As of Census Year 2000, Mandaluyong City has a total population of 278,474, accounting for about 2.8% of the total population of the National Capital Region which is 9,932,560. With an average household size of 4.6, it has a household population of 275,110 which may also be considered as the nighttime population of the city. (see Figure 2.01)

In the absence of published information and studies concerning daytime population in the city, there is a suggestion that having acquired a full level of urbanization, Mandaluyong City follows the trend in Makati City by which daytime population is three (3) to four (4) times its nighttime population. Thus, on the conservative side, daytime population for Mandaluyong City is estimated as (3) (275,110) or 825,318.

Almost everyone in Mandaluyong is Filipino of various ethnic origins (Table 2.02). Even so, the languages generally spoken in the households are Tagalog (96.47%), Bicol (0.40%), Bisaya (0.30%), Ilonggo (0.40%), and Ilocano (0.60%). See Table 2.03

About ninety-one percent (91%) of the residents belong to the Roman Catholic Church, and the remaining nine percent (9%) are distributed among religious denominations like the Iglesia ni Kristo (2%), Evangelicals (1.6%), other Protestants (0.42%), Jehovah’s Witness (0.42%), Aglipayan (0.66%) and others (1.7%).

The spatial distribution of churches of the various religious congregations in the city is shown in Map ~ Places of Worship.

The typical family of Mandaluyong has an average of 4.61 numbers. Of the 59,682 households, 18.82% are headed by women and 81.18% are headed by men. Majority of these households totaling 86.78% are headed by men and women in their prime productive ages between 20 years and 60 years old, while 12-67% have household heads in the elderly age group of 60 years and above. A little over 0.54% of the number of households are headed by the young population 20 years old and below.

A combination of married and widowed individuals accounts for 48.02% of the household population while family members who remain single total 43.46% with female members slightly more than male members at 51.02% and 48.98%, respectively. Others who opted for other forms of family union account for 8.52%. These include individuals that are either divorced, separated, common-law spouses, and those whose marital status are unascertained. (Table 2.05)

For the year 2000, the males comprise 48.7 percent of the population and the females’ 51.3 percent. This gives a male-female ratio of 95 males per 100 females, which means that the female population outnumbers the males by about five percent. Still in the elderly group, the males are outnumbered by females with a ratio of 71 males for every 100 females.

The 2000 population pyramid as shown in Figure 2.01 is of expansive character. This means that a large percentage of the population is young, belonging to the 5-39 years old bracket. The pyramid also reflects specific age groups representing demand for certain services. Dependent age group below 15 and above 65 years old could require specialized health services and facilities: School age groups of 3 to 16 years old with pre-school, elementary and secondary schools; the productive or working age group of 15 to 64 years old with jobs; or females within reproductive age of 10 to 45 years old with planning programs.

For both sexes, the share of the young (0-14 years) is about thirty-one percent (30.8%), the adult (15-64 years) at sixty-six percent (66.22) and the elderly (65 years above) at three percent (3%). The median Age, however, is 20 years which is the age at which exactly half the population is older and half is younger.

The young-age dependency is 1:2 while the old-age dependency ratio is 1:22. This means the number of adults in the economically pro-ductive age group for every young dependent and elderly dependent are two (2) and 22 respectively.

Population in the city has come a long way from just a few thousands in 1903 to almost three million in 2000 (Table 2.06). Although population is continuously increasing, the growth rate has been seesawing at various degrees as can be seen in Fig. 2.02. Tremendous increase in growth rates can be noted in census years 1948-1960 and 1960-1970, the former a period of postwar reconstruction and the latter witnessing a historical event as Mandaluyong became part of the Greater Manila Area. It was during both these periods when population count more than doubled in Mandaluyong.

The next time population will double is in about 60 years, given a growth rate of 1.15% for the 10-year period between 1990 and 2000.

It could be noted however, that population growth rate between 1995 and 2000 is valued as (-) 0.64. This decrease can be attributed to population movements within and outside the city as can be observed in succeeding topics.

During the last two decades, barangay populations in the city were never stationary. While rapid population growth is often associated with the decline in mortality due to milestone achievements in science and technology without the corresponding decline in fertility, migration has always played an important role in shaping up the trends in population.

A review of population and housing programs for the last five years shows that a number of families were relocated from one barangay to another. Consequently, there was a decrease in population of the barangays of original residence and an increase in population of the receiving barangays. Other relocatees were sent elsewhere outside Metro Manila. However, the possibility of migrating in one’s own accord should also be considered.

Comparing results of four censuses, it can be noted that population of Addition Hills over the 20-year period has increased by about 450 percent. The 1980 figure has actually doubled after ten years, and again doubled by the year 2000. This is attributed to the fact that Addition Hills is the second largest barangay in the city in terms of land area, and is host to the Welfareville Property which at the moment is home to tens of thousands of informal settlers. Welfareville is actually the largest informal settlement of the country and is classified as a Planned Unit Development area.

Another barangay which registered a significant population increase is Hulo, which, over the 20-year period has increased from 13,996 (1980) to 20,585 (2000). This record a 68 percent (67.99%) increase (Table 2.07).

An analysis of barangay population densities in the light of existing conditions in each respective area shows a pattern by which population is concentrated (Refer to Table 2.08 and Map 7). In Barangay Addition Hills, for example, the gross population density measures extra high despite being the second largest barangay in the city and the presence of large institutional areas and open spaces. Being a Planned Unit Development Area (PUD), it promises housing opportunities with government subsidies and the necessary amenities for a respectable living condition, and further, accessibility to employment and livelihood opportunities. The existence of informal settlements and sites intended for socialized housing projects appear to be common in other barangays with high to extra high densities.

Another major contributing factor is the presence of the railroad traversing most of these barangays that have consistently high densities. In the early days when the rail system is the popular mode of travel, distance-wise and travel time considered, migrants tend to arrive by train, seeking accommodations as much as possible in the vicinity of railway stations. In Mandaluyong City, until the 1970’s when the railway system is still operational, four (4) stations are located in Barangays Daang Bakal, San Jose, Hulo and Barangka Ilaya, giving credence to the above observation. But in this case, it can be assumed that the migrants established permanent residences in these barangays, later expanding to adjoining barangays.

Furthermore, the historic Pasig River in its glorious days of steamers and ferry boats provided another means of entry to migrants as manifested by a number of ‘Tawiran’ stations along the river banks. In addition, various industries lining the coast of Mandaluyong City served as a strong magnet to people seeking better economic opportunities. These could be associated with concentrated residences in barangays along Pasig River.

A graphical representation of the total population by barangay (Figure 2.03) shows the obvious difference in the distribution of population in the city. Taking into account the proportions of area and population of each barangay in relation to the total area and population of Mandaluyong City (Table 2.04), the Index of Concentration is computed as 0.1074. This means that about 10.75% of the total population will have to be redistributed in order to attain a completely uniform distribution of population in the city.

As of January 2003, population in the economically productive age constitutes about 66.6% of the total city population. This is about 0.40% and 2.72% of the total population in the economically productive age group in the entire country and the National Capital Region, respectively.

Labor force in the city is 58.40%, with the employed accounting for 86.4% and the unemployed, 13.60%. Majority of the employed are male at 56.70% while the female totals 43.10%. It can be said that quality of labor force is good considering the latest data on education which shows that 91.40% of population 15 years old and over have educational attainment ranging from high school to post-Baccalaureate (Table 2.10).

Individuals not economically active but within the economically productive age group are about 41.09% of the latter. These are students, disabled, and the like. In this case, the female population is higher than the male population at 65.06% and 36.14%, respectively (Table 2.11).

In the case of the disabled, the 2000 Census results (Table 2.12a) revealed that about 1.57% (4,385) of the city’s population has disability. Majority of these disabled persons belong to the age bracket of 20-44 years old, which means that most of these persons with disabilities are in their prime productive ages. Table 2.12b also reveals the type of disability that is prevalent, and blindness and low vision are top among other types.

There is staggering figure of mentally ill residents pegged at 2,466. However, NSO data does not specify whether this figure includes both household and institutional residents considering the presence of the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) which serves patients from all over the country.

Still, special programs (see Part 7) for this segment of the population is being carried out by the city government to encourage productivity not just in the economic aspect but also in sports and community development.

Compared with the first four cities and its immediate neighbor cities in the NCR, Mandaluyong has the least share of urban employment in the region, majority of which are in the service industry. But unlike the neighboring cities of Makati and Pasig, each with less than 500 individuals still engaged in agricultural activities, employed individuals in the city are all engaged in urban activities, constituting 0.72% and 2.59% of the urban employment in the whole country and the NCR, respectively.

Agricultural activities in the city, of ever there maybe, are done more as a hobby than as a primary source of income and are limited to backyard gardening and recreation.

Figure 2.03 Population by Barangay: Year 2000