The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) – La Union Provincial Statistical Office conducted a hybrid (on-site and virtual) data dissemination forum on the results of the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) on August 4, 2021 at Thunderbird Pilipinas Hotels and Resorts, City of San Fernando, La Union. 

Dr. Danites E. Teñido, Chief Statistical Specialist (CSS) of PSA-La Union, informed that, “As of May 1, 2020, La Union marked a total population of 822,352 persons,” during her presentation on the highlights of La Union’s population.  This population count contributed 15.51 percent to the total population of Ilocos Region.  On the average, during the period 2015 to 2020, the total population of the province increased by 0.94 percent annually.  By comparison, the rate at which the province’s population grew during the period of 2010 to 2015 was higher at 1.12 percent and during the period 2000 to 2010 at 1.21 percent. 

The event kicked-off with an opening remarks from Supervising Statistical Specialist (SSS) Malvin A. Quinto followed by the message of Atty. Sheila O. De Guzman, Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of PSA-Regional Statistical Services Office I (RSSO I).  Afterwhich, Statistical Specialist II (SS II) Marieta P. Rivera, 2020 CPH Provincial Focal Person, presented the background of the 2020 CPH.  This was followed by the presentation of the highlights of the 2020 CPH by Dr. Teñido from the national, regional, down to the provincial population counts. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Milagros R. Baldemor, Vice President of the Philippine Statistical Association Incorporated (PSAI)-Region I Chapter, and Mr. Roy Gerson B. Torres, Project Evaluation Officer I of the Commission on Population and Development Regional Office I, served as resource persons.  They discussed the use and importance of population counts in their respective field and in other fields of specialization.

On-site and virtual participants were from various line agencies, Local Government Units (LGUs), academe, and media partners in the province. CSS Juanito Y. Yabes of the Statistical Operations and Coordination Division (SOCD) and OIC Camille Carla U. Beltran of the Civil Registration and Administrative Support Division (CRASD) also attended the event. 

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has declared official for all purposes the population counts by province, city/municipality, and barangay pursuant to Proclamation No. 1179, s. 2021 signed on July 6, 2021.   As of May 1, 2020, the Philippine population stood at 109,035,343 while that of Ilocos Region’s population reached 5,301,139 persons or 4.86 percent of the total population of the country. 

In La Union, among the 19 municipalities and the lone city of the province, the City of San Fernando was the most populous with a total population of 125,640 persons contributing to 15.28 percent of the total provincial population.  The municipalities of Bauang, Agoo, Rosario, and Naguilian followed with 78,449 persons; 66,028 persons; 60,278 persons; and 52,189 persons, respectively.

On the other end, the least populous municipality was Burgos with a total population of 9,006 persons or 1.10 percent of the province’s total population.  It was followed by Santol (14,166 persons), Bagulin (14,428 persons), Sudipen (17,187 persons), and San Gabriel (18,943 persons).

On behalf of the men and women of PSA-La Union, Dr. Teñido thanked the public for their support to the 2020 CPH and the census field personnel for the successful enumeration in the province despite the challenges brought by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.  She also thanked the members of the Provincial Census Coordination Board (PCCB) and Municipal Census Coordination Board (MCCB) for their assistance and the PSA management for their support that made the conduct of the census possible in September 2020. 

Before the end of the event, an open forum was facilitated by SS II Artemio A. Alibayan to accommodate queries of on-site and virtual participants on the results of the 2020 CPH.    The program was formally closed by SS II Susan Cora F. Hufana by thanking all on-site and virtual participants for their active participation in the event.  

The 2020 CPH was undertaken by the PSA pursuant to Republic Act No. 10625, also known as the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013; Executive Order No. 352 – Designation of Statistical Activities that will Generate Critical Data for Decision-Making of the Government and the Private Sector; and Batas Pambansa (BP) Bilang 72, which provides the basis for the decennial conduct of the integrated census of population and housing.

May 2020 was declared as the National Census Month pursuant to Proclamation No. 928, s. 2020, which provided that the 2020 CPH be conducted in May 2020, with May 1 as the census reference date. However, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the census enumeration was moved to September 2020.   Information on the count of the population was collected with 12:01 a.m. of May 1, 2020 as reference time and date, in accordance with the provisions indicated under BP 72.

SGD. DANITES E. TEÑIDO, Ph.D.
Chief Statistical Specialist

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