Talibon, Bohol

Talibon
Municipality
Talibon skyline
Seal
Map of Bohol with Talibon highlighted
Map of Talibon showing barangays and islands
Talibon Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°07′N 124°17′E / 10.12°N 124.28°E / 10.12; 124.28Coordinates: 10°07′N 124°17′E / 10.12°N 124.28°E / 10.12; 124.28
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Visayas (Region VII)
Province	Bohol
District	2nd district of Bohol
Founded	1830
Barangay	25 (see § Barangays) Bagacay Balintawak Burgos Busalian Calituban Cataban Guindacpan Magsaysay Mahanay Nocnocan Poblacion Rizal Sag San Agustin San Carlos San Francisco San Isidro San Jose San Pedro San Roque Santo Niño Sikatuna Suba Tanghaligue Zamora
Government [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Restituto Auxtero (LP)
• Vice Mayor	Cleto Garcia
• Town Council	Members Junette Loma Janet Garcia Dave Evangelista Peddy Abuan Conie Evangelista Jerald Taneo Eti Artiaga Corcillano Palange 2016 unofficial result
• Representative	Erico Aristotle Aumentado
Area[2]
• Total	140.46 km2 (54.23 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)[3]
• Total	66,969
• Density	480/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
• Voter (2016)[4]	33,211
Demonym(s)	Talibongnon
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	6325
IDD : area code	+63 (0)38
Income class	1st class
PSGC	071243000
Ecclesiastical province	Cebu
Website	www.talibon-bohol.gov.ph

Talibon is a 1st municipal income class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines.^[2] It lies on the middle of the northern coast of Bohol, 115 kilometres (71 mi) from Tagbilaran. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 66,969.^[3] In the 2016 electoral roll, it had 33,211 registered voters.^[4]

Talibon is the seat of the diocese of Talibon and is the resident town of the bishop.

History

• 
  Municipal Hall of Talibon
• 
  Roman Catholic Church, Talibon

According to archival researches of F. Jose Maria Luengo, priest, historian and founder of the Mater Dei College of Tubigon, Talibon traces its history back to the time of Ferdinand Magellan after his death on 27 April 1521. Escaping from the hands of Lapu-Lapu's men, who were bent on revenge for the raping of 50 virgins of Cebu, the ship Trinidad sailed in the direction of Getafe and Talibon, where some of the crew disembarked and mingled with the natives of the place.

Taking native wives and teaching them the rudiments of Christianity, they dedicated the place where they lived to the Most Holy Trinity (Santisima Trinidad) in honor of the patrons of their fateful ship. The survivors became the first lay missionaries to Bohol and Fr. Luengo called them the Trinidad Christians of Talibon.

In 1830, Talibon was established as an independent municipality from Inabanga. The following year, Talibon became a parish dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, with Fr. Ramon de Santa Ana as the first parish priest.

At first, a ramshackle hut built by the natives served as the church but in 1852 construction of the permanent church was started. With forced labor and the use of blocks of coral rocks, the church was built on an elevated plain overlooking the sea and finished in 1899.

During World War II, a guerrilla force was organized and took control and authority over the town of Talibon. Then Senator Carlos P. Garcia, acted as High Adviser to the group and during the Japanese occupation, narrowly escaped capture by fleeing with his family to Leyte. In reprisal, the Japanese soldiers burned down the Garcia house on 4 July 1942.

In 1957, when Carlos P. Garcia became the fourth president of the Philippines, the church was renovated. In 1986, the Diocese of Talibon was created.

Etymology

The name Talibon is said to come from the word talibong which means bolo or spear, an instrument used in gold mining. There is no actual record to show how the name came about but per the records of the travels of Jesuit missionary, Fr. Juan de Torres, he went to the gold mines of Talibong. It already had its name before the first arrival of the first Spanish missionary.

Diocese of Talibon

The diocese of Talibon comprises half the civil province of Bohol.

Talibon is a town on the northern coast of the island. The territory covered by the diocese extends from the town of Inabanga on the northwest, through Carmen in the interior, and down to Jagna on the southeast. Its inland boundary bisects the island northwest—southeast, with the other half of the island under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Tagbilaran.

The first batch of missionaries to arrive were the Augustinian Recollects who came in 1565. When the Jesuits arrived in 1596 and reached the area of Talibon, they were surprised to discover that a Christian community already existed in the area, owing to the Spanish–Talibongnon intermarriages dating back to the 1520s.

After the Jesuits came, the faith spread fast revolts in the country against Spain. Tamblot revolted in 1622. Although his success lasted only for six months, his revolt is recorded as the first unbeaten revolt in Philippine history. In 1744 Dagohoy revolted and gained independence for the island of Bohol for eighty years.

On 8 November 1941, the Diocese of Tagbilaran was established and was given jurisdiction over the entire province of Bohol, separating it from Cebu, its mother diocese. On 9 January 1986, the new Diocese of Talibon was created, separating half of Bohol from the Diocese of Tagbilaran. Most Rev. Christian Vicente Fernandez Noel, D.D., was appointed as its first bishop in September 1986 and whose office he held until Pope Francis appointed Most Rev. Patrick Daniel Y. Parcon, D.D. on 6 June 2014 as its second bishop, and eventually installed on 22 August 2014.

Today there are 25 parishes in the diocese, ministered by 50 priests. There are also 35 religious sisters active in the running of 16 secondary Catholic schools.

Geography

The town of Talibon is located on the northern side of Bohol. It is bounded on the east by Bien Unido, on the south by Trinidad on the north by Camotes Sea and on the west by Getafe. Talibon has a land area of 140.46 square kilometres (54.23 sq mi) of which about 7.97 square kilometres (3.08 sq mi)(5.7%) is classified as urban, while the remaining 132.49 square kilometres (51.15 sq mi) is rural. It is accessible by land from capital Tagbilaran via eastern or western exits of Bohol Circumferential Road, which are 150 and 115 kilometres (93 and 71 mi) respectively, or through the interior road via Loboc which is 109 kilometres (68 mi). It can be accessed by boat direct from Cebu City or via Tubigon then by land from Tubigon to Talibon.

Barangays

Talibon comprises 25 barangays: 17 mainland and 8 island barangays.

Demographics

In the 2016 electoral roll, it had 33,211 registered voters, meaning that 50% of the population are aged 18 and over.^[4]

Economy

Major industries in Talibon are farming and fishing with major products rice, corn, copra, banana and root crops. It is fast becoming a haven for retailers and wholesalers. It is home to one branch of Alturas group of companies which has established a supermarket in the area.^[8]

Local folks are also into seaweeds farming, rice farming, watermelon farming, and making of fish traps, hats, and pottery. Silica, gold, clay, diorites, sand and gravel abound and quarrying of these minerals is big business at present.

Education

Almost every barangay in its vicinity has its public elementary school, making students, teachers, and parents like have a sufficient array of choices; as do secondary schools have an abundant selection to private and public education.

Eco-tourism

Talibon for years has its share of foreign and domestic tourists who were lured to the town for its unexploited beaches, fresh seafood such as crabs and prawns, friendliness of the people and the general atmosphere of peace and order in the town and the neighboring barrios.

People also come to see the historic site, the Carlos P. Garcia Monument and Park; the location of which is the birthplace of this son of Talibon who played an important role during the guerilla movement and more so when he became the 4th President of the Republic of the Philippines.

There are islands that have long been unexploited and surrounded by crystal clear waters and rich marine life. One such islet is the Bongan sandbar, a breathtaking long sandy white beach devoid of vegetation whatsoever. It is a good place to swim, snorkel or scuba dive.

A relatively unknown natural treasure is the Danajon Bank, which is the Philippines' only double barrier reef and one of the few documented double barrier reefs in the world. A very rare geological formation, it comprises two sets of large coral reefs that formed offshore on a submarine ridge due to a combination of favorable tidal currents and coral growth in the area. Talibon town shares responsibility over Danajon together with 9 other Bohol towns that have jurisdiction over the reef.

Danajon Bank is home to a vast array of commercially valuable reef fishes, shellfish, crustaceans and invertebrates such as sea cucumbers and sea urchins. Its extensive seagrass beds are nursery and feeding grounds for various species of rabbitfish (siganids) and sea horses, while its mangroves are spawning habitats for crustaceans, shrimps and various fishes.

In order to showcase and promote efforts to protect and manage Danajon Bank, the Municipal Government of Talibon opened the CRM Interpretive Center, otherwise known as the Fisheries and Coastal Resource Management Interpretive Center (FCRMIC). Aside from a very educational gallery, the Center boasts a 3D model of Danajon Bank, the first of its kind in Bohol and even in the whole of the Visayas. It is now becoming a drop-in site for school and foreign tours alike.

Aware of the vast tourism potential of Talibon, the present administration has set up an "Eco-Tourism Program" geared towards the development and promotion of Talibon's assets. Aside from the abovementioned sites, the local government is eyeing the promotion of the 580 hectares (1,400 acres) of lush mangrove vegetation as an eco-tourist destination.

The winding Ipil River is another area that has to be promoted for boating, kayaking, and other activities such as fishing, swimming, and the gathering of shells and mollusks that abound in the area. Going inland from the river, one will see wild ducks, herons, and egrets; and in San Isidro, a mangrove area has become the dwelling place of monkeys. Another attraction is the centuries-old piyapi trees growing abundantly in the area.

Notable people from Talibon

• Bernardito Auza, Archbishop and permanent observer of the Holy see to the United Nations
• Nonito Donaire, World Champion Boxer
• Carlos P. Garcia, Eighth President of the Philippines
• Lauro Mumar, PBA Player

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Talibon.

External links

• Talibon
• Municipality of Talibon
• Talibon Bohol News