- The population of Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) as of August 1, 2015 was 4,440,150 based on the 2015 Census of Population (POPCEN 2015).
|
Table 1. Population of Region VIII - Eastern Visayas
(Based on the 2000, 2010, and 2015 Censuses)
|
Census Year |
Census Reference Date |
Population
(in millions) |
2000 |
May 1, 2000 |
3.61 |
2010 |
May 1, 2010 |
4.10 |
2015 |
August 1, 2015 |
4.44 |
|
- The 2015 population of the region is higher by 338,828 compared with the population of 4.10 million in 2010, and by 829,795 compared with the population of 3.61 million in 2000. Refer to Table 1.
|
- The population of Region VIII increased by 1.52 percent annually, on average, during the period 2010 to 2015. By comparison, the rate at which the region’s population grew during the period 2000 to 2010 was higher at 1.28 percent. See Table 2.
|
Table 2. Annual Population Growth Rate:
Region VIII - Eastern Visayas
(Based on the 2000, 2010, and 215 Censuses) |
Reference Period |
Annual Population Growth Rate
(in percent) |
2010-2015 |
1.52 |
2000-2010 |
1.28 |
|
- Among the six provinces comprising the region, Leyte (excluding Tacloban City) had the biggest population in 2015 with 1.73 million, followed by Samar (Western Samar) with 780 thousand, Northern Samar with 632 thousand, Eastern Samar with 467 thousand, and Southern Leyte with 422 thousand. Biliran had the smallest population with 172 thousand. Refer to Table 3.
|
- Tacloban City, the only highly urbanized city in the region posted a population of 242 thousand.
|
- The total population of Region VIII accounted for about 4.4 percent of the Philippine population in 2015.
|
Table 3. Population by Province/Highly Urbanized City: Region VIII - Eastern Visayas
(Based on the 2000, 2010, and 2015 Censuses) |
Province/Highly Urbanized City |
Population (in thousands) |
2000 |
2010 |
2015 |
Biliran |
140 |
162 |
172 |
Eastern Samar |
376 |
429 |
467 |
Leyte (excluding Tacloban City) |
1,414 |
1,568 |
1,725 |
Tacloban City |
179 |
221 |
242 |
Northern Samar |
501 |
589 |
632 |
Samar (Western Samar) |
641 |
733 |
780 |
Southern Leyte |
360 |
399 |
422 |
|
- Leyte (excluding Tacloban City) was the fastest growing province in the region with an average annual population growth rate (PGR) of 1.83 percent during the period 2010 to 2015. It was followed by Eastern Samar (1.64 percent), Northern Samar (1.36 percent), Samar (Western Samar) with 1.19 percent, and Biliran (1.13 percent). Southern Leyte posted the lowest provincial PGR of 1.05 percent. See Table 4.
|
- Tacloban City posted a PGR of 1.73 percent.
|
Table 4. Annual Population Growth Rate by Province/Highly Urbanized City:
Region VIII - Eastern Visayas
(Based on the 2000, 2010, and 2015 Censuses) |
Province/Highly Urbanized City |
Population Growth Rate |
2010-2015 |
2000-2010 |
Biliran |
1.13 |
1.43 |
Eastern Samar |
1.64 |
1.33 |
Leyte (excluding Tacloban City) |
1.83 |
1.04 |
Tacloban City |
1.73 |
2.16 |
Northern Samar |
1.36 |
1.64 |
Samar (Western Samar) |
1.19 |
1.35 |
Southern Leyte |
1.05 |
1.03 |
|
- Region VIII is composed of one highly urbanized city, six component cities, 136 municipalities, and 4,390 barangays.
|
- Among the cities (excluding Tacloban City) and municipalities in the region, the largest in terms of population size is Ormoc City, Leyte (215,031). It was followed by Calbayog City, Samar (183,851) and the City of Baybay, Leyte (109,432). Refer to Table 5.
|
Table 5. Top Ten Most Populous Cities*/Municipalities: Region VIII - Eastern Visayas, 2015 |
Rank |
City/Municipality |
Province |
Population |
1 |
Ormoc City |
Leyte |
215,031 |
2 |
Calbayog City |
Samar (Western Samar) |
183,851 |
3 |
City of Baybay |
Leyte |
109,432 |
4 |
City of Catbalogan |
Samar (Western Samar) |
103,879 |
5 |
Catarman |
Northern Samar |
94,037 |
6 |
City of Maasin |
Southern Leyte |
85,560 |
7 |
Palo |
Leyte |
70,052 |
8 |
City of Borongan |
Eastern Samar |
69,297 |
9 |
Hilongos |
Leyte |
63,431 |
10 |
Laoang |
Northern Samar |
61,359 |
* Excluding Tacloban City
|
- Maslog in Eastern Samar is the least populous city/municipality in Region VIII with 5,407 persons. It was followed by Limasawa in Southern Leyte (6,061) and Mercedes in Eastern Samar (6,070). See Table 6.
|
Table 6. Ten Least Populous Cities*/Municipalities:
Region VIII - Eastern Visayas, 2015 |
Rank |
City/Municipality |
Province |
Population |
1 |
Maslog |
Eastern Samar |
5,407 |
2 |
Limasawa |
Southern Leyte |
6,061 |
3 |
Mercedes |
Eastern Samar |
6,070 |
4 |
Maripipi |
Biliran |
7,159 |
5 |
Matuguinao |
Samar (Western Samar) |
7,288 |
6 |
Tunga |
Leyte |
7,584 |
7 |
San Jose de Buan |
Samar (Western Samar) |
7,769 |
8 |
San Vicente |
Northern Samar |
7,856 |
9 |
Jipapad |
Eastern Samar |
7,885 |
10 |
Pagsanghan |
Samar (Western Samar) |
7,945 |
* Excluding Tacloban City
|
- Of the 4,390 barangays in Region VIII, the largest in terms of population size is Canlapwas (Pob.) in the City of Catbalogan, Samar (Western Samar) with 12,321 persons. It was followed by Dalakit (Pob.) in Catarman, Northern Samar (11,962) and Tambulilid in Ormoc City, Leyte (10,323). The rest of the top ten most populous barangays in the region are located in the provinces of Samar (Western Samar) and Leyte. Refer to Table 7.
|
Table 7. Top Ten Most Populous Barangays: Region VIII - Eastern Visayas, 2015 |
Rank |
Barangay |
City/Municipality/Province |
Population |
1 |
Canlapwas (Pob.) |
City of Catbalogan, Samar |
12,321 |
2 |
Dalakit (Pob.) |
Catarman, Northern Samar |
11,962 |
3 |
Tambulilid |
Ormoc City, Leyte |
10,323 |
4 |
Mercedes |
City of Catbalogan, Samar |
9,716 |
5 |
Poblacion |
Albuera, Leyte |
9,454 |
6 |
Barangay 91 (Abucay) |
Tacloban City, Leyte |
9,361 |
7 |
Poblacion |
Kananga, Leyte |
9,197 |
8 |
Linao |
Ormoc City, Leyte |
9,053 |
9 |
Barangay 74 |
Tacloban City, Leyte |
8,518 |
10 |
Barangay 109-A |
Tacloban City, Leyte |
8,206 |
|