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Release Date :
Reference Number :
2016-072
  • 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

 

Download: Total Population by City, Municipality, and Barangay of Region VIII - Eastern Visayas

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