Bontoc, Southern Leyte

Bontoc
Municipality
Municipality of Bontoc
Bontoc in 2022
Flag Seal
Map of Southern Leyte with Bontoc highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Bontoc Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°21′N124°58′E / 10.35°N 124.97°E / 10.35; 124.97
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Province	Southern Leyte
District	1st district
Founded	June 15, 1950
Barangays	40 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Noel E. Alinsub (Aksyon)
•  Vice Mayor	Rodulfo V. Nablea (Aksyon)
•  Representative	Luz V. Mercado
•  Municipal Council	Members Marissa T. Dayagbil James A. Olayvar Romualdo A. Dizon Jr. Florencia M. Carbonilla Joel T. Guasa Teody R. Lampong Rodrigo C. Tomaub Merlyn L. Faelnar
•  Electorate	20,982 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	102.10 km2 (39.42 sq mi)
Elevation	47 m (154 ft)
Highest elevation	390 m (1,280 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [3]
• Total	29,799
• Density	290/km2 (760/sq mi)
•  Households	7,283
Economy
•  Income class	4th municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	29.69 % (2018) [4]
•  Revenue	₱ 109.2 million (2020)
•  Assets	₱ 265 million (2020)
•  Expenditure	₱ 94.68 million (2020)
•  Liabilities	₱ 81.72 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6604
PSGC	086402000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)53
Native languages	Boholano dialect Cebuano Tagalog

Bontoc, officially the Municipality of Bontoc (Cebuano : Lungsod sa Bontoc; Tagalog : Bayan ng Bontoc), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 29,799 people. ^[3]

The town is home to the Bontoc Campus of the Southern Leyte State University, which offers agricultural and industrial courses.

The town celebrates their fiesta in honor of the Holy Child Jesus. The Ulang Festival, held annually on January 15, is celebrated by colorful participants dancing in honor of the icon of the Señor Santo Niño (Holy Child Jesus). Some devotees to the Señor Santo Niño said that it can performed miracles that can heal sickness of those who touches the said icon.

Etymology

The name “Bontoc” is derived from an old creek called Bontoc creek near the present Roman Catholic Cemetery where old “pueblo” called Daan Lungsod existed during the early Spanish regime.

History

Before the coming of the Spaniards, Bontoc was a wilderness where few natives lived and wild animals roamed. When the Spaniards came, they found scattered warring tribes of primitive Malays who settled in prosperous villages near the mouth and along the fertile plains of the historic Salog river basin. They then successfully subjugated these warring tribes and immigrants and founded a cluster of villages which later on formed the nucleus of the Barrio of Bontoc.

As far as history could recall the most popular among the ancient warring chiefs, was Mariano Barcelon who was nicknamed as "Tahug". He was acclaimed to be the bravest of the braves. His name was a terror to the Moro pirates that swarmed Philippine waters during the 16th century.

During the Spanish time up to the early part of the American regime, Bontoc was ruled by a succession of native "Cabezas de barangay", a unit government organization during that time. Bontoc was at that time a tributary "pueblo" belonging to the old town of Libagon which governed the people for many years both in civil and religious matter by a line of "capitanes" or gobernadorcillos.

The cabezas de barangay who governed this little pueblo also earned for themselves the honor of being called "capitan" by their own people. The church wielded tremendous power at that time in the affairs of the government. Any person who offends the clergy or disobeys religious order is severely punished.

Among the well-known capitanes who controlled the reins of the local administration of this barrio were: Hilario Barcelon, Manuel Leyes, Romualdo Tubia, Florentino Flores, Felipe Aguilar and the last well-known cabeza or capitan was Gerardo Faelnar popularly known among the people as Capitan Dadoy whose administration lasted up to the early days of American occupation.

Shortly after the coming of the Americans, Bontoc became a unit barrio of Sogod.

During the Japanese occupation, the town served as the seat of resistance movement against the Japanese with its general headquarters in Sitio Mamingaw, Barangay Banahaw and under the command of Colonel Ruperto K. Kangleon. In one notable raid, an entire truckload of Japanese soldiers on patrol was completely annihilated at Sitio Trece, Barangay Santo Niño. A small monument stands in front of Bontoc motor pool at Sitio Trece commemorates this event.

On June 15, 1950, it became a regular municipality by the operative provisions of Republic Act No. 522.

Geography

The town is situated on a long stretch of rich alluvial plain, which considered as the greatest farming region in the entire Sogod Bay District, and is drained by the Salog and Divisoria Rivers. Because of its rich soil, there is much rice farming. The town is also the producer of abaca, copra and tobacco in the Bay District.

Barangays

Bontoc is politically subdivided into 40 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Anahao
• Banahao
• Baugo
• Beniton
• Buenavista
• Bunga
• Casao
• Catmon
• Catoogan
• Cawayanan
• Dao
• Divisoria
• Esperanza
• Guinsangaan
• Hibagwan
• Hilaan
• Himakilo
• Hitawos
• Lanao
• Lawgawan
• Mahayahay
• Malbago
• Mauylab
• Olisihan
• Paku
• Pamahawan
• Pamigsian
• Pangi
• Poblacion
• Pong-on
• Sampongon
• San Ramon
• San Vicente
• Santa Cruz
• Santo Niño
• Taa
• Talisay
• Taytagan
• Tuburan
• Union

Climate

Climate data for Bontoc, Southern Leyte
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	28 (82)	29 (84)	29 (84)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)
Average low °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	23 (73)	24 (75)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	78 (3.1)	57 (2.2)	84 (3.3)	79 (3.1)	118 (4.6)	181 (7.1)	178 (7.0)	169 (6.7)	172 (6.8)	180 (7.1)	174 (6.9)	128 (5.0)	1,598 (62.9)
Average rainy days	16.7	13.8	17.3	18.5	23.2	26.5	27.1	26.0	26.4	27.5	24.6	21.0	268.6
Source: Meteoblue [5]

Demographics

Population census of Bontoc

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1960 15,835 —     1970 17,325 +0.90% 1975 20,452 +3.38% 1980 22,655 +2.07% 1990 24,818 +0.92% 1995 24,047 −0.59%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2000 27,592 +2.99% 2007 28,535 +0.46% 2010 28,079 −0.58% 2015 28,905 +0.55% 2020 29,799 +0.60%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [6] [7] [8] [9]

Economy

Ancestral house in Barangay Paku

References

1.   Municipality of Bontoc | (DILG)
2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN   0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. Census of Population (2020). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 July 2021.
4. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
5. "Bontoc, Southern Leyte : Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
6. Census of Population (2015). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
7. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
8. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
9. "Province of Southern Leyte". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
10. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
11. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
12. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
13. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
14. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
15. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
16. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.

External links

• Official Website of Bontoc, Southern Leyte
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System