Based on the nationwide 2021 Updating of the List of Establishments (ULE), the Ilocos Region recorded 57,989 establishments in operation in 2021, higher by 14.0 percent from the record in 2018 of 50,877. 

Among the provinces, Pangasinan had the highest number of establishments operated in 2021. The province registered 30,882 establishments translating to a 53.2 percent share to the total number of establishments in the region. La Union recorded 9,909 establishments corresponding to 17.1 percent share. Ilocos Sur had 8,740 establishments or 15.1 percent share, while Ilocos Norte had 8,458 establishments or 14.6 percent share.

The total number of establishments operated in 2021 in the Ilocos Region generated a total employment of 257,673. This figure is lower than the number of workers in 2018 of 264,496.

By province, Pangasinan recorded 140,621 workers in the establishments operated in 2021. La Union generated 44,041 total employment generated, while Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte have 37,874, and 35,137 workers, respectively.

The Services sector has the highest number of establishments in the Ilocos Region

The Services sector recorded the highest number of establishments among the industry groups with 48,185. The sector recorded a total employment of 208,318. The Industry sector had 9,252 establishments with 44,094 workers. Meanwhile, the Agriculture sector had 552 establishments with 5,261 workers.

The Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles sector has the highest number of establishments and employment among the industry sections

The Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles sector in the Ilocos Region had the highest number of establishments among the industry sections in 2021. There were 28,468 establishments that were engaged in this sector. The Manufacturing followed with 8,863 establishments, and Accommodation and Food Services Activities sectors with 7,889 establishments. The Other Service Activities, and Financial and Insurance Activities ranked fourth and fifth with 3,394, and 2,730 establishments.

In terms of employment, the Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles had also the highest number of workers among the industry sections with 107,294. It was followed by Manufacturing with 32,764 workers, and Accommodation and Food Service Activities with 31,583 workers.

Micro establishments dominate in the Ilocos Region

By employment groupings, there were 54,207 establishments in the Ilocos Region that belonged to the micro category with a total employment of 145,676. The Small category has 3,615 establishments with 76,573 workers. There were 107 establishments that belonged to the Medium category with 14,377 workers, while 60 establishments were under the Large category with a total of 21,047 workers.

Forty-four percent of the establishments in the Ilocos Region are newly listed

Of the 57,989 establishments operated in the Ilocos Region in 2021, 25,557 are newly listed. These newly listed establishments have a total employment of 83,339. By province, Ilocos Norte listed a total of 3,861 new establishments with 12,290 workers; Ilocos Sur with 3,826 new establishments and 12,744 workers; La Union with 4,667 new establishments and 15,511 workers; and Pangasinan with 13,203 new establishments and 42,794 workers.

Meanwhile, the region recorded 538 permanently closed establishments during the period, and 2,965 temporarily closed establishments. In Ilocos Norte, there were 71 permanently closed establishments, and 511 temporarily closed. There were 69 permanently closed establishments in Ilocos Sur, and 846 temporarily closed establishments. La Union listed 56 permanently closed establishments, and 467 temporarily closed establishments. Meanwhile, Pangasinan had 342 permanently closed establishments, and 1,141 temporarily closed.

SGD. ATTY. SHEILA O. DE GUZMAN 
Regional Director, RSSO I