• The population of Region VII - Central Visayas as of 01 May 2020 is 8,081,988 based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH). This accounts for about 7.41 percent of the Philippine population in 2020.

• The 2020 population of the region is higher by 685,090 from the population of 7.40 million in 2015, and 1.28 million more than the population of 6.80 million in 2010. Moreover, it is higher by 2.38 million compared with the population of 5.71 million in 2000. (Table 1)

• The population of Region VII increased by 1.88 percent annually from 2015 to 2020. By comparison, the rate at which the population of the region grew from 2010 to 2015 was lower at 1.61 percent. (Table 2)

• Among the four provinces comprising Region VII, Cebu had the biggest population in 2020 with 3,325,385 persons, followed by Negros Oriental with 1,432,990 persons, and Bohol with 1,394,329 persons. Siquijor had the smallest population with 103,395 persons. (Table 3)

• The region has three highly urbanized cities (HUCs). Among these HUCs, the City of Cebu was the most populous with 964,169 persons, followed by the City of Lapu-Lapu with 497,604 persons, and the City of Mandaue with 364,116 persons.

• Cebu was the fastest growing province in the region with an annual population growth rate (PGR) of 2.63 percent from 2015 to 2020. It was followed by Siquijor (1.58 percent) and Bohol (1.26 percent). Negros Oriental posted the lowest provincial PGR of 1.18 percent. (Table 4)

• The City of Lapu-Lapu was the fastest growing HUC in the province with a PGR of 4.26 percent, followed by the City of Cebu (0.93 percent), and the City of Mandaue (0.08 percent).

• Region VII is composed of three HUCs, 13 component cities,116 municipalities, and 3,003 barangays.

• Among the cities (excluding the three HUCs) and municipalities in the region, the largest in terms of population size is the City of Talisay, Cebu with 263,048 persons. It was followed by the City of Toledo with 207,314 persons, and Danao City with 156,321 persons, both in the Province of Cebu. The rest of the ten most populous cities/municipalities in the region are located either in the Province of Cebu or in the Province of Negros Oriental (Table 5)

• Enrique Villanueva in Siquijor is the least populous city/municipality in Region VII with 6,790 persons. It was followed by Sikatuna with 6,906 persons and Corella with 9,479 persons, both in the Province of Bohol. The rest of the ten least populous cities/municipalities in the region in 2020 are located either in the Province of Bohol or in the Province of Cebu. (Table 6)

• Of the 3,003 barangays in Region VII, the largest in terms of population size is Basak in the City of Lapu-Lapu (Opon) with 71,990 persons. It was followed by Guadalupe in the City of Cebu with 70,039 persons, and Mactan in the City of Lapu-Lapu (Opon) with 50,964 persons. Three other barangays in the City of Cebu and one each in the City of Lapu-Lapu (Opon) and Liloan were among the top ten most populous barangays in the region in 2020. (Table 7)

• Barangay Tan-awan in Loon, Bohol was the least populous barangay with 124 persons in 2020. It is followed by barangays Bagacay Saong in Loon, Bohol with 126 people, Tiwi in Loon, Bohol with 131 people and Pob. 5 (Barangay 5) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental with 142 people. Rank fifth among the least populous barangays is Bilisan in Dimiao, Bohol with 143 people, followed by Balolong in Enrique Villanueva, Siquijoir with 145 persons, Santa Monica in Manjuyod, Negros Oriental with 148 people, Quinobcoban in Loon, Bohol with 159 persons and Bagacay Katipunan in Loon, Bohol with 169 persons. Pob. 7 (Barangay 7) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Estaca in Garcia Hernandez, Bohol and Malinao West in Lila, Bohol shared the tenth spot of the least populous barangays with 175 persons. (Table 8)

ARIEL E. FLORENDO
Regional Director