ILOILO City – The population of Western Visayas has reached nearly eight million, with migration — rather than childbirth — now the primary driver of growth in many areas, according to the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) Region 6.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) 2020 Census of Population and Housing show that the region’s total population stands at 7,954,723.
Negros Occidental – which was still a part of Western Visayas at the time of the population census – remains the most populous province with 2,623,172 residents, followed by Iloilo province with 2,051,899.
Bacolod City leads among highly urbanized areas with 600,783 people, edging out Iloilo City, which has 457,626.
Capiz’s population stands at 804,952; Aklan at 615,475; and Antique at 612,974.
Meanwhile, Guimaras registers the smallest population at 187,842.
Despite its size, Guimaras recorded the fastest population growth rate in the region — a trend CPD-6 regional director Harold Alfred Marshall attributed to migration, not fertility.
“Guimaras is stepping up its tourism industry, attracting many people to migrate and settle there. This is advantageous for them as many businesses are coming in,” said Marshall.
He added that land investments are also increasing, with people anticipating future land value appreciation.
Marshall noted that growth in population density tends to concentrate in economically active and urbanized areas such as Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.
“If diin ang economic prosperity, didto man ang mga tawo nagakadto,” he said, citing migration patterns they studied. “Just look at the case of Iloilo City — it’s a mixed bag of people coming from not only within the region but from other regions as well.”
Migration now outweighs births as a key contributor to regional population growth. CPD reports a significant decline in the fertility rate in Western Visayas, now below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman.
The concept of the replacement level is important in demography, as it indicates the average number of children a woman must have to ensure that the population remains stable over time. The additional 0.1 accounts for various factors, including child mortality rates and the reality that not all women will have children during their reproductive years.
While individuals aged 0–19 comprise 25% of the region’s population, Marshall emphasized that adolescent pregnancy remains a serious concern with far-reaching consequences on education and livelihood. Early pregnancies can hinder educational and economic opportunities for young women, contributing to cycles of poverty and social disadvantage.
“There is no such thing as an ideal population,” Marshall clarified. “Growth or decline has its pros and cons. More people mean more labor force and consumer spending, but also more waste, environmental pressure, and potential for social unrest.”
Marshall urged local government units to consider demographic trends in planning infrastructure, education, and healthcare systems.
“We need to look into various aspects like education systems, environment, infrastructure, and many others. If population grows, the government must grow its services too,” he said.
The CPD also warned that without sustainable policies, environmental issues such as garbage disposal and food insecurity will worsen with continued growth.
“The more people, the more basura. Gadamo man ang gamo,” Marshall said.
Poor garbage disposal practices can lead to health hazards and pollution, while food insecurity can create additional stress on families and communities. These environmental challenges could become more pronounced as the population continues to grow, particularly if effective governance and sustainable development strategies are not implemented to manage this growth.
But Marshall also said that “the fewer the people, the less money circulates. That also affects the economy.”
In the end, he said, it’s not the number of people that defines development, but how well communities adapt to changes in population size and composition./PN
