MANILA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Forty-one percent of Philippine adults use the internet, a recent survey released on Tuesday said, adding that the number of Filipino internet users has been steadily increasing since 2006.

A local private polling firm named Social Weather Stations (SWS) said internet use was highest in Metro Manila and urban areas, adding it has been that way since surveys were conducted in June 2006.

"The proportion of Filipino adults using the internet has been steadily increasing since SWS first asked about it in June 2006, when it was at 8 percent. It initially ranged from 11 percent to 19 percent from September 2007 to December 2011, then from 23 percent to 32 percent from March 2012 to December 2015," the SWS said.

The September 2018 SWS poll, which used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 local adults, showed the number already reached 41 percent.

This year's survey found that 64 percent of adults were internet users in the National Capital Region.

The survey also showed the proportion of adults using the internet in the northern Philippines was highest in this southeast Asian country.

In the northern Philippines, 47 percent of adults were internet users while in the central Philippines the number was 28 percent.

The proportion in the southern Philippines was 27 percent, which was the lowest in the country.

According to SWS, women (42 percent) were much likely than men (40 percent) to access the Internet.

Moreover, the SWS said internet use has always been highest among younger Filipinos, especially those in the age bracket of 18 to 24 years old at 81 percent.