Philippine population projected to increase by mere 0.3% in 2021 –POPCOM

The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) said it expected the Philippine population to increase by just 0.3% or 324,000 this 2021 - the smallest population increase in 75 years.

In a statement, POPCOM said the annual “natural increase” is the lowest since the period between 1946 and 1947 when the population grew by 254,000. The natural increase in population, or natural population change, refers to the projection based on the number of births minus deaths in a particular time period.

With the percentage, the Philippine population will be at 109,991,095 by the end of 2021, lower by two million than earlier projections based on a 1.63% population growth rate or PGR.

The natural increase in population in 2020 was at 0.79% with 914,797 individuals, with reference to Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) vital statistics, placing the population at that year at 109,667,216.

POPCOM said it made the computations based on the PSA's vital statistics preliminary reports for the period spanning January 2020 to August 2021.

“Filipinos remain prudent by continuing to delay having children or forming families during the combined economic crisis and Covid-19 health emergency. Couples in growing numbers continue to avail of family planning commodities and services in all regions of the country, with 8 million users of modern family planning methods in 2020—an addition of about 500,000 from 2019,” Population and Development Undersecretary Dr. Juan A. Perez III said.

According to Perez, the last two years of low increases in population provided an opportunity for attaining a more stable population that can support socio-economic development at the national and household levels.

He cautioned that the demographic situation should be appreciated in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect that has caused rather unusual fertility behaviors, such as delay in family formation, couples’ unions, and increasing contraceptive usage, which should be investigated further.

Perez added that the low 2020-2021 population growth will give a greater chance for the country and households to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, as the national and local governments increase their capabilities in providing quality services to Filipinos.

“If integrated population and development measures are sustained, we can look forward to a more stable population that can effectively support Philippine development," he explained.

"Smaller family sizes need to be supported by a national living wage structure that also allows parents to save for their households’ unmet needs in food, housing, and education. Uneven regional wage structures only lead to individuals falling further behind than those in progressive areas such as the National Capital Region, CALABARZON, and Central Luzon.”

Perez however took note that the agency’s projected population for 2021 did not cover international migration during the year.

Furthermore, civil registration data as reported by the PSA was also subject to underreporting and late reporting. — DVM, GMA News