Philippine population reaches 100m on Sunday

 Population of the Philippines reached 100 million as of Sunday, according to the countrys population officials.

The figure was based on population projections by the Philippine Statistics Authority, which says three babies are born in the Philippines every minute.

The countrys family planning advocates have expressed concerns over the growing population, saying it does not complement with the countrys economic growth.

Ben de Leon, president of the Forum for Family Planning and Development, said such a large population will put a strain on the countrys limited resources.

"The government can no longer give them jobs. Thats the reason why many are leaving the country," he told Xinhua.

De Leon underscored the need for the government to focus on the poor which accounts for 26 million of the population.

Meanwhile, the Philippine government vowed Saturday to beef up its interventions to help lift the poorest families out of poverty.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that majority of government programs are aimed at helping the poorest of the poor through conditional cash transfer program, and the universal healthcare, among others.

The Philippines is the 12th most populous country in the world.

Source: ANTARA