LOCAL TOURISM INDUSTRY

The Department of Tourism's (DOT) continued promotion for emerging destinations

The province's tourism tagline is "Antique: where the mountains meet the sea."
Antique has all key tourism destinations in terrain and underwater such as the Malalison Island,
Nogas Island, Seco Island, Igpasungaw Falls, Bugtong Bato Falls, Bugang River, Malumpati
Cold Spring, the Tibiao River, Aningalan Highlands, and the recently-discovered Antique Rice
Terraces. In addition, the coastal areas on the west are blessed with white sand beaches, islands
and sandbars. Relaxation awaits in its hot springs, cold springs, water falls, famous “Kawa Hot
Bath” and more.

The DOT's marketing strategy for the province of Antique is under its regional office's
promotional campaign entitled "Experience Western Visayas First," which focuses on
attracting Panay island's local community itself and for locals to appreciate first their provinces
and be better host to other domestic and foreign visitors. Currently, both the DOT and the local
government unit admitted that as an emerging destination, improvements on Antique's
infrastructures are necessary to meet demand should a brim in arrivals is achieved.

The province is also being promoted for sports tourism considering that the terrain is a
good venue for outdoor and extreme sports, and Antique has played host to around 20,000
athletes, delegates and officials in the recently concluded Palarong Pambansa and the 2018
SCUAA National Games.
POPULATION

The population of Antique in the 2015 census was 582,012 people, with a density of
210 inhabitants per square kilometer or 540 inhabitants per square mile. San Jose de
Buenavista, the capital town and the center of commercial activity, is the most populous town
in the province. The municipality of Sibalom was second with 10.3 percent share, followed by
the municipalities of Hamtic with 8.4 percent, Culasi with 7.2 percent, and Patnongon with 6.4
percent. The rest of municipalities contributed less than 6.0 percent each. The least populated
area was the municipality of Belison with 2.3 percent share to the total population of the
province. Fifty years ago, the population of Antique was only 238,405 persons.

When grouped according to sex, males accounted for 51.0 percent while females
comprised 49.0 percent. These figures resulted in a sex ratio of 104 males for every 100
females, which is similar to the sex ratio recorded in 2000 (103 males per 100 females).

According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in Antique is
10 to 14, with 63,500 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 75
to 79, with 7,733 individuals. Combining age groups together, those aged 14 and below,
consisting of the the young dependent population which include infants/babies, children and
young adolescents/teenagers, make up an aggregate of 32.43% (188,720). Those aged 15 up to
64, roughly, the economically active population and actual or potential members of the work
force, constitute a total of 60.86% (354,211). Finally, old dependent population consisting of
the senior citizens, those aged 65 and over, total 6.71% (39,081) in all.

The computed Age Dependency Ratios mean that among the population of Antique,
there are 53 youth dependents to every 100 of the working age population; there are 11
aged/senior citizens to every 100 of the working population; and overall, there are 64
dependents (young and old-age) to every 100 of the working population.

The median age of 24 indicates that half of the entire population of Antique are aged
less than 24 and the other half are over the age of 24.
Age group Population (2015) Age group percentage

Under 1 11,923 2.05%

1 to 4 50,078 8.60%

5 to 9 63,219 10.86%

10 to 14 63,500 10.91%

15 to 19 58,351 10.03%

20 to 24 49,650 8.53%

25 to 29 43,371 7.45%

30 to 34 38,515 6.62%

35 to 39 35,331 6.07%

40 to 44 31,928 5.49%

45 to 49 29,795 5.12%

50 to 54 26,649 4.58%

55 to 59 22,613 3.89%

60 to 64 18,008 3.09%

65 to 69 13,382 2.30%

70 to 74 10,171 1.75%

75 to 79 7,733 1.33%

80 and over 7,795 1.34%

Total 582,012 100.00%

Table 1. Population Age Groups

According to the Bureau of Local Government Finance, the annual regular revenue of
Antique for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱1,201,661,534.70. The annual regular revenue of has
been increasing every year by an average of 10% from year 2009 to year 2016. The key
economic sectors in Antique include agriculture, fisheries, mineral resources, financial
institutions, and trade and commerce.

Agriculture

The total rice production of the province from January to December 2018 has reached
230,396.96 metric tons, and the average yield per hectare from the 65,819-hectare harvest area
was at 3.50 metric tons. The rice production is more than sufficient for Antique’s population
of 594,377, as the per capita consumption in Antique is 120 kilograms per year. The total land
area planted in 2017 was 64,207 hectares.

Fisheries

Fish production in the province reached 37,662.63 metric tons or 3.72% in 1st Quarter
of 2017 higher than the same period in 2016. This is attributed mainly to the increase in
seaweed production especially in the island municipality of Caluya, which contributes 77.85%
of the total fishery production and comprises 99.81% of the total aquaculture production. The
increase was due to favorable weather condition where moderate tidal movement favored
seaweeds growth thus more cuttings was realized. Fish Production of the province increased
by about 3.72% in the 1st quarter of 2017.

The province is one of the top producers in Region VI, second only to Iloilo province.
All sectors reported increases in the volume of production. Commercial fishery recorded the
highest increase of 6.47% compared to same quarter last year, followed by municipal fish catch
with 5.58% and aquaculture production by 3.08%.
Mineral Resources

Antique has deposits of metallic and non-metallic mineral resources. The metallic
mineral resources include copper, gold, chromite, pyrite, iron, manganese and ferro alloy and
limestone. Copper deposits in Barbaza and San Remigio are estimated to have a volume of
36,255 metric tons and 59,445 metric tons respectively. Pyrite deposits in Valderrama and
Sibalom are estimated at 120,000 metric tons while limestone deposits in Culasi are estimated
at 30 billion metric tons.

The Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) confirms the presence of gold in Mt.
Dumara, Laua-an extending as far as Lumboyan, Barbaza. Non-metallic deposits include
sulfides, clay, sulfur, oil and gemstones. Marble deposits are estimated at 1.8 billion metric
tons in Libertad, and 2.3 billion metric tons in Pandan. Coal reserves in Caluya are estimated
to be 1.6 million metric tons. An indication of oil deposit was recently discovered at Maniguin
Island in Culasi.

Financial Institutions

More banks have opened in Antique in 2017, now with more than 20 located in the
provincial capital San Jose de Buenavista alone. As of 2015, there are over 40 banks in Antique
with over PhP 9,765,000,000 in deposit liabilities according to the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
There are also over 80 pawnshops plus a big number of small and micro lending institutions
operating throughout the province.

Trade and Commerce

Major products shipped out of the province are palay, rice, copra, muscovado sugar,
legumes, fruits and vegetables, livestock, fish and fish preparations, and seaweeds.
Manufacture items like native gifts, toys, and housewares are sold in major cities of the country
and abroad. Principal mined products exported include coal, marble, silica, copper and
gemstones. The main goods entering the province are construction materials, dry goods,
groceries, canned and bottled products, fertilizers and others.
 The capital town of San Jose de Buenavista is the center of business in the province
while Culasi is the center of the North. Economically potential towns are San Jose, Sibalom,
Caluya, Culasi, Pandan, Hamtic, Tibiao, Bugasong and Patnongon. Wilson Alian, trade and
industry development specialist of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Antique
provincial office, said business is booming in the province this 2017 with the opening of food
chains such as McDonalds, Max’s, and Shakey’s.

With the revival of Antique Airport (also called Evelio Javier Airport), commercial
flights have resumed and may contribute for the development of commerce and tourism
industry especially in the capital town, San Jose.