More than one in every four MIMAROPAns is an Indigenous People 
    
As of 01 May 2020, the total population of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the MIMAROPA Region that belongs to ethnic groups identified by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) reached 864,067 persons. This comprises 26.8 percent of the region’s total population of 3,228,558 persons. (Table 1 and Table A)

Among IP groups, Cuyonen / Cuyunon ranked first with 309,235 persons (35.8%). This was followed by Palawan-o with 115,294 persons (13.3%), and Bantoanon with 58,409 persons (6.8%). Completing the top five IP groups were Mangyan-Hanunuo and Tagbanua with 5.0 percent and 4.6 percent share to the total IPs in the region, respectively. Moreover, these top five IP groups accounted for about 65.5 percent of the total population of IPs in the region. (Table 1 and Table A)

Moreover, 63.8 thousand persons or 7.4 percent of the IP population belong to the following Muslim ethnic groups as identified by the NCMF, namely: Badjao (2.1 thousand, 0.2%), Iranun / Iraynun (481 persons, 0.1%), Jama Mapun (21.5 thousand, 2.5%), Kagan / Kalagan (28 persons, < 0.1%), Kolibugan (149 persons, < 0.1%), Molbog (19.0 thousand, 2.2%), Sama / Samal (19.4 thousand persons, 2.2%), Sama Badjao (439 persons, < 0.1%), Sama Bangingi (524 persons, < 0.1%), Sama Delaut / Sama Laut (23 persons, < 0.1%), T'duray / Teduray (17 persons, < 0.1%), and Yakan (104 persons, < 0.1%). (Table A)

Nearly seven in every ten Indigenous Peoples are located in Palawan and City of Puerto Princesa

Among provinces, Palawan (excluding the City of Puerto Princesa) had the biggest share to the total number of IPs in the region at 57.3 percent. Romblon ranked second with 12.2 percent share. Meanwhile, Marinduque had the smallest number of IPs with only 367 persons. On the other hand, the lone highly urbanized City of Puerto Princesa with 111,700 IPs had 12.9 percent share to the regional number of IPs. (Figure 1 and Table B)
 

Sex ratio stands at 105 male IPs per 100 female IPs

Of the 864.1 thousand IPs in the region, nearly 441.5 thousand (51.1%) were males while 422.6 thousand (48.9%) were females. This translates to 105 male IPs for every 100 female IPs.  (Figure 2 and Table B)

By age group, 322.7 thousand IPs or 37.3 percent of the regional population of IPs were under 15 years of age. Of these, 166.5 thousand (19.3%) were young male IPs and 156.2 thousand (18.1%) were young female IPs. This corresponds to the sex ratio of 107 male IPs per 100 female IPs. Likewise, IPs belonging to the age group of 15 to 64 years totaled to 503.0 thousand (58.2%). Male IPs outnumbered female IPs with sex ratio of 106. (Figure 2 and Table B)

Meanwhile those IPs in the age group 65 years and over comprised the remaining 58.4 thousand or 6.8 percent of the total IPs in the region. Of these, 31.6 thousand (3.7%) were female while 26.8 thousand (3.1%) were males. Female IPs in this older age group had the bigger share than male IPs with sex ratio of 85. (Figure 2 and Table B)
 

More than two in every five IPs are legally married

Of the 645.9 thousand IPs aged ten years and over in the MIMAROPA Region, 41.4 percent were legally married, while 41.0 percent were never married. The rest of the population was categorized as follows: in common-law or live-in marital arrangement (12.4%), widowed (4.1%), and divorced, separated or annulled (1.0%). (Figure 3 and Table C)

In terms of distribution of IPs by sex, 44.6 percent of 329.1 thousand male IPs in the region were never married, while 37.2 percent of the region’s 316.8 thousand female IPs were never married. On the other hand, 41.4 percent of the regional total male IPs and 40.2 percent of total female IPs in the region were married. Similarly, 12.1 percent of male IPs and 12.8 percent of female IPs were in common-law or live-in marital arrangements.  (Table 2a)

The remaining percentages were distributed between divorced and widowed, reaching 0.9 percent for divorced, separated or annulled male IPs and 1.2 percent for their female counterparts.  Meanwhile, the percentage of widowed male IPs and female IPs was 2.2 percent and 6.1 percent, respectively. (Table 2a)

There are more males than females among never-married IPs and married IPs

Among the never-married persons, a higher proportion of male IPs (50.9%) were reported in 2020. The same trend was observed among married persons with 55.5 percent. Meanwhile, the proportion of female IPs was higher than males among those in common-law or live-in marital arrangements (50.3%), divorced, separated or annulled (55.5%), and widowed (72.9%). (Table 2b)

Roman Catholics account for 57.3 percent of the region’s total IPs
    
Of the 864.1 thousand IPs in the MIMAROPA Region, more than 14 in every 25 IPs or 57.3 percent reported Roman Catholic as their religious affiliation. It was followed by Islam with 78.6 thousand IPs (9.1%) and tribal religion with 40.2 thousand IPs (4.7%). Completing the top five religious affiliations are Iglesia ni Cristo with 19.9 thousand IPs (2.3%), and Seventh Day Adventist with 19.8 thousand IPs (2.3%). (Table 3 and Table D)

Seven in every ten IPs attain elementary or high school level

Among 757.1 thousand IPs whose age is at least five years old, nearly 300.5 thousand IPs or 39.7 percent had reached or completed elementary (graduate: 11.9%, and undergraduate: 27.7%), 233.6 thousand IPs or 30.8 percent had reached or completed high school level (graduate: 11.1%, and undergraduate: 19.8%).  Moreover, 109.7 thousand IPs or 14.5 percent had reached or completed college level (graduate: 7.6%, and undergraduate: 6.9%). (Figure 4 and Table E)

IPs who attain early childhood education reached a total of 25.4 thousand (3.3%) in 2020. Around 1.3 thousand IPs in the region attained post-baccalaureate level or equivalent to 0.2 percent share to the total IPs in the MIMAROPA Region. Furthermore, nearly one in every ten IPs in the region or 9.6 percent had no grade completed. (Figure 4 and Table E)

Literacy rate of IPs in the MIMAROPA Region reaches 89.6 percent

In 2020, a total of 862.0 thousand IPs were living in a group of households in the MIMAROPA Region which accounts to 99.8 percent of the total population of IPs in the region. Of these, nearly 755.1 thousand IPs had their age at least five years old (male IPs: 384.6 thousand, female IPs: 370.4 thousand).  (Table B)

Among these IPs five years old and over, there were 676.2 thousand persons who are able to read and write a simple message in any language or dialect. This translates to the literacy rate of IPs at 89.6 percent. Relative to the overall regional literacy rate, this rate is 6.0 percentage points lower. In terms of sex, the literacy rate of female IPs was at 89.7 percent while the literacy rate among male IPs was at 89.4 percent.  (Figure 5, Table 4 and Table F)

Across age groups, the literacy rate of IPs was highest among household population whose age is 15 to 19 years old at 96.7 percent. The same age group had the highest literacy rate for male IP household population (96.6%) and female IP household population (96.9%).  (Table 4 and Table F)

On the other hand, IPs who are senior citizens or children had low literacy rates. The literacy rate among household population of IPs belonging to the age group 60 years old and over was at 84.2 percent with male IPs (84.3%) had a higher literacy rate than females (84.1%). Meanwhile, IPs whose age is between five to nine years old had 82.8 percent literacy rate with literacy rate of male IPs at 73.7 percent fared lower than female IPs’ literacy rate of 75.0 percent. (Table 4 and Table F)

Four in every five IPs residing in institutional living quarters are male

In 2020, the institutional population of IPs reached 2.1 thousand persons or 0.2 percent of the MIMAROPA Region’s total population of IPs. Of these, nearly 1.7 thousand IPs who reside in institutional living quarters (ILQs) were males (81.0%), while the remaining 0.4 thousand IPs were females (19.0%) were females.  (Table 5)

Among 2.1 thousand institutional population of IPs the region, two in every five IPs or 40.5 percent resided in hotels, motels, lodging houses, and dormitories. Residents in corrective and penal institutions was next with 30.5 percent share, followed by those residing in logging, mining and public works camps with 9.1 percent share. (Table 5 and Table G)

The statistics presented in this special release were based on the information provided by the respondent or any responsible member in the household or ILQ who may provide accurate answers to the questions and give correct information about the household.

(SGD) LENI R. RIOFLORIDO
Regional Director

MLLM / OHG / RRL