Cawayan, officially the Municipality of Cawayan, is a municipality in the province of Masbate, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 69,265 people.[5]
Cawayan is 64 kilometres (40mi) from Masbate City.
History
Cawayan was created as a municipality from portions of Milagros through Executive Order No. 244 signed by President Elpidio Quirino on July 18, 1949.[6]
Geography
Barangays
Cawayan is politically subdivided into 37 barangays.[7] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
In the 2020 census, the population of Cawayan, Masbate, was 69,265 people,[14] with a density of 270 inhabitants per square kilometre or 700 inhabitants per square mile.
The locals of Cawayan still largely depend on subsistence farming despite its topographic advantage to adapt commercial farming. The lack of funding for agriculture and infrastructure and its political insecurity due to the presence and activities of armed groups kept by political families[23] and other subversive elements hinder the town's progress in spite of its geographical benefits.
Being primarily plain and flat, Cawayan is conducive to cattle farming. Grasslands are abundant in the plains and in the gentle slopes of the valleys and hills. However, land grabbing[24] issues still prevail as evidenced by hectares of private enclosures locally known as "ranchos" that run miles after miles. Herds of cattle inside the fence barrier are visible from the national road as one travels into the interior making Cawayan a major player in the cattle industry of the province.
Cawayan has several outlying islands crucial to its local fishing industries. These islands provide most of the marine resources to cater to the needs in the mainland. Barter trade is still practiced on Sundays, the town's busiest day.
The P42.95-million Cawayan Port Improvement Project in Barangay Mahayahay included the construction of rock causeway, back-up area, RC platform, RoRo ramp and breasting dolphin, as well as port lighting system, and mooring and fendering system. The project was completed on January 26, 2009.[25]
RoRo Project
Other than the local outrigger boat operators, a shipping company provides services to cater to the town's need of reliable vessel to transfer commodities to and from Cawayan for trade. It departs daily from Cawayan usually at 12:00 noon for a six-hour trip and docks at Pulambato Port in Bogo, Cebu. And at around 12:00 midnight it sails back to Cawayan Port.
For about two years, the RoRo vessel stopped operating in Cawayan,[26] but on October 10, 2012, RoRo service was restarted.
Station of the CrossMarine Sanctuary in Recodo
Industry
A local crab meat processing industry operates in Peña Island owned by Arturo Marcaida Jr.[28] He is considered as the most successful fisherman who made it big in fish culture and fish processing business not only in Masbate but in the entire Bicol Region which earned for him the title “Crab King".[29]
Another booming industry of the town is the dried fish industry.
Tourism
Famous attractions include the Station of the Cross atop Mount Begia; tropical islets of Naro and Peña; a marine sanctuary across Recodo Bay; and a wide stretch of beaches among others.
Barangay Divisoria has one of the largest open markets in the Philippines.[30]
↑ "Executive Order No. 244, s. 1949". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. 18 July 1949. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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