POPULATION UPDATE. Officials of the Philippine Statistics Authority give an update on the result of the recent census in the Ilocos region during a regional news conference held in Calasiao town, Pangasinan on Tuesday (July 27, 2021). The region now has a population of 5.3 million. (Photo courtesy of Liwayway Yparraguirre)
CALASIAO, Pangasinan – The Ilocos region has a population of 5.3 million as of May 1, based on Proclamation 1179 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on July 6.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) 1 (Ilocos) officer in charge, lawyer Sheila de Guzman, said the region’s population increased by 1.13 percent compared to the total population recorded in 2015.
Pangasinan has 59.7 percent of the total population, with almost 3 million, followed by La Union with 822,352, Ilocos Sur with 706,009, and Ilocos Norte with 609,588, de Guzman said.
She added that the growth rate in La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte decreased while Pangasinan’s population growth rate increased from 1.18 percent in 2010-2015 to 1.43 percent in 2015-2021.
The top 10 most populated cities and municipalities in the region are San Carlos City, Pangasinan with 205,424; Dagupan City, Pangasinan with 174,302; Urdaneta City, Pangasinan with 144,577; Malasiqui town, Pangasinan with 143,094; Bayambang town, Pangasinan with 129,011; San Fernando City, La Union with 125,640; Mangaldan town, Pangasinan with 113,185; Laoag City, Ilocos Norte with 111,651; Lingayen town, Pangasinan with 107,728; and Calasiao town, Pangasinan with 100,471.
De Guzman said the top 10 most populated barangays are Bonuan Gueset, Pantal, Bonuan Boquig, Bonuan Binloc, and Lucao in Dagupan City, Pangasinan; Poblacion in Lingayen town, Pangasinan; Sevilla in San Fernando City, La Union; Poblacion in Bugallon town, Pangasinan; Poblacion in Alaminos City, Pangasinan; and San Vicente in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.
Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) 1 project evaluation officer Gerson Torres said the rate of population growth affects the doubling time on the number of population in the provinces.
“In Pangasinan, if the growth rate does not change, the province has 48 years for its population to double. The higher the growth rate, the lesser time for the local government unit to prepare for the population increase,” Torres said.
He said Popcom-1 signed a memorandum of understanding with Pangasinan this year to intensify the province’s family planning program. (PNA)
