Lasam, officially the Municipality of Lasam (Ibanag: Ili nat Lasam; Ilocano: Ili ti Lasam; Tagalog: Bayan ng Lasam), is a third class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 41,225 people.

The town was once a part of the Municipality of Gattaran, that stretches the width of the province and bisected by the Cagayan River. The barangays west of the river was established as the separate town of Lasam in 1950 by Republic Act No. 507. The new municipality of Lasam became part of the Second Representative District of the Province of Cagayan, while Gattaran is in the First District.

Etymology

The Municipality of Lasam was named after the late Cagayan Governor Honorio Lasam.

History

Lasam was once a part of Gattaran separated from the mother town by the wide Cagayan River with no bridges connecting the communities. As the population increased, the residents of the western part of the town asked to be created as a separate municipality.

The town was established on June 13, 1950, by Republic Act No. 507 and signed by President Elpidio Quirino. Barrios (barangays) of Gattaran located west of the Cagayan River were formed into the new and regular Municipality of Lasam, with the old site of the Barrio Macatabang as the seat of the government.

The town was officially inaugurated as independent from Gattaran in January 1951. Ignacio Jurado was appointed as its first mayor whose major task was to build the infrastructure of the new independent town of Lasam.

Geography

Barangays

Lasam is politically subdivided into 30 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

Population census of Lasam

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1960 14,677 —     1970 18,924 +2.57% 1975 22,137 +3.19% 1980 23,052 +0.81% 1990 27,376 +1.73% 1995 30,235 +1.88%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2000 34,082 +2.60% 2007 36,646 +1.01% 2010 36,994 +0.34% 2015 39,135 +1.08% 2020 41,225 +1.03%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

In the 2020 census, the population of Lasam, Cagayan, was 41,225 people, with a density of 190 inhabitants per square kilometre or 490 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Lasam

5 10 15 20 2006 18.50 2009 18.23 2012 13.63 2015 12.16 2018 14.29 2021 11.18 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Lasam is primarily an agricultural community and its people derive their income mainly from farming and livestock raising.

Government

Local government

Lasam, belonging to the second legislative district of the province of Cagayan, 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

Members of the Municipal Council
(2019–2022)

Position	Name
Congressman	Samantha Louise V. Alfonso
Mayor	Dante Dexter A. Agatep Jr.
Vice-Mayor	Randy C. Cambe
Councilors	George C. Vega Jr.
	Lilibeth B. del Rosario
	Joann Kasten Asuten
	Rowell Y. Constantino
	Federico O. Castro
	Manuel Agatep
	Diocelyn B. Damatac
	Queeny Salva
SK Federation	Jilton B. Pascual
Association of Barangay Chairmen (ABC) President	Dominador T. Cortez Jr.

Education

The Schools Division of Cagayan governs the town's public education system. The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region. The office governs the public and private elementary and public and private high schools throughout the municipality.

The Cagayan State University has a satellite campus in the municipality. The Lasam Institute of Technology offers TESDA programs.