Magarao

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Magarao
Municipality
Municipality of Magarao
Municipal Hall
Flag
Map of Camarines Sur with Magarao highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Magarao Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 13°39′37″N 123°11′13″E / 13.6604°N 123.1869°E / 13.6604; 123.1869Coordinates: 13°39′37″N 123°11′13″E / 13.6604°N 123.1869°E / 13.6604; 123.1869
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol Region
Province	Camarines Sur
District	3rd district
Founded	1570
Barangays	15 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Philip Salvador A. Señar
• Vice Mayor	Randy P. Villaralbo
• Representative	Gabriel H. Bordado Jr.
• Municipal Council	Members Thomas Z. de Vera Edmund Aldrin C. Bediones Antonio A. Rubio Jr. Edmundo J. Bustamante Carlos B. Sambo Santy R. Estefani Bernadette F. Monit Gavino A. Almazar Jr.
• Electorate	19,179 voters (2019)
Area [2]
• Total	44.97 km2 (17.36 sq mi)
Elevation	9.0 m (29.5 ft)
Highest elevation	46 m (151 ft)
Lowest elevation	−2 m (−7 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [3]
• Total	26,742
• Density	590/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
• Households	5,317
Economy
• Income class	3rd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	32.87% (2015)[4]
• Revenue	₱105,931,749.89 (2020)
• Assets	₱192,197,897.80 (2020)
• Expenditure	₱87,756,921.79 (2020)
• Liabilities	₱50,106,838.85 (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Camarines Sur 2 Electric Cooperative (CASURECO 2)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	4403
PSGC	051720000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)54
Native languages	Central Bikol Tagalog

Magarao, officially the Municipality of Magarao (Central Bikol: Banwaan kan Magarao; Tagalog: Bayan ng Magarao), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 26,742 people. ^[3]

History[]

Magarao derived its name from a species of thorny wild bush locally known as garao-garao, which abundantly grows in the area. This type of plant no longer exists today as it was believed that the inhabitants of Magarao hindered its growth and propagation because of its thorny appearance.

It was a group of missionaries from the Order of Friars Minor who founded the town in 1570, although missionary work continued only in the year 1690.

Geography[]

Barangays[]

Magarao is politically subdivided into 15 barangays.

Climate[]

Demographics[]

In the 2020 census, the population of Magarao was 26,742 people, ^[3] with a density of 590 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,500 inhabitants per square mile.

Languages[]

Bicol is widely spoken in the town, while Tagalog, Hiligaynon (Bisaya) and Ilocano are used immigrants and by locals as lingua francas when communicating with non-Bicolanos.

Religion[]

Magarao Church

Residents of Magarao are predominantly Roman Catholic.

Barangay Santa Lucia holds an annual novena to its patron saint, Lucy of Syracuse, nine days before her feast on 13 December. Villagers bring the saint's image in procession every morning of the novena at the poblacion, a celebration that attracts devotees from other parts of the Bicol Region. Hymns to the saint, known as the Gozos, as well as the Spanish version of the Ave Maria, are chanted during the dawn procession, which is followed by a Mass.

Economy[]

At present, Magarao belongs to the fourth class municipality although there are improvements being made by the local government to hasten its developmental stage. The town, through the initiative of its local officials, allows its constituents to engage into worthwhile activities by providing for them training and seminar workshops on various livelihood projects like ceramics training, papermaking, handicrafts and other community-based industries.

This was made possible due to the combined efforts made by the local government of Magarao and the provincial government of Camarines Sur through the Provincial Livelihood Training, Research and Development Program. PLTRD is geared towards providing community-based industries, identifying projects for product development and skills training and also conducting seminar and workshops for the various livelihood projects.

The residents of Magarao has immersed themselves in opportunities which would not just serve benefits for them but would obviously boost their town's economic condition.

Infrastructure[]

Transportation[]

Coastal barangays are served by bancas that ply from the wharf near Naga City to the barangays of Ponong, Barobaybay and Carigsa along the Bicol River and in the estuarine areas.

Utilities[]

Power and electricity is supplied by the Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative II (CASURECO II).

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Magarao.

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Official Site of the Province of Camarines Sur