Did you know that: a Bicolana can give birth to 6 children during her reproductive years?

The results of the 1998 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) conducted by the National Statistics Office, Department of Health and the Macro International show that women in Region V aged 15-49 years old will give birth to an average of 5.5 children during their reproductive years. The figure is higher than the national average fertility rate of 3.7 children. Bicol Region ranked second highest among regions of the country in terms of fertility rate.

Did you know that: P72.7 Million worth of property in Region V was lost to fires in 1998?

A total of 189 fires occurred in the Bicol region in 1998, higher than the recorded incidents in 1997 by 13.2 percent or 22 cases. Last year's fires claimed 7 lives, injured 13 persons and damaged P72.7 million worth of property.

The most number of fires occurred during the second quarter of 1998. Almost 32 percent of the total number of fires in 1998 or 60 cases were recorded during this period -- higher than the first quarter incidents by 11 cases and the third and fourth quarters by 20 cases.

Did you know that: the average Bicolano generates 0.2 kilogram of solid waste daily?

Based on a study conducted for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region V by the Save Our Future Foundation, Inc., the average person in Bicol generates around 0.2 kilogram of solid waste daily. This translates to a total of 327,219.7 metric tons of garbage in 1998. Camarines Sur, being the largest among the provinces in terms of land area and population, accounted for more than half of the region's total solid waste generation.

Did you know that: in 1998, the DSWD served an average of 24 families daily in Region V?

A total of 8,632 socially disadvantaged families were served by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region V in 1998. On a daily basis, this translates to about 24 families served during the period under review. Meanwhile, the region accounted for about 3.0 percent of the total number of families served by the department nationwide which was recorded at 284,333.

Did you know that: 24 out of 100 students in tertiary level were enrolled in Teacher Training and Education Program during SY 1998-99 in Region V?

Enrolment in the tertiary education during the SY 1998-99 in Region V reached 97,474, an increase of 35.5 percent over the 71,952 enrolment during SY 1997-98. The increase was brought about by higher enrolment in nine out of ten programs leading to Baccalaureate Degrees offered by tertiary education institutions in the region. The biggest bulk of enrollees was in the Teacher Training and Education Program with 23,811 or 24.4 percent of the total enrolment in the entire region. This translates to about 24 per 100 students enrolled in this program.

Did you know that: at the start of SY 1998-99, four out of ten weighed elementary school children in Bicol Region were underweight?

At the start of the school year 1998-1999, 782,902 of the 789,217 elementary school children from nine school divisions in Bicol Region were weighed. Of this number, 26.2 percent came from Camarines Sur, 20.8 percent from Albay, Masbate (18.5 percent), Sorsogon (12.7 percent), Camarines Norte (10.5 percent), Catanduanes (3.9 percent), Legaspi City (2.9 percent), Naga City (2.8 percent), and 1.7 percent were from Iriga City.

Did you know that: Catanduanes had a near ideal bed-to-population ratio in 1998?

With only 214,531 projected population in 1998, the island province of Catanduanes had the lowest population in the Bicol region. It also had the least number of hospitals, at nine. Seven of these hospitals were government-owned, while two belonged to private entities. The combined bed capacities of these hospitals reached only 326, also the lowest among provinces. Catanduanes, however, had a near ideal ratio of 1:658. This means that there is a hospital bed for every 658 persons in Catanduanes.

Did you know that: non-residential building construction in Bicol Region dropped by 29.3 percent in 1998?

Based on the number of private building construction permits issued, a total of 1,935 private building constructions were put up in the Bicol Region in 1998. Of this number, 87.4 percent were residential construction and only 12.6 percent were non-residential type of construction.

Did you know that there were 5,287 child laborers from the five provinces of Bicol in 1998?

In 1998, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) conducted a masterlisting of child laborers in the Bicol Region. The masterlisting, which yielded a total of 5,287 child laborers, covered 233 barangays in 49 municipalities and two cities of the five provinces. The exercise did not include the island province of Catanduanes since it was not identified as a convergent province under the Country Program for Children (CPC IV).

Did you know that in 1997, an average family in Bicol spent half of its income on food?

The latest results of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) showed that around 50.3 percent of the total expenditures of the average family in Bicol is spent on food alone. In 1994, food consumption ate up 52.5 percent of a family's total expenditures. The FIES was conducted in 1997 and is being conducted every three years. Among the provinces, expenditure on food was highest in Camarines Sur, at 53.2 percent and was lowest at Camarines Norte at 45.2 percent.

Philippine Statistics Authority|RSSO V

Factsheet