Central Region Physical Framework Plan 65

Demographic Profile and Economic Trends

POPULATION PROFILE comparable in terms of population size. Both provinces account for 20 percent each of the total Current Trends regional population. , which is the smallest province in in terms of land area, Population Levels and Growth accounts for only 1 percent of the region’s population. (see Figure 6) Central Visayas is the fifth most populous Data shows that ’s share of the region in the . The 2000 census regional population has been steadily increasing estimates the population of Central Visayas to be a little over 5.7 million, which is about 7.5 percent of the country’s total population. More than 1.1 Figure 5. Population growth rates million people was added to the total population of the region since 1990. If the current rate of 3.5 growth remains, the region's population is 3.0 expected to double to 11.4 million by year 2031. (see Map 30) 2.5 On the average, the regional population 2.0 grew at an annual rate of 2.25 percent in the projections seventies, 1.95 percent in the eighties, and 2.19 1.5 percent in the nineties. Compared to the other regions in the country, Central Visayas has one of 1.0 the lowest population growth rates, even lower '60-70 '80-90 '00-10 '20-30 than the national averages of 2.18 percent, 2.35 Phil C. Visayas percent and 2.34 percent, respectively, during the same periods. (see Figure 5) Source: NSO The high out-migration rate in Central Visayas has helped regulate the population growth rate of the region. Despite the presence of , which is considered the busiest Figure 6. Distribution of population by province, urban center outside Metro , Central 2000 Visayas as a whole remains an out-migration area in the country. Siquijor Or. Neg. 20% 1% Population Distribution 20%

Provincial Distribution. The population in Central Visayas is distributed somewhat unevenly among its provinces. Cebu accounts for more than half or 59 percent of the region’s population Cebu while the remaining 41 percent is distributed 59% among the other three provinces of the region. Although Oriental Negros is a lot bigger than Source: 2000 Census of Population, NSO Bohol in terms of land area, the two are 66 Demographic Profile and Economic Trends

Map 30. Population Distribution Central Visayas Region Physical Framework Plan 67 while those of the other provinces has been Concentration of people is heaviest in decreasing. This was due more to the high areas with a port and near the provincial capital. natural growth rate of Cebu than to migration. The distribution pattern of the region's population Cebu has the highest population growth rate in shows that accessibility to trading partners and the region. On the other hand, studies conducted other economic opportunities is a major factor in by the Cebu SEED Project and the Office of decisions of people where to settle. Population Studies of the reveal that Cebu province and Metro Cebu Population Age Structure are net out-migration areas. Within Metro Cebu, the areas adjacent to The region has a relatively young the principal cities of Cebu and population with almost 50 percent of the experienced rapid population growth. Limitations population below 20 years of age. From 1990 to for expansion in the uplands of and 2000, this pattern has not changed much. Mandaue City led to the building up of population in areas along the coast of Metro Cebu including More than half or 58 percent of the regional Island. The population of City, population belongs to the productive or working Talisay City, , Liloan, Compostela age group (15-64 years), up from 56 percent in and Cordova increased tremendously in 1990- 1990. A decreasing share or 37 percent, from 39 2000 while Cebu City and Mandaue City, which percent a decade ago, belongs to the younger serve as the urban core of Metro Cebu, age group (0-14 years). About 5.0 percent, up registered much slower population growths in from 4.4 percent in 1990, belongs to the elderly 1990-2000 than in 1980-1990. group (65 years and over). The increase in the median age of the regional population from 19 in 1985 to 21 in 2000 indicates that the population is Population Density. The population density of progressively getting older. the region rose steadily over the years. From 253 persons per square kilometer in 1980, the At the sub-regional level, the population population density of Central Visayas reached age structure of the provinces and their historical 307 persons per square kilometer in 1990 and trends closely resemble that of the region. 382 persons per square kilometer in 2000. This Majority and an increasing proportion of the makes Central Visayas the third most densely provinces' inhabitants belong to the working age populated region in the country, next to the group; about a third and a decreasing proportion National Capital Region and Central Luzon. (see belong to the younger age group; and less than Map 31) 10 percent are 65 years old and above. Among the region's provinces, Cebu is the Siquijor on the whole has a relatively older most densely populated province with 660 population compared to the other provinces of the persons living on each square kilometer of land. region. This means that Siquijor has a large Within Cebu province, however, more than half of number of elderly people. The proportion of the the provincial population live in Metro Cebu, the elderly in Siquijor is more than double the country's second biggest . In proportion of elderly in Cebu, which has the 2000, Metro Cebu had a population density of smallest percentage of population aged 65 years 2,186 persons per sq. km., up from a density of and above. 1,856 in 1990. The impact of the ageing of the region's Bohol with less than half of the population population is evident in the overall age density of Cebu province remains the second dependency ratio. The increase in the population most densely populated province in the region of the working age group has resulted in the with a population density of 277 persons per sq. decrease of the age dependency ratio of Central km. Oriental Negros and Siquijor have population Visayas from 83 dependents for every 100 densities lower than the national average of 255 working age persons in 1980 to 71 dependents in persons per square kilometer in 2000. In general, 2000 (63 young dependents and eight old the three provinces' coastal municipalities that dependents). A decreasing age dependency ratio face the island of Cebu and have is expected to help spur economic growth by relatively high population densities. improving the people's capacity to save. Among 68 Demographic Profile and Economic Trends

Map 31. Population Density Central Visayas Region Physical Framework Plan 69 the region's provinces, Cebu and Siquijor had the lowest dependency ratios (69) followed by Bohol Figure 7. Distribution of movers by province, 2000 (73), and Oriental Negros (76).

Migration Siquijor

Despite the presence of Cebu City which is the second most important growth center in the Or. Neg. country next to , Central Visayas remains an out-migration point in the Philippines. Cebu In 1985-1990, the region registered a negative net migration rate suggesting that the region was Bohol losing more people to other areas in the country than gaining people. Better economic 0% 50% 100% opportunities in other areas was viewed as the major push factor for the region's people to move Within prov Other prov Abroad out of Central Visayas. Source: 2000 Census of Population, NSO Within the provinces of the region, lowland to upland migration still continues, contributing to the degradation of the region's forest areas. Limited available resources in the lowlands due to Short-distance moves (moves within the rapid growth of population is a major factor province) are more prevalent in Cebu than in any propelling people to establish settlements in the other province in the region. In 1995-2000, about uplands and to develop these areas which are half of the movers in Cebu came from another supposed to be protected. city or municipality in Cebu province. On the other hand, inter-provincial moves (long-distance moves) dominate in the three other provinces of Distribution of Migrants. Over half (52.1 the region. In Siquijor and Bohol, 8 of 10 and 7 of percent) of the moves made by the people of 10 movers in 2000 came from other provinces in Central Visayas between 1995-2000 were long the country. (see Figure 7) distance moves (from other provinces) and 44.6 percent were local (within the same province). While Metro Cebu is perceived as the About 3.3 percent of the movers/migrants came preferred destination of intra-regional rural-urban from abroad. While the overall moving rates have migration, a recent study conducted by the Office not changed substantially over the past decades, of Population Studies of the University of San there has been noted a decrease in the Carlos for the Cebu SEED Project shows that percentage of moves made within the same Metro Cebu as a whole has become a net-out- province (local or short-distance moves) and a migration area. That is, there were more people corresponding increase in the percentage of who moved out of the metropolis in 2000 than moves between provinces (long-distance moves). those who moved in. Of the ten (10) cities and In 2000, 44.6 percent of all moves were local, municipalities comprising Metro Cebu, the study down from 57.4 percent in 1980. Similarly, in shows that only the city of Mandaue and the 2000, 52.1 percent of all moves were between municipalities of Liloan and Cordova, all located provinces, up from 40.4 percent in 1980. north of Cebu City, are in-migration areas. The rest are experiencing population outflow. More than half (53 percent) of the movers in Central Visayas were females. In all the Future Trends provinces in Central Visayas, female movers outnumbered male movers. There were more Population Levels and Growth females than males who moved within the same province and between provinces in the country. Males, on the other hand, were much more likely The population of Central Visayas is than females to have come to the region from estimated to be around 6.6 million in 2010, 7.4 abroad. million in 2020 and 8.3 million in 2030. This 70 Demographic Profile and Economic Trends entails a steady decline in the annual growth of migrating to other regions as a result of better the region's population from 2.19 in the period economic opportunities in Central Visayas' 1990-2000 to 1.43 percent in the period 2000- provinces, and a surge of migrants from other 2010, 1.23 percent in 2010-2020 and 1.11 areas in the country. percent in 2020-2030. This means that Central Migration outside the country is also Visayas will be one of the moderate growing projected to escalate as strong demand for regions in the country in terms of population. health and other professionals abroad will entice Assuming that the share of Metro Cebu to many people to go out of the country to seek the total regional population will not change better paying jobs. significantly, the region's principal urban Within the region, rural-urban migration will settlement will have around 2.5 million inhabitants continue but migration to Metro Cebu will not be by 2030. Growth of population in the northern as intense as in the past years as other urban and southern corridors of Metro Cebu is expected centers will develop in the other provinces. The to accelerate as Metro Cebu's urban core areas in and around City in Bohol and centered in Cebu City becomes saturated. City in Oriental Negros are especially anticipated to account for an increasing share of Provincial Distribution the prospective migrants to urban centers.

Unless measures are vigorously instituted The distribution of the regional population to depopulate and protect the upland and forestal across provinces is not expected to change areas from further encroachment by illegal substantially although the Province of Bohol settlers, migration from the lowlands to the which is aggressively being promoted as site for uplands is projected to persist. tourism-related investments, will start to emerge as an alternative to Cebu for employment and economic opportunities. The diversification of economic activities in Bohol as it develops its URBANIZATION AND SETTLEMENTS tourism industry is projected to attract an increasing number of migrants leading to a higher Current Trends population growth rate for the province, possibly exceeding Cebu's population growth rate and the Urban-Rural Growth and Distribution of regional average in the next ten (10) to twenty Population (20) years. Despite the slowing down of its population Majority of the population (54%) in Central growth rate, Cebu will continue to account for the Visayas still resides in the rural areas. Results of biggest share of the region's population because the 2000 census, however, indicate that the of a wide population base. Meanwhile, Oriental region as a whole is becoming more urbanized Negros and Bohol will account for one-fifth each with the urban population now accounting for of the regional population but the disparity in their almost half (46%) of the total regional population, population densities will further widen as the up from only 40 percent in 1990. From 1970- latter's population expands more rapidly than the 2000, the urban population of Central Visayas former. grew at an average annual rate of 3.8 percent while the rural population grew at a much slower Migration pace of 1.1 percent. The period 1980-1990 were years of rapid The region is projected to remain an out- urbanization in the region. During this period, the migration area in the country at least up to year urban population of Central Visayas grew by 2020, despite the continued development of more than 50 percent. This remarkable growth Metro Cebu as a major urban center in the could be attributed to the industrialization thrust of country next to Metro Manila. The expansion of the government that saw many new businesses economic activities in the region especially in the and economic activities rising in the region. areas of tourism and IT industries however is Although not as rapid as in the previous expected to lead to less and less people decade, the region's urban population during the Central Visayas Region Physical Framework Plan 71 period 1990-2000 still grew by 43 percent. This indicates that many people continue to flock to Figure 8. Urbanization Level: 1980, 1990, 2000 the urban areas, perhaps because of limited economic opportunities in the rural areas. 70 Property developers took advantage of the 60 growing demand for housing in the urban areas 50 during the last decade by accelerating the 40 implementation of residential real estate projects in many of the large urban centers in the region. 30 Cebu continued to account for most of the 20 housing and land development projects in the 10 region. 0 The increasing urbanization of the region, Bohol Cebu Or. Neg. Siquijor however, is not shared by its provinces. Except for Cebu, the region's provinces showed lower 1980 1990 2000 levels of urbanization in 2000 compared to 1990. This contrasted with the situation during the 1970-1990 period wherein an increasing level of urbanization was noted in all the provinces. This almost exclusively located on the coasts and are suggests that most of the urbanization happening historically linked by sea transport. Most of them in the region in the last decade was centered in develop from being trading centers serving the Cebu at the expense of other provinces. Cebu agricultural hinterlands. The small size and accounted for 80 percent of the total regional production of the hinterlands coupled with the urban population in 2000, up from 76 percent in topographical constraints on land transportation 1970. Within the province, Metro Cebu accounted led to the development of a large number of for a lion's share (77 percent) of Cebu's urban relatively small urban centers, scattered population. (see Figure 8) throughout the region. Except for Metro Cebu and a few cities and municipalities, the region's In 2000, more than 60 percent of Cebu's urban settlements have population of less than population were already living in the urban areas. one-fifth of the total population of the municipality. In fact, Cebu is the only province in Central Visayas where majority of the population lives in Almost all of the urban expansion the urban areas. In contrast, Bohol and Oriental happening in the municipalities in the past years Negros had more than three-fourths of their occurred in the poblaciones. Considered as the population living in the rural areas. Siquijor most suitable areas for rapid urban development, remained predominantly rural with more than 90 the poblaciones are expected to accommodate percent of its population living in the rural areas, most future expansion in urban population at the up from around 88 percent in 1990. local level. The agricultural areas in and around the poblaciones are thus most likely to be the first Settlements Structure to be subjected to land use conversion.

As in the other parts of the country, each Metro Cebu. Metro Cebu is the principal urban municipality in Central Visayas has a small-scale settlement in Central Visayas. Consisting of four town-like urban settlement with the “” as (4) cities and six (6) municipalities, this the core. Almost without exception, the poblacion metropolitan area is home to more than 60 consists of a city/ municipal hall, a church, a percent of the region's urban inhabitants. It also public plaza, a public market, schools, retail has the largest share of urban sprawl which outlets and small vendor shops. Rural banks or stretches from Compostela in the north to Naga in commercial banks are also common the South. No metropolitan area of intermediate establishments in the poblacion of cities and size has developed next to Metro Cebu. larger municipalities. Due to topographical constraints, linear Being a region composed of island expansion of urban development has occurred provinces, the region's urban settlements are following the coastline. There is now a 42- 72 Demographic Profile and Economic Trends kilometer continuous built-up strip along the to rapid conversion of many of the agricultural coastal road from Compostela to Naga. While lands in and around these areas into industrial central and upland expansion of settlements is and non-agricultural uses. This has generated noticeable in Cebu City, this is limited due to concern on its impact on food sufficiency/security. physical constraints. Linear growth along the coast is expected to continue in Metro Cebu. Indigenous Peoples Being the second largest urban center of the country, Metro Cebu has practically all of the The rights and well-being of “Indigenous facilities and services found in Metro Manila. Peoples” (IPs) are protected by special laws. In These facilities are accessed not only by the particular, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act residents of the region but also by people from (IPRA) of 1997 recognizes the rights of IPs to the other regions in Visayas and Mindanao. ancestral domain and lands, to self-governance High population density has brought about and empowerment, to social justice and human various social and environmental problems in rights, and to cultural integrity. Metro Cebu. The metropolitan area is faced with The term "indigenous peoples" refers to the problems on lack of basic infrastructure, more than 12 million descendants of the original proliferation of squatter settlements, traffic inhabitants of the Philippines who have managed congestion, pollution, and increasing volume of to resist centuries of colonization, and in the garbage. One of the strategies initiated by the process, have retained their own customs, Central Visayas Regional Development Council traditions and life ways. (RDC) to address these problems was the creation of a Metro Cebu Development Council In Central Visayas, the indigenous people (MCDC) whose primary function was to constitutes a very small percentage of the coordinate planning, project implementation and region’s total population. Many of them are monitoring of Metro Cebu-wide programs and actually not natives of the region but are projects. However, due to absence of a legal migrants from other areas in the Visayas and personality and authority and operated only on Mindanao. voluntary basis, the MCDC did not prosper and As of 2004, 40,519 indigenous peoples has remained non-functional. have established pockets of communities in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Oriental Negros. Two tribes, namely, the Magahats and Bukidnons Other Urban Areas. The other important urban have established themselves in several centers in the region are the capital cities of municipalities of Oriental Negros. The Eskayas Tagbilaran and Dumaguete. These cities owe a are the dominant tribe in Bohol followed by the larger part of their growth to their status as Badjaos and Aetas or Atis, who likewise have provincial administrative centers. established communities in Cebu province. Other than Tagbilaran City in Bohol and The Aetas in Naga, Cebu are located in a Dumaguete City in Oriental Negros, the facilities foreshore area of South Poblacion. About two and service capacity of urban centers outside years ago, with the assistance of the National Metro Cebu are quite limited. Nonetheless, about Commission for the Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), twelve (12) of them can be considered relatively the Aetas applied with the Department of large with a substantial urban population. These Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for are the cities of Danao and Toledo, and the the declaration of their present location as municipalities of Bogo, , Madridejos, resettlement site. The application is still pending Medellin, Sta. Fe in Cebu; the municipalities of with the DENR. (see Map 32) Candijay, and Dauis in Bohol; and the city of and the municipalities of The Badjaos in Cebu City are squatters and in Oriental Negros. The Cities of occupying the foreshore area in Alaska, and in Oriental Negros, and Mambaling, Cebu City. Since fishing is their Talisay City (a part of Metro Cebu) were recently primary means of livelihood, their resettlement elevated into cities in 2000 and 2001. site should be located near the sea. An island near Cordova, Cebu is being considered for a Increasing land requirements due to resettlement site. However, the local government continuous expansion of the urban areas has led has yet to consider and approve the proposal. Central Visayas Region Physical Framework Plan 73

Map 32. Indigenous People Settlements, 2004 74 Demographic Profile and Economic Trends

The Eskayas are located in five REGIONAL ECONOMY municipalities of Bohol province, namely, Guindulman, Sierra Bullones, Duero, Pilar and Gross Regional Domestic Product Candijay. They have established settlement sites in areas classified as ancestral domains. Most of their ancestral domain claims have been applied Central Visayas owes its economic for ancestral domain titling. structure to the fact that it has limited agricultural productive land. Unlike that in most regions in the The Magahats and Bukidnons live in the country, the economy of Central Visayas is hinterlands and forest areas of Oriental Negros. dominated not by agriculture but by services and The Magahats are clustered in few barangays in industry. For the past twelve years (1990 – 2002), and Bais City, while the Bukidnons are the industry and service sectors accounted for not located in some villages in Bayawan, less than 29 percent and 52 percent of the , , , Canlaon, Sta. region’s Gross Regional Domestic Product Catalina, Tanjay and La Libertad. These tribal (GRDP), respectively. Agriculture’s contribution groups wish to formally claim ownership over to the total value of goods and services produced currently occupied lands. The tedious in Central Visayas, on the other hand, has documentation to prove ancestral claim, however, decreased from 16 percent in 1990 to 13 percent has delayed the issuance of the certificate for in 2002. (see Table 10) ancestral domains claims. While the region continues to export The presence of indigenous cultural traditional products produced by the agriculture communities in the region has raised concerns sector (crude coconut oil and copra products), pertaining to: (1) identification of permanent non-traditional commodities particularly industrial resettlement sites, and (2) facilitating the and consumer goods are the top dollar earners of conversion of ancestral domain certificates to the region. Within the industry sector, certificate of ancestral domain titles. manufacturing has established itself as the dominant industrial activity. This is followed by Future Trends construction, which accounts for about 28 percent of the region’s total industrial output. Urbanization The closure of the Atlas Mining and Development Corporation in Toledo City (Cebu), Although Metro Cebu will remain the which used to be the biggest copper mining primary urban center of Central Visayas, the company in Asia, significantly affected the other major urban centers in the region, namely productivity of the mining sector. Until the early Tagbilaran City and Dumaguete City, are nineties, copper concentrate was the leading expected to experience rapid urbanization and to export product of Central Visayas and mining was play significant roles in the socio-economic the region's second largest industry. With the development of the region's provinces. In closure of Atlas Mines, the contribution of the addition, the other cities in the region, the mining industry to total regional output has municipalities/cities adjacent to and facing Metro become insignificant. Cebu, the municipalities with major ports and those being developed or planned to be Among the sub-sectors of the service developed as growth points/centers are sector, trade is the most dominant sector. The anticipated to register faster urbanization rates strategic location of Central Visayas in the than other areas in the region. The facilities in Philippine archipelago makes the region attractive these areas and their service capacities will have for trade activities. Statistics show that trade to be enlarged and strengthened to keep up with accounted for approximately 31 percent of the the anticipated increase in demand. total regional output. With more than one-eighth of the country’s trade output coming from Central Cebu will continue to account for most of Visayas, the region is the third largest contributor the region's urban population in 2030 with more to the country’s trade output. than 60 percent of them living in Metro Cebu. Bohol and Oriental Negros together will account Another sector, which is fast becoming an for 15-20 percent of the region's urban economic driver for the region, is the e-services population. Siquijor will still be basically rural. and information and communication technology Central Visayas Region Physical Framework Plan 75

(ICT) sector. Internet cafés, Internet service Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased providers, IT training institutions, and offshore over time. Central Visayas now accounts for outsourcing IT-enabled services providers (i.e. approximately 7.2 percent of the country’s GDP call centers, medical transcriptionists, data (2002) compared to only about 6.5 percent in digitizers) have abounded in the region's major 1990. urban areas in the past years indicating that Central Visayas is in the forefront of the country’s Per Capita GRDP efforts to expand the ICT industry and become the e-services hub in Asia. In general, the per capita GRDP of Central On the average, the regional economy Visayas improved in the last 10 years, an grew at an annual rate of 3.9 percent in 1990- indication that the regional economy grew faster 2002. This was higher than the average growth than the growth of population. rate of the Philippine economy of 3.2 percent per annum for the same period. In absolute terms, Except in 1997-1998 when the economy the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) of was barely growing, the per capita GRDP of the Central Visayas rose from P 47.2 billion in 1990 region grew by not less than 1.5 percent. The to P 74.9 billion in 2002, or almost double in 12 highest growth recorded was in 1999-2000 at 8.7 years. percent. This was also the period when the region saw the fastest economic expansion since 1988. In terms of the region’s contribution to the (see Table 11) total goods and services produced in the country, statistics show that the region’s share to the

Table 10 Gross Regional Domestic Product by Industrial Origin Percent Distribution, 1998 – 2002 (At Constant 1985 Prices)

Industry 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Agriculture, Fishery, Forestry 13.40 13.62 12.69 12.91 12.88

Agriculture and Fishery 13.36 13.60 12.67 12.89 12.88 Forestry 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.00

Industry 31.78 31.72 33.74 33.12 32.55

Mining and Quarrying 1.51 1.24 1.18 1.00 0.83 Manufacturing 20.40 20.44 20.23 19.95 20.06 Construction 6.98 6.56 9.52 9.43 8.94 Electricity, Gas, Water 2.89 2.88 2.81 2.74 2.72

Services 54.82 55.26 53.57 53.98 54.57

Transport, Communication & Storage 6.55 6.54 6.49 6.57 6.79 Trade 28.93 29.77 29.25 30.08 30.58 Finance 2.34 2.36 2.21 2.15 2.15 Ownership of Dwelling & Real Estate 6.39 6.20 5.73 5.45 5.31 Private Services 7.38 7.29 6.99 7.01 7.07 Government Services 3.24 3.11 2.90 2.71 2.67

Gross Regional Domestic Product 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

Source: National Statistical Coordination Board Estimates are as of July 2003 76 Demographic Profile and Economic Trends

Provincial Economic Structure

Table 11 Philippines and Central Visayas GRDP, 1990 – 2002 Although Central Visayas as a whole is At Constant 1985 Prices one of the fastest growing regions in the country, the bulk of its economic activities, specifically the Year Philippines Central Visayas industrial and service activities, are concentrated in Cebu, notably Metro Cebu. It is estimated that Gross Domestic Product Cebu accounts for 80 percent of all the industrial (In Million Pesos) output in the region, while the remaining 20 1990 720,690 47,193 percent is accounted for by the rest of the 1991 716,522 46,971 provinces. This situation has remained 1992 718,941 47,086 unchanged for several years even with the 1993 734,156 47,757 development of other urban centers in the region. 1994 766,368 49,663 1995 802,224 52,327 1996 849,121 56,615 Cebu. The center of economic activities in the 1997 893,151 59,926 province is Metro Cebu, where majority of the 1998 888,001 61,174 1999 918,162 63,341 population is also concentrated. The influence of 2000 972,961 68,715 Metro is not only confined in the province but 2001 1,001,715 71,671 extends to the other provinces in Visayas and 2002 1,046,083 74,895 Mindanao. As the premier industrial, commercial and service center in Central Visayas, Metro Growth Rates of GDP Cebu is host to various manufacturing industries, (In Percent) shopping centers, educational institutions, 1990-1991 (0.6) (0.5) financial institutions, and other service-oriented 1991-1992 0.3 0.2 institutions that cater not only to the needs of the 1992-1993 2.1 1.4 people in the region but also those from other 1993-1994 4.4 4.0 provinces in Southern Philippines. 1994-1995 4.7 5.4 1995-1996 5.8 8.2 Of the eight proclaimed Special Economic 1996-1997 5.2 5.8 Zones (SEZ) in the region, five are located in 1997-1998 (0.6) 2.1 Metro Cebu. The remaining three SEZ are in 1998-1999 3.4 3.5 Danao City, and Bogo, all in Cebu. 1999-2000 6.0 8.5 2000-2001 3.0 4.3 Manufacturing activities in the province 2001-2002 4.4 4.5 used to be mainly of the light and medium type of industries until the West Cebu Industrial Park in Per Capita GDP Balamban, which house two shipbuilding (In Pesos) companies, started operations in 1993. Less 1990 11,722 10,224 than a decade after the first locally-made tricat- 1991 11,397 9,992 catamaran and bulk carrier were launched, fast 1992 11,188 9,838 ferries and bulk carriers have become important 1993 10,961 9,464 export products of the province. Other major 1994 11,168 9,621 exports of Cebu are electronics, other industrial 1995 11,417 9,914 goods, electrical equipment, and furniture. The 1996 11,810 10,500 first three (3) products are mainly produced inside 1997 12,147 10,884 1998 11,816 10,885 the Mactan Economic Zone. 1999 11,958 11,046 Aside from the shipbuilding companies in 2000 12,670 12,005 Balamban, the Mitsumi Cebu Inc., manufacturer 2001 12,746 12,256 of electronic parts, is another important employer 2002 13,006 12,537 outside Metro Cebu. It is one of the largest single manufacturing enterprise in the country in terms Source: National Statistical Coordination Board of employment. This firm, located in Danao City, north of Metro Cebu, employs around 17,600 workers. Central Visayas Region Physical Framework Plan 77

Service industries that support tourism are also produced in the province. The Ubay Stock equally important in Cebu’s economy. Most of Farm, which is the largest livestock-breeding the country’s major shipping lines are based in center in the country, is located in Bohol. Cebu. These include WG&A, Sulpicio Lines and Meanwhile, fishing is conducted along most of its Gothong Lines, which ply the Luzon-Visayas, offshore areas. The fishing industry consists of intra-Visayas and Visayas-Mindanao routes. deep-sea fishing, municipal fishing and inland Allied with the vibrant tourism industry is the fishing. expansion of financial services. Metro Cebu The market of Bohol products has gone hosts branches of all banks with services in Metro beyond its neighboring provinces. There are Manila. Among the international banks operating several products in the province that directly find in the province are Hong Kong Shanghai Banking their way to the world market. These are the Corporation (HSBC), Standard Chartered Bank, starch produced by the Philippine Starch and Citibank. Industrial Corporation and the limestone from the Worthy of mention also is the proliferation Philippine Sinter Corporation. Both products are of information and communications technology exported to Taiwan. enterprises in the province. Cebu is reputed to The central business district is Tagbilaran have one of the highest densities of Internet City, the provincial capital, although business also users in the country. It has over 30 Internet thrives in other growth centers of Ubay, Tubigon, Service Providers and almost all institutions of Talibon, Carmen and Jagna. Aside from being higher learning in the province offer IT courses. the center of commercial activities, Tagbilaran City is also the center of education in the province Bohol. While Bohol is predominantly an where quality tertiary education is offered. agricultural province, home-based industries, which are mostly of the micro and cottage types, Oriental Negros. Like that of Bohol, the play a vital role in its economy. Tourism is economy of Oriental Negros is largely agri-based. another industry, which is increasingly gaining However, while agricultural activities in the former influence on the province’s economy. There are is focused on the cultivation of food crops, that of visible signs that Bohol is a growing favorite the latter is more of the plantation type focused destination not only of domestic but also of on commercial crops like sugarcane and coconut. foreign tourists. Thus, among its major exports are copra and The earliest and most dominant sugar molasses. Bais City, 45 kilometers north of manufacturing industry in Bohol is the handicraft its provincial capital accounts for many of the industry particularly loomweaving. This can be sugar mills that process the bulk of the sugarcane observed in nine coastal and hinterland produced by the province. municipalities west of the province with Inabanga The province is not only known for its vast as the anchor municipality for the industry. This sugarcane plantation, the capital town of century-old industry is, however, being Dumaguete City has also established its threatened by the dwindling of resources used as reputation as a University Town and home of one raw materials. Thus, to sustain the activities in of the oldest universities in the country, the the area, programs to replenish the raw materials Silliman University. Major universities, colleges have to be implemented. Other industrial and training institutions are located in products of Bohol are fashion accessories, Dumaguete. Tourism is also a growing industry shellcraft, woodcraft, processed food, ceramic in the province. Dolphin and whale watching, craft, hand-made paper and novelty items. scuba diving, mountain trekking, and world-class Bohol as the food source of Central golf courses are among its tourist attractions. Visayas devotes around 45 percent of its land The province has identified two sites for area to agriculture. Palay, one of its principal special economic zone development. One is in crops, is grown all over the province though it Bais City (Bais City Ecozone) and the other is in shows some concentration in the central portion the adjacent city of Tanjay (Polo Ecocity Special of the island. Coconut, another major agricultural Economic Zone). If proclaimed by the President, product of the province, is planted in 36 percent the two would be among the first special of its agricultural area. Livestock and poultry are economic zones outside Cebu. 78 Demographic Profile and Economic Trends

Siquijor. Siquijor with its limited land area is not EMPLOYMENT a significant producer of agricultural crops. Agricultural productivity in the province is even Labor Force declining due to unwise use of land. As a result, it depends on neighboring provinces for food The working-age population of Central supply. Visayas in 2003 was estimated at 3.9 million. They constituted 63 percent of the region's total Since Siquijor has no city, the industrial population. About 2.5 million joined the labor activities in the province are limited to the force during the year for a labor force poblaciones of Larena and Siquijor, the provincial participation rate of 65.4 percent. Sixty-one (61) capital. The province has strong links with percent of the region's labor force were males Dumaguete City, being once a part of Oriental and 39 percent were females. Negros. Thus, the industrial and business firms in Dumaguete City service not only Oriental Negros Data reveal that from 1993-2003, the size but the province of Siquijor as well. of the region’s labor force grew less rapidly compared to that of the country. During the Fishing and tourism, which are still period, the labor force of Central Visayas grew at underdeveloped, are the potential economic an average of 1.9 percent annually while that of drivers of Siquijor. Its major fishing grounds the Philippines grew at 2.7 percent. include the Siquijor Sea, South Tañon Strait, Bohol Strait, and Mindanao Sea. In tourism, among its attractions are the 201-year old stone Total Employment, Unemployment and church convent, pristine beaches and caves. Underemployment

Total employed persons in 2003 stood at 2.2 million, thus placing the employment rate and unemployment rate of the region at 88.2 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, during the year. Table 12 Data shows that the employment situation in the Employment Indicators region has deteriorated over the last couple of Philippines and Central Visayas: 2003 years. Where the regional employment rate hovered above 90 percent during the period Indicator Philippines Central Visayas 1993-1998, it went down to 88 to 89 percent from 1998 to 2003. Correspondingly, the (In Thousands) unemployment rate has gone up and has remained double-digit since 1998. Total Pop’n 15 years and over 52,305 3,854 Employed in Underemployment in the region exhibited Agriculture 11,741 738 an erratic trend in the past 10 years. Starting in Industry 4,948 438 1997 though, it has never gone down below 10 Services 14,865 1,045 percent. As a proportion to total employment,

(In Percent) underemployment in 2003 was estimated at 11.2 percent. Only about 56 percent of those who Labor Force Participation Rate 67.1 65.4 wanted more work were actually working for less Employment Rate 89.8 88.2 than 40 hours a week. About 44 percent had Unemployment Rate 10.2 11.8 already full time jobs (work at least 8 hours). Underemployment Rate 11.2 Visible Underemployment Rate 9.7 6.3 (see Table 12)

Sectoral Employment Note: Data were taken from final results of the October 2003 rounds of Labor Force Survey using past week as reference period Source: National Statistics Office Agriculture has lost its dominance in the regional economy in terms of total employment. The sector which used to be the biggest employer Central Visayas Region Physical Framework Plan 79 of the region now lags behind the service sector areas. Underemployment in the rural areas is in terms of providing employment opportunities to caused by the seasonality of farm activities as the people in Central Visayas. well as by the great imbalance between the From 46.6 percent in 1993, the share of number of people living in the area and available agriculture to the total regional employment went land and other resources for their use. In the down to 33.2 percent in 2003. In contrast, the urban centers, underemployment is largely share of services increased from 34.7 percent in caused by the desire of workers to have 1993 to 47.0 percent in 2003, making it the additional jobs to cope with the rising cost of biggest employer in Central Visayas. living in urban centers. Employment in the industry sector also expanded to account for 19.7 percent of total regional Provincial Employment employment in 2003, up from 18.7 percent in 1993. Cebu, where most of the population in the Employment statistics suggest that during region is concentrated, has also the most number periods of economic recession, people tend to go of the working-age population. In 2002, about 2.2 back to working in agriculture. In 1992, after the million people (63 percent) in Cebu were 15 years regional economy experienced a negative growth, old or older. agriculture’s share to total regional employment While Cebu had the most number of rose. The same trend was observed in 1997 and population aged 15 years and over, it had one of in 2000-2001 when the country was hit by the lowest labor force participation rate in the economic and political crisis. It seems like region. Siquijor had the highest labor force agriculture is the least vulnerable to economic participation rate of 70.9 percent. Labor force shocks, specifically in terms of providing participation rate is higher in areas where employment. agriculture is the primary economic activity. This may be due to the labor intensive nature of Urban-Rural Employment activities in the agriculture areas.

Majority of the workers in Siquijor are In 2002, majority of the unemployed engaged in agricultural production while only workers could be found in the urban areas. about one-third of the workers are employed in Unemployment in the rural areas had always been lower compared to that in the urban areas. From 1993-2002, the rural unemployment rate Table 13 had not gone higher than 10.5 percent. Urban- Rural Employment Indicators Meanwhile, the highest unemployment rate Central Visayas: 2002 recorded by the urban areas was 14.0 percent, which was registered in 2001 and 2002. Indicator Urban Rural The relatively higher unemployment rate in the urban areas could be the result of the (In Thousands) perception that more jobs could be had in the urban centers. Thus, many people looking for In the Labor Force 1,060 1,330 work trek to the urban centers where jobs were Employed Persons 912 1,211 Unemployed Persons 148 119 actually not enough given their existing skills. Underemployed Persons 101 128 This is evident by the rapid expansion of the labor force in urban areas. In 1993-2002, the average (In Percent) annual growth rate of the labor force in the urban Labor Force Participation 64.0 64.9 areas (2.1 percent) was almost double that in the Rate 86.0 91.1 rural areas (1.1 percent). (see Table 13) Employment Rate 14.0 8.9 On the other hand, underemployment is Unemployment Rate 11.1 10.6 Underemployment Rate generally more rampant in the rural areas although there were years (2000, 2001 and 2002) Note: Data were taken from final results of the October 2002 rounds when the underemployment rate in the urban of Labor Force Survey using past week as reference period areas either equaled or exceeded that in the rural Source: National Statistics Office 80 Demographic Profile and Economic Trends non-agricultural activities. In contrast, Cebu’s Cebu has the highest unemployment rate employment structure is less agricultural with among the provinces in the region. Apparently, more than 70 percent of its working population the number of jobs generated was not enough to engaged in non-agriculture related activities. meet demand. Also, reports show that many of Oriental Negros and Bohol’s workers meanwhile, the jobs that were generated could not be filled though still predominantly employed in because the labor force lacked the necessary agriculture, are gradually engaged in non- skills to do the job. (see Table 14) agriculture related activities.

Table 14 Provincial Employment Indicators Central Visayas: 2002

Indicator Bohol Cebu Oriental Negros Siquijor

(In Thousands)

Total Pop’n 15 years and over 724 2,195 733 53

Employed in:

Agriculture 213 299 251 23 Industry 70 294 48 3 Services 137 607 168 10

(In Percent)

Labor Force Participation Rate 63.5 63.5 68.2 70.9 Employment Rate 91.4 86.2 93.3 97.6 Unemployment Rate 8.6 13.8 6.7 2.4 Visible Underemployment Rate 7.4 4.6 9.0 22.9

Note: Data were taken from final results of the October 2002 rounds of Labor Force Survey using past week as reference period Source: National Statistics Office