A total of 53,897 deaths were registered in 2021. The figure exhibited a 53.1 percent increase compared to 35,204 deaths registered in 2020.

Among the provinces, Pangasinan posted the highest number of registered deaths in Ilocos Region in 2021 with 32,498, sharing 60.3 percent to the total deaths recorded in the region. La Union and Ilocos Sur followed with 8,259 or 15.3 percent share, and 6,970 or 12.9 percent share, respectively. Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte had the least number of registered deaths with 6,170 or 11.4 percent share to the total registered deaths.

Table 1. Number and Percent Distribution of Registered
Deaths by Province, Ilocos Region: 2020 and 2021

Comparing the two periods, Pangasinan posted the highest percentage increase in deaths at 57.2 percent, followed by Ilocos Sur with 52.4 percent, La Union with 46.6 percent and Ilocos Norte with 42.7 percent.

Mortality in Ilocos Region was at its peak in September 2021 with 8,966 or 16.6 percent of the total number of registered deaths in 2021. Figure 1 shows an upward trend scale of mortality in Ilocos Region from January to September 2021. However, after reaching its peak in September, a down trend scale was exhibited in the last quarter of 2021. This means that the number of mortality decreased in the last three months of the year.

Figure 1. Monthly Average Number of Registered Deaths Ilocos Region: 2021

Figure 2 shows that there were more death occurrences among males than females in Ilocos Region in 2021. The computed sex ratio during this period was 117 male deaths in every 100 female deaths.

Figure 2. Number of Registered Deaths by Sex and Province
Ilocos Region: 2021

Pangasinan registered the most number of registered deaths in both sexes, accounting to 59.8 percent of the total registered deaths for male and 60.8 percent of the total registered deaths for female. Meanwhile, the province of Ilocos Norte posted the lowest number of registered deaths in both sexes with 11.8 percent for males and 11.1 percent for females of the total registered deaths during the period.

The computed sex ratio in Ilocos Region in 2021 is 117:100. This means that there were 117 male registered deaths in every 100 female registered deaths. The province of Ilocos Norte posted the highest computed sex ratio with 124, followed by La Union and Ilocos Sur with 120 and 117, respectively. The province of Pangasinan posted the lowest computed sex ratio with 115 male deaths for every 100 female deaths.

Figure 3. Top 10 Cities/Municipalities with the Highest Number
of Registered Deaths, Ilocos Region: 2021

Among the top ten cities/ municipalities, Dagupan City and San Carlos City, Pangasinan posted the highest number of registered deaths in 2021 with 3,892 and 3,124, respectively. These were followed by the City of San Fernando, La Union (2,855), City of Urdaneta, Pangasinan (1,959) and City of Batac, Ilocos Norte (1,763). On the other hand, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte had the least number with 1,118 registered deaths.

Figure 4. Percent Distribution of Registered Deaths by Method of Corpse Disposal, Ilocos Region: 2021

Burial was the preferred method of corpse disposal in the Ilocos Region in 2021 with a total of 50,648 corpses or 94.0 percent of the overall total. This was followed by Cremation with 2,812 corpses (5.2 percent). Meanwhile, Others/Not Stated/Blank reported a total of 437 corpses (0.8 percent).

The province of Pangasinan posted the highest number of corpses disposed through the method of burial with 30,738 corpses. La Union and Ilocos Sur followed with 7,329 and 6,529 corpses, respectively. Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte registered the lowest with 6,052 corpses buried.

NOTE: Data on deaths presented in this release were obtained from the Certificates of Death (Municipal Form 103) that were registered at the Office of the City/Municipal Civil Registrars and forwarded to the Philippine Statistics Authority - Provincial Statistical Offices in Ilocos Region. Information included deaths registered in 2020 and 2021.