Itogon, officially the Municipality of Itogon, (Ilocano: Ili ti Itogon; Tagalog: Bayan ng Itogon), is a municipality in the province of Benguet, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 61,498 people.[5]
Itogon is a mining town, being the site of the first large-scale mining operations in the country.[6][7][8]
Itogon is also the site of Binga Dam,[9] managed and operated by the SN Aboitiz Power - Benguet, Inc.[citation needed]
History
Spanish period
During the Spanish Regime, a native of the historic pueblo of Itogon (or Itokhon), named Codeng, was appointed by the Spanish authorities as capitan of another nearby village, Balingway (currently Itogon Central/Proper[10]).[7][8] Balingway was later established as a town site and renamed after Codeng's native place.[7]
American period
During the American rule, Itogon was established as one of the 19 townships of the province of Benguet, upon the issuance of Act No. 48 by the Philippine Commission on November 22, 1900.[7][11][12]
On August 13, 1908, Benguet was established as a sub-province of the newly created Mountain Province with the enactment of Act No. 1876. As a result, six townships of Benguet were abolished, but Itogon remained a constituent town of Benguet sub-province.[12]
World War II
Guerrilla forces in Northern Luzon launch a successful attack on the Itogon Mining District on October 15, 1942, drawing Japanese attention. This results in the Japanese pouring more troops in Luzon Island.
Post-war era
In 1948, plans by the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) for a second dam construction along the Agno River in the province of Benguet started, after the Ambuklao Dam construction commenced in Bokod. Bulldozers started clearing the forested area of the Guissit Mountains in 1954 for the Binga Dam. Construction of the dam took 3 years and 9 months, from August 1956 until its formal operations opening in May 1960.[8][9]
On May 15, 1951, the town was converted into a regular municipality from the former municipal district of the same name, with the enactment of Republic Act No. 616.[14]
On June 18, 1966, the sub-province of Benguet was separated from the old Mountain Province and was converted into a regular province. Itogon remained to be a component municipality of the newly established province.[12][15]
Itogon is situated 21.74 kilometres (13.51mi) from the provincial capital La Trinidad, and 255.01 kilometres (158.46mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.
Barangays
Itogon is politically subdivided into 9 barangays.[17] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
An outcrop of metamorphosed basalt (greenschist) in barangay Tinungdan
In the 2020 census, Itogon had a population of 61,498.[25] The population density was 140 inhabitants per square kilometre (360/sqmi).
Generally inhabited by 60 percent Ibalois, 40 percent Kankanaey, and other ethnicities such as the Ilocano, Itogon was the most populous municipality in the province, with a population of 61,773 in the 1990 census. Its population abruptly declined five years after as illustrated in the census of 1995.[24]
Itogon, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Benguet, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.
Alternate rendering of current sealFormer seal of Itogon
Known tourist destination areas in Itogon include the Binga Dam in Tinongdan and Balatoc Mines Tours in Balatoc, Virac. Other tourist spots include the open pit mines in Loacan, hot spring in Dalupirip, Mount Ugo in Tinongdan, Level 1300 swimming pools in Poblacion with hot steams and bath and the mummies in Domolpos also in Tinongdan.[36][37]
There are two schools districe offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.[38] These are Itogon I Schools District Office, and Itogon II Schools District Office.
1 2 3 "Binga Dam". National Power Corporation. NAPOCOR. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2014. Binga Dam forms an impoundment on the Agno River, approximately 19 km downstream of the Ambuklao dam, in Benguet province, northern Luzon.
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