Kabugao, Apayao
Kabugao is 606 kilometres (377 mi) from Manila.
History
On July 12, 1915, Governor General Francis Burton Harrison issued Executive Order No. 45, transferring the capital of then sub-province of Apayao from Tauit to Kabugao, to be effective on August 1.
Kabugao was occupied for a year by the Japanese during the Second World War. It was captured in December 1942, after the USAFIP NL retreated from the town.
Cityhood
In the 19th Congress of the Philippines, house bills were filed by various representatives which seek to automatically convert Kabugao and other capital towns of provinces with no current component cities, independent component cities, or highly urbanized cities into cities.
Geography
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 935.12 square kilometres (361.05 sq mi) constituting 21.19% of the 4,413.35-square-kilometre- (1,704.00 sq mi) total area of Apayao.
Barangays
Kabugao is politically subdivided into 21 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
| PSGC | Barangay | Population | ±% p.a. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2010 | |||||
| 148104001 | Badduat | 6.6% | 1,065 | 1,000 | 0.63% | |
| 148104002 | Baliwanan | 2.9% | 467 | 478 | −0.23% | |
| 148104004 | Bulu | 2.5% | 401 | 298 | 3.01% | |
| 148104007 | Cabetayan | 3.7% | 597 | 556 | 0.71% | |
| 148104005 | Dagara | 2.7% | 437 | 484 | −1.02% | |
| 148104006 | Dibagat | 3.8% | 616 | 797 | −2.54% | |
| 148104008 | Karagawan | 4.2% | 676 | 676 | 0.00% | |
| 148104009 | Kumao | 3.5% | 575 | 557 | 0.32% | |
| 148104010 | Laco | 2.6% | 427 | 410 | 0.41% | |
| 148104011 | Lenneng (Liyyeng) | 15.9% | 2,572 | 2,396 | 0.71% | |
| 148104012 | Lucab | 3.5% | 565 | 660 | −1.54% | |
| 148104013 | Luttuacan | 6.3% | 1,014 | 786 | 2.58% | |
| 148104014 | Madatag | 5.0% | 818 | 766 | 0.66% | |
| 148104015 | Madduang | 3.9% | 626 | 423 | 4.00% | |
| 148104016 | Magabta | 1.2% | 191 | 215 | −1.18% | |
| 148104017 | Maragat | 1.7% | 276 | 503 | −5.82% | |
| 148104018 | Musimut | 5.2% | 842 | 822 | 0.24% | |
| 148104019 | Nagbabalayan | 3.0% | 482 | 511 | −0.58% | |
| 148104020 | Poblacion | 19.5% | 3,154 | 3,217 | −0.20% | |
| 148104021 | Tuyangan | 1.4% | 223 | 334 | −3.96% | |
| 148104022 | Waga | 1.2% | 191 | 281 | −3.79% | |
| Total | 16,215 | 16,215 | 0.00% | |||
Climate
| Climate data for Kabugao, Apayao | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25 (77) |
26 (79) |
29 (84) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
25 (77) |
29 (83) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 20 (68) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
22 (72) |
21 (70) |
23 (72) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 133 (5.2) |
87 (3.4) |
68 (2.7) |
44 (1.7) |
127 (5.0) |
134 (5.3) |
160 (6.3) |
162 (6.4) |
134 (5.3) |
192 (7.6) |
194 (7.6) |
260 (10.2) |
1,695 (66.7) |
| Average rainy days | 18.1 | 13.3 | 13.3 | 11.8 | 19.7 | 20.9 | 22.8 | 22.8 | 20.3 | 16.6 | 18.4 | 21.7 | 219.7 |
| Source: Meteoblue | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1918 | 3,448 | — |
| 1939 | 4,646 | +1.43% |
| 1948 | 4,545 | −0.24% |
| 1960 | 5,961 | +2.29% |
| 1970 | 7,358 | +2.13% |
| 1975 | 8,720 | +3.46% |
| 1980 | 9,600 | +1.94% |
| 1990 | 11,198 | +1.55% |
| 1995 | 12,710 | +2.40% |
| 2000 | 13,985 | +2.07% |
| 2007 | 14,529 | +0.53% |
| 2010 | 16,170 | +3.97% |
| 2015 | 15,537 | −0.76% |
| 2020 | 16,215 | +0.84% |
| Source: Philippine Statistics Authority | ||
In the 2020 census, Kabugao had a population of 16,215. The population density was 17 inhabitants per square kilometre (44/sq mi).
Economy
Poverty incidence of Kabugao
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
2006
39.20 2009
40.58 2012
63.90 2015
24.88 2018
35.34 2021
19.11 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority |
Government
Local government
Kabugao, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Apayao, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.
Elected officials
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Governor | Elias C. Bulut Jr. |
| Mayor | Bensmar B. Ligwang |
| Vice-Mayor | Fabulous Tucjang |
| Councilors | Benjie Ace Talimbatog |
| Gregorio B. Ligwang | |
| Venancio Culdong | |
| Pedro Dandan | |
| Felipe Irving | |
| Vandolf Alitan | |
| Arellano C. Culdong Jr. | |
| LNB President | Frederick C. Amid |
| IPMR | James S. Amid |
| SK Federation President | Jazreal Jamila C. Enciso |
Education
In 1948, Rev. Louis Saunders of an evangelical Protestant sect, The Disciples of Christ, opened the Apayao Christian Academy, Kabugao's first secondary school. In 1950, amidst rivalry among churches, the Catholics started its own secondary school, Our Blessed Lady of Lourdes.
Dibagat
Dibagat is inhabited by the Isnag and the Ilocano. There is a small grass airstrip built by SIL in 1985. Dibagat is accessible only by canoe or by specialized aircraft.