Population of Occidental Mindoro increased at the rate of 1.76 percent annually

Based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH), the province of Occidental Mindoro posted a total population of 452,971 persons as of May 1, 2010.  This is larger by 72,721 persons compared to its total population of 380,250 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 1.76 percent.  This is lower than the 3.01 percent annual PGR of the province between the census years 1990 and 2000.

If the average annual PGR recorded at 1.76 percent during the period 2000 to 2010 continues, the population of Occidental Mindoro would double in 40 years.

Fifty years ago, the population of Occidental Mindoro was only 84,316 persons.  This population size is less than one fifth of the population of the province in the 2010 CPH.

San Jose was the most populous municipality

Among the 11 municipalities comprising the province of Occidental Mindoro, the municipality of San Jose was the most populous with a population size making up 29.0 percent of the total provincial population.  The municipality of Sablayan was second with 16.8 percent share, followed by the municipalities of Mamburao, the provincial capital, with 8.7 percent, Sta. Cruz with 7.6 percent, Rizal with 7.6 percent, and Magsaysay with 7.1 percent. The rest of municipalities contributed less than 7.0 percent each.

The least populated area was the municipality of Looc with 2.2 percent share to the total population of the province. It was also the least populated area in 2000.

Sex ratio was 107 males per 100 females

Of the 450,779 household population in 2010, males accounted for 51.6 percent while females comprised 48.4 percent.  These figures resulted in a sex ratio of 107 males for every 100 females, similar to the sex ratio recorded in 2000 (106 males for every 100 females).

Median age increased to 20.6 years

In 2010, the median age of the population of the province was 20.6 years, which means that half of the population was younger than 20.6 years. This is higher than the median age of 19.3 years that was recorded in 2000.

Moreover, almost two in every five persons (38.2 percent) were under 15 years old.  Children aged 0 to 4 years (13.0 percent) comprised the largest age group, followed by those in the age groups 5 to 9 years (12.8 percent) and 10 to 14 years (12.3 percent).  Males outnumbered females in the age groups 0 to 59 years.  On the other hand, there were more females than males in the older age groups (60 years and over). 

More than half of the population were of voting age

The voting-age population (18 years and over) accounted for 55.1 percent of the household population of the province in 2010, up from 52.4 percent in 2000.  There were more males (51.4 percent) than females (48.6 percent) among the voting-age population in 2010.

Dependency ratio decreased to 72 dependents per 100 persons in the working age group

In 2010, the young dependents (0 to 14 years) comprised 38.2 percent of the household population while the old dependents (65 years and over) posted a share of 3.8 percent. The working-age population (15 to 64 years) accounted for the remaining 58.0 percent.         

The overall dependency ratio was 72, which indicates that for every 100 working-age population, there were about 72 dependents (66 young dependents and six old dependents).  This ratio is lower than the dependency ratio in 2000, which was recorded at 79 dependents per 100 working-age population (73 young dependents and six old dependents).

There were more males than females among the never-married persons

Of the household population 10 years old and over, 47.9 percent were married while 41.8 percent were never married. The rest of the population were categorized as follows: in common-law/live-in marital arrangement (5.2 percent), widowed (4.1 percent), and divorced/separated (0.9 percent).

Among the never-married persons, 56.3 percent were males while 43.7 percent were females.  For the rest of the categories for marital status, the females outnumbered the males.

More females had attained higher levels of education

Of the household population aged five years and over, 43.4 percent had attended or completed elementary education, 29.6 percent had reached or finished high school, 6.4 percent were college undergraduates, and 6.2 percent were academic degree holders.  Among those with an academic degree, the females (59.6 percent) outnumbered the males (40.4 percent).  Similarly, more females (63.6 percent) than males (36.4 percent) had pursued post baccalaureate courses.

Persons with disability comprised 1.7 percent of the population in the province

In 2010, 7,500 persons or 1.7 percent of the 450,779 household population had a disability.  The proportion of persons with disability (PWD) in 2000 was 1.4 percent of the 378,534 household population of the province during that year.  The number of PWD for the same year was around 5,200 persons.

There were more females than males among those with functional difficulty

Of the 392,156 household population five years and over, 3.9 percent (or 15,233 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 (50.9 percent) than males (49.1 percent) among those persons with at least one type of functional difficulty.

Moreover, of the total 15,233 persons aged five years and over with at least one type of functional difficulty, 75.8 percent reported difficulty in seeing, even if wearing eyeglasses.  There were 20.5 percent who had difficulty in walking or climbing steps, 19.5 percent had difficulty in hearing even if using a hearing aid, 9.8 percent had difficulty in remembering or concentrating, 9.4 percent had difficulty in communicating, and 6.9 percent had difficulty in self-caring (bathing or dressing).

Male overseas workers outnumbered their female counterparts

Of the 334,276 household population 10 years old and over in Occidental Mindoro, 1.0 percent (or 3,217 persons) were overseas workers.  Male overseas workers outnumbered their female counterparts as they comprised 58.9 percent of all the overseas workers from this province.  Overseas workers aged 25 to 29 years made up the largest age group, comprising 18.7 percent of the total overseas workers from this province in 2010, followed by the age groups 45 years and over 18.4 percent, 30 to 34 years (18.2 percent), and 35 to 39 (14.6 percent).

Average household size was 4.6 persons

The number of households in 2010 was recorded at 98,872, higher by 22,032 households compared with the 76,840 households posted in 2000.  The average household size in 2010 was 4.6 persons, lower than the average household size of 4.9 persons in 2000.

There were 101 households per 100 occupied housing units

A total of 97,608 occupied housing units were recorded in Occidental Mindoro in 2010.  This translates to a ratio of 101 households for every 100 occupied housing units, with 4.6 persons per occupied housing unit.  In 2000, there were 102 households per 100 occupied housing units, and 5.0 persons per occupied housing unit.

Occupied housing units with outer walls made of light materials decreased

In 2010, 41.0 percent of the occupied housing units in the province had outer walls made of bamboo/sawali/cogon/nipa, down from 45.5 percent in 2000.  The proportion of occupied housing units with outer walls made of concrete/brick/stone, on the other hand, increased from 24.4 percent in 2000 to 35.8 percent in 2010.  Meanwhile, more than half (56.9 percent) of the occupied housing units in 2010 had roofs made of galvanized iron/aluminum, higher than the proportion recorded in 2000 at 44.3 percent.

Majority of the households lived in lots that they owned or amortized       

In 2010, of the total 98,872 households, 71.3 percent owned or amortized the lots that they occupied.  The corresponding figure in 2000 was 64.2 percent.

Moreover, 20.6 percent of the households occupied lots which were rent-free but with consent of the owner, 4.6 percent rented the lots that they occupied while 1.9 percent occupied lots which were rent-free but without consent of the owner.