REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY Region 02- Provincial Statistical Office

Number: SR-2021-3104 Date Release: August 10, 2021 SPECIAL RELEASE

Based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH), the province of Isabela posted a total population of 1,697,050 persons as of May 1, 2020. With 1.70 million total population, the province of Isabela had the biggest population in Valley, accounting for around 46 percent of the total population. The 2020 population of the province is higher by 0.10 million compared with the population of 1.59 million in 2015; by 0.21 million compared with the population of 1.49 million in 2010; and by 0.41 million compared with the population of 1.29 million in 2000. (Figure 1)

Figure 1. TOTAL POPULATION: ISABELA (Based on Various Censuses)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Figure 2. ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH RATE: ISABELA (Based on Various Censuses)

Isabela was ranked 15th in the country's list of provinces with a population of more than one million people.

The population of Isabela increased by 1.33 percent annually, on average, during the period of 2015 to 2020. This means that there were about 13 persons added per year for every 1,000 persons in the population. The annual population growth rate (PGR) was lower at 1.29 percent during the period 2010 to 2015 and higher at 1.47 percent during the period 2000 to 2010. (Figure 2) Of the two component cities (City of Cauayan and City of ) , one independent city (City of Santiago) and 34 municipalities of the province, City of Ilagan had the biggest population in 2020 with 158.22 thousand, followed by City of Santiago with 148.58 thousand, and City of Cauayan with 143.40 thousand. The population of these three cities accounted around 26.53 percent of the province’s total population. Furthermore, these three cities posted the highest increase in total population in 2020, with the City of Cauayan gaining 13.88 thousand, City of Santiago 13.75 thousand, and City of Ilagan 12.65 thousand people. In 2020, the four Coastal towns of Isabela were the smallest municipalities in terms of population size in the entire province. The municipality of Maconacon with 3.98 thousand persons, with 5.82 thousand, Divilacanan with 5.83 thousand and with 17.68 thousand persons. (Table 1) In terms of population growth rate, the municipality of Dinapigue is the fastest growing municipality in Isabela with an average annual population growth rate of 3.23 percent in 2015 to 2020. (2.50 percent), (2.37 percent), City of 2

Table 1. POPULATION AND ANNUAL GROWTH RATES BY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY ISABELA: 2000,2010, 2015, AND 2020 POPULATION GROWTH TOTAL POPULATION RATE CITY/MUNICIPALITY (in percent) 2000- 2010- 2015- 2010- 1-May-00 1-May-10 1-Aug-15 1-May-20 2010 2015 2020 2020 ISABELA 1,287,575 1,489,645 1,593,566 1,697,050 1.47 1.29 1.33 1.31 ALICIA 57,178 64,687 71,504 73,874 1.24 1.92 0.69 1.34 36,788 40,143 43,061 44,977 0.88 1.34 0.92 1.14 AURORA 28,836 33,045 35,017 36,621 1.37 1.11 0.95 1.03 22,192 27,337 29,624 29,752 2.11 1.54 0.09 0.85 BURGOS 20,422 22,521 23,784 26,040 0.98 1.04 1.92 1.46 41,536 45,732 50,174 53,897 0.97 1.78 1.52 1.65 CABATUAN 31,659 37,299 39,413 39,990 1.65 1.05 0.31 0.70 CITY OF CAUAYAN 103,952 122,335 129,523 143,403 1.64 1.09 2.16 1.60 CORDON 35,519 40,877 42,926 46,477 1.41 0.94 1.69 1.29 DINAPIGUE 3,171 5,484 5,005 5,821 5.63 -1.72 3.23 0.60 3,413 5,034 5,687 5,827 3.96 2.35 0.51 1.47 ECHAGUE 61,101 74,680 79,094 88,410 2.03 1.10 2.37 1.70 25,901 28,657 29,904 30,655 1.02 0.81 0.52 0.68 CITY OF ILAGAN (Capital) 119,990 135,174 145,568 158,218 1.20 1.42 1.77 1.59 JONES 39,001 44,218 45,666 45,628 1.26 0.62 -0.02 0.31 LUNA 14,581 18,091 19,326 20,697 2.18 1.26 1.45 1.35 MACONACON 3,721 3,615 4,253 3,977 -0.29 3.14 -1.40 0.96 DELFIN ALBANO 23,619 25,422 26,614 29,928 0.74 0.88 2.50 1.64 (Magsaysay) 25,918 28,345 30,459 32,208 0.90 1.38 1.18 1.28 NAGUILIAN 26,285 29,491 31,902 33,788 1.16 1.51 1.22 1.37 PALANAN 15,317 16,094 17,260 17,684 0.50 1.34 0.51 0.95 QUEZON 20,090 24,522 25,860 27,037 2.01 1.02 0.94 0.98 19,986 22,285 24,501 25,023 1.09 1.82 0.44 1.16 RAMON 41,441 49,812 52,707 56,523 1.86 1.08 1.48 1.27 REINA MERCEDES 20,353 23,497 26,998 27,900 1.45 2.68 0.69 1.73 ROXAS 48,929 57,699 61,773 65,839 1.66 1.31 1.35 1.33 SAN AGUSTIN 19,927 21,797 22,880 22,096 0.90 0.93 -0.73 0.14 13,338 18,423 20,200 20,915 3.28 1.77 0.73 1.28 SAN ISIDRO 18,603 22,758 24,861 27,044 2.04 1.70 1.79 1.74 SAN MANUEL 27,059 30,407 31,896 34,085 1.17 0.91 1.41 1.15 SAN MARIANO 41,309 51,438 55,370 60,124 2.22 1.41 1.75 1.57 SAN MATEO 55,068 60,792 64,505 66,663 0.99 1.13 0.69 0.93 SAN PABLO 19,090 22,040 25,384 26,320 1.45 2.72 0.76 1.79 SANTA MARIA 20,115 22,939 25,382 25,758 1.32 1.94 0.31 1.16 CITY OF SANTIAGO 110,531 132,804 134,830 148,580 1.85 0.29 2.06 1.13 SANTO TOMAS 21,380 21,688 23,005 24,528 0.14 1.13 1.36 1.24 50,256 58,463 67,650 70,743 1.52 2.82 0.94 1.92 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Cauayan (2.16 percent) and City of Santiago (2.06 percent) were among the five fastest growing towns in the province. (Table 2) Meanwhile, the municipality of Maconacon posted a negative growth rate (–1.40 percent) from 2015 to 2020. The same was recorded for the municipalities of San Agustin (-0.73 percent) and Jones (-0.02 percent). Also among the municipalities with

3

the lowest population growth rates were Benito Soliven (0.09 percent) and Cabatuan (0.31 percent). There are 1,055 barangays in the province of Isabela as of 2020 and among these, two barangays of Santiago City, Rizal and Rosario had the largest population size, 14,362 and 12,399 respectively. San Fermin and District I of Cauayan City followed with 12,047 and 11,355 respectively. Barangay Batal and Plaridel of Santiago City, Cabaruan, Cauayan City, Imelda Bliss Village and Alibagu of City of Ilagan, and Bugallon Norte of Ramon completes the list of top ten most populous barangays in the province. (Table 2)

Table 2. TEN MOST POPULOUS BARANGAY: ISABELA, 2020

Total City/Municipality and Barangay Population

Rizal, Santiago City 14,362 Rosario, Santiago City 12,399 San Fermin, Cauayan City 12,047 District I (Pob.), Cauayan City 11,355 Batal, Santiago City 9,009 Cabaruan, Cauayan City 8,244 Imelda Bliss Village, City of Ilagan 7,951 Alibagu, City of Ilagan 7,916 Plaridel, Santiago City 7,377 Bugallon Proper (Pob.), Ramon 7,335

Table 3. TEN LEAST POPULOUSD BARANGAY: ISABELA, 2020

Total City/Municipality and Barangay Population

Catalina, Cauayan City 99 Cassap Fuera, Cauayan City 105 Sisim Abajo, Tumauini 108 Uauang-Tuliao, Santo Tomas 113 Canadam, Maconacon 150 Fugu Sur, Tumauini 169 Diana, Maconacon 192 Carabatan Bacareno, City of Cauayan 204 Carikkikan Sur, City of Ilagan 208 Dibulos, Divilacan 211

With 99 persons, Catalina in the City of Cauayan is Isabela's smallest barangay. It was followed by Cassap Fuera, City of Cauayan (105), Sisim Abajo, Tumauini (108), Uauang Tuliao, Santo Tomas (113), and Canadam, Maconacon (150), Fugu Sur, Tumauini (169), Diana, Maconacon (192), Carabatan Bacareno, City of Cauayan (204),

4

Carikkikan Sur, City of Ilagan (208) and Dibulos, Divilacan (211) comprise the rest of the ten least populous barangays in the province. (Table 3)

Proclamation No. 928 s. 2020 designated May 2020 as National Census Month, stating that the 2020 Census of Population would be held in May 2020, with May 1, 2020 as the reference date. Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the census enumeration has been postponed until September 2020. However, information on the population count was collected using 12:01 AM on May 1, 2020 as the reference time and date, as stipulated by Batas Pambansa Bilang 72. Under Proclamation No. 1179 President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has proclaimed the country’s population counts official for all purposes on 06 July 2021,

JULIUS M. EMPERADOR Chief Statistical Specialist

5