Lavezares

Lavezares
Municipality
Municipality of Lavezares
Flag
Map of Northern Samar with Lavezares highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Lavezares Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 12°32′N124°20′E / 12.53°N 124.33°E / 12.53; 124.33
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Province	Northern Samar
District	1st district
Founded	1875
Named for	Guido de Lavezaris
Barangays	26 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Edito B. Saludaga
•  Vice Mayor	Ricardo O. Chan
•  Representative	Paul R. Daza
• Councilors	List • Ma. Shiela O. Lucban • Nelson M. Esguerra • Decoroso A. Turla • Beda M. Bogtong • Carlos O. Salvador • Enrique G. Derutas • Manuel T. Martires • Leonardo G. Tiozon DILG Masterlist of Officials
•  Electorate	21,548 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	119.50 km2 (46.14 sq mi)
Elevation	45 m (148 ft)
Highest elevation	222 m (728 ft)
Lowest elevation	−1 m (−3 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [3]
• Total	29,390
• Density	250/km2 (640/sq mi)
•  Households	6,784
Economy
•  Income class	4th municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	34.14 % (2018) [4]
•  Revenue	₱ 127.3 million (2020)
•  Assets	₱ 377.7 million (2020)
•  Expenditure	₱ 113.3 million (2020)
•  Liabilities	₱ 93.64 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (NORSAMELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6404
PSGC	084811000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)55
Native languages	Waray Tagalog

Lavezares, officially the Municipality of Lavezares (Waray : Bungto han Lavezares; Tagalog : Bayan ng Lavezares), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Northern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 29,390 people. ^[3]

It is bounded on the west by the municipality of Allen, on the north-west by San Bernardino Strait, on the south and south-west by the municipality of Victoria, on the east by the municipality of Rosario and on the north by the municipality of Biri.

History

Lavezares was just a visita during the late 19th century. In this period of time, Barobaybay, Villa and MacArthur served as the oldest pueblos of the old municipality.

During the Spanish period, Lavezares was controlled by secular priests. It was named in honor of the Spanish Governor-General Guido de Lavezares who helped them become separated from the Municipality of Allen, and be an independent municipality. Sitios of Lavezares including Caburihan, Ocad, Caragas, Cataogan and Sabang-Tabok were converted into barangays though Republic Act 2370 (the Barrio Charter Act) and Republic Act 3590 (the Revised Barrio Charter Act). And shortly, the municipality was administered by the capitanes, presidentes and municipal mayors.

Geography

Lavezares has a land area of 11,950 hectares (29,500 acres), with a topography that is generally characterized by very rugged terrain with many steep and elevated areas classified as undulating to hilly. Technically, there are only two hills in the area, these are located in the southernmost part of Barangays Chansvilla and Toog. No mountain can be found in the area.

There are also no major plains but a few flat lands that not very extensive. The coastal areas of Lavezares are limited and have generally moderately terrain. Bacolods which serve as natural breakwater on different coasts of the municipality can be found along the coasts of Barangays Balicuatro, Villa, Bani and Magsaysay among others. They are protected as part of the Biri Larosa Protected Landscape and Seascape.

Land reclamation in different parts of the municipality particularly in island barangays of San Juan, San Isdro, Magsaysay and Bani is continuously being done. The coastal barangays along the mainland are similarly reclaiming lands which include the coasts of Barangays Libas, Cataogan, Sabang-Tabok, Urdaneta and Barobaybay.

Climate

Climate data for Lavezares, Northern Samar
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	27 (81)	28 (82)	29 (84)	30 (86)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	28 (82)	29 (84)
Average low °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	22 (72)	22 (72)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	84 (3.3)	59 (2.3)	58 (2.3)	55 (2.2)	93 (3.7)	133 (5.2)	149 (5.9)	125 (4.9)	155 (6.1)	165 (6.5)	140 (5.5)	136 (5.4)	1,352 (53.3)
Average rainy days	18.1	13.6	15.8	16.1	21.7	25.5	26.6	25.1	24.8	25.8	22.7	20.1	255.9
Source: Meteoblue [5]

Barangays

Lavezares is politically subdivided into 26 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

12 of which are considered as inland barangays and 14 coastal barangays, which can be subclassified into 5 island barangays and 9 barangays situated along the coast of the mainland.

Inland barangays:

• Caburihan (Poblacion)
• Caragas (Poblacion)
• Chansvilla
• Datag
• Enriqueta
• Macarthur
• Ocad (Poblacion)
• Salvacion
• San Jose
• San Miguel
• To-og
• Villahermosa

Coastal barangays:

• Balicuatro
• Barobaybay
• Cataogan (Poblacion)
• Libas
• Libertad
• Sabang-Tabok (Poblacion)
• San Agustin
• Villa
• Urdaneta
• Bani (island barangay)
• Magsaysay (island barangay)
• Maravilla (island barangay)
• San Isidro (island barangay)
• San Juan (island barangay)

The smallest barangay is Cataogan, while the largest is Bani. According to the Provincial Physical Framework Plan of 2004–2013, the municipality is suitable for irrigated rice, fish ponds, trees and crops.

The mainland is attached entirely to the entire Samar Island. Maravilla Island, San Juan Island and Bani Island are the three major islands of the municipality.

Demographics

Population census of Lavezares

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	3,688	—
1918	5,953	+3.24%
1939	9,501	+2.25%
1948	18,508	+7.69%
1960	15,186	−1.63%
1970	16,336	+0.73%
1975	20,251	+4.40%
1980	20,007	−0.24%
1990	19,058	−0.48%
1995	20,492	+1.37%
2000	23,991	+3.44%
2007	26,131	+1.19%
2010	27,464	+1.83%
2015	28,770	+0.89%
2020	29,390	+0.42%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [6] [7] [8] [9]

Government

The political body of Lavezares was established in 1875 under the Spanish colonial power wherein the local executive was alluded as Capitanes. From 1903 to 1935, the persons who assumed the position were called Presidentes, and from 1936 until present where they were referred to as Municipal Mayors.

Position	Name	Term of Office
Capitan (appointed)	Silvino Flores	1875-1877
	Justiniano Morillo	1877-1879
	Victorio Alvanes	1879-1881
	Evaristo Martires	1881-1883
	Angeles de Leon	1883-1886
	Patricio Ebron	1886-1888
	Feliciano Adriatico	1888-1892
	Lucio Flores	1892-1894
	Anastacio Adriatico	1894-1898
	Cepriano de Leon	1898-1903
Presidente (appointed)	Lasaro Cuyco	1903-1908
	Martin Custan	1908-1912
Presidente (elected)	Gregorio Adriatico	1912-1916
	Elias Bogtong	1916-1921
	Melecio Cuyuco	1921-1927
	Juan Ymata	1927-1931
	Eugenio Tingkingco	1931-1935
Municipal Mayor (elected)	Antonio Martires	1936-1938
	Pascualito Clutario	1938-1946
	Julio Turla	1946-1955
	Gabriel Querobines	1956-1959
	Basilio Chan	1960-1978
Municipal Mayor	Rodrigo Chan	1978-1979 (appointed); 1980-1986 (elected)
	Miguel Adriatico	1986-1987 (appointed)
Municipal Mayor (appointed)	Celedonio Saludaga, Jr	1987-1988
Municipal Mayor (elected)	Miguel Adriatico, Jr	1989-1991
	Quintin Saludaga, Jr	1992-2001
	Celedonio Saludaga, Jr	2001-2010

Transportation

Access to Lavezares has two options: from Manila, a fourteen to fifteen hours of bus ride with Roll-on/roll-off vessels from Matnog, Sorsogon, to the port of Allen, Northern Samar, or taking a plane to Catarman and a jeepney ride to Lavezares both serving as the main transport facility towards this portion.

Tourism

In this coastal province of Northern Samar, eco-tourism may just become an alternative income generator aside from coconuts and fishing.

True to mention are the white sand beaches abounding among its coastal and groups of island barangays that comprises the municipality though some parts have strong underwater current not suitable for a beach resort. Current white sand beach resorts are found at barangays Urdaneta and Barobaybay and waters between Bani Island and Barobaybay. The resorts offer huts along the beachfront and for overnight stays, tourist inns are available.

The coral reefs in Bancauan Island, Bani Island, Barangay Maravilla and Barangay San Juan are good for scuba diving.

The sunsets can be viewed at Lavezares Bay and Barangay Barobaybay, but Barangay Maravilla provides the most outstanding view because of the island's north to south orientation with just the vast sea on sight.

Education

• Primary Schools - There are 26 barangay elementary school and one central school, Lavezares Central Elementary School.
• Secondary Schools - Basilio B. Chan Memorial Agricultural and Industrial School is the only public high school in the whole municipality, which is situated at Barangay Sabang-Tabok. It is the venue where the government can provide the youth of Lavezares the needed knowledge and skills that would prepare them not only for their college life but also to the challenges of real world. Nevertheless, there are 3 private schools offering secondary courses where 2 of which are operated by religious orders: The Holy Family Center of Studies at Caburihan and Barobaybay Academy Mission School at Barobaybay. Colegio de San Juan, where located at Libertad, offers secondary and tertiary education and serves as an alternative for those who cannot afford to study outside the municipality.

References

1.   Municipality of Lavezares | (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). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 July 2021.
4. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
5. "Lavezares, Northern Samar : Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
6. Census of Population (2015). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
7. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
8. 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.
9. "Province of Northern Samar". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
10. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
11. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
12. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
13. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
14. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
15. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
16. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System