The Philippine census () is a regularly occurring and official inventory of the human population and housing units in the Philippines. Since 1970, the population has been enumerated every five years. Results from the censuses are used to allocate congressional seats and fund government programs.

The mid-year census is known as the Census of Population (POPCEN), while the decennial census is referred to as the Census of Population and Housing (CPH).

By virtue of Republic Act No. 10625, known as the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013, censuses in the Philippines have been administered by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) since the 2015 census.

History The first census in the Philippines in 1591, was based on tributes collected and yielded about 666,712 people in the islands. In 1799, Friar Manuel Buzeta estimated the population count as 1,502,574. However, the first official census in the Philippines was carried out by the Spanish government pursuant to a royal decree calling for the counting of persons living as of the midnight of December 31, 1877. Based on this census, the Philippines had a population of 5,567,685 as of the reference date. This was followed by another censuses, the 1887 census that yielded a count of 5,984,727.

The first census conducted by the U.S. military forces took place in 1903 to fulfill Public Act 467 which was approved by the United States Philippine Commission on October 6, 1902.

A four-volume description of this census was on hand some years ago at the National Archives in San Bruno, California, but the volumes appear to have since been misplaced.

Statistics For years between the censuses, the PSA and its precursor agencies have been issuing estimates made using surveys and statistical systems.

Based on the 2024 Philippine census, the national population is 112,729,484 as of July 1, 2024. From 2020 to 2024, the population grew by 0.80% per year on the average. Manila Times 2007 Census Results CD-ROM, DISDiv NSO, Manila

Year Population Change Most populated region Most populated city Notes Organized by 1799 1,502,574 — — — According to Fr. Buzeta — 1800 1,561,251 3.91% — — According to Fr. Zuniga — 1812 1,933,331 1.80 % — — According to cedulas — 1819 2,106,230 1.23% — — According to cedulas — 1829 2,593,287 2.10% — — According to the Church — 1840 3,096,031 1.62% — — According to local officials — 1850 3,857,424 2.22% — — According to Fr. Buzeta — 1858 4,290,381 1.34% — — According to Bowring — 1870 4,712,006 0.78% — — According to Guia de Manila — 1877 5,567,685 2.41% — — First official census by the Spanish government Spanish colonial government 1887 5,984,727 0.72% — — 1896 6,261,339 0.50% — — According to Plehn — 1903 7,635,426 2.87% — Manila(219,928) First official census by the US government United States government 1918 10,314,310 2.03% — Manila(285,306) 1939 16,000,303 2.11% — Manila(623,492) Only census of the Commonwealth of the Philippines 1948 19,234,182 2.07% — Manila(983,906) First census of the independent Republic of the Philippines Bureau of the Census and Statistics 1960 27,087,685 2.89% — Manila(1,138,611) 1970 36,684,486 3.08% — Manila(1,330,788) 1975 42,070,660 2.79% — Manila(1,479,116) National Census and Statistics Office 1980 48,098,460 2.71% Metro Manila(5,925,884) Manila(1,630,485) 1985 No census was held due to a political and economic crisis 1990 60,703,206 2.36% Metro Manila(7,948,392) Quezon City(1,669,776) 1995 68,616,536 2.32% Metro Manila(9,454,040) Quezon City(1,989,419) National Statistics Office 2000 76,506,928 2.36% Metro Manila(9,932,560) Quezon City(2,173,831) 2007 88,566,732 2.04% Metro Manila(11,553,427) Quezon City(2,679,450) Originally planned for 2005 but postponed due to 2005-06 reenacted budget 2010 92,337,852 1.53% Calabarzon(12,609,803) Quezon City(2,761,720) 2015 100,981,437 1.72% Calabarzon(14,414,774) Quezon City(2,936,116) First census to record a population exceeding 100 million Philippine Statistics Authority 2020 109,035,343 1.63% Calabarzon(16,195,042) Quezon City(2,960,048) Only census conducted during COVID-19 pandemic 2024 112,729,484 0.80% Calabarzon(16,933,234) Quezon City(3,084,270)

Notes

References

External links Philippine Statistics Authority Philippine Standard Geographic Code Demographic Statistics 1995 Philippine Census Information 2000 Philippine Census Information 2007 Philippine Census Information