• In 2015, the CAR household population reached 1.7 million. Senior citizens made upthe 7.8 percent. It is 19.4 percent (21,954) higher compared to the 2010 population of elders.
• Among the provinces/city, the highest number of elders was recorded in Benguet with 22.9 percent of the total senior citizens in the region, followed by Abra with 19.1 percent, and Baguio City with 17.0 percent. Meanwhile, Apayao had the least number of elders and consequently the least share with 7.0 percent.

Table 1. Household Population and Number of Senior Citizens by Province, CAR: 2015

• In terms of proportion of senior citizens to the household population, Abra posted the highest at 10.6 percent, followed by Mt. Province at 9.2 percent. Both proportions were higher than the regional proportion of 7.8 percent.
• Baguio City had the least proportion of senior citizens to its household population with 6.6 percent.

Female senior citizens outnumber males

• Of the total senior citizens in the region, 54.4 percent were females while the restwere males.
• Female senior citizens outnumbered males in all age groups with the biggest gap in the age group 80 years and over.

Figure 1. Age-sex household Population of Senior Citizens in CAR: 2015

• The percentage distribution of the senior citizen’s population decreases as age increases. About 34.7 percent (46,135) of the elders belongs to age group 60-64
  years old, 23.8 percent (31,628) belongs to 65-69 years old, and 15.8 percent (21,034) were 70-74 years old.

Majority of senior citizens are married

• Of the household population of senior citizens in the region, 60.7 percent (80,631) were married and 30.3 percent (40,310) were widowed.
• A relatively small proportion was reported or single at 6.3 percent (8,403).
• Only 1.6 percent (2,166) senior citizens with status of divorced/separated and 1 percent (1,382) were common law/live-in partners.

Figure 2. Percentage Distribution of Senior Citizens by Marital
Status, CAR: 2015

Nine in every ten elders can read and write simple message

• Simple literacy rate of Cordilleran elders when compared to household population was 87.9 percent. Literacy rate for males were higher than the females. However, there were more literate women than men (Table 2).
• As to the proportion to the household population, males had higher literacy rate at 91.8 percent compared to 84.6 percent for the females. However, 52.4 percent of the total literate senior citizens were females.

Table 2. Literate Household Population of Senior Citizens by Sex, CAR: 2015

• Only 12.1 percent (16,059) of senior citizens in CAR were not able to write and read a simple message.

One in every five household heads is a senior citizen

• In 2015, 20.4 percent of the household head population were senior citizens.

Table 3. Senior Citizens Household Heads by Sex, CAR: 2015

• Of the total male household heads, 16.7 percent were senior citizens. Meanwhile, 35.1 percent of the female household heads were also senior citizens.
• Among the total senior citizen household heads, 65.6 percent were males. This means that seven in every ten senior citizen household heads were males.

One in every ten gainful workers is a senior citizen

• There were 65,066 gainful worker who senior citizens in Cordillera in 2015, comprising 8.7 percent of the total gainful workers 15 years and over.
• Among the total senior citizen gainful workers, almost half were engaged in Agricultural Forestry and Fishery, 22.5 percent were engaged in Elementary Occupations, and 9.7 percent were Managers. The least number were elder workers engaged in Armed Forces Occupations at 0.1 percent or 52 senior citizens.

Table 4. Senior Citizen Gainful Workers by Major Occupation Group, CAR: 2015

• Male senior citizen gainful workers dominated females with a ratio of 6 male elder workers for every 4 female elder workers.

Technical Notes

Household head – an adult person, male or female who is responsible for the organization and acre of the household, or who is regarded as such by the members of the household.

Household population – comprises of person who belong to a household.

Proportion – a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation to a whole.

Senior citizen or elderly – refers to any resident of the Philippines at least sixty (60) years old (RA 9994).

Literate – a person who can read and write simple message.

Single – a person who has never been married (unmarried).