MANILA - Philippine population is expected to balloon to 107.19 million by the end of 2018 due to an increase in women capable of reproducing, the Commission on Population (POPCOM) said Wednesday.

At least 1.8 million Filipino babies are expected to be born this year, with 4,695 babies born every day or 206 every hour, POPCOM Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez III said.

The projections were made based on the Philippine Census of Population in 2015.

POPCOM also noted a noticeable increase among women of reproductive age, with around 27.71 million Filipinas aged 15 to 49 this year.

The figure marks an increase of over 400,000 from last year's projection, POPCOM said.

"These women are usually the beneficiaries of reproductive health services under the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health law," the commission said.

The commission said women of reproductive age are expected to comprise 30.5 percent of the population this year. And with the increasing trend of pregnancies among 10 to 14-year-old girls, the number of women and girls of reproductive age would be around 33.11 million by the end of the year.

Alongside this is an expected increase in the country's workforce population (15 to 64 years old) by 0.16 percent to 63.88 percent, up from last year's 63.72 percent.

POPCOM also noted a slight decline in the percentage of adolescents in the population.

A 0.30 percent decline is expected in the 0 to 14 age group while a 0.23 percent decline is seen in the 10 to 19 age group.

"The figures for women of reproductive age and adolescent girls continue to be the highest numbers on record, even with their decline in percentage of the total population," the commission noted.

The country's elderly population or those over 60 years old meanwhile continues to grow by 0.23 percent over 2017 projections, POPCOM said.

By the end of 2018, there will be over 8 million Filipinos over 60, comprising 8.2 percent of the country's population. Of the said figure, 5 million will be aged 65 and older.

The Philippines is among the most densely populated countries in the world.