The population density in Metro Manila is already 60 times that of the national average, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Data showed the population density of the Philippines has reached 363 persons per square kilometer. In Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR), the population density is 21,765 persons per square kilometer.

The City of Manila has the highest density at over 73,920 people per square kilometer followed by the City of Mandaluyong at 45,830 persons per square kilometer (sq km) and Pasay City at 31,543 Filipinos  sq km.

"Noong 2015, ang NCR ay may population density na 20,785 katao. Noong 2010, ang rehiyon ay may population density na 19,137 katao [In 2015, NCR had a population density of 20,785 people. In 2010, the region had a population density of 19,137 people]," National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said in a briefing on Tuesday.

However, according to National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Director General and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua, having a high population density is neither good nor bad for any city.

Chua said when it comes to the field of economic geography, it is important to remember that there will always be "areas of agglomeration" such as NCR, Calabarzon and Central Luzon.

PSA data showed the population density in Calabarzon stands at 977 persons/sq km, while Central Luzon had 567 people  sq km. Together with NCR, these regions have the highest population densities nationwide.

"High population density is neither good nor bad per se. What is important and what determines where the effect will be good or bad for the people is, if the people are provided with better services, water and sanitation, housing, opportunities, when we are able to travel without traffic, congestion, and so on," Chua explained.

Chua said economic geography is also concerned with spreading economic growth so that the entire population benefits from it.

This means the government, through programs like Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-Asa, could give secondary and tertiary cities as well as rural areas the chance to provide the same services to their populations.

These services include but are not limited to being able to provide the basics of health services, education, water services, sanitation, and housing to the population.

Further, Chua said, if populations in secondary and tertiary cities and rural areas would like to access bigger opportunities found in areas of agglomeration such as NCR, they should be able to do so through sufficient connectivity.

"It is important that we have equal opportunities for all Filipinos whether they are in Manila or in Mindanao or in Palawan or Tawi-Tawi and that is what we are also doing in the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-Asa Program," Chua added.

"What is important is we provide equal opportunities and we provide a means to connect different regions or provinces so that they all benefit from the high growth area," he added.

However, with greater population density in NCR, Undersecretary for Population and Development Juan Antonio Perez III told the  BusinessMirror on Wednesday that this presents a challenge in terms of the government's family planning program.

Perez, who heads the Commission on Population and Development (Popcom), said the increase in the population density of NCR was mainly a result of internal migration rather than increased fertility in recent years.

This exposes residents to certain vulnerabilities, which can be observed at the barangay level where "congestion and crowded housing are affecting pandemic response."

"In order to achieve the demographic dividend at the regional level, we need to also look at internal migration in the mega regions and high fertility in other regions in the Visayas and Mindanao," Perez said.

Based on PSA data, the most densely populated provinces are Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan, and Pampanga registering 2,847, 1,754, 1,332, and 1,218 persons per square kilometer, respectively.

Outside Metro Manila, the most densely populated Highly Urbanized Cities are Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Angeles, Baguio, and Iloilo posting population densities of 14,461, 8,565, 7,305, 6,370, and 5,842 persons per square kilometer.

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