Eastern Visayas’ 4.44-M population to double in 46 years

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 5  -- Citing the population growth rate in the past five years, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is projecting that Eastern Visayas region will double its more than 4 million population in 46 years.

In a report released Thursday, the PSA regional office said that as of 2015, the region had a total population of 4.44 million, an increase of 338,828 persons over its total population of 4.1 million recorded in the 2010 count.

The increase in the population count from 2010 to 2015 translated to an average annual population growth rate of 1.52 percent, which is higher than the 1.28 percent annual growth rate of the region from 2000 to 2010, according to PSA Eastern Visayas Regional Director Wilma Perante.

“If the average annual population growth rate of 1.52 percent during the period 2010 to 2015 continues, the population of Eastern Visayas would double in 46 years,” Perante said.

The growth rate, according to PSA, implies that about 15 persons for every 1,000 population are added in the region every year.

Of the 4.44 million people in the region, males accounted for 51.5 percent while females comprised 48.5 percent. These figures translated to a sex ratio of 106 males for every 100 females. PSA reported the same ratio in 2010.

Although males dominate the regional population, many of them died younger than women, according to PSA’s demographic and socioeconomic characteristics report.

Of the 637,567 senior citizens (65 years and older), 340,730 are women and only 296,837 are men.

The region’s median age is 20.4 years, which means that half of the region’s population is younger than 20.4 years. This figure is lower than the median age of 21.4 years recorded in 2010.

The PSA released its demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the 2015 population count to guide policymakers on decision making.

The PSA conducts census every five years and publishes the report after two years.

The next population census will be held in 2020 with its report to be released in 2022. (SQM/PNA)