Lopez, Quezon

Lopez
Municipality

Map of Quezon showing the location of Lopez
Lopez

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 13°53′N 122°16′E / 13.883°N 122.267°E / 13.883; 122.267Coordinates: 13°53′N 122°16′E / 13.883°N 122.267°E / 13.883; 122.267
Country Philippines
Region CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
Province Quezon
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 (2010)[3]
  Total 91,074
  Density 260/km2 (660/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code 4316
Dialing code 42
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]

  • Burgos (Poblacion)
  • Danlagan (Poblacion)
  • Gomez (Poblacion)
  • Magsaysay (Poblacion)
  • Rizal (Poblacion)
  • San Lorenzo Ruiz (Poblacion)
  • Talolong (Poblacion)
  • Bacungan
  • Bagacay
  • Banabahin Ibaba
  • Banabahin Ilaya
  • Bayabas
  • Bebito
  • Bigajo
  • Binahian A
  • Binahian B
  • Binahian C
  • Buenavista
  • Buyacanin
  • Cagacag
  • Calantipayan
  • Canda Ibaba
  • Canda Ilaya
  • Cawayan
  • Cawayanin
  • Cogorin Ibaba
  • Cogorin Ilaya
  • Concepcion
  • De La Paz
  • Del Pilar
  • Del Rosario
  • Esperanza Ibaba
  • Esperanza Ilaya
  • Guihay
  • Guinuangan
  • Guites
  • Hondagua
  • llayang Ilog A
  • Ilayang Ilog B
  • Inalusan
  • Jongo
  • Lalaguna
  • Lourdes
  • Mabanban
  • Mabini
  • Magallanes
  • Maguilayan
  • Mahayod-Hayod
  • Mal-ay
  • Mandoog
  • Manguisian
  • Matinik
  • Monteclaro
  • Pamampangin
  • Pansol
  • Peñafrancia
  • Pisipis
  • Rizal (Rural)
  • Roma
  • Rosario
  • Samat
  • San Andres
  • San Antonio
  • San Francisco A
  • San Francisco B
  • San Isidro
  • San Jose
  • San Miguel (Dao)
  • San Pedro
  • San Rafael
  • San Roque
  • Silang
  • Sta. Catalina
  • Sta. Elena
  • Sta. Jacobe
  • Sta. Lucia
  • Sta. Maria
  • Sta. Rosa
  • Sta. Teresa
  • Sto. Niño Ibaba
  • Sto. Niño Ilaya
  • Sugod
  • Sumalang
  • Tan-ag Ibaba
  • Tan-ag Ilaya
  • Tocalin
  • Vegaflor
  • Vergaña
  • Veronica
  • Villa Aurora
  • Villa Espina
  • Villageda
  • Villahermosa
  • Villamonte
  • Villanacaob

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
YearPop.±% 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: National 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 91,074 in the 2010 census.[3]

Religion

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]

Public services

Feasts and Festivals

Tourism Potentials

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

  1. 1 2 "Municipality of Lopez". Quezon Province. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
  2. 1 2 "Province: QUEZON". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  4. "2007 Census of Population". Philippine National Statistics Office. Retrieved 2008-10-04.

External links

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