Baby girl born in Manila symbolizes being 8 billionth person in the world

A baby girl born in Manila early Tuesday is one of the newborns symbolizing being the 8 billionth person in the world, according to a report of Nico Waje on GMA News’ Unang Balita.

Vinice Mabansag was born at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital at 1:29 a.m.

“So we just witnessed the world's 8th billion baby in the Philippines. So we waited around two hours starting 11 p.m. last night and the baby was delivered at around 1:29 a.m., normal spontaneous delivery,” said the hospital’s chief medical professional staff, Dr. Romeo Bituin.

LOOK: Meet baby girl Vinice Mabansag—isa sa sumisimbolo bilang ika-8 bilyong tao sa mundo. Ipinanganak siya sa Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital kaninang 1:29am. | @gmanews pic.twitter.com/RQE0NSZCjm

— Nico Waje (@nicowaje) November 14, 2022

The United Nations earlier estimated that the global human population will reach eight billion by mid-November this year.

Vinice's mother, Maria Margarette Villorente, said she is happy that her daughter is considered as the world’s “8th billion baby”, adding that it is a blessing for her.

The Commission on Population and Development’s (POPCOM) chief administrative officer Lyneth Therese Monsalve said they are hoping that Vinice will be a symbol of development in the future.

“We are looking at, particularly the local government units, for the possible interventions that they have to give for these babies and the coming other babies for that matter in terms of health, education, then housing when they grow up,” she said.

According to POPCOM, the population in the Philippines is growing slower with a 1.9 fertility rate in 2022, which means a mother gives birth to less than two babies only. This is lower compared to the 2.7 fertility rate in 2017.

The lower fertility rate is attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing knowledge of Filipinos about family planning, according to the report. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News