Calabanga Profile

Historical Background

Mission

The municipality shall empower its people through participative and sustainable development efforts for progress and prosperity.

Vision

A progreesive and agro-indutrialized municipality with God-Loving, resilient and empowered people, living in safe, healthy and sustainable environment, with diversified economy, guided by dynamic, democratic and proactive servant leaders

Brief Historical Background

The origin of the Municipality is unfolded from the legends and fables of the old generation. In 1578 when the head Mission of Quipayo was established, Calabanga was only a visita or barrio. At that time, the place has vast forests and swamps and an abundance of wildlife such as monkeys, wild chickens and forest lizards. Some say Calabanga derived its name from the Bicol word “Calabangan”, the plural term of “labang” or “litag”, a kind of snare for catching wild animals. Another legend says that Calabanga originated from the word “Calagbangan” meaning the wide, long and straight street spanning from the church through the poblacion, east to west, called locally as “Calabaan” or “Calacbangan”.

Calabanga became a town with 400 tributes. On July 15, 1749, it was separated from Quipayo by virtue of the approval of Don Fray Joan de Arechera, Bishop-elect of Nueva Segovia of the Commissary of the King, in the petition signed and filed by 37 Calabangueños on April 28, 1749 for the town to be conveniently administered.

There were two visitas- Visita de Cagapad and Visita de Hinarijan and 12 barrios. The barrios were San Antonio, San Vicente, Sta Catalina, Nuestra Señora de Salud, San Lucas, San Miguel, Sta. Isabel, Nuestra Señora del Carmen, San Roque, San Pablo, San Jose (now Balongay) and Belen.

Today, Calabanga is one of the Municipalities of the Province of Camarines Sur. With its rich fishing grounds and vast agricultural area, it is a major supplier of fish and other marine products and prime agricultural products in the province as well as in Metro Manila.

Calabanga Seal

Calabanga began as a small barangay when the Spanish Missionaries founded it in 1578. The Spanish Military Government converted it into a full-fledged municipality on July 15, 1749, the date when it was separated from Quipayo as a political unit.Present in the official seal are the three (3) stars representing Luzon, where the Bicol Region is, Visayas and Mindanao with an eagle in the center. The 48 stars represent the 48 barangays of Calabanga. Also indicated in the seal is the slope of fertile Mount Isarog where some of the barangays of the municipality are located.The four main products/industries of the municipality are also found in the seal represented by coconut, coffee & abaca, rice and fish. Still on the center half represents the rich coastal fishery resources of the municipality in San Miguel Bay and the left center-half represents the municipality’s vast irrigated lowlands of rice.

Location and Total Land Area

Calabanga is among the municipalities within the 3rd Congressional District of the Province of Camarines Sur. It is located approximately between 13040’ to 13047’ north latitude and 123007’ to 123022’ east longitude (BSWM Report). It is bounded on the west by the Bicol River and beyond, the municipality of Cabusao; on the south by the municipality of Bombon and Naga City; on the east by the vast forest lands of Mt. Isarog, the Tigman River and each tributaries forming the natural boundary and beyond the municipality of Tinambac; on the north by the vast fishing grounds of San Miguel Bay. The influence municipalities of Calabanga are Tinambac, Siruma, Cabusao, Bombon and Magarao.

Topography

The topographic landscape of the municipality could be characterized as generally flat with a slope 0 - 3%, gently sloping (3 - 8%) towards the direction of the eastern portion and finally, rolling up to higher steep towards the direction of the southeastern part going to Mt. Isarog. The 0 - 3% slope is a broad area of flat to nearly level land which extends from Barangay Balongay along the Bicol River to Poblacion Area and surrounding areas down to Barangay Manguiring. This is the dominant slope of the municipality

Soil / Land

There are six soil types that could be found in the municipality. These are the (1) Hydrosol which is dominant along the Bicol River covering parts of Barangay Balongay, San Bernardino and Punta Tarawal; (2) Balong Clay; (3) Pili Clay Loam; (4) Tigaon Clay which covers the poblacion; (5) Annan Clay Loam which could be found towards the direction of Tinambac and (6) Mountain Soil in the Mt. Isarog area

Climate

Calabanga’s climatic condition falls under the Climatic Type II characterized by the absence of dry and wet season with a very pronounced rainfall from November to January. Rainfall occurs throughout the year. However, low rainfall rates were observed during the months of April and May. Higher rate of rainfall occurs from June to March. Northern Monsoon Winds (Amihan) prevail in the area from September to January while the strong South Monsoon (Habagat) mostly occurs in August. Typhoons usually occur from September to January.

Water Sources

Calabanga is bounded by the San Miguel Bay on the northern part and the Bicol River on the western part, which are sources of abundant supply of fish of various species and other marine products. The Municipality of Calabanga is endowed with abundant natural resources. The major river systems, the Tigman, Hinaguianan and Inarihan Rivers are presently utilized for irrigation purposes. They originate their main tributaries from Mt. Isarog and flow down in the northwestern direction ultimately discharging to San Miguel Bay. Calabanga is also blessed with many natural spring water resources found in the eastern portion of the municipality along the northwestern flanks of Mt. Isarog. Most of these are found to be potential sources for potable water supply of the municipality, aside from the Hamislag and Tawang Rivers.

Population

Calabanga, a 1st class municipality, is one of the biggest in terms of population and land area. Having an approximate total area of 163.84 sq.km. (16,384 has.), it constitutes 3.1% of the province’s land area. It is composed of 48 barangays, 14 of which are within the urban area and the remaining 34 barangays are within the rural areas. It has 11 coastal barangays. Based from the 2015 CBMS Survey, Calabanga has 78,321 population distributed to 16,405 households. The average household size is 4.72 and population density is 478 persons per square kilometer. The total population is distributed to urban areas with 31.05% or 24,316 and 68.95% or 54,005 in the rural areas.

RELIGION

Despite the influx of various religious sects, a large segment of the populace is Roman Catholic. Other religions include Iglesia Ni Cristo, Born Again Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Seventh Day Adventist, United Church of Christ in the Philippines; and, there are also Buddhists in the municipality. There are many other minor religious sects existing in the municipality.

Poverty Incidence

Based on the 2012 municipal Community – Based Monitoring System (CBMS), there are 10, 674 households (65%) with income below poverty thresholds. These constituents source of income, are either fishing or farming, which are both seasonal in nature.

Schools

The literacy rate in the municipality is high at 97.5% which is attributed to the continuing efforts of the government to make education more accessible to the people. For those who will pursue college courses not offered in the Municipality of Calabanga, one has to go to colleges and universities in Naga City or in Metro Manila

Health

The LGU of Calabanga has three government Health Centers, one at the Poblacion area and two RHUs at the western and eastern part of the municipality. Aside from the government sector, there are private medical, dental, and lying-in clinics and 7 pharmacies in the municipality. The number of health personnel is sufficient and beyond the standard as to the ratio to the population, however, facilities and equipments are still lacking.

Major Economic Activities

Calabanga is blessed with rich natural resources. It has big upland and vast fishing grounds. Agricultural areas are the most extensive areas covering more than half of the total land area. It is the dominant land use devoted to crop production such as rice, corn and coconut which are the major crops. Other crops include abaca, coffee, vegetables, root crops and fruit trees.

Fishing and livestock-raising constitutes the next main economic activities. The rich fishing grounds of San Miguel Bay as well as the Bicol River are the sources of fish, shellfish, oysters, capiz shells, prawns, shrimps and other marine products, which are being supplied to the City of Naga and other neighboring provinces as well as in Manila. Other water sources include Inarihan, Tigman and Hinaguianan rivers aside from the fishponds for the fresh water species.

Livelihood industry is promoted and given support by the local government under the One Town One Product (OTOP) Program. The famous “ABO” dried fish is the product that Calabanga boasts of under this program.

Commerce, trade and industry are also significant aspect in the economy of the municipality, which is concentrated in the urban areas which include wholesale and retail trade, minor service centers, transport business, drugstores, agri-supplies, gasoline stations while industrial activities include rice milling, fish processing, bamboocraft, furniture making, garments, metalcrafts, welding and auto repair shops as well as other small enterprises

Nipa shingles production is also one industry predominant at the western barangays where nipa swamps could be found. The products are sold not only within the municipality but to nearby towns and Naga City. There are three banks in the vicinity which provide assistance for credit conduits and include capability building opportunities while cooperatives throughout the municipality are gradually developing their enterprise.

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