Population of Cotabato City increased at the rate of 5.19 percent annually

Based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH), Cotabato City, an independent component city in Region XII whose province, Maguindanao, is under the jurisdication of ARMM, posted a total population of 271,786 persons as of May 1, 2010.  This is larger by 107,937 persons compared to its total population of 163,849 persons counted in the 2000 CPH.  The increase in the population count from 2000 to 2010 translated to an average annual population growth rate (PGR) of 5.19 percent.  This is higher than the 2.57 percent annual PGR of the city between the census years 1990 and 2000.

If the average annual PGR recorded at 5.19 percent during the period 2000 to 2010 continues, the population of Cotabato City would double in 13 years.

In 1970, the population of Cotabato City was only 61,184 persons.  This population size is more than one fifth of the population of the city in the 2010 CPH.

Bagua II was the most populous barangay

Among the 37 barangays comprising Cotabato City, Bagua II was the most populous.  Its population size was 7.1 percent of the total population of the city.  Poblacion came in second in terms of population size, with 6.9 percent share.  This was followed by Bagua with 6.6 percent, Poblacion VII with 5.7 percent, Kalanganan with 5.4 percent, and Rosary Heights and Rosary Heights X with 4.8 percent each.  The rest of the barangays contributed less than 4.0 percent each.

The least populated barangay was Tamontaka V with 0.9 percent share to the total population of the city.  In 2000, the least populated barangay was also Tamontaka V.

Sex ratio was 96 males per 100 females

Of the 271,609 household population in 2010, males accounted for 49.1 percent while females comprised 50.9 percent.  These figures resulted in a sex ratio of 96 males for every 100 females.  The recorded sex ratio in 2000 was 93 males per 100 females.

Median age increased to 21.6 years

In 2010, the median age of the population of the city was 21.6 years, which means that half of the population was younger than 21.6 years. This is higher than the median age of 21.0 years that was recorded in 2000.

Moreover, 35.1 percent of the household population were under 15 years old.  Children aged 5 to 9 years (12.2 percent) comprised the largest age group, followed by those in the age groups 10 to 14 years and 15 to 19 years (11.9 percent each).  Males outnumbered females in the age groups 0 to 9 years and 40 to 59 years. On the other hand, there were more females than males in the age groups 10 to 39 years and 60 years and over.

Nearly two thirds of the population were of voting age

The voting-age population (18 years and over) accounted for 57.8 percent of the household population of the city in 2010, up from 57.0 percent in 2000.  There were more females (51.6 percent) than males (48.4 percent) among the voting-age population.

Dependency ratio decreased to 60 dependents per 100 persons in the working age group

In 2010, the young dependents (0 to 14 years) comprised 35.1 percent of the household population while the old dependents (65 years and over) posted a share of 2.3 percent. The working-age population (15 to 64 years) accounted for the remaining 62.6 percent.           

The overall dependency ratio was 60, which indicates that for every 100 working-age population, there were about 60 dependents (56 young dependents and four old dependents). This ratio is lower than the dependency ratio in 2000, which was recorded at 61 dependents per 100 working-age population (57 young dependents and four old dependents).

Females outnumbered the males in all categories for marital status

Of the household population 10 years old and over, 47.1 percent were never married while 47.0 percent were married. The rest of the population were categorized as follows: widowed (3.7 percent), divorced/separated (1.2 percent), and in common-law/live-in marital arrangement (0.5 percent).

Females outnumbered the males in all the categories for marital status: never married (50.3 percent), married (50.3 percent), widowed (73.9 percent), divorced/separated (64.9 percent), and in common-law/live-in marital arrangement (51.2 percent).

More females had attained higher levels of education

Of the household population aged five years and over, 33.5 percent had attended or completed elementary education, 29.7 percent had reached or finished high school, 12.2 percent were college undergraduates, and 10.2 percent were academic degree holders.  Among those with an academic degree, the females (51.6 percent) outnumbered the males (48.4 percent).  Similarly, more females (50.1 percent) than males (49.9 percent) had pursued post baccalaureate courses.

Persons with disability comprised 1.1 percent of the population in the city

In 2010, around 3,000 persons or 1.1 percent of the 271,609 household population had a disability.  This proportion of persons with disability (PWD) is higher than the proportion in 2000, which was 0.5 percent of the 161,517 household population of the city that year.  The number of PWD for the same year was around 700.

There were more females than males among those with functional difficulty

Of the 241,819 household population five years and over, 2.2 percent (or 5,295 persons) had at least one type of functional difficulty either in seeing, hearing, walking or climbing steps, remembering or concentrating, self-caring (bathing or dressing), or communicating.  There were more females (52.1 percent) than males (47.9 percent) among those persons with at least one type of functional difficulty.

Moreover, of the total 5,295 persons aged five years and over with at least one type of functional difficulty, 75.5 percent reported difficulty in seeing, even if wearing eyeglasses; 32.0 percent who had difficulty in walking or climbing steps; 27.6 percent had difficulty in hearing, even if using a hearing aid; 20.8 percent had difficulty in remembering or concentrating; 18.0 percent had difficulty in communicating; and 15.2 percent had difficulty in self-caring (bathing or dressing).

Female overseas workers outnumbered their male counterparts

Of the 208,770 household population 10 years old and over in Cotabato City, 2.4 percent (or 4,921 persons) were overseas workers.  Female overseas workers outnumbered their male counterparts as they comprised 65.7 percent of all overseas workers from this city.  Overseas workers aged 25 to 29 years made up the largest age group, comprising 20.6 percent of the total overseas workers from this city in 2010, followed by the age groups 20 to 24 years (17.8 percent), 30 to 34 years (16.2 percent), and 35 to 39 years (14.4 percent).

Average household size was 4.9 persons

The number of households in 2010 was recorded at 55,171, higher by 23,944 households compared with the 31,227 households posted in 2000.  The average household size in 2010 was 4.9 persons, lower than the average household size of 5.2 persons in 2000.

There were 109 households per 100 occupied housing units

A total of 50,645 occupied housing units were recorded in Cotabato City in 2010.  This translates to a ratio of 109 households for every 100 occupied housing units, with 5.4 persons per occupied housing unit.  In 2000, there were 105 households per 100 occupied housing units, and 5.4 persons per occupied housing unit.

Occupied housing units with outer walls and roofs made of strong materials increased

In 2010, 48.8 percent of the occupied housing units in the city had outer walls made of wood, up from 48.3 percent in 2000.  Similarly, the proportion of occupied housing units with outer walls made of concrete/brick/stone increased from 17.3 percent in 2000 to 21.2 percent in 2010.  Majority (68.4 percent) of the occupied housing units in 2010, meanwhile, had roofs made of galvanized iron/aluminum.  This is higher than the proportion of 67.2 percent recorded in 2000.

More than half of the households lived in lots that they owned or amortized           

In 2010, of the total 55,171 households, 52.8 percent owned or amortized the lots that they occupied.  The corresponding figure in 2000 was lower at 38.0 percent.

Moreover, 16.9 percent of the households occupied lots which were rent-free but with consent of the owner, 15.2 percent rented the lots that they occupied while 5.4 percent occupied lots which were rent-free but without consent of the owner.

(Sgd)   CARMELITA N. ERICTA

                Administrator