Average household size recorded at 5.12 persons

The population of Western Visayas which covered the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Iloilo City and Bacolod City, as of May 1, 2000 was 6,211,038 persons. This was up by more than 400 thousand persons as compared to the 1995 Census of Population (POPCEN). For the period 1995 to 2000, the annual population growth rate of Western Visayas was 1.56 percent, higher than that of the 1990 to 1995 period (1.30 percent). If the current annual population growth rate of the region continues, the population is expected to double in 44 years, increasing on the average, by 97 thousand persons a year or about 11 persons per hour.

The number of households increased to 1,211,804 as compared to 1,104,151 households in 1995. The average household size recorded in Census 2000 was 5.12 persons, slightly lower than the 1995 figure of 5.22 persons and slightly higher than the national average of five persons.

 

Eight percent of the total population were from Western Visayas

Western Visayas was the fourth biggest region in terms of population size among the 16 regions in the Philippines, contributing 8.12 percent to the 76.5 million population of the country as recorded in Census 2000.

Median age was 22 years

Western Visayas had a median age of 22 years. This meant that in 2000, half of the population were below 22 years old. In 1995, the median age was 20 years.

Both Aklan and Negros Occidental had the youngest median age with 20 years old, while Iloilo City had the highest median age with 24 years.

Sex ratio was recorded at 102

In Census 2000, the recorded sex ratio was 102 males for every 100 females, the same sex ratio recorded in 1995.

 

Dependency ratio was 71

The proportion of young dependents (0 to 14 years) was 36.5 percent, while the proportion of old dependents (65 years and over) accounted for 5.0 percent of the regional population. The proportion of economically active population (15 to 64 years) was 58.5 percent.

The overall dependency ratio in 2000 was 71.03. This meant that for every 100 persons aged 15 to 64 years, there were about

71 dependents (62 young dependents and nine old dependents).

Close to nine out of ten persons were Roman Catholic

Majority (86.53 percent) of the population of Western Visayas were Roman Catholics. Aglipayan (4.01 percent) and Evangelicals (1.48 percent), followed, while 7.71 percent belonged to other religious affiliations.

About 93 percent were literate

The proportion of household population 10 years old and over in Western Visayas who were able to read and write a simple message was 93.02 percent. Females� (93.58 percent) literacy rate was higher as compared to males� (92.45 percent).

Average number of children ever-born was three

On the average, the number of children ever-born to ever-married women in this region was three. This is true for all provinces and in Bacolod City, except for the City of Iloilo with two as the average number of children ever-born.

The provinces with a high proportion of women with eight or more children ever born were in Capiz and Negros Occidental with 7.31 percent and 6.38 percent, respectively.

Median age at first marriage was 21 years

Western Visayas had a median age at first marriage of 21 years. This meant that half of the ever-married women 15 to 49 years old, who entered married life for the first time were below 21 years old.

Most of the overseas workers were males

In 2000, there were 82,185 overseas workers as compared to 58,073 overseas workers in 1995 POPCEN. More than half (52.66 percent) of these overseas workers were males.

The population of overseas workers in 2000, had a median age of 32 years. This meant that half of the overseas workers were below 32 years old. Female overseas workers had a median age of 29 years, younger than their male counterparts (34 years).

Electricity was the main source of lighting

Majority (57.07 percent) of the households used electricity for lighting and 37.78 percent used kerosene or gaas. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as fuel for lighting was utilized by 0.80 percent of the total households.

Electricity was the main source of lighting in all provinces except in Guimaras, where majority of households in the province used kerosene (53.65 percent). Households using electricity in Guimaras accounted for 41.44 percent.

One in five households depended on shared, tubed/piped deep well for potable water

The main sources of water supply for drinking and/or cooking were shared, tubed/piped deep well (22.22 percent); dug well (17.30 percent); and spring, lake, river, rain, etc. (9.81 percent).

Majority of the households used wood for cooking

Majority of the households used wood (61.00 percent) as fuel for cooking; 22.39 percent, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); and only 1.54 percent, electricity.

About three out of ten households exclusively used water sealed, sewer/septic tank

The proportion of households with water sealed, sewer/septic tank, used exclusively by the households was 28.84 percent. About 18 percent had water sealed, other depository used exclusively by the households, and 15.58 percent used closed pit. Households which did not have any toilet facility accounted for 14.34 percent.

One in two households burned their garbage

Proper disposal of garbage leads to a good environment and good health. About 58 percent of the households in Western Visayas disposed their garbage through burning; 14.39 percent, picked up by garbage truck; and 10.46 percent, dumping in individual pit.

Garbage disposal through burning is true in all provinces, except for Iloilo City and Bacolod City. In these two highly urbanized cities, the usual manner of garbage disposal was through collection by a garbage truck (Iloilo City, 45.63 percent and Bacolod City, 50.57 percent).

Seven out of ten households owned/amortized their housing units

Majority (71.50 percent) of the households owned/amortized their houses. Those who occupied their housing units for free with consent of the owner comprised 19.16 percent while 3.41 percent rented their housing units.