Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 8) — The country’s total population is continuously growing, the Philippine Statistics Authority said in its 2020 Census of Population and Housing report.

In a statement, the PSA said the current number of Filipinos stood at Philippine Statistics Authority 109,035,343 as of May 1, 2020. This was declared official by President Rodrigo Duterte through Proclamation No. 1179 signed on July 6, 2021, but was only released Wednesday.

The latest count is higher by 8,053,906 from the 2015 population at 100,981,437, the PSA said. Annually, population growth rate was logged at 1.63%, it added.

The total population represents the number of persons in the 17 administrative regions across the country, as well as Filipinos in Philippine embassies, consulates, and missions abroad.

Based on PSA data, CALABARZON recorded the biggest population at 16.195 million of the 17 administrative regions, followed by the National Capital Region at 13.484 million, and Central Luzon 12.422 million. These three account for 38.6% of the total population, the agency added.

The census was conducted September 2020, which was originally scheduled in May but had to be moved due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citing Batas Pambansa Blg. 72, series of 1980, the proclamation said this law “provides that an integrated national census of population another related data shall be taken every 10 years beginning 1980, with the first day of May of every regular census year as the reference date.”

Under the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013, or Republic Act No. 10625, the PSA is the primary agency “responsible for all national censuses and surveys, sectoral statistics, consolidation of selected administrative recording systems, and compilation of national accounts,” it added.