The municipality of Sibunag, Guimaras had a total population of 23,162 based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH). The household population of 23,159 comprised 99.99 percent of the total population recorded as of the time of census-taking.

Of the 23,159 total household population in Sibunag, 4,666 individuals, or 20.15%, experienced functional difficulties. Among them, 54.76% were females and 45.24% were males, indicating a higher prevalence of functional difficulties among women.

The data in Table 1 shows that functional difficulties vary by age group and gender. Among individuals aged 5 to 14, the number of those with functional difficulties is relatively low, with 78 males and 58 females affected. However, in the 15 to 64 age group, females (988) experienced functional difficulties more than males (932), with mild difficulties being the most common in both genders. Notably, among the elderly (65 years and above), the disparity widens significantly, with 1,509 females experiencing functional difficulties compared to 1,101 males.

Severity levels also highlight gender differences. Among those aged 65 and above, more females (209) experience moderate difficulties than males (147), and more females (86) experience severe difficulties than males (59).

A gender gap of 6.91 percentage points was observed between men and women in the household population aged 65 years and above who experienced functional difficulties. Moreover, the total household population aged 15-64 years old with functional difficulties were male dominated with a gender gap of 5.48 percent, while the household population aged 5-14 years old, with male ascendancy had a lesser gender gap of 1.48 percentage points.

Functional difficulty is categorized into six (6) types: difficulty in Seeing even if wearing glasses, in Hearing even if using hearing aid, Walking/Climbing Steps, Remembering/ Concentrating, Self Caring (washing all over/dressing), and difficulty in Communicating, affecting individuals' ability to perform daily activities.

Among the six categories of functional difficulty, the highest proportion was recorded in individuals having Difficulty in seeing even if wearing glasses, accounting for 39.95 percent of the total households with functional difficulty, which most affected women with 56.01 percent and a gender gap of -12.02 percentage points from their counterpart comprising 43.99 percent.

Furthermore, 22.70% of the household population in Sibunag had trouble in remembering or concentrating, with females accounting for the majority at 58.45%—16.90 percentage points higher than males.

Meanwhile, 14.55% of the total household population reported challenges in hearing even when using a hearing aid. Additionally, 13.31% experienced difficulties in walking or climbing steps, while 4.95% had trouble with self-care.

Notably, the percentage of men who had difficulty in communication was higher than women, with a gender gap of 2.83 percentage points.

Additionally, the percentage distribution of functional difficulties by sex in the municipality of Sibunag, Guimaras, in 2020 revealed that females had a higher prevalence, accounting for 54.76% (or 2,555 individuals), while males comprised 45.24% (or 2,111 individuals). This indicates a notable gender disparity in functional difficulties, with more women affected than men.

Among the 2,555 females experiencing functional difficulties, 22.37% had difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses, followed by 13.27% who struggled with remembering or concentrating. Meanwhile, 6.77% reported hearing difficulties even with the use of a hearing aid.

Furthermore, the household population experiencing challenges in self-care and communication had lower proportions, accounting for 2.66% and 2.21%, respectively.

Figure 2 illustrates the percentage distribution of the household population in Sibunag, Guimaras, with functional difficulties, showing that males had a lower proportion than females, accounting for 45.24% and 54.76%, respectively.

Among the 2,111 males experiencing functional difficulties, 17.57% had difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses, while 9.43% struggled with remembering or concentrating. Additionally, 7.07% reported hearing impairments even when using a hearing aid, and 6.54% had trouble walking or climbing steps.

Moreover, a smaller proportion of the household population faced challenges in self-care (2.29%) and communication (2.34%), indicating that these difficulties were less common among males.

The top three functional difficulties experienced by household members in Sibunag, which collectively accounted for 75.92% of the municipal total, were seeing even when wearing glasses, remembering or concentrating, and hearing even when using a hearing aid.

For difficulties in seeing even when wearing glasses, mild and moderate cases were more prevalent among females than males, whereas severe cases were more common among males. Similarly, for remembering or concentrating, mild and moderate cases were higher among females, while severe cases were equally distributed between males and females.

Regarding hearing impairment even when using a hearing aid, moderate and severe cases were more prevalent among males, while mild cases were more common among females.

TECHNICAL NOTES

The Philippine Statistics Authority conducted the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH) in September 2020, with 01 May 2020 as reference date.

The 2020 CPH was the 15th census of population and 7th census of housing that was undertaken in the Philippines since the first census in 1903. It was designed to take inventory of the total population and housing units in the country and collect information about their characteristics.

The Philippine Standard Geographic Codes as of April 2022 was used for the disaggregation of geographic levels of the 2020 CPH.

Age refers to the interval of time between a person’s date of birth and their last birthday prior to the census reference date, expressed in completed years or whole numbers.

Functional Difficulty is a limitation in performing daily activities due to impairments in seeing, walking, hearing, remembering, self-caring, or communicating.

Household is a social unit consisting of a person or a group of persons who sleep in the same housing unit and have a common arrangement in the preparation and consumption of food.

Household Population refers to all persons who are members of a household.

Mild is a level of functional difficulty where an individual experiences some limitations but can still perform daily tasks with minimal assistance.

Moderate is a level of functional difficulty where an individual faces noticeable challenges in performing daily activities and may require occasional support.

Severe is a level of functional difficulty where an individual experiences significant impairments, requiring substantial assistance or specialized care.

Severity is the extent or degree of difficulty an individual faces in carrying out daily activities due to functional impairments.

Sex is the biological and physiological reality of being male or female.