Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte

Saint Bernard
Municipality
Municipality of Saint Bernard
Flag
Map of Southern Leyte with Saint Bernard highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Saint Bernard Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°17′N125°08′E / 10.28°N 125.13°E / 10.28; 125.13
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Province	Southern Leyte
District	2nd district
Founded	December 9, 1954
Named for	Bernardo Torres
Barangays	30 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Edito L. Mulig (PDR)
•  Vice Mayor	Jocelyn L. Bungcaras (PDPLBN)
•  Representative	Christopherson M. Yap
•  Municipal Council	Members Bernadito G. Añora Rito C. Cuaton Josephine Cinco-Gumapac Gypsie L. So Raydon Balasico Emily G. Acampado Saturnino V. Cinco Eralin D. Caday
•  Electorate	18,603 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	100.20 km2 (38.69 sq mi)
Elevation	129 m (423 ft)
Highest elevation	786 m (2,579 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [3]
• Total	28,414
• Density	280/km2 (730/sq mi)
•  Households	6,254
Economy
•  Income class	4th municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	29.18 % (2021) [4]
•  Revenue	₱ 124.8 million (2020)
•  Assets	₱ 338 million (2020)
•  Expenditure	₱ 107.9 million (2020)
•  Liabilities	₱ 68.26 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6613
PSGC	086412000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)53
Native languages	Kinabalian Boholano dialect Cebuano Tagalog
Website	www.saintbernard.gov.ph

Saint Bernard, officially the Municipality of Saint Bernard (Kabalian: Lungsod san Saint Bernard; Cebuano : Lungsod sa Saint Bernard; Tagalog : Bayan ng Saint Bernard), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 28,414 people. ^[3]

Etymology

Saint Bernard is named after Bernardo Torres, the former Governor of Leyte who played a significant role in the town's independence from Cabalian (now San Juan), then in the undivided province of Leyte. In gratitude to Torres, the local inhabitants unanimously chose to name the municipality in his honor. The honorific title "Saint" being a translation of the Spanish vernacular honorific "San" which is given to persons of virtue, wisdom, or generosity and the name Bernard being the English version of the name Bernardo. ^[5]

History

Landslide at Barangay Guinsaugon in 2006

Saint Bernard traces its roots to the largest barrio of Cabalian, then known as "Himatagon".

Governor Bernardo Torres of Leyte, which then encompassed Cabalian, facilitated the conversion of the area into an independent municipality due to the persistent demands of the local inhabitants for separation from Cabalian, later gaining the recommendation of the Leyte Provincial Board. ^[5] Finally, on December 9, 1954, President Ramon Magsaysay issued Executive Order No. 84, excising Himatagon and 18 other barrios from Cabalian to form the municipality of Saint Bernard. ^[6] On May 22, 1959, Saint Bernard became part of the newly established province of Southern Leyte, effective July 1, 1960. ^[7]

On February 17, 2006, a tragic series of mudslides killed over 1,100 residents in Barangay Guinsaugon, a barangay in the northern parts of the town. Affected families were treated by the Philippine government and other non-government organizations from all over the world. New houses were built, and the people chose "New Guinsaugon" as the name, (by adding the prefix "New"), of their village located one mile east of the town's proper. ^{[8] [9]}

Geography

The town is situated on the Pacific coast, facing Cabalian Bay and the first town on Route 690 (from it towards Abuyog) from the eastern side of Sogod Bay.

Barangays

Saint Bernard is politically subdivided into 30 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Only 28 barangays are currently functioning, as Guinsaugon and Sug-angon were completely wiped out from a landslide during 2006. The survivors of the landslide were relocated to New Guinsaugon in Magbagacay.

Barangay	Population (2020) [3]
Atuyan	467
Ayahag	417
Bantawon	228
Bolodbolod	1,275
Carnaga	923
Catmon	2,548
Guinsaugon	47
Himatagon (Poblacion)	1,748
Himbangan	2,661
Himos-onan	702
Hinabian	99
Hindag-an	1,605
Kauswagan	28
Libas	411
Lipanto	1,276
Magatas	88
Magbagacay	2,441
Mahayag	662
Mahayahay	1,701
Malibago	1,557
Malinao	42
Maria Asuncion (Cabagawan)	1,264
Nueva Esperanza (Cabac-an)	107
Panian	1,335
San Isidro	1,953
Santa Cruz	313
Sug-angon	382
Tabon-tabon	312
Tambis Uno	882
Tambis Dos	940

Climate

Climate data for Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	27 (81)	28 (82)	28 (82)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	21 (70)	21 (70)	21 (70)	22 (72)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	22 (72)	23 (73)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	78 (3.1)	57 (2.2)	84 (3.3)	79 (3.1)	118 (4.6)	181 (7.1)	178 (7.0)	169 (6.7)	172 (6.8)	180 (7.1)	174 (6.9)	128 (5.0)	1,598 (62.9)
Average rainy days	16.7	13.8	17.3	18.5	23.2	26.5	27.1	26.0	26.4	27.5	24.6	21.0	268.6
Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally) [10]

Demographics

Population census of Saint Bernard

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1960 11,621 —     1970 17,296 +4.05% 1975 19,255 +2.18% 1980 19,153 −0.11% 1990 20,760 +0.81% 1995 21,363 +0.54%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2000 23,089 +1.68% 2007 25,252 +1.24% 2010 25,169 −0.12% 2015 28,395 +2.32% 2020 28,414 +0.01%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [11] [12] [13] [14]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Saint Bernard

10 20 30 40 50 2006 34.00 2009 42.73 2012 39.49 2015 40.24 2018 25.48 2021 29.18 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]

Saint Bernard's economy are based in agriculture and marine culture. The municipality is considered among the fastest growing economy in the pacific area of Southern Leyte.

Saint Bernard is a peninsula and therefore it is almost entirely surrounded by water. The majority of the people who live in the flat lands engage in fishing as their main mode of livelihood. Those who live in the mountain barangays, live through farming.

The common mode of transportation is by bicycles with side cars, known locally as "Potpot" (a type of pedicab) or, depending on the distance, tricycles with side cars, called "trisikads "or center cabs and "habal-habal", a motorcycle with a roof made up of wood or metal, operating in the area's environs.

The LGU established the Saint Bernard Town Center for economic activities of some small to medium sedium entrepreneurs.

Tourism

• Hindag-an Falls- Barangay Hindag-an
• Tinago Beach- Barangay Magbagacay
• Tinago Spring Falls- Barangay Ayahag
• Lipanto Marine Sanctuary- Barangay Lipanto
• Himbangan Bird Sanctuary- Barangay Himbangan
• Sangat Cave and Beach- Barangay Hindag-an
• Saub Beach- Barangay Lipanto
• Ground Zero Memorial Park & Lawigan River- Lawigan River, access at Brgy Tambis I
• Libas River- Barangay Libas
• Kissbone Cove and Resort- Barangay Magbagacay
• Santo Nino Shrine - Sitio Cansi, Barangay Himatagon
• Municipal Disaster Management Office - LGU Compound, Municipal Building, Barangay Himatagon

Education

There are accessible elementary schools in every barangay in the municipality as of its 2019 census.

List of Secondary Schools in the Municipality of Saint Bernard:

• Tambis National High School
• Himbangan National High School
• Cristo Rey Regional High School - the only diocesan and private school in Saint Bernard
• New Guinsaugon National High School - relocation area of New Guinsaugon, Barangay Magbagacay

References

1.   Municipality of Saint Bernard | (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 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
5. "Historical Background". Municipality of Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
6. Executive Order No. 84 (December 9, 1954), Creating the Municipality of Saint Bernard in the Province of Leyte , retrieved September 27, 2024
7. Republic Act No. 2227 (May 22, 1959), "An Act Creating the Province of Southern Leyte", The LawPhil Project, retrieved January 10, 2016
8. "Mud wipes out Philippines village". BBC News. 17 February 2006. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
9. S. G. Evans; R. H. Guthrie; N. J. Roberts; N. F. Bishop (2007). "The disastrous 17 February 2006 rockslide-debris avalanche on Leyte Island, Philippines: a catastrophic landslide in tropical mountain terrain" (PDF). Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 7 (1). Retrieved 15 July 2013.
10. "Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
11. Census of Population (2015). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
12. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
13. 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.
14. "Province of Southern Leyte". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
15. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
16. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
17. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
18. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
19. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
20. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
21. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
22. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.

External links

• Official website
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Local Governance Performance Management System