The Philippines' population rose 9.8 percent over the past five years to 75.3 million people in May, the government said Monday citing preliminary results of a nationwide census.
However the average annual rate of population growth slowed to two percent over the period, compared to 2.3 percent yearly previous to 1995, the National Statistics Office said in a statement.
The largely Roman Catholic nation has one of the highest population growth rates in Asia.
Church leaders, who exert strong moral influence over the government and society, has consistently opposed the use of artificial birth control methods despite President Joseph Estrada's assertion that high birth rates contribute to poverty - MANILA (AFP)
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