Capalonga, officially the Municipality of Capalonga (Tagalog: Bayan ng Capalonga), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Camarines Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 36,223 people.[3]

Capalonga
Municipality of Capalonga
Flag of Capalonga
Map of Camarines Norte with Capalonga highlighted
Map of Camarines Norte with Capalonga highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Map
Capalonga is located in Philippines
Capalonga
Capalonga
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°19′53″N 122°29′34″E / 14.3314°N 122.4928°E / 14.3314; 122.4928
CountryPhilippines
RegionBicol Region
ProvinceCamarines Norte
District 1st district
Founded1634
Barangays22 (see Barangays)
Government
[1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • mayor of Capalonga[*]Luz E. Ricasio
 • Vice MayorJuan P. Enero
 • RepresentativeJosefina B. Tallado
 • Municipal Council
Members
 • Electorate22,764 voters (2022)
Area
 • Total
290.00 km2 (111.97 sq mi)
Elevation
17 m (56 ft)
Highest elevation
170 m (560 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)[3]
 • Total
36,223
 • Density120/km2 (320/sq mi)
 • Households
8,344
Economy
 • Income class3rd municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence
32.39
% (2021)[4]
 • Revenue₱ 157.4 million (2020)
 • Assets₱ 415.2 million (2020)
 • Expenditure₱ 124.5 million (2020)
 • Liabilities₱ 75.57 million (2020)
Service provider
 • ElectricityCamarines Norte Electric Cooperative (CANORECO)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
4607
PSGC
IDD:area code+63 (0)54
Native languagesTagalog

History

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Agtas and Dumagats are believed to be the first inhabitants of village used to be called "Apalong". This name was derived from a wild plant called "Palong Manok", which looks like a rooster's comb. It is said that whenever the settlers of Apalong went to other places and asked where they came from, the usual reply is "We came from Kapalungan". Historians may comment that the natives were either referring to their place which has many "Palong" (roster's comb) or maybe they wanted identification for their settlement. Whatever it was, no record will show and no one at that time is still living, what is clearly known to Capalongueños is that this place was and still is an environment of flowers called Palong Manok. In 1572, the Spanish Conquistador Capt Juan de Salcedo and his men reached pacific shores and landed on Kapalongan settlement. Instead of finding gold, they found abundant wild beautiful red flowers that looked like roster's comb. The Spaniards built a church, formed a government, and the village was made a town and officially named Capalonga. The Spaniards for some years persisted on mining for gold at Sitio Maglagonlong, and the Spanish control was described to be brutal, harsh and full of harassment until they went away leaving behind imprints on the community's cultural heritage.

It is also believed that the first migrants of Capalonga came from the neighboring province of Tayabas. This is the reason that out of the twelve (12) municipalities of Camarines Norte, Capalonga has the highest rating and accent in speaking the Tagalog language. However, with the continuous migration process, mixed dialects has been produced. Today, like other places in the country, the dialects of the residents were enriched by various local medium of expression, thereby making no difference from the trend of other political units.

Without roads and being isolated from other towns by mountains, forest, rivers and sea, Capalonga remained relatively undeveloped by commerce and industry as late as the 1950s. In 1956, the road to Capalonga was opened. Still, growth had been slow until Martial law changed the pace. It was in the years 1987 to 1992 that all wooden and temporary bridges have been replaced by concrete bridges. Likewise, in the late part of 2003 up to the present, the paving of the Bagong Silang - Capalonga Road has started and existence of the air-conditioned van transport is now available as a result.

Demographics

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Population census of Capalonga
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 1,817—    
1918 2,311+1.62%
1939 4,313+3.02%
1948 5,318+2.35%
1960 15,505+9.33%
1970 17,891+1.44%
1975 20,904+3.17%
1980 21,718+0.77%
1990 23,557+0.82%
1995 25,336+1.37%
2000 26,577+1.03%
2007 29,683+1.54%
2010 31,299+1.95%
2015 32,215+0.55%
2020 36,223+2.33%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[5][6][7][8]

In the 2020 census, the population of Capalonga was 36,223 people,[3] with a density of 120 inhabitants per square kilometre or 310 inhabitants per square mile.

Geography

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Barangays

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Capalonga is politically subdivided into 22 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

In 1955, the sitio of Ilayang Basiad was converted into the barrio of San Pedro.[9]

  • Alayao
  • Binawangan
  • Calabaca
  • Camagsaan
  • Catabaguangan
  • Catioan
  • Del Pilar
  • Itok
  • Lucbanan
  • Mabini
  • Mactang
  • Mataque
  • Old Camp
  • Poblacion
  • Magsaysay
  • San Antonio
  • San Isidro
  • San Roque
  • Tanauan
  • Ubang
  • Villa Aurora
  • Villa Belen

Climate

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Climate data for Capalonga, Camarines Norte
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 26
(79)
27
(81)
29
(84)
31
(88)
31
(88)
30
(86)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
28
(82)
27
(81)
29
(84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 22
(72)
22
(72)
22
(72)
23
(73)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
23
(73)
23
(74)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 51
(2.0)
35
(1.4)
37
(1.5)
39
(1.5)
91
(3.6)
131
(5.2)
168
(6.6)
132
(5.2)
162
(6.4)
184
(7.2)
166
(6.5)
101
(4.0)
1,297
(51.1)
Average rainy days 13.4 10.5 11.8 12.0 19.8 24.1 26.7 25.1 25.3 23.9 21.2 17.6 231.4
Source: Meteoblue (Use with caution: this is modeled/calculated data, not measured locally.)[10]

Economy

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Poverty incidence of Capalonga

10
20
30
40
50
2006
48.40
2009
48.19
2012
40.89
2015
48.74
2018
38.70
2021
32.39

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]

Tourism

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Capalonga coast
Nature
  • Guijanlo Island - Located at Barangay Camagsaan with a beautiful sandbar and white sand Beach.
  • Boorey-Boorey Island - Located at Barangay San Roque with amazing Rock Formation
  • Itok Falls - Located 4 km. west of the town with fresh and lush foliage and vegetation.
  • Bangka-bangka Falls-Located at Barangay Alayao. It is being called as Bangka-bangka(Boat),because of its boat-like shape.
  • Albino Beach-Located at sitio Talagpucao Barangay Catioan with relaxing smooth waves and fine sand.
  • Mount Samat-Located at Barangay Alayao. This mountain is covered by the undiscovered species of ferns, orchids, etc. There are also falls with fresh cold clear water.
  • Camagsaan Bridge- Located at Sabang bridge where it is a passage to the beauty of Tinago beach resort and Selfie Beach Resort
Festivals and Cultural Entertainments
  • Feast of the Black Nazarene (May 13) - The town Fiesta in honor of the Black Nazarene draws devotees from all over the country. The image is said to be miraculous and its feast is particularly celebrated by Chinese businessmen, who pay annual homage and ask for long life and good fortune.
  • Palong Festival (May 10–13) - Highlighted by colorful streetdancing and agro-industrial fair which expresses the local folks’ gratitude for their town's name's etymology, and signifies the abundant presence of "Palong Manok" (rooster's comb plant) available in the locality. Held also in celebration of the Black Nazarene's Feast Day on May 13 at the town of Capalonga.

References

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  1. ^ Municipality of Capalonga | (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. ^ a b c Census of Population (2020). "Region V (Bicol Region)". 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. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region V (Bicol Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  6. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region V (Bicol Region)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  7. ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region V (Bicol Region)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
  8. ^ "Province of Camarines Norte". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  9. ^ "An Act Converting the Sitio of Ilayang Basiad in the Municipality of Capalonga, Province of Camarines Norte, into Barrio San Pedro of Said Municipality". LawPH.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
  10. ^ "Capalonga, Camarines Norte: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  12. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
  13. ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
  14. ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
  15. ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
  16. ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
  17. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  18. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  • Municipal Planning and Development Office LGU, Capalonga, Camarines Norte
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