Migration to hasten population growth in 3 regions

MANILA, Philippines — The populations in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Central Luzon and the National Capital Region (NCR) are expected to grow faster not because of high birth rates, but due to internal migration, the Commission on Population (PopCom) said over the weekend.

PopCom executive director Juan Antonio Perez III said Calabarzon, Central Luzon and the NCR are the destinations of choice for future internal migration.

“The populations in these areas are growing faster not because of the high number of children being born there. It’s because a majority of people are relocating in these regions,” Perez said. 

Among the reasons for internal migration in the last five years were employment at 23 percent; housing, 16 percent; starting a family, 10 percent, and schooling, nine percent.

Data showed that while the national average fertility rate is at 2.7 percent, the NCR posted below two percent. Central Luzon and Calabarzon each have around two percent. 

In terms of economy, 62 percent of the country’s regional domestic production is centered in these regions, Perez said, adding this lures Filipinos to relocate in these areas.

Recently, PopCom reported that the country’s population growth dropped by .21 percentage points, or to 1.52 percent in the latter half of the decade from the previous 1.73 percent between 2010 and 2015.

Because of this, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has projected that the population in July this year will be 108.7 million. 

The figure is lower than the earlier estimate of 109.9 million, or a difference of 1.2 million.

The report showed that almost two of every five Filipinos, or 38.7 percent, would be residing in Central Luzon, the NCR and Calabarzon at the start of the new decade.  

This shows that almost half of the population growth between 2019 and 2020 are occurring in the these regions. 

Data from the PSA showed the NCR had a population of 41.85 million in 2010, Central Luzon 5.23 million and Calabarzon 7.52 million.