DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug. 9 (PIA) -- The province of Negros Oriental obtained a population growth rate of 1.18% based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH) conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

PSA Provincial Head Engr. Ariel Fortuito announced this during the Provincial Data Dissemination Forum on the Results of 2020 CPH on Aug. 6.

Based on the 2020 CPH, the population in Negros Oriental as of May last year climbed to 1,432,990.

This is higher than what was recorded in the 2015 mid-decade census which was 1,354,995.

The province's capital, Dumaguete City, still ranked the highest among the most populated Local Government Units (LGUs) with around 134, 103, followed by Bayawan City (122,747), Guihulngan City (102,656), Bais City (84,317), and Siaton (83,082).

Dumaguete City and Bayawan City also ranked 8th and 10th, respectively, in the list of Top 10 Most Populous Cities or Municipalities in Central Visayas, excluding the tri-cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-lapu based on the 2020 CPH.

The five least populous LGUs in Negros Oriental are San Jose (21,956), Amlan (25,513), Basay (28,532), Zamboanguita (29,569), and Dauin (30,018).

Meanwhile, Negros Oriental’s population density based on the 2020 CPH was recorded at 264 persons per square kilometer.

PSA Supervising Statistical Specialist Felida Generoso said the population density refers to the number of persons per unit of land area and gives an idea on how crowded or spacious a certain space is.

Negros Oriental’s total land area is at 5,420.57 square kilometers.

Dumaguete City still remains at the top of the list of the Five Most Densely Populated Areas in Negros Oriental with a land area covering 33.62 sq. km., and 3, 989 persons per sq. km. 

Other LGUs included in the list are Bacong with a land area of 40.30 sq. km. and a population density of 1,023 per sq. km., San Jose with a land area of 523.10 sq. km. with a population density of 403 per sq. km., Vallehermoso with a land area of 101.25 sq. km. and population density of 403 per sq. km., and Sibulan with a land area of 163.00 and population density of 395 per sq. km.

Dumaguete City also ranked third among LGUs in Central Visayas with highest population density excluding the Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) in Cebu.

Central Visayas has a total of 15,872.58 sq. km. of land area with a population density of 509 persons per sq. km.

The 2020 CPH results presented did not indicate the specific breakdown of gender, age bracket, and other key statistical data in the regional and provincial level.

“We are on the process of processing other disaggregated data but for now, kinahanglan namo ipagawas ang (we need to present to the public the) data for the population and we assure you na as soon as that is available already, we will be having another data dissemination like this for age group including average household size,” Fortuito said.

PSA said the data derived from the census are critical in decision-making for good governance, development planning, risk reduction and crisis response, social welfare programs, and business market analyses, among others. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)