Calabanga, Camarines Sur

Calabanga
Municipality
Calabanga Municipal Hall
Motto: Saro sa Pagtubod, Saro sa Pag-asenso!
Map of Camarines Sur showing the location of Calabanga
Calabanga Location within the Philippines
Coordinates:
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol (Region V)
Province	Camarines Sur
District	3rd district
Founded	1578 (Quipayo) 1756 (Calabanga)
Barangays	48
Government
• Mayor	Eduardo E. Severo (Liberal Party)
• Vice Mayor	Ramoncito Roco Robles
Area
• Total	163.80 km2 (63.24 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	78,119
• Density	480/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	4405
Dialing code	054
Income class	1st class; partially urban

Calabanga is a first class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. It is composed of 48 barangays, 14 of which are within the urban area and the remaining 34 barangays are within the rural areas. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 78,119 people, and a land area of 16,380 hectares (40,500 acres), which constitutes 3.1% of the province’s land area.

It is bounded on the west by the Bicol River and beyond the municipality of Cabusao; on the south by the municipality of Bombon and Naga City; on the east by the forest lands of Mount Isarog, the Tigman River and each tributary forming the natural boundary and beyond the municipality of Tinambac; on the north by the fishing grounds of San Miguel Bay, and beyond, the municipalities of Sipocot, Basud and Mercedes.

Geography

Topography and slope

The topographic landscape of the municipality could be characterized as generally flat with a slope 0-3%, gently sloping (3-8%) towards the direction of the eastern portion and finally rolling up to higher steeps towards the direction of the south-eastern part going to Mt. Isarog. The 0-3% slope is a broad area of flat to nearly level land which extends from Barangay Balongay along the Bicol River to Poblacion area and surrounding areas down to Barangay Manguiring. This is the dominant slope of the municipality.

Soil and water resources

There are six (6) soil types that could be found in the Municipality. These are the (1) Hydrosol which is dominant along the Bicol River covering parts of Barangays Balongay, San Bernardino and Punta Tarawal; (2) Balong Clay; (3) Pili Clay Loam; (4) Tigaon Clay which covers the poblacion; (5) Annan Clay Loam which could be found toward the direction of Tinambac and (6) Mountain Soil in the Mt. Isarog area.

The municipality of Calabanga is endowed with abundant natural resources. The major river systems, the Tigman, Hinaguianan and Inarihan rivers are presently utilized for irrigation purposes. They originate their main tributaries from Mt. Isarog and flow down in the north-western direction ultimately discharging the flow to San Miguel Bay.

Calabanga is blessed with many natural spring water resources found in the eastern portion of the municipality along the north-western flanks of Mt. Isarog. Most of these are found to be potential sources for potable water supply of the municipality, aside from the Hamislag and Tawang rivers.

Calabanga is bounded by water bodies, the San Miguel Bay on the northern part and the Bikol River on the western part which are sources of abundant supplies of fish of various species and other marine products.

Land use

With its generally flat terrain, the dominant land use is agricultural. The built-up areas and major rivers have the smallest portion of the total area. Built-up areas are clustered within the urban barangays. The urban areas expand in an almost linear development or ribbon like development pattern.

Proposed land use as embodied in the Comprehensive Land use Plan has delineated the Residential, Commercial, institutional area within the Urban Land Use while the agricultural, agro-industrial, special use could be found in the General land use.

Barangays

Calabanga is politically subdivided into 48 barangays, fourteen (14) of which are within the urban area while the remaining 34 barangays belong to the rural areas. It has 11 coastal barangays.

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History

In 1578 when the head Mission of Quipayo was established, Calabanga was only a visita or barrio. At that time, the place had vast forests and swamps and an abundance of wildlife such as monkeys, wild chickens, and forest lizard. Others say, it derived its name from the Bicol word “Calabangan”, the plural term of “labang” or “litag”, meaning a kind of snare for catching wild animals. Another legend says that Calabanga originated from the word “Calagbangan” meaning the wide, long, and straight street spanning from the church through the poblacion, east to west, called locally as “calabaan” or “calacbangan”.

Calabanga became known with 400 tributes. On July 15, 1749, it was separated from Quipayo by virtue of the approval of Don Fray Joan de Arechera, Bishop Elect of Nueva Segovia of the Commissary of the King, in the petition signed & filed by 37 Calabangueños on April 28, 1749 for town to be conveniently administered.

There were 2 visitas, visita de Cagapad and visita de hinarijan and 12 barrios. The barrios were san Antonio, San Vicente, Sta. Catalina, Nuestra Señora de Salud, San Lucas, San Miguel, Sta. Isabel, Nuestra Señora del Carmen, San Roque, San Pablo, San Jose (now Balongay) and Belen.

Calabanga is one of the municipalities of the province of Camarines Sur and a member of the Metro Naga Development Council. With its fishing grounds and the vast agricultural area, it is a major supplier of fish and other marine products and prime agricultural products in the province as well as in Metro Manila.

Demographics

Population census of Calabanga
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1990	54,261	—
1995	59,164	+1.63%
2000	67,408	+2.84%
2007	73,333	+1.17%
2010	78,119	+2.33%
Source: National Statistics Office

As of 2000 NCSO Survey, Calabanga has a total population of 67,408 with 25,159 or 37.32% belong to the urban population and 42,249 or 62.68% belong to the rural population. There was an increase of 8,244 over the 1995 population. The total population is distributed over 12,444 households, registering an increase of 1,371 households over the 1995 household of 11,073. The average household size in 2000 survey slightly goes up to 5.4 from 5.3 persons in 1995.

Between 1995 and 2000, Calabanga grew at the rate of 2.83%, higher than the 1990-1995 rate of 1.63%. As per the 2010 census, the municipal population density is 477 persons per km².

Of the 48 barangays in the municipality, Barangay San Roque has the largest population of 5,513 people, composing 7.38% of the total population, followed by Barangay Santa Cruz Ratay with a population of 5,069 people. Barangay Punta Tarawal has the lowest population of 265 which only 0.44% of the total population.

Despite the influx of various religious groups, a large segment which is 95.28% of the populace is still Roman Catholics. Most of the populace, 95.93% are Bicolano speaking.

Social Services

The municipality enjoys the benefits of several support facilities and services to meet the social and economic needs of its populace as follows.

For education, the municipality has a high rate literacy which is attributed to the continuing efforts of the government to make education more accessible to the people. This is being maintained and improved through the 34 public elementary schools located in 32 places and 8 public secondary schools throughout the municipality aside from several private schools offering pre-school, grade school and high school. A college education and technical /vocational courses is being offered by two government-owned institutions the Calabanga Community College (formed under the administration of former Mayor Ruben B. Medroso) and The Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (Calabanga Campus) and privately owned computer schools.

For those who will pursue colleges courses not offered in the municipality of Calabanga, one has to go to colleges and universities in Naga City or in Metro Manila. The health and medical services of the municipality is provided by three (3) physicians, 5 nurses, 18 midwives and 1 dentist from the government sector aside from private medical and dental practitioners. During the term of former Mayor Ruben B. Medroso the LGU introduced the "Oficina sa Barangay" which literally bring the office of the LGU to the remote barangays of Calabanga to conduct Civil Registration and Medical and Dental services to the people of Calabanga.

Health facilities available are 15 private clinics (Medical & Dental), 3 Main and Rural Health Centers and 5 Pharmacies.

The number of health personnel is sufficient and beyond standard as to the ratio to the population, however, facilities and equipment are lacking which are compounded with the dilapidated main health center.

With the social welfare services devolved to the LGU as mandated under RA 7160, which is the Local Government Code of 1991, the municipality of Calabanga have assumed the responsibility of implementing the various programs such as the Child and Youth Welfare, Family and Community Organizing, Women’s Welfare, Elderly and Disabled persons. Other services include family life education and counseling, Aid to individuals in Crisis Situation and emergency assistance which have the most number of clienteles. The municipality was able to establish and maintain 62-Day Care Centers located at 48 barangays.

For protective services, Barangay Tanod and Lupon Tagapamayapa were organized in every barangay and afforded appropriate training to help in keeping and maintaining peace and order and in setting disputes within and among barangay residents.

For sports and recreation, the municipality has a covered court at the poblacion area wherein the municipal-wide annual competitions for various sports activities such as basketball, volleyball and other sports are held. However, almost all barangays have multi-purpose play areas which are usually being utilized by the residents especially the youth, as volleyball and basketball courts. There is also a municipal park at the center of the poblacion area where people could spend their time and relax.

Calabanga has a quite a number of tourism potentials and attractions. Famous among the scenic beauties are the group of small islets/islands of Kawit, Tanglad, and Cabgan which is a few minutes from the shore. These islands are frequently visited by excursionists particularly during summer but these places need more development. Other places that invite picnickers to its cool and clear water are Tigman, Hinaguianan and Inarihan rivers and private commercial resorts. Historical sites worthy to see is the “Ladrillo” or a brick old church and ruins of Quipayo built sometime in 1578, more than four (4) centuries ago, being the seat of the Catholic mission. Another is the “HINULID”, Santo Entiero shrine at Sta. Salud which is an object of Friday devotion and pilgrimage. Thousands of devotees not only from Calabanga but other parts of Bicol Region and the country flock to the shrine during Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Economy

Calabanga is blessed with rich natural resources. It has big uplands and vast fishing grounds. Agricultural areas are the most extensive areas covering more than half of the total land area in this municipality. It is the dominant land use. Land devoted to crop production is approximately 7,609.79 has. Which include rice, corn and coconut as the major crops and other crops such as abaca, coffee, vegetables, rootcrops and fruit trees.

Side by side with agriculture, fishing and livestock raising constitutes major economic activities. The fish grounds of San Miguel Bay as well as the Bikol River are the rich sources of plentiful fish, shellfish, oysters, capiz shells, prawns, shrimps and other marine species providing various livelihood industries such as fish processing, fish paste and bagoong making and other marine by-product. These marine by-products as well as shrimps, prawn, mudcrabs are supplied to the city of Naga, other neighboring provinces as well as in Manila. Other water sources include Inarihan, Tigman and Hinaguinan river aside from the fishponds for the brackish and freshwater species.

Livestock raising is a thriving industry in the municipality, an inventory of livestock and poultry farms shows that there are 5 commercial piggery and 3 commercial poultry farms operating in the municipality aside from the backyard animal raising which is very common in rural areas.

Next to agriculture and fishing, commerce, trade and industry are important and significant aspects in the economy of the municipality. Commercial and industrial activities are more concentrated in the urban areas that include among others wholesale and retail trade, minor service centers, transport business, community and personal services, drugstores, agri-supplies, gasoline stations while industrial activities include rice milling, fish processing, bamboo craft, furniture making, garments, metal crafts, ice plant, welding and auto repair shops as well as other small enterprises. Nipa shingle production is also one industry predominant at western barangays where nipa swamps could be found. The products are sold not only within the municipality but to nearby towns and Naga City.

The presence of a new Calabanga Public Market which started operation last 1998 finally resolved the demands for a bigger marketing center, while Cooperatives throughout the municipality are gradually developing its enterprises.

The municipality is home to two malls, the LCC Center Calabanga which is located in the poblacion of the town, and the small Quipayo Community Center.

Agriculture

Produces the following products:

• Coconut
• Rice
• Abaca
• Corn

Most people are farmers and fishermen.

Infrastructure Facilities

Calabanga is endowed with abundant water resources. At present, the main source of local water district for potable water supply is from Balombon spring. Its capacity is 10 lps which is able to serve 18 barangays. The areas being served are San Antonio poblacion, Del Carmen, Sta Isabel, San Miguel, San Vicente, Sta. Salud, San Lucas, San Pablo, San Francisco, Sta Cruz Poblacion, Paolbo, Manguiring, Balombon, San Roque, San Isidro, Pagatpat, Sabang and Salvacion Baybay. Most of these are in the poblacion areas and the rest are the barangays traversed by the source from Balombon.

For barangays not reach by the services of the Local Water District (Level III), the sources are shallow wells, deep wells and water peddlers. These serve the daily needs of the household for potable water supply.

All the barangays of the municipality are link by road system. The municipality is easily accessible from the City of Naga, Bicol Region's prime city. Most of the total road networks need improvements and rehabilitation to provide greater access to far- flung barangay residents and facilitate hauling and marketing of farm produce to the poblacion/ marketing centers. For inter-barangay linkages, tricycles abound that could bring one to various barangay while foot pedalled tricycles/ padyak abound within the poblacion areas. For bus and jeepney parking facilities, there is a privately owned and operated terminal located at San Francisco but the local government has proposed integrated terminal that will be located within the Calabanga Public Market compound that could accommodate almost all jeepneys and tricycles in the municipality.

From Metro Manila, Calabanga is very much accessible via Naga City. First, by a 45-minute plane flight to Naga Airport located at Pili and a car/jeep ride of some 40 minutes to Calabanga. Another choice is a 7–10 hours aircon bus trip direct to Calabanga being provided by three (3) bus lines. The Philippine National Railways (PNR) also provide trips from Manila to Bicol and vice- versa having a station at Naga City, then it takes some 20–30 minutes ride from Naga City to Calabanga. The power supply in the municipality of Calabanga is provided by the NAPOCOR through the Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative II (CASURECO II). At present, all the 48 barangays of the municipality are already served with electricity, however, several sitios of far-flung barangays are still longing for the extension of power lines to their places.

The modern technology on Communications and information has far reached the municipality of Calabanga and has provided the constituents with better access to communication. Calabanga is being served by private telephone companies, the L.M. United Telephone Company (UNITEL) and the BAYANTEL Company which provides individual connections for those at the urban and outlying barangays. These companies provide local and long distance calls to Metro Manila or any point in the country or any other place where the system can reach. Year 2002, the cellular mobile phone services within the municipality was improved and expanded through the installation of telecommunication facilities such as the cell site by two private telecommunication companies. The Bureau of Telecommunications, a government operated agency having a Telecom Office stationed in the municipality is providing telegraphic services to the residents of Calabanga while Postal services is provided mainly by the Philippine postal corporation.

Naga City TV relay stations as well as the cable TV stations are tuned-in in the municipality while a local cable TV station and a private; local community television station and a newly opened radio station are based in the municipality. Radio broadcasts from several radio stations in Canaman, and Naga City. Local as well as national newspapers and magazines are available regularly from newsstands and newsboys from Naga City.

Education

The literacy rate in the municipality is high at 98.5%. The NSO survey in year 2000 for household population, 5 years old and over in terms of educational attainment, reflects the following; of the total population, 29,555 are in the elementary grade; 15,037 are in high school; only 2,623 or 0.045% of the population has no grade completed. 4, 446 are college under graduates with 1,057 degree holders and 201 with post baccalaureate degrees.

There are 38 public elementary schools in the entire municipality; eight high schools; one vocational and some five private schools that offer pre-school, grade school and high school. College education is being offered by two government- owned institutions, the Calabanga Community College and the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (formerly : CSSAC - Calabanga Campus and privately owned computer Schools, one of which offer a multi- grade schooling from elementary to college levels (Malayan Computer College).(edited last Dec.3,2009 by Gilbert Caganda).

Name of School	Address
Calabanga Central Division Pilot School	San Francisco Calabanga Camarines Sur
Calabanga West Central School	San Francisco Calabanga Camarines Sur
Balatasan Elementary School	Balatasan Calabanga Camarines Sur
Balombon Elementary School	Balombon Calabanga Camarines Sur
Balongay Elementary School	Balongay Calabanga Camarines Sur
Binaliw Elementary School	Binaliw Calabanga Camarines Sur
Binanuaanan Grande Elementary School	Binanuaanan Grande Calabanga Camarines Sur
Binanuanan Pequeño Elementary School	Binanuaanan Pequeño Calabanga Camarines Sur
Burabod Elementary School	Burabod Calabanga Camarines Sur
Cagsao Elementary School	Cagsao Calabanga Camarines Sur
Camuning Elementary School	Camuning Calabanga Camarines Sur
Comaguingking Elementary School	Comaguingking Calabanga Camarines Sur
Dominorog Elementary School	Dominorog Calabanga Camarines Sur
G. Dumalasa Elementary School	Bonot Sta. Rosa Calabanga Camarines Sur
Fabrica Elementary School	Fabrica Calabanga Camarines Sur
Harubay Elementary School	Harubay Calabanga Camarines Sur
Hinaguianan Elementary School	Manguiring Calabanga Camarines Sur
Ilihan Elementary School	Tomagodtod Calabanga Camarines Sur
Lope Guisic Elementary School	Sto. Domingo Calabanga, Camarines Sur
Lugsad Elementary School	Lugsad Calabanga Camarines Sur
Manguiring Elementary School	Manguiring Calabanga Camarines Sur
Pagatpat Elementary School	Pagatpat Calabanga Camarines Sur
Paolbo-Belen Elementary School	Paolbo Calabanga Camarines Sur
Pinada Elementary School	Pinada Calabanga Camarines Sur
Punta Tarala Elementary School	Punta Tarawal Calabanga Camarines Sur
Quinale Elem. School	Quinale Calabanga Camarines Sur
Quipayo Elementary School	La Purisima Calabanga Camarines Sur
Ratay Elementary School	Sta. Cruz Calabanga Camarines Sur
Sabang Elementary School	Sabang Calabanga Camarines Sur
Salvacion Baybay Elementary School	Salvacion Baybay Calabanga Camarines Sur
Siba-O Elem. School	Siba-O Calabanga Camarines Sur
Sibobo Elementary School	Sibobo Calabanga Camarines Sur
Sta. Cruz Quipayo Elementary School	Sta. Cruz Quipayo Calabanga Camarines Sur
Taculod Elementary School	San Roque Calabanga Camarines Sur
Tomagodtod Elementary School	Tomagodtod Calabanga Camarines Sur
Union Elementary School	San Lucas Calabanga Camarines Sur
San Bernardino Elementary School	San Bernardino Calabanga Camarines Sur
Taculod Elementary School	San Roque Calabanga Camarines Sur
Calabanga National High School	Sta. Cruz Poblacion Calabanga Camarines Sur
Union National High School	Sto. Domingo Calabanga Camarines Sur
Jose De Villa National High School	Maguiring Calabanga Camarines Sur
Medroso - Mendoza High School	Binanuaanan Pequeno, Calabanga Camarines Sur
Quipayo High School	San Antonio Quipayo Calabanga Camarines Sur
Sabang High School	Sabang Calabanga Camarines Sur
West Coast High School	Dominorog Calabanga Camarines Sur
Central Bicol State University of Agriculture Laboratory High School Calabanga Campus	Sta. Cruz Poblacion Calabanga Camarines Sur
Nuestra Seniora De La Salud Family Rural School	Sta Salud Calabanga Camarines Sur
Dominican School of Calabanga	San Francisco Calabanga Camarines Sur
Inarihan SDA Multi-Grade School	Paolbo Calabanga Camarines Sur
Hansel and Gretel Learning School	San Isidro Calabanga Camarines Sur
Central Bicol State University of Agriculture	Sta. Cruz Calabanga Camarines Sur
WorldTech Research Institute	San Antonio Calabanga Camarines Sur
Calabanga Community College	Sta. Cruz Poblacion Calabanga Camarines Sur

Local government

Elected officials June 2013 – 2016:

• Mayor: Eduardo Severo
• Vice-Mayor: Ramoncito Roco Robles
• Councillors:
  • Danilo N. Campil
  • Manuel N. Mendoza
  • Jude Anthony C. Hilado
  • Sonia H. Medroso
  • Danilo Bico
  • Erma Barrios
  • Levi Sta. Ana Jr
  • Job R. Casida

External links

• Calabanga.com - Online Community
• Calabanga Group - goBicol
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information