ILOILO — Western Visayas posted a significant decline in mortality in 2024, with registered deaths dropping by 13 percent — a development that health officials say signals improving healthcare access, stronger disease prevention programs, and heightened public awareness across the region.
Data from the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) showed that total registered deaths fell sharply from 58,659 in 2023 to 51,036 in 2024, marking one of the most notable year-on-year decreases in recent years.
Iloilo Province logged the highest number of deaths at 14,574, followed closely by Negros Occidental with 14,443.
Other provincial totals were: Capiz (5,298), Aklan (4,288), Antique (4,098), and Guimaras (1,174). Among highly urbanized cities, Iloilo City registered 3,601 deaths while Bacolod City recorded 3,560.
Negros Occidental posted the steepest decline in mortality at 23.5 percent, while Bacolod City registered a striking 24.3 percent drop among urban centers.
CPD Region 6 director Harold Alfred Marshall said the encouraging trend reflects improvements across multiple fronts.
He attributed the decline to “a combination of improved healthcare delivery systems, more effective disease prevention and control initiatives, and heightened health awareness within the community.”
Longer Lives and New Challenges
Marshall noted that the continued decline in deaths points to increased life expectancy and aligns with demographic trends discussed in “The Shifting Demographics of the Philippines: Towards an Ageing Society.”
However, he cautioned that longer lifespans introduce new social and economic pressures.
“The rising number of senior citizens will likely result in increased demand for healthcare services, pension schemes, and social support systems tailored for an older populace,” he stressed.
Live Births Also Decline Regionwide
The mortality drop comes alongside another demographic shift — an 11.7 percent decrease in registered live births in Western Visayas. The region recorded 77,000 births in 2024, down from 87,204 the previous year.
Negros Occidental led with 25,076 births, followed by Iloilo Province (20,521), Capiz (8,066), and Aklan (6,949). All provinces posted declines, with Capiz registering the steepest drop at 16 percent and Antique at 15.8 percent.
Experts warn that sustained fertility decline, while easing short-term household and government burdens, may eventually lead to labor shortages and long-term economic stagnation, reflecting patterns seen in rapidly aging societies like Japan.
Ensuring Quality of Life for an Aging Region
While the decline in deaths marks a positive milestone, the region’s growing elderly population continues to face health and resource challenges. Public health leaders emphasize the need for sustained investment in preventive care, elderly support systems, and programs promoting healthy aging.
The CPD-6 report underscores that Western Visayas stands “at a pivotal moment” where current policy decisions will determine whether gains in longevity translate into a better quality of life for future generations./PN
