Magallanes, Agusan del Norte

Magallanes
Municipality

Map of Agusan del Norte with Magallanes highlighted
Magallanes

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 09°01′N 125°31′E / 9.017°N 125.517°ECoordinates: 09°01′N 125°31′E / 9.017°N 125.517°E
Country Philippines
Region Caraga (Region XIII)
Province Agusan del Norte
District 2nd district of Agusan del Norte
Barangays 8
Government[1]
 • Mayor Demosthenes H. Arabaca
Area[2]
 • Total 44.31 km2 (17.11 sq mi)
Population (2010)[3]
 • Total 21,481
 • Density 480/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code 8604
Dialing code 85
Income class 4th

Magallanes is a fourth class municipality in the province of Agusan del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 21,481 people.[3]

The municipality was named after the Portuguese surname of the maritime explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Geography

Its land is mostly flat and rolling, surrounded by mountains. Swamps characterize much of the landscape of this place that is situated at the mouth of the two major rivers in the province, the Agusan and Baug Rivers.

The elevation of most of lands is two (2) feet below sea level. The town center is in the river delta and has to be kept protected by dikes. The land gradually rises in the northwest to the 99 metres (325 ft) high Mt. Taod-oy at barangay Taod-oy and the 162 metres (531 ft) high Mount Panaytayon.

Around 2,834.89 hectares of Magallanes lands have slope of 0 to 3 percent, 399.28 hectares have 8 to 18 percent, 1,497.30 18 to 30 percent and 250.53 hectares 30 to 50 percent.

Hydrosol, San Miguel Loam, San Miguel Clay Loam, Malalag Silt Loam and Butuan Loam are its soil types. Upper Miocene, Cretaceous-Paleogene and recent sedimentary materials are the rock elements that make up Magallanes lands.

Land use

Of its total land area, 4,109 hectares (10,150 acres) are classified as alienable and disposable. The other 882 hectares (2,180 acres) are forestlands. 149.95 hectares (370.5 acres) or 3 percent is built-up, 92.26 hectares (228.0 acres) of that for social facilities and the other 59.69 hectares (147.5 acres) for roads. Around 3,210.72 hectares (7,933.9 acres) or 64.33 percent of its lands are utilized for agriculture, the other 1,630.33 hectares (4,028.6 acres) or 33.20 percent, for forest use. Four hectares are also being utilized for tourism in special use. Within the agricultural area, 1,727.63 hectares (4,269.1 acres) are under CARP coverage.

Climate

Magallanes is generally is outside the "typhoon belt". Its climate is, by Philippine classification, Type II. There is no definite dry season in the area. Maximum rain is from November to January. Lying within the eastern coast, the place is within the pathway northeast monsoons, trade winds and storms.

Barangays

Magallanes is politically subdivided into 8 barangays.[2] Of these, 6 are mainland 2 are across the river barangays. There are 7 coastal barangays located near the Baug River in the south, mouth of Agusan River, in the west and in the north running eastward lies Butuan Bay, of which 1 is a mountain barangay.

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Demographics

Population census of Magallanes
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 16,211—    
1995 17,523+1.47%
2000 19,895+2.76%
2007 20,930+0.70%
2010 21,481+0.95%
Source: National Statistics Office[3]

Economy

The town has two plywood manufacturing firms: EMCO (Brgy. Sto. Rosario) and PSPI (Brgy. Marcos), and one safety matches manufacturing firm: JAKA Equities Corp (Brgy. Marcos). The three manufacturing plants are all on the main street and operating near the Baug River and Agusan River.

An 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of prawn/shrimp farm in Magallanes used to be the Philippines' top exporter of first class prawn/shrimp to Japan, until the entire farm was hit by a white spot disease in 2001 leading to the collapse of the industry.

Attractions

Philippine Centennial Tree

The Departnment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) awarded Magallanes as the place that host the Oldest Tree (more than 500 years old) in the Philippines called Bitaug.

Lisagan Festival

Magallanes celebrates its annual fiesta every third Saturday of October in honor of patroness Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Our Lady of the Rosary, which includes thanksgiving mass, parades and more.
The 'Lisagan Festival' held on Sunday after the fiesta includes street dancing similar to Sinulog Festival and fluvial procession at the Agusan River and Baug River.
The town parish doesn't allow major public gathering like disco, live bands and other similar events the night before the fiesta.

Magellan Shrine

Located at Poblacion near the Municipal Hall, the shrine was the site of the 'first' Catholic mass in Mindanao on April 8, 1521. It was believed that the Magellan's Cross in Cebu was also erected here by the explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his men before they sail North. Evidence showed church ruins near the Agusan River.

Agusan River

The Agusan River is the widest and navigable river in Mindanao.

Transportation

Municipality of Magallanes can be reached through the Mindanao gateways:

Air

Bancasi Airport of Butuan and Laguindingan International Airport of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
PAL Express and Cebu Pacific have daily flights from Manila to Butuan and v.v. Cebu-Butuan-Cebu flights via Cebu Pacific scheduled Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and PAL.

Sea

Port of Nasipit, Port of Surigao, and Macabalan Port of Cagayan de Oro.
There are several major shipping lines serving the Manila and Cebu routes namely: 2Go, Cokaliong, and PSACC. A 45 minutes boat ride from Butuan to Magallanes navigating the Agusan River.

Land

Bachelor Express and PhilTranCo is the dominant public land transport from Manila and Tacloban passing Surigao, Cabadbaran and Butuan to Cagayan de Oro and Davao. The public mode of transportation within the municipality is by motorcabs and pedicabs. Passenger vans commonly known as V-Hire are also available for Butuan routes.

Telecommunications

Cell Sites available: Smart Communications and Globe Telecoms/Touch Mobile
Landlines: BayanTel
Internet Service Providers: BayanTel DSL and Smart Broadband

References

  1. ↑ "Official City/Municipal 2013 Election Results". Intramuros, Manila, Philippines: Commission on Elections (COMELEC). 1 July 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Province: AGUSAN DEL NORTE". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010". 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 1 April 2014.

External links

 Cabadbaran
Butuan Bay R. T. Romualdez
   Magallanes  
Butuan