NUMBER OF REGISTERED LIVE BIRTHS INCREASED IN Q2

The number of live births registered in Capiz has experienced a substantial increase over the past five (5) years, with a particularly dramatic surge in 2021. In that year, the number of recorded births skyrocketed by 63.74 percent, from 2,303 in 2020 to 3,771. This remarkable growth trend continued over the five-year period, culminating in a staggering 88.84 percent increase from 2,303 in 2020 to 4,349 in 2024 (See Figure 1).

TWO BABIES WERE BORN EVERY HOUR IN CAPIZ 

The second quarter of 2024 witnessed a notable increase in the number of live births registered across Capiz province compared to the same period in 2023. The province's total birth count for the quarter reached 4,349, representing a significant 14.3 percent increase from the 3,806 births recorded in 2023. This surge in births translated to an average of approximately 48 births per day during the second quarter of 2024. This equates to roughly two babies being born every hour, a significantly higher rate compared to the corresponding period in 2023, which had a daily average of 42 births (Figure 2). 

Roxas City, the provincial capital, remained the primary contributor to the province's live birth count, accounting for a substantial 31.16 percent of all births in the second quarter of 2024. This represents a 5.9 percent increase compared to the 1,279 recorded births in the same period of 2023. The municipality of Pontevedra followed with 380 births, comprising 8.74 percent of the total births registered in the province. In contrast, Panay recorded the lowest number of births, with only 85 births registered, accounting for a mere 1.95 percent of the province's total births in the second quarter of 2024.

Five municipalities experienced a decline in live births registered from 2023 to 2024. Among these, Mambusao recorded the most significant decrease, with a decline of 8.5 percent. However, Dumalag saw a remarkable surge in live births, with a whopping 179.7 percent increase. Panitan and Dao also experienced substantial increases, with 135.3 percent and 61.1 percent respectively (Table 1).

Figure 3 below illustrates the distribution of births by month. April was the most prolific month of the quarter, with a total of 1,592 babies born, which is 31.2  percent higher than the same period in 2023. It also translates to an average of approximately 51 births per day, or two babies every hour. 

The month of June registered the lowest birth occurrences with 1,221 in the second quarter of 2024 or a daily average of about 39. The overall daily average number of births experienced an increase in the second quarter of 2024 compared to same period in 2023 (See Table 2).