JORDAN, Guimaras – Guimaras’ population grew by 1.55 percent over the past five years, the fastest-growing population among the provinces of Western Visayas, the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) showed.
“Guimaras got the least population among the five provinces in Region 6 in terms of number, but its population growth from 2015 to 2020 outpaced the other provinces,” said Provincial Statistical Officer (PSO) Nelida Losare.
Other provinces with a high Population Growth Rate (PGR) next to Guimaras were Aklan with 1.45 percent and Iloilo (excluded City of Iloilo) with 1.23 percent.
Negros Occidental got the slower PGR with 1.04 percent, followed by Antique and Capiz with a PGR of 1.10 and 1.18 percent, respectively.
“Antique and Iloilo registered decrements in the PGR from 2015-2020 compared to PGR for 2010-2015,” Losare said.
She also cited that Guimaras had a total population of 187,842, officially declared by President Rodrigo Duterte through Proclamation No. 1179 on July 6, 2021.
“It represents the total number of persons living in Guimaras as of 12:01 am on May 1, 2020, including Guimarasnon overseas workers that are away at the time of the census but expected to return within five (5) years from the date of the last departure,” Losare said.
In 2020, Guimaras’ population registered a difference of 13,229 persons more than its population in 2015, posting a 1.55 percent PGR, higher than the 1.33 percent PGR recorded in 2010-2015.
The Guimaras municipality with the most number of population in 2020 is Buenavista, with 52,899 people comprising 28.16 percent of the provincial total. It was followed by the municipalities of Nueva Valencia and Jordan, with 42,771 and 39,566 individuals, respectively.
“Municipalities with the least population are San Lorenzo and Sibunag with 29,444 and 23,162 individuals, respectively,” Losare said.
The highest population growth for five-year period was seen in San Lorenzo with 2.56 percent, gaining 3,332 more persons, followed by Jordan and Nueva Valencia with a PGR of 1.95 and 1.52 percent from 2015 to 2020, correspondingly.
“The lowest annual PGR was observed in Sibunag with 0.94 percent and Buenavista with 1.01 percent,” Losare said.
She proudly stated that Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Guimaras won the battle against the hard blocks, and challenges brought by the pandemic in the implementation of the 2020 CPH, attributing the success to the brave and hardworking men and women PSA staff and CPH hired personnel, strong support of the Local Chief Executives, and to the cooperation and support of the Guimarasnons.
“Amidst the COVID 19 Pandemic, the PSA was able to release quality and timely information or data that played a significant role in policy-making, development planning, business market analyses, risk reduction, and crisis response, and most especially for good governance,” Losare said.
The 2020 Census of Population and Housing is the 15th Census of Population since 1903. It is also the 7th Census of Housing since that year.
“PSA Guimaras will be having a data dissemination forum on August 10, 2021, to officially release the result of the 2020 CPH by municipality and barangay,” Losare said./PN
