Western Visayas is composed of 6 provinces. They are subdivided into 117 municipalities and 16 cities with 4,050 barangays. Aklan has 17 municipalities and 327 barangays under 1 congressional district. Antique is composed of 18 municipalities with 590 barangays under 1 congressional district. Capiz is composed of 1 chartered city, 16 municipalities with 473 barangays under 2 congressional districts. Guimaras has 5 municipalities with 98 barangays under 1 congressional district. Iloilo is composed of 1 independent component city, 1 chartered city, 42 municipalities with 1,901 barangays under 5 congressional district and 1 lone district. Negros Occidental has 1 independent component city, 12 chartered cities, 19 municipalities with 661 barangays under 6 congressional districts and 1 lone district.
Western Visayas is basically an agricultural region. Agriculture is the region’s second largest industry group employing 33% of the region’s workforce with those engaged in agriculture, hunting and forestry making up the largest subsector. Other members of the labor force are employed in various public and private offices, institutions, factories, and business and commercial firms. Establishments which commonly attract people for employment are banks, department stores, financial and investment houses, real estate agencies and transportation companies. A good number are self-employed as small storeowners and businessmen, vendors and drivers.
According to the 2011 mid-quarter statistics recently released by National Statistics Office, around 5 million people who aged 15 to 65 years old belong to the labor force who were still capable and willing to work. Out of the said total, around 3.3 million were employed either fully or partially. Unemployment accounts for 7.6% of the total labor force while 23.4% are underemployed. Underemployed workers are persons who express the desire to have additional hours of work in the present job, to have an additional job or to have a new job with longer working hours.
The bulk of employed persons were in the services sector comprising more than half or 51.7 percent of the total employed population, specifically in the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods.
Workers in the agriculture sector accounted for the second largest industry group at 33 percent, with those engaged in agriculture, hunting and forestry making up the largest subsector.
The industry sector registered the least share at 15.3 percent to total employed with manufacturing and construction comprising the largest subsector.
Among the various occupation groups, 32.7% were laborers and unskilled workers; farmers, forestry workers and fishermen came next at 15.3% of the total employed; officials of government and special interest organizations, corporate executives, managers, managing proprietors and supervisors at 13.9%; and service workers, shop and market sales employees at 10.8%.
Among the various occupation groups, 32.7% were laborers and unskilled workers; farmers, forestry workers and fishermen came next at 15.3% of the total employed; officials of government and special interest organizations, corporate executives, managers, managing proprietors and supervisors at 13.9%; and service workers, shop and market sales employees at 10.8%.
