7 billionth baby arrives in the Philippines

7 billionth baby Danica May Camacho | Photo courtesy of AP

The 7 billionth occupant of the world has arrived! She is Danica May Camacho, a 5.5-pound premature baby, who was born at 11:58 p.m. on Sunday at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila, Philippines.

The symbolic 7 billionth baby was welcomed with a chocolate cake marked "7B Philippines" and various gifts including a college scholarship.

Since thousands of baby are being born each hour, it is impossible to determine who and where the 7 billionth will be born. The United Nations decided to hold a series of "7 billionth baby" festivities worldwide which started in the Philippines and will be held in other parts of the world, today, October 31, 2011.

Dr. Eric Tayag of the Department of Health told the media that 7 billion is something to think about "deeply."

"We should really focus on the question of whether there will be food, clean water, shelter, education and a decent life for every child," he said. "If the answer is 'no,' it would be better for people to look at easing this population explosion."

The world's population had reached its first billion in 1804. A century after, another 1 billion people were born, cascading in the 20th century: 3 billion in 1959; 4 billion in 1974; 5 billion in 1987; 6 billion in 1998.