MacArthur (IPA: [mək 'ɑːrθər]), officially the Municipality of MacArthur (Waray: Bungto han MacArthur; Tagalog: Bayan ng MacArthur), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 21,578 people.[3]

MacArthur
Municipality of MacArthur
Flag of MacArthur
Map of Leyte with MacArthur highlighted
Map of Leyte with MacArthur highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Map
MacArthur is located in Philippines
MacArthur
MacArthur
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°50′08″N 124°59′47″E / 10.8356°N 124.9964°E / 10.8356; 124.9964
CountryPhilippines
RegionEastern Visayas
ProvinceLeyte
District 2nd district
Named forDouglas MacArthur
Barangays31 (see Barangays)
Government
[1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorRudin T. Babante
 • Vice MayorRene R. Leria
 • RepresentativeLolita T. Javier
 • Councilors
List
 • Electorate16,100 voters (2022)
Area
 • Total
57.57 km2 (22.23 sq mi)
Elevation
125 m (410 ft)
Highest elevation
1,154 m (3,786 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)[3]
 • Total
21,578
 • Density370/km2 (970/sq mi)
 • Households
5,574
Economy
 • Income class5th municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence
30.01
% (2021)[4]
 • Revenue₱ 100.2 million (2020), 40.52 million (2012), 43.75 million (2013), 48.72 million (2014), 224.1 million (2015), 65.07 million (2016), 88.22 million (2017), 85.11 million (2018), 87.7 million (2019), 108.8 million (2021), 141.1 million (2022)
 • Assets₱ 173.3 million (2020), 84.95 million (2012), 72.99 million (2013), 98.82 million (2014), 95.24 million (2015), 109 million (2016), 114.8 million (2017), 131.8 million (2018), 144.8 million (2019), 203.9 million (2021), 227.6 million (2022)
 • Expenditure₱ 98.49 million (2020), 34.49 million (2012), 28.4 million (2013), 39.45 million (2014), 212.5 million (2015), 58.81 million (2016), 69.79 million (2017), 83.08 million (2018), 83.31 million (2019), 98.24 million (2021), 133.5 million (2022)
 • Liabilities₱ 37.96 million (2020), 42.42 million (2012), 38.15 million (2013), 48.46 million (2014), 47.2 million (2015), 54.69 million (2016), 42.28 million (2017), 21.82 million (2018), 28.97 million (2019), 55.74 million (2021), 40.71 million (2022)
Service provider
 • ElectricityDon Orestes Romualdez Electric Coperative (DORELCO)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
6509
PSGC
IDD:area code+63 (0)53
Native languagesWaray
Tagalog
Websitewww.macarthur-leyte.gov.ph

History

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By virtue of Executive order No. 324, the town of MacArthur, Leyte was officially recognized as a municipality on June 17, 1950.

The name MacArthur can be traced back to the liberation of the Philippines from the hands of the Japanese forces. As an expression of gratitude, six years after Gen. Douglas MacArthur landed at the Leyte Beach, the Leyteños through the efforts of the late Daniel Z. Romualdez, then Congressman of the First District of Leyte, named the town after its liberator.

The history of MacArthur covers a struggle that was both political and social. In the latter part of 19th century, MacArthur was a flourishing village called Bagacay, a bamboo species, because of the abundance of the plant in the locality. Its first inhabitants were the families of Gabion, Matol, Echavez, Moquia, Jervoso and Galo who came from the neighboring towns of Abuyog, Tolosa, Tanauan and Burauen. Abuyog was its mother town.

The name Bagacay was then changed to Tarragona by a parish priest of Abuyog, Fr. Bernardo Tapiol, who choose the name in honor of his native city in Spain. Sometime in 1898, Tarragona became an independent town with Anastacio Jervoso as Captain, the chief executive. That was when the Spanish government changed hands with the short- lived Philippine Republic. Leyte was then under the governorship of Gen. Mojica, Military Governor of Leyte. The local government, however, ended with the short-lived Philippine Republic, thus, returned to its former status as a barrio.

With the advent of the second World War, Senator Jose Veloso proclaimed Tarragona as a municipality with Antonio Matoza as Mayor, Fabian Pantin as Vice-Mayor, Calixta Matoza as Municipal Secretary, Alejandro Nuevas as Municipal Treasurer, and Marciano Lumbre as Chief of Police. The municipality was then composed of the following barrios; Osmeña, Capudlosan, Causwagan, Pongon, Danao, Casuntingan, Tuyo, San Isidro, Maya, Pinocawan, Batug, Kiling, Palale, Liwayway, Burabod, Gen. Luna, Calzada, Bugho, Manarog, Pondoc and Tin-awan.

When the American forces arrived in 1944, the municipality collapsed and returned to its being a barrio. The people re-petitioned President Sergio Osmeña to make Tarragona as a municipality again, but it did not materialize. In 1947, the people organized "Barrio Tarragona for Regular Town League". After the national elections in 1949, Daniel Z. Romualdez sponsored House Bill 141 creating the municipality of MacArthur with the seat of the municipal government at Tarragona. It was vetoed by then President Elpidio Quirino. Later, a follow-up was made by Congressman Romualdez and Governor Catalina Landia. Finally, the President issued Executive Order No. 324, which created the Municipality of MacArthur, Leyte on June 17, 1950.

Now, the Municipality of MacArthur, Leyte is composed of 31 barangays.

Geography

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Barangays

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MacArthur is politically subdivided into 31 barangays.[5] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

  • Batug
  • Burabod
  • Capudlosan
  • Casuntingan
  • Causwagan
  • Danao
  • General Luna
  • Kiling
  • Lanawan
  • Liwayway
  • Maya
  • Oguisan
  • Osmeña
  • Palale 1
  • Palale 2
  • Poblacion District 1
  • Poblacion District 2
  • Poblacion District 3
  • Pongon
  • Quezon
  • Romualdez
  • Salvacion
  • San Antonio
  • San Isidro
  • San Pedro
  • San Vicente
  • Santa Isabel
  • Tin-awan
  • Tuyo
  • Doña Josefa
  • Villa Imelda

Climate

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Climate data for MacArthur, Leyte
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 28
(82)
29
(84)
29
(84)
30
(86)
30
(86)
30
(86)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 22
(72)
22
(72)
22
(72)
23
(73)
25
(77)
25
(77)
25
(77)
25
(77)
25
(77)
24
(75)
24
(75)
23
(73)
24
(75)
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[6]

Demographics

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Population census of MacArthur
YearPop.±% p.a.
1960 10,647—    
1970 11,486+0.76%
1975 12,433+1.60%
1980 12,780+0.55%
1990 13,159+0.29%
1995 16,645+4.50%
2000 16,844+0.26%
2007 17,608+0.61%
2010 18,724+2.26%
2015 21,211+2.40%
2020 21,578+0.34%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [7][8][9][10]

In the 2020 census, the population of MacArthur, Leyte, was 21,578 people,[3] with a density of 370 inhabitants per square kilometre or 960 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

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Poverty incidence of MacArthur

10
20
30
40
50
2006
34.20
2009
36.63
2012
42.48
2015
36.34
2018
29.64
2021
30.01

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

References

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  1. ^ Municipality of MacArthur | (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 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. ^ "Province:". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  6. ^ "MacArthur: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  7. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  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.
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