Esperanza, Agusan del Sur

Esperanza
Municipality
Municipality of Esperanza
Flag Seal
Map of Agusan del Sur with Esperanza highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Esperanza Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 8°41′N125°39′E / 8.68°N 125.65°E / 8.68; 125.65
Country	Philippines
Region	Caraga
Province	Agusan del Sur
District	1st district
Founded	September 11, 1953
Barangays	47 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Leonida P. Manpatilan
•  Vice Mayor	Eric Rey G. Siohan
•  Representative	Alfelito M. Bascug
•  Electorate	32,629 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	1,355.48 km2 (523.35 sq mi)
Elevation	312 m (1,024 ft)
Highest elevation	1,991 m (6,532 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [3]
• Total	59,353
• Density	44/km2 (110/sq mi)
•  Households	13,240
Economy
•  Income class	1st municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	44.10 % (2021) [4]
•  Revenue	₱ 403.5 million (2020)
•  Assets	₱ 1,231 million (2020)
•  Expenditure	₱ 344.4 million (2020)
•  Liabilities	₱ 553.3 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative (ASELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	8513
PSGC	160303000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)85
Native languages	Agusan Butuanon Cebuano Higaonon Tagalog
Website	www.esperanza.gov.ph

Esperanza, officially the Municipality of Esperanza (Cebuano : Lungsod sa Esperanza; Tagalog : Bayan ng Esperanza), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Agusan del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 59,353 people. ^[3]

History

The municipality of Esperanza was founded on September 11, 1953, per Executive Order No. 611 signed and approved by President Elpidio Quirino. ^[5] It duly then began its functions as an independent municipality on September 27, 1953, when its first town officials were appointed.

Esperanza was the oldest town in northern Agusan del Sur. It was also the largest town in the province by land area until several municipalities were created out its territories in the late 20th century, namely: Las Nieves, San Luis, Sibagat, and Bayugan which later turned into a city and has far surpassed its mother town in terms of economy and population.

The Golden Tara

Main article: Agusan image

The Golden Tara that had been found in Esperanza, is now housed in a museum in Chicago, United States.

In July 1917, a flood and storm swept through Agusan del Sur in Barangay Cubo of Esperanza. After the storm, a Manobo woman named Bilay Ocampo was on the banks of the muddy Wawa River where she eventually found a figure where it washed up from the river. The 21-karat gold figure dating to around 850 to 950 A.D. weighs 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and depicts a woman sitting in the lotus position in Buddhism, is ornamented with jewelry on her body, and wears a headdress. This figure turned out to be a representation of the Bodhisattva Tara. Now known as the "Golden Tara", after its discovery, it was handed to the former Deputy Governor Bias Baclagon then it was passed to the Agusan Coconut Company, because of a debt. It was then being sold and was purchased for ₱4,000 by the wife of American Governor-General Leonard Wood, Faye Cooper-Cole, who was the curator of Chicago Field Museum’s Southeast Asian department. They then donated the Golden Tara to the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois, United States where it is currently held in the Grainger Hall of Gems. Dr. H. Otley Beyer, known as the father of Philippine Archaeology and Anthropology, tried to encourage the government to buy the artifact however all attempts failed due to lack of funds. ^[6]

Another historical claim has it that when Bilay Ocampo found the Golden Tara, she decided to keep it as a doll. However she was told to give it over to Baclagon because they believed it was a diwata . Because of this, it was previously called Buwawan ni Baclagon or Ginto ni Baclagon (both translates to "Gold of Baclagon"). However, according to Bilay's granddaughter, Constancia, the Golden Tara wasn't handed over but it was stolen from her grandmother. The question of the validity of the purchase of the Golden Tara and whether it was acquired legally if it was in fact originally stolen from Bilay remains a debate of history. ^[6]

The Golden Tara remains exhibited in the Grainger Hall of Chicago Field Museum (now known as the Field Museum of Natural History) up to the present time and reports has it that the Philippine government has plans to continue its negotiations in re-acquiring the figure. ^[6]

According to UP scholar Dr. Juan Francisco, he described the golden statue as, "One of the most spectacular discoveries in the Philippine archaeological history." ^[6]

Geography

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 1,355.48 square kilometres (523.35 sq mi)  ^[7] constituting 13.57% of the 9,989.52-square-kilometre- (3,856.98 sq mi) total area of Agusan del Sur.

Climate

Climate data for Esperanza, Agusan del Sur
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	28 (82)	28 (82)	29 (84)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	28 (82)	29 (85)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	23 (73)	23 (73)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	24 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	154 (6.1)	101 (4.0)	78 (3.1)	59 (2.3)	95 (3.7)	130 (5.1)	131 (5.2)	137 (5.4)	125 (4.9)	145 (5.7)	141 (5.6)	121 (4.8)	1,417 (55.9)
Average rainy days	17.4	13.9	14.4	14.3	22.3	26.0	27.9	27.5	26.2	26.4	21.4	17.2	254.9
Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally) [8]

Barangays

Esperanza is politically subdivided into 47 barangays. ^[9] Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2020 [3]		2010 [10]
160303031	Agsabu	1.4%	812	612	▴	2.87%
160303032	Aguinaldo	0.9%	540	523	▴	0.32%
160303001	Anolingan	2.8%	1,649	1,567	▴	0.51%
160303002	Bakingking	0.8%	496	462	▴	0.71%
160303033	Balubo	1.4%	816	930	▾	−1.30%
160303003	Bentahon	1.8%	1,084	956	▴	1.26%
160303004	Bunaguit	2.0%	1,192	1,253	▾	−0.50%
160303006	Catmonon	2.9%	1,733	1,654	▴	0.47%
160303034	Cebulan	0.7%	432	316	▴	3.18%
160303007	Concordia	1.6%	935	779	▴	1.84%
160303035	Crossing Luna	2.3%	1,381	1,250	▴	1.00%
160303036	Cubo	1.5%	877	776	▴	1.23%
160303008	Dakutan	5.7%	3,391	3,271	▴	0.36%
160303009	Duangan	2.7%	1,610	1,596	▴	0.09%
160303011	Guadalupe	6.8%	4,046	3,854	▴	0.49%
160303037	Guibonon	0.8%	502	737	▾	−3.77%
160303012	Hawilian	4.0%	2,358	2,147	▴	0.94%
160303038	Kalabuan	0.5%	283	343	▾	−1.90%
160303039	Kinamaybay	1.2%	683	654	▴	0.43%
160303013	Labao	1.6%	930	721	▴	2.58%
160303040	Langag	2.0%	1,197	1,084	▴	1.00%
160303014	Maasin	1.8%	1,091	1,079	▴	0.11%
160303010	Mac-Arthur	0.3%	200	195	▴	0.25%
160303015	Mahagcot	1.4%	841	833	▴	0.10%
160303041	Maliwanag	0.5%	296	163	▴	6.15%
160303016	Milagros	2.0%	1,172	1,145	▴	0.23%
160303017	Nato	2.9%	1,732	1,639	▴	0.55%
160303042	New Gingoog	0.8%	495	420	▴	1.66%
160303043	Odiong	1.0%	622	545	▴	1.33%
160303018	Oro	3.2%	1,922	1,536	▴	2.27%
160303044	Piglawigan	3.2%	1,882	1,623	▴	1.49%
160303019	Poblacion	8.1%	4,778	4,907	▾	−0.27%
160303020	Remedios	2.4%	1,447	1,665	▾	−1.39%
160303021	Salug	2.1%	1,238	1,262	▾	−0.19%
160303045	San Isidro	0.6%	385	358	▴	0.73%
160303046	San Jose	0.3%	150	151	▾	−0.07%
160303022	San Toribio	4.1%	2,424	2,218	▴	0.89%
160303047	San Vicente	1.3%	765	578	▴	2.84%
160303023	Santa Fe	3.4%	1,990	1,698	▴	1.60%
160303024	Segunda	0.5%	293	314	▾	−0.69%
160303048	Sinakungan	0.8%	464	485	▾	−0.44%
160303026	Tagabase	1.4%	827	780	▴	0.59%
160303027	Taganahaw	0.6%	382	376	▴	0.16%
160303028	Tagbalili	0.9%	546	632	▾	−1.45%
160303029	Tahina	1.3%	769	742	▴	0.36%
160303030	Tandang Sora	1.3%	768	732	▴	0.48%
160303049	Valentina	0.6%	375	336	▴	1.10%
	Total		59,353	51,897	▴	1.35%

Demographics

Population census of Esperanza

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1918	2,894	—
1939	9,247	+5.69%
1948	8,488	−0.95%
1960	31,825	+11.64%
1970	21,051	−4.04%
1975	23,377	+2.12%
1980	25,257	+1.56%
1990	36,139	+3.65%
1995	42,118	+2.91%
2000	44,151	+1.02%
2007	47,659	+1.06%
2010	51,897	+3.15%
2015	54,801	+1.04%
2020	59,353	+1.58%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [11] [10] [12] [13]

In the 2020 census, Esperanza had a population of 59,353. ^[3] The population density was 44 inhabitants per square kilometre (110/sq mi).

Economy

Poverty incidence of Esperanza

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 2006 66.90 2009 61.94 2012 52.85 2015 50.52 2018 45.67 2021 44.10 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

References

1.   Municipality of Esperanza | (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). "Caraga". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 July 2021.
4. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
5. Executive Order No. 611, s. 1953, ORGANIZING THE MUNICIPAL DISTRICTS OF ESPERANZA, CONCORDIA, MAYGATASAN, MAASIN, NUEVO TRABAJO, REMEDIOS, NUEVO SIBAGAT, GUADALUPE, BAKINGKING, BAYLO, BUNAGUIT, SAN LUIS, STA. INES, VERDU AND MILAGROS, ALL OF THE PROVINCE OF AGUSAN, INTO A MUNICIPALITY TO BE KNOWN AS THE MUNICIPALITY OF ESPERANZA
6. Golden Tara - The Official Website of the Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur.
7. "Province: Agusan del Sur". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 12 November 2016.
8. "Esperanza: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
9. "Municipal: Esperanza, Agusan del Sur". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 January 2016.
10. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Caraga" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
11. Census of Population (2015). "Caraga". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
12. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Caraga". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
13. "Province of Agusan del Sur". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
14. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
15. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
16. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
17. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
18. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
19. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
20. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
21. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code