1,272 barangays hard-hit by COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Population (Popcom) has identified 1,272 barangays nationwide with high population density (HD) as hardest hit by the COVID pandemic, as it noted that those with low population density (LD) posted “higher than expected” death rates.

It said that from September 2020 to April 2021, the 1,272 barangays had an average of 137 COVID cases as compared to an average of only 19 cases in 20,889 LD barangays over the same period.

During these eight months, 15,252 communities have remained COVID-free, it added.

Popcom pointed out that the 1,272 barangays classified as HD have populations ranging from 201 to 999 per hectare or way above the average of 200 persons per hectare.

It noted that those under LD classification, or with lower than 200 per hectare population, as well as those classified as “medium-population density (MD)” communities have low COVID caseload.

Among the barangays nationwide, Barangay 73 in Caloocan City has the highest density with a population of 19,506 inside one hectare.

Based on the latest Popcom demographic vulnerabilities tool or DVT, 63.4 percent of barangays nationwide reported COVID-19 infections, with 11.5 percent tallying deaths.

The DVT also showed that 3,348 LDs and MDs had 6,186 COVID deaths or at 1.84 percent per barangay. Inside HDs, there were 1,941 who perished—or 3.38 percent casualties—an average of almost twice as many in less densely populated barangays.

“Even LDs have higher-than-expected death rates not commensurate with the number of cases. This is because of the lack of access of residents’ to healthcare facilities which are mostly located in cities or municipalities,” Popcom chief Juan Antonio Perez III explained.

“We can say that the lack of medical workers, as well as geographic limitations, pose impediments to their required level of medical care,” he added.

Perez said the latest DVT will be useful for local government units in determining barangays with high numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths for their pandemic-mitigation programs.

“It is in these barangays where health protocols, as well as proper contact tracing, should be strictly implemented,” he stressed.

Popcom recommended to the Department of Health and LGUs to use the new DVT as basis for vaccination rollouts in the country, the mobilization of composite teams in communities reporting high numbers of COVID-19-related cases and deaths, as well as unimpaired access to hospital care for LD barangays registering mortalities.

In the NCR Plus bubble, Metro Manila, being the epicenter of the virus, has the most number of HDs at 483. It was followed by Cavite with 169, Laguna with 72, Rizal with 18 and Bulacan with 14.

In Luzon, Central Luzon—excluding Bulacan—has the greatest number of HDs at 84 followed by Calabarzon with 79. In Visayas, Western Visayas has the most HDs at 89. Central Visayas came in second with 50.

In Mindanao, Bangsamoro has the most HDs at 52 followed by Davao region with 23. – Louise Maureen Simeon