Population Institute

The study covers the urbanization and internal migration experiences of forty-five Philippine cities in the 1960-1970 intercensal period. The hypothesis of the study is that there is an urbanization-internal migration pattern in these cities with the level of urbanization determining the level of internal migration. The relationship is proposed to be a workable basis in classifying Philippine cities and in identifying centers of functionally integrated areas in the country. Twenty-six variables were used in principal component analysis to determine the presence of an urbanization factor (or component) in cities under study. After it has been established that such a factor was present, urbanization scores (indicating the level of urbanization) were computed and correlated with per cent net population gain or loss. The results obtained suggest that in classifying Philippine cities and in determining the administrative centers (including regions) in the country the urbanization-internal migration framework is feasible.