NSO reports population increase in Region 1

By Monette H. Herrera

Friday 15th of June 2012

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, June 15 (PIA) -- The National Statistic Office 1 (NSO-R1) announced that the population of region 1 increased by 547,000, based on the result of its 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH).

NSO 1 Regional Director Socrates Ramores said the 2010 CPH was designed to take an inventory of the population and housing units here.

It was also aimed to collect information about their characteristics.

This is also in pursuant to Batas Pambansa Building 72 and Commonwealth Act 591, an act to create a bureau of census and statistics to consolidate statistical activities of the government therein.

According to the NSO, the region posted a total population of 4, 748,372 persons. This is an increase of 547,894 from the May 1, 2000 population count of 4,200,478.

Among the four provinces in Ilocos Region, Pangasinan province registered the highest population with 2,779, 862 persons, comprising more than half of the region’s total population.

It was followed by La Union with 741, 906 persons; Ilocos Sur with 658,587; and Ilocos Norte had the smallest population with 568, 017.

“The 2010 census figure is five times the region population in 1903 which recorded a total of 948, 935 persons when the first census of population was conducted,” Ramores said.

Likewise, NSO La Union provincial statistic officer Imelda Buyuccan, said during ‘Danggayan’ radio program here last June 13, the increase in population is translated to an average population growth rate of 1.23 percent annually during the 2000 to 2010 period.

The CPH was undertaken by 82,000 fieldworkers, mostly participated by the Department of Education public school teachers nationwide.

The census, which counts up to the barangay level, was made official through Proclamation No. 362 signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III last March 30.

Said population count was based on census questionnaires done by enumerators all over the country.

The questionnaires were processed in Census Processing Centers by using Optical Mark Recognition technology along with the Census Integrated Processing System developed by NSO for this purpose, Ramores explained.

He also said that 2010 CPH was made possible with the support of the local and national officials, government agencies, local government units, media, private agencies and non-government agencies. (ANL/MHH PIA1 La Union with reports from NSO1)