The population projections for the 80 provinces and two special areas, Cotabato City (located in Maguindanao but is under SOCKSARGEN) and Isabela City (located in Basilan but is under Zamboanga Peninsula), indicate that by 2045, the metropolis of Cebu which includes the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue, will have the largest number of persons with almost 6.0 million, followed by Cavite with 5.2 million, Bulacan (4.5 million), Rizal (4.4 million), Laguna and Negros Occidental (4.3 million each) and Pangasinan (4.0 million).

By the year 2045, the Philippine population is projected to increase to 142 million according to the latest 2010 Census-based population projections. Around 50 million people would be added in a span of 35 years. This increase in numbers would take place even if the average annual growth rate is projected to decline significantly, from 1.73 percent during 2010-2015 to 0.65 percent during 2040-2045. The Philippine population grew by 1.9 percent annually during the decade 2000-2010.