ILOILO City — The total population of Western Visayas jumped to 7,954,723, the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) showed.
There was a 1.14 percent increase annually since 2015, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Regional Statistical Services Office.
This population growth rate (PGR) is slightly higher compared to the rate (1.13 percent) from 2010 to 2015.
Negros Occidental (excluding Bacolod City) led the provinces in terms of population with 2,623,172 persons, followed by Iloilo (excluding Iloilo City) with 2,051,899 persons, Capiz with 804,952 persons, Aklan with 615,475 persons, and Antique with 612,974 persons.
The least populated province in the region is Guimaras with 187,842 persons.
Despite being the least populous province, Guimaras was the fastest growing province in the region with a PGR of 1.55 percent from 2015 to 2020.
Aklan followed with 1.45 percent, Iloilo with 1.23 percent, Capiz with 1.18 percent, Antique with 1.10 percent, and Negros Occidental with 1.04 percent.
The two highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in the region, Bacolod and Iloilo, posted a PGR of 1.42 percent and 0.45 percent, respectively. The two HUCs accounted for 13 percent of the region’s total population.
Out of the 108 component cities in the Philippines, 14 are in Region 6. Among these, Kabankalan City and Bago City in Negros Occidental had the highest population with 200,198, and 179,292, respectively.
The Roxas City in Capiz followed with 179,292. On the other hand, La Carlota City in Negros Occidental had the lowest population of 66,664.
Furthermore, of the 117 municipalities in the region, Cauayan, Negros Occidental is the most populous with 108,480, and the only municipality with a population greater than 100,000.
The municipality of Oton in Iloilo followed with 98,509, and Kalibo in Aklan with 89,127. Conversely, Belison, Antique is the least populous municipality with 14,129, followed by Lezo, Aklan with 15,639, and Bingawan, Iloilo with 16,164./PN
