Olongapo City Literacy and Education

Literacy and Education

In terms of Literacy and Education, the city has a high literacy rate of 96.71% and 88.74% for elementary and secondary levels. The high literacy rate can be attributed to the accessibility of education and existence of schools in all the barangays in the city.

More enrollments in public schools. SY 2003-2004 has a total enrollment of 35,868 children in elementary education of which 6,210 are from private schools which is an increase of 4,226 or 13.36% as against to revised SY 2002-2003 figure of 31,642 (Dep Ed 2004 AR). While enrolment in the secondary level is 20,748; 14,594 for public schools and 6,154 in private schools or an increase of 532 or 2.63% compared to the revised SY 2002-2003 figure of 20,216(Dep Ed 2004 AR).

The total enrolment for both primary and secondary education from SY 2002-2003 to SY 2003-2004 increased by 9.18%. The increase is obviously noticeable in public schools.

2002 – 2004 Enrollment

	ELEMENTARY			SECONDARY
Year	Public	Private	Total	Public	Private	Total
SY 02-03	25,417	6,226	31,642	14,331	5,885	20,216
SY 03-04	29,658	6,210	35,868	14,594	6,154	20,748

Using the mathematical notation of FP = PP (1 + r) ⁿ
where in ; FP = Future Population
PP = Present Population
r = annual growth rate of 1.68 %
n = number of years for the projection
1 = the unit

Increased on number of schools. Tertiary education is well provided in the city with eight (8) privately owned colleges and a city government-run college. There are 10,185 students who are studying in all the colleges in the City and those located at the Subic Freeport Zone. Private investment in pre-school education contributed most on the 8% increased of elementary and secondary schools in the city.

2002 – 2004 Number of Schools

	ELEMENTARY			SECONDARY
Year	Public	Private	Total	Public	Private	Total
SY 02-03	24	19	43	9	13	65
SY 03-04	25	22	47	9	14	23

State of the Economy

Economic Indicators

The City’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased from P 128.50 to P 132.80 by the end of 2004. Consumer’s Price Index is the measurement of changes in the cost of a fixed basket of products and services, including housing, electricity, food and transportation which are typically purchased by consumers.

The general upward price movement of goods and services in the City ranges from a low of 5. 9% to as high as 8.8%. Statistics from the National Statistics Office shows that a sudden general price increase was seen right after the 2004 national elections. This was between the period of May and June with monthly change of almost 2%, the highest incurred in the year. This can be attributed to the increase of supply of money in the market brought about by the spending spree during the recently held national elections. The City’s annual inflation rate was peg at a high 7.5% which is 3.5% higher than the 2003 annual rate.

Purchasing Power of Peso and Wage Rates

The annual average estimated purchasing power of peso was at a ratio of 1:78 cents, lower than the 2003 ration of 1:84 centavos. These means that fewer goods and services can be bought in every peso earned in the year 2004.

REGISTERED BUSINESSES BY CLASSIFICATION

New & Renewal 1998 – 2004

The lowest ratio incurred by the City was during the Yuletide Season at 1:75 centavos when inflation rate was at its highest level of 8.8%. The mandated wage order being observed by the City’s business establishments was the DOLE Wage Order No. RB-III-10 issued on August 20, 2004. It states that all employees and workers in the private sector in Region 3, receiving the minimum wage of P224.50 for non agricultural sector (establishment with a total asset of P30.0 Million or more) and P217.00 (for establishments with less than P30.0 Million assets) shall receive a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) of P 15.00.

Trade and Service Industry

For several decades now, Olongapo City threads the line of development in tourism. It boasts of its famous Subic Bay beaches, forest treks and night entertainment which are very much accessible to domestic and foreign tourist alike. It has water sports adventure and other recreational activities. It offers the coziest beach hotels, restaurants and bars ideal for family, business affairs and travelers.

Trade and service industry dominates the economy of the City, accounting to almost 75% of the total registered business establishments. Trading includes the wholesale and retail sector. It was the sub sector of retail stores which comprise the bulk of the trading establishments around 90% of the trading outlets.

Supermarket magnates are well entrenched in the economy doing business in the City since the US navy days.

CLASSIFICATIONS	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Services	908	900	866	706	874	1,042
Wholesales/Retail	2,750	2,428	2,725	2,670	2,854	2,811
Manufacturing	89	68	95	62	72	102
Banking and Finance	53	93	94	100	102	108
Educational Institution	16	12	10	8	13	24
Hotel and Restaurant	156	154	159	128	152	103
Real Estate	444	532	536	244	600	555
Amusement/Recreation	33	30	27	49	54	60
Transport/Communication	113	92	37	32	37	30
TOTAL :	4,562	4,309	4,549	3,999	4,758	4,835

After the height of economic prosperity during the US Navy days, local entrepreneurs started to innovatively engage in franchise food chains. New entrants in the fast food sector are the well known Philippine’s franchise, such as McDonalds, Jollibee, Chow King, and others.

There are three (3) identified business districts which has been the economic nerve centers of the City.

The Ramon Magsaysay - Gordon Avenue Business District, which traverse in the barangays of East Tapinac and Asinan. This is the former popular 24 hours red district, Magsasay Avenue.

There are almost 800 establishments operating in the area and except for the girl bars; the area had maintained its image as the night life entertainment center of the City.

Another business district was the Rizal Avenue Business District, traversing the barangays of East Bajac-Bajac and West Bajac-Bajac. Rizal Avenue. Being the City’s main thoroughfare, the avenue is the location of the main public market, the East Bajac-Bajac Public Market and the old West Bajac-Bajac Public Market.

The old market is the traditional trading post of City’s traders and wholesalers. It is the transshipment point of agricultural and non-agricultural products coming from adjacent provinces. There are around 1,900 registered businesses in this area facilitating the flow of trade to the end users. The area also facilitates the trading needs of neighboring municipalities.

The business district that would propel the City’s economy in the next several years is the Barretto Beach Business District. Currently, there are 377 business establishments operating in this area, majority of which caters to tourism. The multi-national foreign community also plays a significant role in the area’s local economy. A substantial number of its members have conveniently engaged in beach resorts, restaurants and hotel business. In recognition of their role, the City government has established an extension office of its Tourism Office which also housed the affairs of the foreign war veterans and retirees associations.

Crop production is generally at a subsistence level of production and is practiced only in the outlying barangays of the city like New Cabalan, Old Cabalan, Sta. Rita, Gordon Heights and Barretto.

There are a total of 5,923 registered business establishments in the city, from previous year’s figure of 4,835. Wholesale, retail and service establishments dominate the businesses in the City which accounts to around 77% of the number of establishments.

Manufacturing Industry

The City’s economy was driven mainly by service and trade industry. Manufacturing industry was at its infantile stage of development. To date there are 134 manufacturing businesses which operates on various categories.

Few of these manufacturing businesses are in a high variety and low quantity scale of production or job shop type of production. Though small in operations, Olongapo manufacturer of slippers have found a niche in its market segment, popular known as the Lotus slippers. This multi-colored beach slippers with a nylon strapped 1 to 2 inches thick rubber soles have been a household name when it comes to fashionable casual beach slippers.

Some of them have found their market outside the City and have graduated to a batch scale of production. The presence of this mode of production can mostly be seen traditionally on bakeries and food manufacturers.

100 % Housing Occupancy Rate

There were 42,280 housing units in Olongapo City, of which 42,278 were occupied, or 100 percent occupancy rate. This registered an increase of 2.69 percentage points from 1990 and a ratio of 1.02 household per occupied housing unit or a ratio of 4.58 persons per occupied housing unit.

Proportion of multi-unit residential dropped by 15.3 percentage points from 42.3 percent in 1990 to 27 percent in 2000. Majority (60.34 percent) of the occupied housing units were single houses. Three out of four occupied housing units needed no repair or if needed one with minor repair only.