Boljoon, Cebu

Boljoon
Municipality
Boljoon
Map of Cebu with Boljoon highlighted
Boljoon Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°38′N123°26′E / 9.63°N 123.43°E / 9.63; 123.43 Coordinates: 9°38′N123°26′E / 9.63°N 123.43°E / 9.63; 123.43
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Visayas (Region VII)
Province	Cebu
District	2nd district of Cebu
Founded	1600
Barangay	11 (see § Barangays) Arbor Baclayan El Pardo Granada Lower Becerril Lunop Nangka Poblacion San Antonio South Granada Upper Becerril
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Merlou Derama (LP)
• Vice mayor	Ervin Villanueva
•  Town Council	Members Inday Mubarak Obaid Proculogenus Navarro Marvin Niere Leonila Nicanor Edmundo Estavilla Jun Vequizo Restycel Getubig Cedric Atoctoy 2016 unofficial result
•  Representative	Wilfredo Caminero
Area [2]
• Total	117.00 km2 (45.17 sq mi)
Population (2015 census) [3]
• Total	16,344
• Density	140/km2 (360/sq mi)
• Voter (2016) [4]	10,216
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP code	6024
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)32
Income class	5th class
PSGC	072212000
Website	www.boljoon.com

Boljoon (also Boljo-on) is a 5th municipal income classmunicipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 16,344. ^[3] In the 2016 electoral roll, it had 10,216 registered voters. ^[4]

Boljoon has a total land area of 117.00 km² (45.17 sq mi). It is bounded to the north by Alcoy, to the west by Malabuyoc, to the south by Oslob, and to the east by Bohol Strait.

The Boljoon Church is currently in the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Extension). A proposal has been suggested by scholars to make a separate UNESCO inclusion for the Old Centre of Boljoon which includes the Boljoon Church. The same would be made for other churches listed in UNESCO's tentative sites, where each town plaza and surrounding heritage buildings would be added. No government agency has yet to take action on the proposal.

Barangays

Boljoon comprises 11 barangays, of which six (including Poblacion) are coastal, and the rest inland:

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2015 [3]		2010 [5]
072212008	Arbor	6.6%	1,076	1,035	▴	0.74%
072212001	Baclayan	2.9%	468	438	▴	1.27%
072212002	El Pardo	20.0%	3,264	2,953	▴	1.92%
072212003	Granada	7.7%	1,253	1,046	▴	3.50%
072212004	Lower Becerril	7.9%	1,297	1,153	▴	2.27%
072212009	Lunop	5.6%	916	874	▴	0.90%
072212010	Nangka	4.2%	679	590	▴	2.71%
072212005	Poblacion	25.0%	4,082	3,709	▴	1.84%
072212006	San Antonio	6.8%	1,114	1,125	▾	−0.19%
072212011	South Granada	5.1%	839	813	▴	0.60%
072212007	Upper Becerril	8.3%	1,356	1,291	▴	0.94%
	Total		16,344	15,027	▴	1.61%

Demographics

Population census of Boljoon
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	7,299	—
1918	9,121	+1.50%
1939	10,087	+0.48%
1948	11,299	+1.27%
1960	9,151	−1.74%
1970	11,049	+1.90%
1975	11,359	+0.56%
1980	10,735	−1.12%
1990	11,646	+0.82%
1995	12,318	+1.06%
2000	13,380	+1.79%
2007	14,877	+1.47%
2010	15,027	+0.37%
2015	16,344	+1.61%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [3] [5] [6] [7]

In the 2016 electoral roll, it had 10,216 registered voters, meaning that 63% of the population are aged 18 and over . ^[4]

Boljoon Church

Main article: Boljoon Church

Church of Patrocinio de Maria

Nuestra Señora de Patrocinio Parish Church of Boljoon shows old and intricate carvings and bas-reliefs. It is in a pseudo-baroque rococo style. It has a main nave, a transcript, and twenty-eight pillars which support the walls. The walls are as thick as the pillars which are two metres (6 ft 7 in) thick and made of mortar and lime.

Boljoon became a visita of Carcar founded according to some authors in 1599. It became an independent vicariate on 31 October 1690, and on 5 April 1692, Fr. Nicolas de la Cuadra was appointed as prior. Because of the lack of priests, the church was turned over to the Jesuits on 27 September 1737, following the recommendation of the intermediate chapter of 1732. In the year 1747, the General of the Augustinians Order proposed the recovery of the parishes left off in the Visayas. ^[8]

Boljoon's earlier building had been destroyed in a raid in 1782, and its pastor Fr. Ambrosio Otero started rebuilding the following year. The work was continued by Fr. Manuel Cordero in 1794 but when Fr. Julian arrived, the work was not yet completed. He decided to build a blockhouse 120 by 80 metres (390 ft × 260 ft) on which artillery was mounted, and he enclosed the church perimeter with a wall. He finally completed the church. The church and the adjoining convento were restored by Fr. Leandro Moran (1920–1948) the last Augustinian friar to be assigned to Boljoon. ^[9]

In 1999 the National Historical Institute declared it a National Historical Landmark. The following year, the National Museum declared it as a National Cultural Treasure.

Nuestra Señora de Patrocinio Parish Church was lucky enough to withstand the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2013 which affected Bohol and Cebu.

Discovery of 16th-century artefacts

On February 2008, archaeologists discovered 26 human remains (with china plates on top of heads) and 16th-century artefacts beneath the parvis of Boljoon Church. ^[10]

References

1. "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013. 
2. "Municipal: Boljoon, Cebu". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 January 2016. 
3. Census of Population (2015). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA . Retrieved 20 June 2016. 
4. "2016 National and Local Elections Statistics". Commission on Elections. 2016. 
5. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO . Retrieved 29 June 2016. 
6. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO. 
7. "Province of Cebu". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016. 
8. "Brief Historical Notes on Boljoon". 
9. "Boljoon Church". 
10. Philippine Sun Star 2008.

Sources

• Philippine Sun Star, Jujemay G. Awit (23 April 2008). "Remains, artifacts found in Boljoon". The Boljoon Blogs. Archived from the original on 29 September 2009. 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Boljoon .