Tubay, officially the Municipality of Tubay (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Tubay; Tagalog: Bayan ng Tubay), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Agusan del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 25,785 people.

It was created from the barrios of Tubay, La Fraternidad, Tinigbasan, Cabayawa, Victory, Santa Ana, and Tagmamarcay of the municipality of Cabadbaran in 1947, through Republic Act No. 188.

History

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The town of Tubay is named after its legendary founder Datu Tabay, and lays claim to being the second Spanish Settlement in Agusan and was known as a pueblo as early as 1751. Formerly, the people settled in the wilderness of Ilihan, then transferred to sitio Malabog and later to Tubay-Tubay and Sabang near the mouth of the Jabonga River. However, the danger of constant inundation and Moro attacks convinced the succeeding leader of the place to move the pueblo to Daang Lungsod where the massive magkuno post of once spacious and strongly built church now stand. It was here where the settlement firmly took place.

Since 1898, Tubay was a prosperous town. But when the Americans visited Tubay and Cabadbaran, they were convinced that the latter was the better place for the seat of government. Therefore, in 1903, Tubay was reduced to a barrio to give way to its equally thriving neighbor, Cabadbaran. Although reduced to a barrio status, it still remained the center of commercial activity due to the presence of Chinese merchants. Booming business in Tubay was still noticeable until the fabulous 20's when the navigable Jabonga River was the chief artery of its copra and hemp traffic. However, when the road connecting Tubay-Santiago and Cabadbaran was finished, business in Tubay began to decline and trade through the Jabonga River disappeared.

On June 22, 1947, Tubay officially became a municipality when the Congress of the Philippines enacted Republic Act No. 188 which separated the barrios of Tubay, La Fraternidad, Tinigbasan, Cabayawa, Victory, Santa Ana, and Tagmamarcay, all from Cabadbaran, and constituted into the newly created town. By virtue of said law, President Manuel Roxas issued Presidential Proclamation No. 44 on October 20, 1947, thus making Tubay regain its township status.

Geography

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 138.09 square kilometres (53.32 sq mi)  constituting 5.06% of the 2,730.24-square-kilometre- (1,054.15 sq mi) total area of Agusan del Norte.

Climate

Barangays

Tubay is politically subdivided into 13 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2020		2010
160211001	Binuangan	5.3%	1,372	1,139	▴	1.88%
160211002	Cabayawa	5.4%	1,391	1,335	▴	0.41%
160211003	Doña Rosario	10.7%	2,750	2,331	▴	1.67%
160211013	Doña Telesfora	13.1%	3,380	2,470	▴	3.19%
160211004	La Fraternidad	12.3%	3,183	1,933	▴	5.11%
160211005	Lawigan	2.6%	666	520	▴	2.51%
160211006	Poblacion 1	6.7%	1,725	1,647	▴	0.46%
160211007	Poblacion 2	11.2%	2,879	2,501	▴	1.42%
160211008	Santa Ana	12.1%	3,111	2,501	▴	2.21%
160211009	Tagmamarkay	7.1%	1,825	1,845	▾	−0.11%
160211010	Tagpangahoy	2.0%	519	434	▴	1.80%
160211011	Tinigbasan	3.9%	1,001	796	▴	2.32%
160211012	Victory	4.4%	1,130	974	▴	1.50%
	Total		25,785	20,426	▴	2.36%

Demographics

Population census of Tubay

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	747	—
1948	4,119	+3.87%
1960	7,133	+4.68%
1970	10,067	+3.50%
1975	11,673	+3.01%
1980	12,095	+0.71%
1990	15,248	+2.34%
1995	16,672	+1.69%
2000	17,668	+1.25%
2007	18,674	+0.77%
2010	20,426	+3.32%
2015	24,932	+3.87%
2020	25,785	+0.66%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

In the 2020 census, Tubay had a population of 25,785. The population density was 190 inhabitants per square kilometre (490/sq mi).

Economy

Poverty incidence of Tubay

10 20 30 40 50 2006 39.60 2009 39.16 2012 42.67 2015 38.26 2018 28.84 2021 38.02 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority