Catanduanes’ crude birth rate remained below the national level as it recorded a total of 3,559 live births in 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported last week.
In its preliminary birth statistics, the PSA Catanduanes Provincial Statistical Office said this corresponds to a crude birth rate of 12.32 or approximately 12 births per thousand population in the province based on the number of births and the projected population of 288,832 for 2024.
The municipality of San Andres had the highest crude birth rate with 15.06 or 15 births per thousand
population while Bagamanoc had the lowest crude birth rate with 10.70 or 11 births per thousand population.
Here’s the figures for the other nine towns: Gigmoto, 14.40; Panganiban, 13.78; Pandan, 13.01; Baras, 12.61; Viga, 11.73; Caramoran, 11. 65; San Miguel, 11.63; Virac, 11.24; and Bato, 10.93.
The capital town of Virac had the highest number of births in 2024, with 975 babies or 27.7 percent of the
total births in Catanduanes. San Andres ranked second with 581 births (16.5 percent) while Panganiban had the fewest births, with only 118 babies born, or 3.4 percent of the total.
The other babies were born in Caramoran, 394; Pandan, 294; Viga, 274; Bato, 259; San Miguel, 194; Baras, 176, Gigmoto, 130; and Bagamanoc, 127.
Thirty-seven (37) babies were born in Catanduanes to mothers whose mothers reside outside the province.
The report prepared by Chief Statistical Specialist Anavi F. Camacho stated that out of the total 3,559 live births, 51 percent were males while 49 percent were females, for a birth sex ratio of 104 males for every 100 females.
More male babies were born to mothers with their usual residence in of Virac, San Andres, Caramoran, Viga, Baras and Panganiban than in municipalities of Pandan, Bato, San Miguel, Gigmoto and Bagamanoc.
The computed general fertility rate is 50.62 or 51 births per thousand women who are aged 15 to 49 years old in the province,
In 2024, a total of 2,257 babies, or 64.1 percent of all registered births in 2024. were illegitimate
or born out of wedlock to mothers with residence in Catanduanes. Among these, 1,053
babies (46.7 percent), were born to mothers aged 18 to 25 years old while 575 babies (25.5 percent) were born to mothers aged 26 to 30 years old.
On the other hand, all 153 babies born to mothers aged 13 to 17 years old are considered illegitimate.
Baras had the highest percentage of illegitimate babies with 70.5 percent or 124 out of the total 176 births, followed closely by Panganiban (70.3%), with the rest having lower percentages: Caramoran (68.3%), San Andres (67.1%), Gigmoto (66.2%), Viga (65%), Pandan (65%), Bagamanoc (64.6%), San Miguel (64.4%), Bato (59.8%) and Virac (58/9%).
Of the total births, 98.7 percent were attended by health professionals (physician, nurse and midwife). The remaining 1.2 percent of births or 44 were delivered by hilot/ traditional birth attendants and others.
In 2024, 98.6 percent or 3,472 births were delivered in a health facility, which was either in a
hospital or birthing home while about 1.4 percent or 50 births were delivered at home.