Catarman, Northern Samar

Last updated

Catarman
Municipality of Catarman
Catarman-Laoang Road, Catarman Poblacion-Quirino (Catarman, Northern Samar; 04-27-2023).jpg
Catarman Town Proper
Flag of Catarman, Northern Samar.png
Catarman Northern Samar.png
Ph locator northern samar catarman.png
Map of Northern Samar with Catarman highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Catarman, Northern Samar
Philippines location map (square).svg
Red pog.svg
Catarman
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 12°29′58″N124°37′58″E / 12.4994°N 124.6328°E / 12.4994; 124.6328
Country Philippines
Region Eastern Visayas
Province Northern Samar
District 1st district
Barangays 55 (see Barangays)
Government
[1]
  Type Sangguniang Bayan
   Mayor Francisco Aurelio E. Rosales III
   Vice Mayor Francisco C. Rosales Jr.
   Representative Paul R. Daza
  Councilors
List
   Electorate 63,766 voters (2025)
Area
[2]
  Total
464.43 km2 (179.32 sq mi)
Elevation
15 m (49 ft)
Highest elevation
142 m (466 ft)
Lowest elevation
−1 m (−3 ft)
Population
 (2024 census) [3]
  Total
97,738
  Density210/km2 (550/sq mi)
   Households
20,836
Demonym Catarmananon
Economy
   Income class 1st municipal income class
   Poverty incidence
20.64
% (2021) [4]
   Revenue 539.8 million (2022)
   Assets 1,327 million (2022)
   Expenditure 457.5 million (2022)
   Liabilities 334.3 million (2022)
Service provider
   Electricity Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (NORSAMELCO)
Time zone UTC+8 (PST)
Zip Code
6400
PSGC
IDD : area code +63(0)55
Native languages Waray
Tagalog
Website www.catarman-nsamar.gov.ph

Catarman, officially the Municipality of Catarman (Waray [Ninorte Samarnon]: Bungto san Catarman; Tagalog : Bayan ng Catarman), is a municipality and capital of the province of Northern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 97,879 people. [5] It is the commercial, educational, financial, and political center of the province. It is the most populous municipality in Eastern Visayas.

Contents

History

Catarman Municipal Hall Catarman, Northern Samar Municipal Hall 02.JPG
Catarman Municipal Hall
Catarman Legislative Building Catarman Legislative Building.JPG
Catarman Legislative Building

Before the coming of the Spaniards, Catarman (also known as Calatman or Cataruman) was a settlement by the mouth of the river of the same name in the region called Ibabao. The Spanish Conquistadors applied the term Ibabao to the northern part of Samar island when it established its civil government. The similarities in the vocabularies and pronunciation of the dialects of these areas traces them to a common root as a people.

The town was one of the 13 villages and settlements and adopted as pueblos by the Spaniards in Samar Island and was one of the settlements in the northern parts of the island. The pueblo was named Calatman and was one of the pueblos in the Visayan islands, then collectively referred to as Islas de Pintados [Island of the Painted Ones].

In 1974, Catarman was made the center of the episcopal see of the then newly established Roman Catholic Diocese of Catarman comprising the Northern Samar province, with the Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish Church as the designated cathedral. [6]

Geography

Welcome arch to Catarman Welcome Arch at Catarman, Northern Samar.JPG
Welcome arch to Catarman
Dalakit Beach Dalakit Beach, Pacific waves (Catarman, Northern Samar; 04-27-2023).jpg
Dalakit Beach

Catarman lies on the northern part of Samar Island, bounded to the east by Mondragon, to the west by Bobon, to the south by Lope de Vega, to the southwest by Calbayog City, and to the north by the Philippine Sea.

On the Pacific coast are flat lowlands with the interior characterized by outlying low hills. Mount Puyao in Barangay Liberty is the highest peak in the area. The Catarman River, a major provincial river, divides the eastern and the western parts of the town. It is fed by the Paticua, Hibulwangan, Mahangna, Tura, and Danao creeks together with less prominent estuaries.

Barangays

Catarman is politically subdivided into 55 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

  • Acacia (pob.)
  • Aguinaldo
  • Airport Village (pob.)
  • Bangkerohan
  • Baybay (pob.)
  • Bocsol
  • Cabayhan
  • Cag-abaca
  • Cal-igang
  • Calachuchi (pob.)
  • Casoy (pob.)
  • Cawayan
  • Cervantes
  • Cularima
  • Daganas
  • Dalakit
  • Doña Pulqueria
  • Galutan
  • Gebalagnan
  • Gibulwangan
  • Guba
  • Hinatad
  • Imelda
  • Ipil-ipil (pob.)
  • Jose Abad Santos (pob.)
  • Jose P. Rizal (pob.)
  • Lapu-lapu (pob.)
  • Liberty
  • Libjo
  • Mabini
  • Mabolo (pob.)
  • Macagtas
  • Malvar
  • McKinley
  • Molave (pob.)
  • Narra (pob.)
  • New Rizal
  • Old Rizal
  • Paticua
  • Polangi
  • Quezon
  • Salvacion
  • Sampaguita (pob.)
  • San Julian
  • San Pascual
  • Santol (pob.)
  • Somoge
  • Talisay (pob.)
  • Tinowaran
  • Trangue
  • UEP Zone I
  • UEP Zone II
  • UEP Zone III
  • Washington
  • Yakal (pob.)

Climate

Climate data for Catarman, Northern Samar (1991–2020, extremes 1949–2020)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)34.2
(93.6)
34.0
(93.2)
35.4
(95.7)
37.2
(99.0)
37.7
(99.9)
38.0
(100.4)
36.7
(98.1)
37.1
(98.8)
37.5
(99.5)
35.5
(95.9)
36.0
(96.8)
34.3
(93.7)
38.0
(100.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)29.3
(84.7)
29.9
(85.8)
30.7
(87.3)
32.0
(89.6)
33.1
(91.6)
32.9
(91.2)
32.3
(90.1)
32.8
(91.0)
32.6
(90.7)
31.6
(88.9)
30.8
(87.4)
29.9
(85.8)
31.5
(88.7)
Daily mean °C (°F)26.0
(78.8)
26.2
(79.2)
26.7
(80.1)
27.6
(81.7)
28.5
(83.3)
28.4
(83.1)
28.1
(82.6)
28.5
(83.3)
28.2
(82.8)
27.6
(81.7)
27.1
(80.8)
26.6
(79.9)
27.5
(81.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)22.7
(72.9)
22.5
(72.5)
22.6
(72.7)
23.2
(73.8)
23.9
(75.0)
24.0
(75.2)
23.9
(75.0)
24.1
(75.4)
23.9
(75.0)
23.6
(74.5)
23.5
(74.3)
23.3
(73.9)
23.5
(74.3)
Record low °C (°F)16.9
(62.4)
17.2
(63.0)
17.6
(63.7)
19.0
(66.2)
20.0
(68.0)
20.0
(68.0)
20.8
(69.4)
20.6
(69.1)
19.4
(66.9)
19.9
(67.8)
17.8
(64.0)
18.2
(64.8)
16.9
(62.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches)520.1
(20.48)
310.5
(12.22)
312.4
(12.30)
152.5
(6.00)
162.9
(6.41)
217.3
(8.56)
221.9
(8.74)
167.7
(6.60)
205.8
(8.10)
331.9
(13.07)
457.8
(18.02)
689.9
(27.16)
3,750.7
(147.67)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm)211515111013141112172224185
Average relative humidity (%)89878684838485838486888986
Source: PAGASA [7] [8]

Demographics

Catarman Cathedral Catarman Cathedral in Samar province.jpg
Catarman Cathedral
Population census of Catarman
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 9,994    
1918 13,278+1.91%
1939 21,007+2.21%
1948 33,153+5.20%
1960 39,434+1.46%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1970 44,438+1.20%
1975 53,267+3.70%
1980 59,021+2.07%
1990 50,965−1.46%
1995 61,705+3.65%
YearPop.±% p.a.
2000 67,671+2.00%
2007 81,067+2.52%
2010 84,833+1.67%
2015 94,037+1.98%
2020 97,879+0.85%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]

Economy

A Jollibee branch in Catarman Jollibee at Catarman, Northern Samar.JPG
A Jollibee branch in Catarman

Poverty incidence of Catarman

10
20
30
40
50
2000
37.92
2003
35.06
2006
29.80
2009
43.38
2012
34.83
2015
36.02
2018
30.27
2021
20.64

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

Transportation

Catarman National Airport Terminal CRMTerminalBldg.jpg
Catarman National Airport Terminal
Pedicabs, one of the transportation modes in the town Pedicab at Catarman, Northern Samar.JPG
Pedicabs, one of the transportation modes in the town

PAL Express is the only airline operating through the Catarman National Airport, with flights between Manila and Catarman four times weekly and recently a 3x per week flight from Catarman to Cebu City . Flights are frequently booked well in advance due to ticket costs. Pedicabs and motorized tricycles are the means of transportation within the town. Jeepneys, vans, and buses are the means of transportation between Catarman and neighboring towns. Several vans and bus companies also operate to serve travelers between the town and Manila.

Education

Catarman is home to the University of Eastern Philippines, the first state university in the Visayas and the largest university by student population and curriculum in Eastern Visayas. The university has satellite campuses in the province, one in Laoang and the other in Catubig (officially known the Pedro Rebadulla Memorial Campus), and has several extension programs offered across satellite campuses in the region.

Other prominent public and private educational institutions:

Elementary:

High School:

College/Vocational:

University of Eastern Philippines University of Eastern Philippines NHCP Marker Site.jpg
University of Eastern Philippines

Notable personalities

References

  1. Municipality of Catarman | (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. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 17, 2025. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  4. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  5. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 17, 2025. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  6. "Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation Catarman, Northern Samar, Eastern Visayas, Philippines". GCatholic. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  7. "Catarman, Northern Samar Climatological Normal Values 1991–2020" (PDF). Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 1, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  8. "Catarman, Northern Samar Climatological Extremes" (PDF). Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 7, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  9. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 17, 2025. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  10. Census of Population (2015). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  11. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  12. 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.
  13. "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  14. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  15. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
  16. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. March 23, 2009.
  17. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. August 3, 2012.
  18. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. May 31, 2016.
  19. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 10, 2019.
  20. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. December 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  21. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  22. Grant, Frederick D. (1902). Annual Reports of the War Department for the Fiscal year June 30 1902 | Volume IX. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 419.
  23. Sugbo, Victor, ed. (1995). Tinipigan: An Anthology of Waray Literature. Manila, Philippines: National Commission for Culture and the Arts. p. 272. OCLC   645852700 . Retrieved September 27, 2019.