A primer: Unpacking federalism

By the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism THE PHILIPPINES has a total land area of about 300,000 square kilometer (sq km).

This is according to the cadastral survey and estimated land areas certified and provided to the Department of Budget and Management by the Land Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as of December 2013.

Nearly half or 43% consists of mainland Luzon and the islands of MIMAROPA, 40% Mindanao, and 17% the Visayas island group ( Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas, and Negros Island).

Among the proposed federated regions, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will be the largest in terms of land area at 36,650.95 sq km or 12.2% of the country’s total land area, while the National Capital Region is the smallest at 619.54 sq km (0.21%).

By province, Palawan is the largest in terms of land area at 17,030.75 sq km, followed by Lanao del Sur, 15,055.51 sq km; Isabela, 13,102.05 sq km; Bukidnon, 10,498.59 sq km; and Agusan del Sur at 9,989.52sq km.

Of the generally smaller island provinces, Batanes is the smallest, at 203.22 sq km, followed by Camiguin, 241.44 sq km; Siquijor, 337.49 sq km; Biliran, 536.01 sq km, and Guimaras, 611.87 sq km.

Here’s how the regions rank, from biggest to smallest, by land area:

POPULATION

The Philippine population has reached more than 100 million, according to the 2015 Census of Population (POPCEN 2015) of the Philippine Statistic Authority. Over half or 57% reside in Luzon, 23% in the Visayas, and 20% in Mindanao.