Population of South Cotabato (excluding General Santos City) increased at the rate of 1.82 percent annually

Based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH), the province of South Cotabato, excluding General Santos City, posted a total population of 827,200 persons as of May 1, 2010.  This is larger by 136,472 persons compared to its total population of 690,728 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 1.82 percent.  This is lower than the 2.50 percent annual PGR of the province between the census years 1990 and 2000.

If the average annual PGR recorded at 1.82 percent during the period 2000 to 2010 continues, the population of South Cotabato would double in 38 years.

Fifty years ago, the population of South Cotabato was only 136,609 persons.  This population size is more than 15.0 percent of the population of the province in the 2010 CPH.

 Koronadal City was the most populous

Among the lone city and 10 municipalities comprising the province of South Cotabato, the City of Koronadal, the provincial capital, was the most populous with a population size making up 19.1 percent of the total provincial population.  The municipality of Polomolok was second with 16.7 percent share, followed by the municipalities of T’boli with 9.6 percent, Banga, Lake Sebu, and Surallah with 9.2 percent each, Tupi with 7.5 percent, Norala with 5.4 percent, Tantangan with 4.9 percent, Santo Niño with 4.8 percent, and Tampakan with 4.4 percent.

In 2000, the least populated area was the municipality of Tampakan.

Sex ratio was 105 males per 100 females

Of the 825,816 household population in 2010, males accounted for 51.2 percent while females comprised 48.8 percent.  These figures resulted in a sex ratio of 105 males for every 100 females, which is similar to the sex ratio recorded in 2000 (104 males per 100 females).

Median age increased to 22.2 years

In 2010, the median age of the population of the province was 22.2 years, which means that half of the population was younger than 22.2 years. This is higher than the median age of 20.0 years that was recorded in 2000.

Moreover, 34.9 percent of the household population were under 15 years old.  Children aged 0 to 4 years (12.1 percent each) comprised the largest age group, followed closely by those in the age groups 5 to 9 years (11.6 percent) and 10 to 14 years (11.2 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).

Almost six in every 10 persons were of voting age

The voting-age population (18 years and over) accounted for 58.5 percent of the household population of the province in 2010, up from 54.2 percent in 2000.  There were more males (51.1 percent) than females (48.9 percent) among the voting-age population.

Dependency ratio decreased to 63 dependents per 100 persons in the working age group

In 2010, the young dependents (0 to 14 years) comprised 34.9 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 61.4 percent.           

The overall dependency ratio was 63, which indicates that for every 100 working-age population, there were about 63 dependents (57 young dependents and six old dependents). This ratio is lower than the dependency ratio in 2000, which was recorded at 73 dependents per 100 working-age population (67 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, 47.8 percent were married while 42.8 percent were never married. The rest of the population were categorized as follows: in common-law/live-in marital arrangement (4.3 percent), widowed (4.1 percent), and divorced/separated (1.0 percent).

Among the never-married persons, 55.9 percent were males while 44.1 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, 36.0 percent had attended or completed elementary education, 33.8 percent had reached or finished high school, 7.9 percent were college undergraduates, and 7.8 percent were academic degree holders.  Among those with an academic degree, the females (56.5 percent) outnumbered the males (43.5 percent).  Similarly, more females (56.8 percent) than males (43.2 percent) had pursued post baccalaureate courses.

Persons with disability comprised 1.5 percent of the population in the province

In 2010, around 12,300 persons or 1.5 percent of the 825,816 household population had a disability.  The proportion of persons with disability (PWD) in 2000 was 1.2 percent of the 689,663 household population of the province during that year.  The number of PWD for the same year was around 8,200.

There were more females than males among those with functional difficulty

Of the 725,616 household population five years and over, 2.5 percent (or 18,304 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 (51.2 percent) than males (48.8 percent) among those persons with at least one type of functional difficulty.

Moreover, of the total 18,304 persons aged five years and over with at least one type of functional difficulty, 63.9 percent reported difficulty in seeing, even if wearing eyeglasses.  There were 26.3 percent who had difficulty in walking or climbing steps; 20.0 percent had difficulty in hearing, even if using a hearing aid; 17.3 percent had difficulty in remembering or concentrating; and 13.8 percent had difficulty in communicating; and 11.6 percent had difficulty in self-caring (bathing or dressing).

Female overseas workers outnumbered their male counterparts

Of the 630,134 household population 10 years old and over in South Cotabato, 1.8 percent (or 11,168 persons) were overseas workers.  Female overseas workers outnumbered their male counterparts as they comprised 61.2 percent of all overseas workers from this province.  Overseas workers aged 25 to 29 years made up the largest age group, comprising 22.3 percent of the total overseas workers from this province in 2010, followed by the age groups 30 to 34 years (21.1 percent), 35 to 39 years (16.9 percent) and 45 years and over (12.8 percent).

Average household size was 4.4 persons

The number of households in 2010 was recorded at 186,184, higher by 44,766 households compared with the 141,418 households posted in 2000.  The average household size in 2010 was 4.4 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 183,712 occupied housing units were recorded in the province of South Cotabato in 2010.  This translates to a ratio of 101 households for every 100 occupied housing units, with 4.5 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 and roofs made of light materials decreased

In 2010, 43.0 percent of the occupied housing units in the province had outer walls made of bamboo/sawali/cogon/nipa, down from 52.8 percent in 2000.  The proportion of occupied housing units with outer walls made of concrete/brick/stone increased from 23.9 percent in 2000 to 31.8 percent in 2010.  Those with walls made of half concrete/brick/stone and half wood increased from 14.1 percent in 2000 to 16.4 percent in 2010.  Meanwhile, majority (73.0 percent) of the occupied housing units in 2010 had roofs made of concrete/brick/stone.  This is higher than the proportion of 56.0 percent recorded in 2000.  Those with roofs made of cogon/nipa/anahaw decreased from 37.8 percent in 2000 to 22.6 percent in 2010.

Seven in every 10 households lived in lots that they owned or amortized           

In 2010, of the total 186,184 households, 67.0 percent owned or amortized the lots that they occupied.  The corresponding figure in 2000 was lower at 57.9 percent.

Moreover, 24.0 percent of the households occupied lots which were rent-free but with consent of the owner, 6.4 percent rented the lots that they occupied while 1.6 percent occupied lots which were rent-free but without consent of the owner.

(Sgd)   CARMELITA N. ERICTA

                Administrator