• The population of Region XII - SOCCSKSARGEN as of 01 May 2020 is 4,901,486 based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH). This accounts for about 4.50 percent of the Philippine population in 2020.
   

• The 2020 population of the region is higher by 356,210 from the population of 4.55 million in 2015, and 791,915 more than the population of 4.11 million in 2010. Moreover, it is higher by 1,679,317 compared with the population of 3.22 million in 2000. (Table 1)

• The population of Region XII increased by 1.60 percent annually from 2015 to 2020. By comparison, the rate at which the population of the region grew from 2010 to 2015 was higher at 1.94 percent. (Table 2)

• Among the four provinces comprising Region XII, Cotabato (North Cotabato) had the biggest population in 2020 with 1,490,618 persons, followed by South Cotabato with 975,476 persons, and Sultan Kudarat with 854,052 persons. Sarangani had the smallest population with 558,946 persons. (Table 3)
   

• The City of General Santos (Dadiangas), the only highly urbanized city in the region posted a population of 697,315 persons.
   

• The City of Cotabato, on the other hand, had a population of 325,079 persons. This city is an independent component city in Region XII whose province, Maguindanao, is under the jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

• Cotabato (North Cotabato) was the fastest growing province in the region with an annual population growth rate (PGR) of 1.64 percent from 2015 to 2020. It was followed by South Cotabato with a PGR of 1.35 percent and Sultan Kudarat (1.07 percent). Sarangani posted the lowest provincial PGR of 0.56 percent. (Table 4)
   

• The City of General Santos (Dadiangas) posted a PGR of 3.41 percent.
   

• The City of Cotabato, meanwhile, had a PGR of 1.74 percent.

• Region XII is composed of one highly urbanized city, one independent component city, three component cities, 45 municipalities, and 1,195 barangays.
   

• Among the cities (excluding the City of General Santos) and municipalities in the region, the largest in terms of population size is the City of Cotabato, Maguindanao with 325,079 persons. It was followed by the City of Koronadal, South Cotabato with 195,398 persons, and Polomolok, South Cotabato with 172,605 persons. (Table 5)

• Antipas in Cotabato (North Cotabato) is the least populous city/ municipality in Region XII with 26,817 persons. It was followed by Columbio in Sultan Kudarat with 33,527 persons, and Santo Niño in South Cotabato with 39,796 persons. (Table 6)

• Of the 1,195 barangays in Region XII, the largest in terms of population size is Calumpang in the City of General Santos with 87,718 persons. It was followed by Labangal with 77,052 persons, and Fatima with 72,613 persons, both in the City of General Santos. The rest of the top ten most populous barangays in the region are all located in the City of General Santos, except Poblacion in Polomolok, South Cotabato, which was ranked seventh with 51,490 persons. (Table 7)

DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General