Population dynamics and economic growth in the Philippines: A regional analysis using pooled data technique

• Main Authors: Damian, Aristos Jerome, Pabillon, Vergel, Jr., Tagle, Celso, III
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2005
• Subjects: Population > Economic aspects; Economic development; Philippines > Population > Economic aspects
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/9687
• Institution: De La Salle University

Population in the Philippines has been steadily increasing over the years. Amongst all the neighboring countries in the region, the Philippines has posted a significant increase in its population. As more and more economies aim to have an increasing rate in their GDP or gross domestic product, similar to the Philippines, the government has been continuously drawing measures on how to achieve significant growth given the limited and scarce resources that we have. On the other hand, looking at the determinants of economic growth, given its basic determinants, we can shy away from the conventional factors and look closely on what other variables can affect economic growth. Through the inclusion of the demographic variables, as population has been steadily increasing, ceteris paribus, we can make use of these excess human resources that would drive our economy toward achieving its goal-strong economy thus having steadily increasing economic growth. Similarly, as economic growth can have several factors that would affect it, population dynamics also has its factors that are of great influence as to its determination. Given that the Philippines has a number of regions divided by bodies of water, this paper looks at the differences in economic growth, that is regionally (Gross Regional Domestic Product), through several demographic variables. Since this paper scrutinizes on how demographic variables can affect gross regional domestic product, it is important to point out only the significant factors that have a major or at least a considerable effect on the economy. This is, in turn drives to determine whether or not population and some other demographic factors have a considerable effect on the economic performance of the Philippine regions and to find out if the former accounts for the difference of the said regions in terms of economic performance. In doing this, we will be able to classify population as a significant contributor to economic performance.