Lopez, Quezon

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Lopez
Municipality
Hondagua December Sunset.jpg
{{#property:P242}}
Map of Quezon showing the location of Lopez
Lopez is located in Philippines
Lopez
Lopez
Location within the Philippines
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Country [[{{#property:P17}}]]
Region CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
Province [[{{#property:P131}}]]
District 4th district of Quezon
Founded April 30, 1856
Barangays 95
Government[1]
 • Mayor Isaias B. Ubana II
Area[2]
 • Total 355.38 km2 (137.21 sq mi)
Population (2015)[3]
 • Total 95,167
 • Density 270/km2 (690/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code {{#property:P281}}
Dialing code {{#property:P473}}
Income class 1st class; partially urban

Lopez is a first class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. It is located in the southern part of the province, 220 kilometres (140 mi) from Manila, 83 kilometres (52 mi) east from Lucena, 25 kilometres (16 mi) to Camarines Norte, 3 nautical kilometers to Alabat Island.

Geography

Lopez is one of the largest municipalities in the province and has a total land area of 395.1 square kilometers representing 4.53% of the total land area of the province of Quezon.

The terrain generally ranges from 345 to 399 metres (1,132 to 1,309 ft) above sea level with rugged mountain areas. Coastal areas deviate from plain to hilly terrains. Rivers, streams and springs abound throughout the municipality, but the most prominent is the Talolong River.

It is bordered by the municipalities of Catanauan and General Luna on the south, Macalelon on the south-west, Calauag on the north-east, Gumaca on the west, Buenavista and Guinayangan on the east.

Barangays

Lopez is politically subdivided into 95 barangays, 7 of which are urban and 88 are rural.[2]

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History

There was a flourishing coastal settlement somewhere in the southern part of the municipality of Gumaca called Talolong. The settlement’s name was derived from the name of the river that traverses the place.

The original location of the settlement was in the marshy mouth of a sedate river, which was founded by the descendants of Datu Dumangsil and Datu Balinsusa of the Kalilayan kingdom. Due to the frequent plundering and terrorism of the pirates, the colony was transferred to the present town’s location.

The settlement of Lakan Bugtali who founded the community of Gumaca was gone. Even a trace of its remains cannot be identified neither the vintages of the encomienda of Kalilayan nor a fraction of its 16th century glories. When it became a sitio through a papal bull, the village started to manage by her own.

In 1756, some people from the town of Mayoboc (present-day Pitogo) sought refuge in the sitio as they fled the Moro raid that burned the town to the ground. After sometime, some of them become discontented with the affairs of governing the sitio, went back to the original site of Mayoboc and again formed a settlement on an uphill portion, more suitable to guard against the Moro pirates. It later came to be known as Pitogo.

As the sitio became more organized and seen an increase in population, it formally became a full pledged town, separated from Gumaca, in June 30, 1857, during the Governorship of Alcalde Mayor Don Candido Lopez y Diaz. It later came to be known as the town of Lopez.

Demographics

Population census of Lopez
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
1990 66,010 —    
1995 75,344 +2.51%
2000 78,694 +0.94%
2007 86,660 +1.34%
2010 91,074 +1.82%
Source: Philippine Statistics Office[3]

Settlement areas in the municipality are highly scattered; population concentration is noticeable only within the poblacion, that is, the urban barangays of Burgos, Danlagan, Gomez, Magsaysay, Rizal, San Lorenzo Ruiz (Bocboc) and Talolong as well as the rural barangays of Mal-ay, Sugod, Pansol, Calantipayan, Manguisian, Del Pilar, Bebito, Canda Ibaba and Canda Ilaya which are traversed by the national highway. The rest of rural barangays are reached by other road networks which are accessible during dry and wet season. According to the 2007 census, it had a population of 86,660,[4] a quarter of which are in the urban areas and the rest are in the rural areas. Males outnumbered the females at a ratio of 105.34 to 100. The population grew to 95,167 in the 2015 census.[3]

Religion

  • Roman Catholic
  • Iglesia Ni Cristo
  • Seventh-Day Adventist
  • Jehovah's Witnesses
  • Baptist
  • Latter day saints
  • Church Of God
  • Protestant Eastern Orthodox
  • Evangelical

Economy

Lopez had a labor force of 56.99% in 2000 or 44,849. About 9,474 of the employed labor force were engaged in primary industries such as farming and fishing. Its economy is basically engaged in agriculture, crops, poultry and livestock production. Around 17,778.57 has. representing 45% of the total land area planted to coconut trees, 2,300 has. are established to rice production, 628 has. to corn harvest. Growing around are natural materials for handicraft such as wild vines, buri, anahaw, tikiw, bamboo, cogon and talahib.Several cottage industries exist in the locality such as bamboo furniture, bolo, baskets, rattan, anahaw and buri fan making, buntal and tikiw. It also has rich fishing grounds in the Lopez Bay area and a number of inland fishponds. Fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs and other sea products are abundant.

Rice is also a major staple crop, the municipality is also a major banana producer in the region. Other crops grown in the municipality are citrus, root crops, vegetables and industrial crops. Majority of the farmers are also raising livestock and poultry.

Education

Lopez is dubbed as the educational center of Southern Quezon. Several educational institutions operate in the town serving not just its citizens but also those coming from the Bondoc Peninsula and the Bicol Region. Very notable among these are the Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Lopez, Philippine Normal University - South Luzon, Eastern Tayabas College and the Lopez National Comprehensive High School. The Quezon Provincial Training Center of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is also located in the town. Lopez is also now home to Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) and Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) as the two state universities have started operating in the town last June 2012. Furthermore, preparatory, primary and secondary education is no longer a problem since several schools have already opened their doors in the far-flung areas to serve the rural youth as part of town's mission of bringing the schools closer to the people.

Local government

Elected municipal officials 2010–2013:[1]

  • Mayor: Isaias B. Ubana II
  • Vice Mayor: Celso A. Arit
  • Councilors:
    • Albinio A. Arit Jr.
    • Yvonne Sylvia Z. Mascardo
    • Cenezeo Q. Cerilla
    • Aristotle R. Yumul
    • Efren V. Paraiso
    • Erwin N. Olanda
    • Alex V. Vergara
    • Ricardo V. Rico

Public services

  • Number of Hospitals
    • Public - 1
    • Private - 2
  • Number of Private Health Clinics - 4
  • Number of Brgy. Health Centers - 31
  • Number of Police Personnel - 79
  • Number of Fire Personnel - 18
  • Communication and Transportation Facilities
    • Number of Postal Offices - 2
    • Number of Mobile Phone Companies - 3
    • Number of Landline Phone Companies - 2
    • Number of Telegraph Stations - 2
    • Number of CATV Companies - 1
    • Number of FM Radio Stations - 2

Feasts and Festivals

  • Patronal Town Fiesta, in honor of the town's patroness, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary - October 7
  • Foundation Day, commemorating the founding date of the town, April 30. (Although the original date was June 30)
  • Mayflower Festival, or the Flores de Maria, celebrated the whole month of May culminating with a celebration in dance and songs of praise at the end of the month.

Tourism Potentials

  • Tibag Cave - a man-made cave shelter dating back the 2nd World War. Said to be a hiding place of the Guerillas who fought the Japanese invaders. Located in Brgy. Talolong.
  • Binutas Cave - also a man=made cave dating back the Japanese Occupation period. Used by the Guerillas as a tactical war maneuver point. Located in Brgy. Matinik, just beside the PNR Railways.
  • Pulong Niyogan - an islet off the shore of Brgy. Hondagua, noted for its unspoiled fine sand beach and varieties of corals and fish.
  • Pansol Floating Restaurants - Located at Brgy. Pansol and can be accessed from the Maharlika Highway. Composed of several restaurants on floating bamboo rafts, these are popular getaway of many Lopenzes during vacations.
  • Gen. Gaudencio Vera's Monument - located in Brgy. La Laguna. Erected to commemorate the heroism and bravery of Gen. Gaudencio Vera during the Japanese Period. He was the leader of the guerilla faction called Vera's Guerilla Party operating in the Southern Tagalog and Northern Bicol.

Sports

Lopez Sports Centre is noted for its cockfighting which is held every Sunday. In 2009 it was visited by Charley Boorman as part of By Any Means 2.

Hondagua Bay

References

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  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links

 Quezon / Lamon Bay Calauag Guinayangan
Gumaca
  Lopez  
Macalelon General Luna / Catanauan Buenavista
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