The quality of life of the residents of Marcos can be measured in the status of living based on acceptable desired standards and the level of social services indicators like health, education, social welfare, housing, employment and income and recreation and protective services.
Health Situation
Health services had been the priority of the local government. The municipality has a functional Municipal Health Center, a Mothering center and barangay health stations in barangays. The Dona Josefa Edralin Marcos Hospital , a secondary hospital is situated near the municipal hall, an hospital accredited by Philhealth and managed by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte. The Sta. Teresita Hospital, a private hospital in town also provides adequate facilities and health personnel to address the health needs of the residents.
Crude birth rate (CBR) within the period 2012 to 2016 range from 15.1 to 15.28. and Crude death rate in 2012 is 6.6 and in 2016 is 6.04. In 2016, Infant mortality rate is 0% and maternal mortality rate is 3.97%. The municipality’s malnutrition is 35 or 2.32% of the 1504 children (0-15 years old). There is a prevalence of malnutrition due to vitamin deficiency and insufficient nutritional intake. Thus, supplementary feeding program is provided.
Education
Education and literacy has been one of the services provided to uplift the living condition of every family. Education is defined as the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. With the assumption that attendance to school makes a person literate, that is being able to read and write, based on the 2010 Census of Phil Statistics Authority the literacy rate of Marcos is 97.08 % of the population ages 5 years old and below. About 2.92% have no grade completed at all which signifies the town’s high literacy rate.
Social Welfare
The Social Welfare service of the municipality of Marcos together with its partners and other stakeholders in social welfare and development identifies the basic needs of the vulnerable, disadvantaged, depressed and underprivileged constituents and develop and implement appropriate measures to alleviate and improve their living condition. This includes Day Crae services, Senior Citizens Day services, youth and family welfare services, provision of assistance to persons with disabilities, supplemental feeding to undernourished children and assistance to disadvantaged women and children and children with conflict with the law. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is well implemented and provision of alternative livelihood to households. The municipality allocated enough funds under the Gender and Development Fund( GAD) to ensure that social services with gender sensitivity is being provided.
Housing and Basic Facilities
One of the basic needs of man is a dwelling unit, or shelter or home that will provide him comfort and accommodation. As population increase, demand for housing units with complete basic necessities also increases. Housing standard is one (1) household to one (1) unit housing unit.
Infrastructure Facilities
Road Networks
The Municipality of Marcos can be reach thru land transportation. From the City of Laoag, Marcos can be reached by passing thru the concrete national road thru Municipalities of San Nicolas, Sarrat, and Dingras. A second class concrete national road from Pinili or Batac City thru junction roads in Banna.
The different barangays and functional areas are interconnected through a network of national, provincial, municipal, barangay and feeder roads. The town can be reached thru jeepneys from Laoag City and also bus from Manila. There are two bus companies operating a long distance trip from Marcos to Manila, the Florida Bus and RCJ Bus lines. Also, jeepneys pass by the town proper from Municipality of Nueva Era and Banna . Residents utilize these vehicles in going to the urban area.
The Inventory of Roads by System of Classification and Type of Pavement based on the records of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Municipal Engineering Office, the road networks road length are summarized as follows:
National Roads————————– 11.701 kms
Provincial Roads————————- 38.9101 kms
Municipal Roads———————— 5.6058 kms
Barangay Roads———————– 75.0811kms
Water Facilities
Households with access to safe potable water from community water system of spring development is 18.04% and 86.66% get water from deep well.
Inadequate safe water to drink is real problem in the community. Spring development in barangays need to find source that could provide enough and potable water to supply all the households. Pipelines are deteriorating that needs major rehabilitation.
Electricity
The electricity is supplied by Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative located at Dingras, Ilcos Norte. The main source of power of INEC is the National Grid. All the 13 Barangays of the Municipality have access to electricity but not all of the houses are connected. As of 2016 data gathered from INEC about 96.34% of the household were served and 3.66% were unserved. The 3.66% or 153 households that are not yet served by INEC are those households that are located in far-flung areas that are difficult to access.
Employment
The working age group with ages 15-64 has 9,992 or 58.71% comprises the working age group. Majority or about 72 percent of the economically active population are engaged in agriculture, hunting and forestry. The rest are engaged in fishing; services like repair of vehicles/appliances, transport equipment, hotel and restaurant, domestic services, government and private services; manufacturing; trade; and construction. A few are overseas workers as domestic helpers, nurses, midwives, engineers, doctors, teachers, agriculturists and others.
Average Family Income and Expenditures vis-a-vis Poverty Level
Based on the 2011-2012 DSWD data, Marcos has an annual per capita poverty threshold of Php15,156 which is higher than the province’s Php. 14,779 but lower than the region’s Php15, 562.00 and the country’s Php14,866.00 respectively. It has also an annual per capita food threshold of Php11, 106.00, which is similarly over the country’s Php9,986.00, the region’s Php10,412.00 and the province’s Php 11,033.00.Marcos of poor families below poverty threshold and 283 households within the magnitude of families below food threshold. Family expenditures are basically spent for food consuming about 40 percent of the income; followed by schooling, health and medical needs, clothing’s, transportation, communication, housing, and leisure and recreation. However, as Marcosenos, like most Ilocano’s value hard work, a portion of their earnings is usually deposited in the bank for the future. Some invest them in stocks, securities, plans, and businesses.