KALIBO, Aklan—The Aklan provincial government has P2,011,016,309 to spend for this fiscal year.
Vice Gov. Reynaldo Quimpo said this on Monday after the Sanguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan unanimously approved the budget for this year.
“These will cover the various expenditures for the regular fund amounting to P1,151,016,309. The operation of the Economic Enterprise Development Department ( EEDD) was P841,800,000,” Quimpo said.
The Aklan provincial government—among the richest provinces in the country—has enough money to spend for the year because of its booming tourism industry.
The EEDD covers funds for the health packages of the province’s indigent residents.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said the province of Aklan has the fastest-growing population in Western Visayas from year 2000 to 2015. This despite the province’s having the second lowest population in the region.
The PSA report said Aklan’s population has grown by an average annual rate of 1.35 percent from 2010 to 2015, higher than Antique’s 1.22 percent, Capiz’s 1.08 percent, Iloilo’s 1.34 percent, Iloilo City’s 1.02 percent and Guimaras’s 1.33 percent.
As of 2015 Aklan has a total population 575,000; Antique, 582,000; Capiz, 761,000; Iloilo, 1.936 million; Iloilo City, 448,000; and Guimaras, 175,000.
Even when compared with Negros Occidental, excluding Bacolod City, Aklan comparatively still has a higher population, growth rate. Negros Occidental has an annual average population-growth rate from 2010 to 2015 of 1.17 percent, 0.98 percent from 2000 to 2015 and 1.27 percent from 2000 to 2010.
Reckoned from 2000 to 2010, Aklan has an average annual population-growth rate of 1.73 percent; Antique, 1.45 percent; Capiz, 0.96 percent; Iloilo, 1.48 percent; Iloilo City, 1.49 percent; and Guimaras, 1.42 percent.
From 2000 to 2015, Aklan has an average annual population-growth rate of 1.6 percent; Antique, 1.37 percent; Capiz, 1 percent; Iloilo, 1.43 percent; Iloilo City, 1.33 percent; and Guimaras, 1.39 percent.
As to the most densely populated towns and cities in Region 6, Kalibo, Aklan’s capital town, is the third-most populated town, with 80,605 population next to Roxas City, Capiz and Oton, Iloilo. Being a highly urbanized city, Iloilo City is not included in the comparison.
As to barangays regionwide, three Aklan barangays are included in the top 10 most populated barangays, with Barangay Manoc-manoc in Boracay, Malay, in No. 2 with 14,810; Barangay Andagao in Kalibo in No. 3 with 12,703; and barangay New Buswang in No. 10 with 10,431.
Three municipalities in Aklan are included in the top 10 least populated towns in the region with Lezo in No. 3 with only 15,224; Madalag in No. 7 with 18,389; and Buruanga in No. 8 with 19,003.