Caramoran, Catanduanes

Not to be confused with Caramoan, Camarines Sur.

Caramoran
Municipality
Municipality of Caramoran
Map of Catanduanes with Caramoran highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Caramoran Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 13°59′N124°08′E / 13.98°N 124.13°E / 13.98; 124.13 Coordinates: 13°59′N124°08′E / 13.98°N 124.13°E / 13.98; 124.13
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol Region (Region V)
Province	Catanduanes
District	Lone district
Founded	August 29, 1948
Barangays	27 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Glenda V. Aguilar
•  Vice Mayor	Chyrrel D. Baro
• Congressman	Hector S. Sanchez
• Electorate	21,579 voters (2019)
Area   [2]
• Total	263.74 km2 (101.83 sq mi)
Elevation	5.0 m (16.4 ft)
Population  (2015 census) [3]
• Total	30,056
• Density	110/km2 (300/sq mi)
• Households	5,865
Economy
•  Income class	3rd municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	56.57% (2015) [4]
• Revenue (₱)	96,943,638.75 (2016)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	4808
PSGC	052004000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)52
Climate type	tropical monsoon climate
Native languages	Central Bikol Southern Catanduanes Bikol Tagalog
Website	www.caramoran-catanduanes.gov.ph

Caramoran, officially the Municipality of Caramoran, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Catanduanes, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 30,056 people. ^[3]

The main sources of livelihood of the town are growing rice, coconuts, and lasa and fishing. The white beaches and clean sea water of Toytoy and Sabang, the water falls of Ab-haw, Awinis and Garagag are some of the attractions, and together with the Hilacan River, are the main source of water for irrigation.

Geography

The municipality of Caramoran is located in the northern part of the island province of Catanduanes, about 87 kilometres (54 mi) from the capital town of Virac. From Tabaco, Albay, it can be reached by chartering a small passenger/cargo motorboat direct to Caramoran, or commercial ferry services like the M/V Eugenia, Starferry, or the fast sea vessel M/V Calixta to San Andres (Calolbon). From Virac or San Andres, a passenger jeepney or mini-bus can be taken to Caramoran.

The municipality has the largest land area of the municipalities in the province. It has a total land area of 26,374 hectares (65,170 acres) which is 16.7% of the total land area of the province.  ^[2]

Caramoran is bounded on the north by the municipality of Pandan, on the east by the municipalities of Viga, Panganiban and Bagamanoc, on the south by the municipalities of San Andres and Virac, on the west by Maqueda Channel.

Barangays

Caramoran is politically subdivided into 27 barangays.  ^[2]

Barangay Pop. (2007) Pop. (2010) [5] Baybay (Poblacion) 708 786 Bocon 280 315 Bothoan (Poblacion) 982 988 Buenavista 462 478 Bulalacao 489 526 Camburo 625 674 Dariao 1,776 1,912 Datag East 666 868 Datag West 1,017 963 Guiamlong 531 701 Hitoma 588 613 Icanbato (Poblacion) 777 740 Inalmasinan 682 682 Iyao 536 605

Barangay Pop. (2007) Pop. (2010) [5] Mabini 1,826 2,111 Maui 327 371 Maysuram 866 1,036 Milaviga 1,601 1,650 Panique 1,027 1,174 Sabangan 1,054 1,212 Sabloyon 850 1,070 Salvacion 565 611 Supang 932 1,012 Toytoy (Poblacion) 2,349 2,476 Tubli 2,404 2,462 Tucao 592 665 Obi 1,106 1,362

Climate

Caramoran has a fair climate with two seasons, the dry season which starts during the months of April to August, and the wet season that occurs during September to March.

Gusty winds from the north-east occur during January to March, and from October to December. Typhoons occur in mid-year and in the later part of the year.

Climate data for Caramoran, Catanduanes
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	27 (81)	27 (81)	28 (82)	30 (86)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	28 (82)	27 (81)	29 (84)
Average low °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	24 (75)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	138 (5.4)	83 (3.3)	74 (2.9)	50 (2.0)	108 (4.3)	165 (6.5)	202 (8.0)	165 (6.5)	190 (7.5)	186 (7.3)	188 (7.4)	183 (7.2)	1,732 (68.3)
Average rainy days	16.8	11.9	13.5	13.8	20.5	25.2	27.4	26.2	26.1	24.7	20.7	18.5	245.3
Source: Meteoblue (Use with caution: this is modeled/calculated data, not measured locally.) [6]

History

The early Spanish missionaries who came to the Philippines landed in Napacahan, a sitio in Tubli and established a parish, which lasted for many years. In the parish church, St. John the Baptist had been venerated until this day as the Patron Saint (feast day June 24).

Early Caramoran history disclosed the fact that the town originated in Napacahan, but due to relentless and repeated Muslim piracy in the 17th to the 18th century, the town was transferred to its present site Caramoran poblacion where the Muslim pirates could not anchor because of barrier reefs.

Over a hundred years after Spanish Sovereignty was established in 1570, Caramoran was founded as a town in 1676 side by side with the Catholic Church.

In the early colonial era, Catanduanes was only composed of two towns. The first, Viga, was founded in 1619 under the incumbency of Governor-General Manuel de Leon. In 1676, he established another town, which is now the municipality of Caramoran.

There are at least two possible origins of the name Caramoran. Old people of the town of Caramoan in Camarines Sur theorized that since their town is only separated almost 2 kilometers by Maqueda Channel from Caramoran in Catanduanes, the place also abound in “cara”, the turtle’s precious shell made into combs, bowls and decorative articles. Hence, a place where turtle “cara” shells are found in abundance, as in Caramoan. Another version is that this place is where “namo”, wild plants that grow on vines with edible roots, are plentiful; Caramoran has this plant growing in abundance. These two towns are both far from their provincial capital and as such the inhabitants are closely knit in many aspects.

The municipal government ceased to exist when Caramoran was fused to the Municipality of Pandan in 1906, only to be resurrected following the incessant demand of the people under the leadership of then Don Camilo Rubio.

The late ex-Congressman Francisco Perfecto fathered the bill in congress recreating Caramoran as an independent municipality. On August 29, 1948, then President Elpidio Quirino signed Republic Act No. 159 re-creating the municipality of Caramoran. ^[7] Cong. Perfecto filed a bill “Outlawing Storm” and this fact made Catanduanes known to the world because the beautiful island lies in the typhoon belt, perhaps without destructive storms in this province, specially this municipality of Caramoran must have prospered and developed fast.

Demographics

Population census of Caramoran
Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 1,914 —     1948 9,619 +3.65% 1960 13,384 +2.79% 1970 17,540 +2.74% 1975 18,055 +0.58% 1980 19,386 +1.43%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 20,999 +0.80% 1995 21,963 +0.84% 2000 23,790 +1.73% 2007 25,618 +1.03% 2010 28,063 +3.37% 2015 30,056 +1.31%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [3] [5] [8] [9]

In the 2015 census, the population of Caramoran was 30,056 people, ^[3] with a density of 110 inhabitants per square kilometre or 280 inhabitants per square mile.

References

1. "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
2. "Province: Catanduanes". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 12 November 2016.
3. Census of Population (2015). "Region V (Bicol Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
4. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
5. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region V (Bicol Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
6. "Caramoran, Catanduanes : Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
7. "An Act to Recreate the Former Municipality of Caramoran, Province of Catanduanes". LawPH.com. n.d. Retrieved 2011-04-08.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
8. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region V (Bicol Region)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
9. "Province of Catanduanes". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

External links

• Caramoran Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Municipality of Caramoran
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census information