Philippine population to hit 142M by 2045

MANILA, Philippines – Based on the latest projections, country’s population is expected to jump to 142 million by 2045, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Monday, July 28.

The PSA said in a statement that the estimate was based on the latest 2010 census-based population projections.

“Around 50 million people would be added in a span of 35 years. This increase in numbers would take place even if the average annual growth rate is projected to decline significantly, from 1.73% during 2010 to 2015 to 0.65% during 2040 to 2045,” the PSA said.

The country’s annual population growth rate from 2000 to 2012 is 1.9%.

The PSA also said that the “graying” of the country’s population is expected to continue over the projected period.

In 2010, the Philippines’ population aged 60 and above comprised 6.7% of the total population.

“This group is projected to account for about a tenth of the total population in 2025 and about one-sixth in 2045,” the PSA said.  

The proportion of those aged 65 years and over, which was 4.3% in 2010, is estimated to increase to 6.5% in 2025, and to 11.4% in 2045, PSA added.

On the other end, the proportion of children aged 14 and below is seen to decline up to 2045.

In 2010, for every 3 persons in the population, one belonged to the age group 0 to 14.

By 2045, the corresponding proportion would be one in 5. Even the absolute number is projected to be reduced from 31.3 million in 2010 to 30 million by 2045, the PSA said.

Meanwhile, the percentage of children under 5 years of age is estimated to decrease rapidly, the PSA said.

The agency said that children under 5 years of age accounted for 11.6% of the population in 2010.

The PSA projects that this will fall to 6.7% in 2045, a 42%-reduction in 35 years. 

The working-age population, or those aged 15 to 64 years, accounted for 62% or more than three-fifths of the total in 2010, but would comprise more than two-thirds or 67.5% by 2045.  

Women in the child-bearing ages, 15 to 49 years, who made up about a quarter or 25.7% of the total population, would account for a similar proportion with a share of 24.9% in 2045.

On July 27, the Philippines welcomed the 100 millionth Filipino with the birth of baby girl Chonalyn.

Efforts to control the Philippines’ population growth have long been hampered by the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. It was only in April that the government finally overcame over a decade of Church opposition to implement a reproductive health law providing the poor with birth control services.  –Rappler.com