Around seven deaths per thousand population in 2022

Reported deaths in 2022 reached 41,573, a decrease of 17.5% or 8,837 from 50,410 registered deaths in 2021. This is equivalent to a crude death rate1 (CDR) of 6.7 or 7 deaths per thousand population. In 2022, an average of 114 persons died daily or 5 deaths per hour in Bicol Region.

Most number of deaths reported in Camarines Sur

Camarines Sur recorded the most number of registered deaths in Bicol Region with 14,005 or 33.7% in 2022. This was followed by Albay with 9,854 (23.7%), Sorsogon with 5,945 (14.3%), Masbate with 5,579 (13.4%), Camarines Norte with 4,388 (10.6%) and Catanduanes with 1,802 (4.3%). The combined registered deaths of these six (6) provinces accounted to 6.1% share to the total registered deaths in the country in 2022 (679,766).

More male deaths than female in 2022

The most number of deaths in Bicol Region occurred among males with 23,447 or 56.4% registered deaths in 2022, females, on the other hand shared 43.6% or 18,126 deaths in the region The registered deaths resulted to a sex ratio of 129.4 or about 129 males per 100 females, which is indicative of higher survival rate of females than males. (Table 1) 

Figure 2 shows the age and sex pattern of deaths in 2022. It reflects an inverted pyramid, with fewer deaths at the younger ages, except for children under one, and progressively increasing as people mature. Highest proportion of males died at the age of 65 to 69 years (11.4% or 2,682 deaths) and was closely shared by age bracket 60 to 64 years (10.4% or 2,428 deaths) and age bracket 70 to 74 years (10.6% or 2,495 deaths). On the other hand, the largest proportion of females (16.7% or 3,033) died in their oldest age group, 85 years and over.

Less than half of registered deaths attended by health care provider

Medically attended deaths are those attended by a physician, public health officer, hospital authority or any other allied health care provider.  In 2022, out of 41,573 registered deaths in Bicol Region, 17,323 (42.2%) were medically attended and 23,780 (57.2%) were unattended. (Table 2) 

Figure 3 shows the number of deaths by usual residence and attendance at death by province. 
Camarines Sur registered the most number of medically attended deaths in 2022 with 39.7% or 
5,566 deaths. Furthermore, Camarines Sur registered the most number of medically unattended 
deaths in 2022 with 8,223 or about 58.7% of the registered deaths in the province. In 2022, all 
provinces in Bicol Region had more recorded unattended deaths than registered deaths attended 
by health care provider.

More than half of the registered deaths occurred at home 

In 2022, 61.6% or 25,328 of the total deaths in Bicol Region occurred at home while 38.0% or 
15,617 died in any health facilities. However, about 0.3% of the registered deaths died in places 
other than home and health facilities. Such places may include street, public places, on board a 
vehicle, airplane or vessel while in transit, among others.  

January had the most number of deaths

The most registered deaths per month in Bicol Region was noted in January with 4,175 (10.0%). The average number of deaths registered per day was at 139 or about 6 deaths per hour. The month of April had the least number of deaths with 3,077 or about 103 deaths registered per day or about 4 deaths per hour.  

Infant deaths reached 1,437 in 2022

Infant deaths are deaths that occurred before reaching age 1. In Bicol Region, 1,437 infant deaths were registered in 2022. This is about 16.8% increase from the 1,230 registered infant deaths in 2021. More than half of the total registered infant deaths (56.1% or 806 deaths) were males and about two out of five deaths were females (43.9% or 631). 

Camarines Sur recorded the most number of registered infant deaths by usual residence with about 37.4% or 538 deaths. This was followed by Albay with 294 (20.5%), Masbate with 209(14.5%), Camarines Norte with 184 (12.8%), and Sorsogon with 172 (12.0%), respectively. Catanduanes had the least number of registered infant deaths with 40 or about 2.78%. (Figure 6)

Bicol Region ranks fifth in maternal deaths in 2021

Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes. There were 2,478 registered maternal deaths in the country in 2,008. Bicol Region registered 153 (7.6%) maternal deaths which ranks fifth highest among the regions in the country.