
- Rights and recognition: The Indigenous People’s Rights Act acknowledges and protects the cultural heritage, land rights and self-determination of these vital communities.
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has raised birth registration as a challenge in the Philippines. The 2020 Census of Population and Housing indicated that a total of 104,938,965 persons had their births registered with a Local Civil Registry Office, equivalent to 96.6 per cent of the population.
Region I is the region with the highest per cent registered (99.2 per cent), while the BARMM region has the lowest proportion of persons registered (77.0 per cent). For those who remain unregistered, not having a birth certificate can increase the risk of negative impacts regarding child rights, including more limited access to social protection services and participation in civil affairs such as voting, given that birth certificates are required “for accessing government assistance programmes and services and for school enrolment.”
The BARMM government is making efforts to address this, for example launching a free birth registration project in BARMM provinces in 2022 and issuing a memorandum to enlist local chief executives in support of Barangay local government units in registering births.