Camaligan
Municipality
Municipality of Camaligan
St. Anthony of Padua Parish Church
Flag
Etymology: Tagalog: kamalig + an ("place of sheds")
Nickname:  The Small Town with a Big Heart
Anthem: Camaligan Kong Namomótan My Beloved Camaligan
Map of Camarines Sur with Camaligan highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Camaligan Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 13°37′15″N 123°09′56″E / 13.6208°N 123.1656°E / 13.6208; 123.1656
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol Region
Province	Camarines Sur
District	3rd district
Founded	1795 1900 (Annexed to Nueva Caceres), 1909 (re-independence)
Barangays	13 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Diano S. Ibardaloza, Jr. (PDPLBN)[2]
• Vice Mayor	Josefina N. Asor (PDPLBN) (Acting)[3]
• Representative	Gabriel H. Bordado Jr. (Liberal)
• Municipal Council	Members Lone District Rodelio D. Punzalan Jonathan A. Azutillo Shiela S. Aguid Rex B. Resuena Dionely J. Dematera Loretta A. Acabado Emmanuel K. Moll Rolando C. Eduardo Servando Sta. Ana (LnB President) John Paul Mendina (SK President)
• Electorate	16,233 voters (2022)
Area [4]
• Total	4.68 km2 (1.81 sq mi)
Elevation	4.0 m (13.1 ft)
Highest elevation	24 m (79 ft)
Lowest elevation	−3 m (−10 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[5]
• Total	25,036
• Density	5,300/km2 (14,000/sq mi)
• Households	5,353
Demonym(s)	Camaligueño (masculine) Camaligueña (feminine)
Economy
• Income class	4th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	17.44 % (2018)[6]
• Revenue	₱ 87.14 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 235.1 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 76.16 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 61.19 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Camarines Sur 1 Electric Cooperative (CASURECO 1)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	4401
PSGC	051709000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)54
Native languages	Central Bikol Tagalog
Feast date	June 13 (Poblacion)
Catholic diocese	Archdiocese of Caceres
Patron saint	St. Anthony of Padua, St. Teresa of Calcutta

Camaligan, officially the Municipality of Camaligan (Central Bikol: Banwaan kan Camaligan; Tagalog: Bayan ng Camaligan), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 25,036 people.^[5] Camaligan rapidly became an urban town during the 1990s.

Camaligan is part of the Metro Naga Urban Area.

The town is home to the oldest known pre-colonial site in the Bicol region, dating 500 AD to 600 AD, making it an undeclared important archaeological zone.^[7]

Etymology

The origin of the town and its name can be traced back to the early settlers of the place. Known as the cortadores, or woodcutters, to the early Spanish colonizers who came to the place in the early 1700s, the settlers cut timbers from nearby mountains located upriver or around San Miguel Bay and made this as their form of living. Out of these timbers, they hewed out canoes or bancas which they stored under small sheds or huts. Later, when these sheds became abundant in the area, as they were made the permanent dwelling places by these canoe makers, the place was called "Camaligan", which means "a place where many sheds can be found", by combining the root word kamalig (or shed) and the locative suffix -an. The sheds served to shelter the canoe makers and protect their boats from the natural elements. Hence, the name and origin of the town is historically tied to the Bicol River and its early inhabitants.^[8]

"Catagbacan" was the oldest known name of Camaligan. Moreover, according to D. Adolfo Puya y Ruiz, in his “Camarines Sur – Descripcion General De Està Provincia En Luzon” (Manila: 1887), Camaligan was called "Kinamaligan" before.^[8]

History

Geography

With an area of 468.8 hectares (1,158 acres), it is the smallest municipality in Camarines Sur, but it is the densest, having an approximation of 5,200 persons per square kilometer, which is almost twice the density of the neighboring City of Naga of 2,456 per square kilometer.^[11]

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Camaligan was 25,036 people, with a density of 5,300 inhabitants per square kilometre or 14,000 inhabitants per square mile.^[5]

Economy

Bicol River serves as a natural source of irrigation and fertilization to the town where agriculture is still considered as a major industry.^[8]

Out of the 468 hectares total land area, 175 hectares are devoted to rice production, all of which are irrigated and fertilized by the river through its occasional flooding.^[8]

Government

Camaligan is being headed by a mayor who is being elected by its residents.

The current mayor of the town is Diano Ibardaloza, Jr.^[2] Last May 2022 Election, he has been elected for his first term as the Municipal Mayor.^[2]

Since 1902, thirty-one (31) mayors already headed the town.

Culture

The people of Camaligan derived their socio-cultural identity as river people from the existence of the river. Bicol River is an important resource for irrigation and fertilization of the land where agriculture and fishing is still considered as a major industry. The place's festivals, songs and dances found their roots and inspiration from the river. Hence, the river ecology has bred its own distinct community.^[8]

Tourism

St. Anthony of Padua Parish Church is one of the oldest churches in the province of Camarines Sur.^[10] The church is one of the favorite spots for Visita Iglesia in the province.^[27]

Santo Domingo Chapel is an old chapel which was a former burial ground during pre-colonial times. It is a central archeological site where a lot of burial jars, porcelains and skeleton bones were found during the diggings.^[10]

Sira, or fish, is a small wharf painted with festive colors that is constructed on the riverside of barangay San Francisco. This also serves as a dock for banca passengers.^[10]

After the initial launching of Camaligan River Park on 1 June 2014, its tourism industry began to be more active. Its continuous improvements attracted many visitors, mostly coming from the City of Naga, to come and enjoy walking along the riverside.^[28]

M/B Camaligan is a motorboat which docks beside Camaligan River Park. Also known as Camaligan River Cruise, it is also a floating restaurant which crosses the Bicol River. Launched last 6 February 2019, it is the newest attraction which promotes the river culture of the town.^[28]

• 
  Façade of San Antonio de Padua Parish Church
• 
  Camaligan Hanging Bridge
• 
  Camaligan River Park's Hall
• 
  M/B Camaligan passing the Sira

Archaeology

Camaligan is Bicol region's oldest known pre-colonial site, filled with numerous stone tools, jar fragments, shell middens, pig and deer bones, shark and ray cartilages, and other artifacts and biofacts. The site also homes to fifteen human skeletons of pre-colonial Ibalons. The site is so rare and vital as it does not contain any evidences of trade contact with China, Southeast Asian neighbors or South Asia, making it one of the very few pre-colonial sites in the Philippines with distinct Filipino artifacts and biofacts unaffected by outside trade. Both the University of the Philippines and University of California, Los Angeles have been pushing for the town's declaration as an "Important Archaeological Site." Scholars have also been pushing for the site's nomination in the UNESCO World Heritage List.^[7][9]

In a documentary made by GMA News TV, it was found that the artifacts and biofacts were not limited to the town proper. In fact, during a road-widening project conducted in September 2017 by the national government, hundreds of human bone fragments, animal bones, burial and ceremonial jar fragments, and stone tools were found after digging only the edges of the road. The documentary also found many Camaligueños to own artifacts they have found in their own land. Due to these findings, the town's reputation as a vital pre-colonial Ibalon archaeological site was solidified.^[29]

Education

Camaligan has one high school, six elementary schools and thirteen preschools. At present, there is no existing tertiary school in the town.

Notable personalities

• Joyce Nocomura - crowned as Miss Philippines Water 2007.^[30]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Camaligan.

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Official Site of the Province of Camarines Sur