Ligao City is a 4th class city in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 101,179 people in 17,031 households.
Ligao City is politically subdivided into 55 barangays.
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- Abella
- Allang
- Amtic
- Bacong
- Bagumbayan (Pob.)
- Balanac
- Baligang
- Barayong
- Basag
- Batang
- Bay
- Binanowan
- Binatagan (Pob.)
- Bobonsuran
- Bonga
- Busac
- Busay
- Cabarian
- Calzada (Pob.)
| - Catburawan
- Cavasi
- Culliat
- Dunao (Pob.)
- Francia
- Guilid (Pob.)
- Herrera
- Layon
- Macalidong
- Mahaba
- Malama
- Maonon
- Nasisi
- Nabonton
- Oma-oma
- Palapas
- Pandan
- Paulba
| - Paulog
- Pinamaniquian
- Pinit
- Ranao-ranao
- San Vicente
- Santa Cruz
- Tagpo
- Tambo
- Tandarora
- Tastas
- Tinago (Pob.)
- Tinampo
- Tiongson
- Tomolin
- Tuburan
- Tula-tula Grande
- Tula-tula Pequeño
- Tupas
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Ligao City is one of the gateway to the Mayon National Park where the majestic Mayon Volcano is located. Local and foreign tourists who visit Mayon Volcano spills over to the city which itself is endowed with natural scenery that nature lovers find interesting. It has natural springs, caves, hills, lakes and a good panoramic view of Mayon Volcano.
Areas identified as recreation and tourist destinations are Divinaflor Hidden Spring Resort and Rendezvous Spring Resort, both located at Barangay Herrera, Kawakawa Hills at Barangay Paulog, Mabigao Lake and underground caves at Barangays Allang and Tula-Tula Pequeno, Bolinao Falls at Barangay Ranao-Ranao, Malison Lake at Barangays Pandan and Bonga, Mount Masaraga and Busay Lake at Barangay Busay, Cabrera Resort at Barangay Bay and Asistio Spring at Barangay Basag.
Ligao City has a special charm distinct within the locality. It has blend of relaxed atmosphere and a scenic view that soothes the tired mind, mesmerizes the body and delights one’s soul. For adventurous people the mystique of Mt. Mayon and Mount Masaraga, the twin peaks, offers an exhilarating experience for mountain climbing and trekking and the thrill of scaling great heights and descending in deep ravines.
The unspoiled beaches along the coastal barangays of Catburawan, Cabarian and Maonon offers an alternative to the highly commercialized beaches of Boracay and Palawan. These areas offers business opportunities for possible investors and entrepreneurs for further development.
All these places are accessible to all types of vehicles from the City center because all barangays can be reached through all – weather concrete roads. There are many types of vehicles that can be hired to take to these places from the vans to the tricycles and even single motorcycles.
One can sample the hospitality of the place when he takes lodging with any of the houses of the inhabitants. There are also 3 lodging houses located in the City with air-conditioned rooms and other amenities. One can also savor the food cooked rich in spices and coconut milk and hot chili dishes inherent in the locality.
Socio – Cultural Events
The socio-cultural activities in the City of Ligao is centered on three occasions namely, during Lent, during the Yuletide season and during the celebration of the founding anniversary of the cityhood.
The inhabitants of the City are majority Roman Catholic. During the Lenten season many of the relatives and friends of the people of Ligao come home to observe the occasion. There are many activities during this time. The traditional reading of “Pasyon” is prevalent in most homes. The Penitents or the “Flagellants” can be seen on the streets and which culminates in the patio of the parish church. The “Cenakulos” or the passion play of the sacrifices of Jesus Christ is staged in most barangays. The highlight of these events are the traditional procession of the “Karos” or the various saints fully garbed which date back during the Spanish times. These “Karos” are antiques which has been handed down through generations as a penitential rite. Lastly, the Easter Sunday is awaited for the traditional “Salubong” and the Easter Angels. The Western celebration of the Easter Egg hunt has been adapted as of late after the high mass of the “Salubong” at the patio of the parish Church.
The Feast of the Patron Saint of Ligao City, St. Stephen Protomartyr, falls every December 26, right after Christmas and a week before New Year. The yuletide celebration in the City is very long. Usually it starts on the second week of October when the “Patiribayan” starts. This is the search for new talents in singing, dancing and other skills. This is held every Friday with weekly winners and prizes. This culminates on the Friday of the third week of December where the grand finals is held with the major prizes given. At the end of the first week of December the traditional lighting of the giant Christmas Tree located at the City Plaza is held. This coincides with the lighting of all Christmas lights around the City Hall. But the festivities which is held every night at the City Pavilion starts on December 16. These festivities or series of cultural shows involve all the organizations in the City namely, the NGOs, the LGU, the Education sector, the private sector and other civic organizations. This date is also the start of the traditional “Misa de Gallo” or the early morning mass. There is also a street dancing festival participated in by various groups and barangays. These cultural shows end on December 31 or New Year’s Eve for the traditional ball and fireworks display. This is a happy moment for family reunions and bonding since many spend a long vacation.
The founding anniversary of the Cityhood of Ligao City is another red letter occasion for the City. Many activities are presented just like during the Yuletide. But this is only a weeklong celebration culminating on March 24, the day of the anniversary.
Location
The City of Ligao is geographically located between 13 to 14 degrees latitude and 123 to 124 degrees longitude. It is situated within the central part of the 3rd District of Albay Province and bounded by the following municipalities; on the North by the Municipality of Oas; on the South by Municipality of Guinobatan; on the East by the City of Tabaco; and on the West by the Municipality of Pioduran. The Provincial Capitol of Albay and Legazpi City are approximately 27 kms. and 30 kms. from the City of Ligao, respectively.
There are fifty five (55) barangays comprising the city. Eleven (11) barangays are within the poblacion, three (3) are coastal and forty one (41) are located in the rural area. The largest barangay is Barangay Maonon while the smallest barangay is Barangay Dunao with land areas of 2,493.57 hectares and 29.57 hectares respectively. They account for about 10.12% and 0.12% of the extreme ends of the city's total land area, percentage-wise.
Land Area
The City of Ligao has a total land area of 24,640 hectares. It accounts for 9.65% of the total land area of Albay Province and ranks second to the Municipality of Oas in terms of the largest land area in the entire Province.
- Built-Up Area - 2,500 has.
- Agriculture/SAFDZ - 14,992 has.
- Forest/Watershed - 3,956 has.
- River/Creeks - 150 has.
- Roads - 450 has.
- Remaining NPAAAD - 2.592 has.
Road Network
The City of Ligao has a total of 225.67 kms. of road network which is broken down as follows:
- National Road - 66.75 kms.
- Provincial Road - 43.966 kms.
- Paved City Road - 9.173 kms.
- Barangay/Farm to Market Road - 105.68 kms.
The existence of good and well-maintained all-weather farm to market roads is a big factor in the development and economic growth of one community. Basic services are easily dispensed with and the transport of agricultural products and farm inputs are readily facilitated and at a lower transportation cost, thus, extra savings and additional profit margin for the farmer.
The City is very accessible to and from Manila for air travelers, Legazpi City airport is only 27 kms. or about 25 minutes by private vehicles. The city is also served by the Philippine National Railways and its two commuter trains stops here to pick-up passengers bound for Manila. There are also six aid-conditioned bus companies with booking offices in the city, plus the ordinary buses that also pick-up Manila bound passengers. Recently, an association of 18 air conditioned vans started plying the Ligao City to Legazpi City route.
Transportation within the city is also easy and convenient. According to the latest available records for 2002, there are 722 registered trimobiles serving the urban and rural barangays as well as 250 pedicabs serving the poblacion residents. For the upland rural barangays and adjoining towns, 275 mini-buses and jeepneys served the rural commuters. An open space just beside the public market serves as the central terminal for the jeepneys and mini-buses. This is also being used as the parking area for trimobiles whose destinations are within the poblacion. For trimobiles going out of the poblacion center, the City Government has designated strategic parking areas around the city.
In the poblacion, traffic control, management and public safety are efficiently carried out by the PNP with support from the s
Ligao City has two privately-owned telegraphic systems and a government-owned postal service and telegraphic system. Postal money order is also being provided by the postal service.
Presently, there are four (4) telephone companies which are in full operation in the City providing easy communication services. These are DIGITEL, BAYANTEL, MATELCO and SOTELCO.
SMART Telecommunications Co. has established a cell site in Barangay Tinago servicing thousands of cellphone users in the City. Also GLOBE Telecoms is now in full operation in Barangay Sta. Cruz.
Also present in Ligao City for the delivery of letters, parcels and cargos are JRS Express which offers a one-day delivery and Overland Cargo Express, respectively. Cable Networks like DCTV and ESTV are also operating in the City.
Power and Water
The City Government of Ligao's Electric Power requirement is being provided by Albay Electric Cooperative Inc., (ALECO) with a sub-station in Barangay Dunao, this City. To date, a total of 45 barangays hve been energized. This includes 11 barangays in the urban center and 34 rural barangays serving a total of 11, 815 households or 69.37% of the total population. However, the NPC, in line with the National Government thrusts or complete rural electrification, has programmed the electrification of the remaining ten barangays in year 2003. The City Government is also doing its share in the electrification program by expanding and extending the supply of electricity from the barangay center to the remotest sitios and puroks.
The Ligao-Oas Water District supplies the potable water requirements of 65% or 3,129 households in the urban barangays and some neighboring lowland barangays while 59.13% or 7,215 households in the rural barangays are being supplied by springs developed and maintained by the City Government. There are still 10 rural and coastal barangays that have no access to piped water due to unavailable source of spring in their areas. These barangays get their water supply either from deep wells or artesian wells.
Waste Disposal
The existing drainage facilities of the City consists of concrete lined canal, open ditches, sidewalk gutters and reinforced pies laid out mostly in the urban center.
Just like most of the cities and towns, Ligao City has no sewerage system facilities. Domestic and commercial waste is usually disposed in individuals septic tanks.
Ligao City is maintaining a 2-hectare controlled dumpsite located just outside the poblacion area. Collected waste from the urban barangays and its neighboring barangays are collected by 3 dump trucks daily and are transported to the landfill. After the end of the day, the dumpsite s being covered with sand or earth fill for sanitary purposes. Garbage and other waste materials in other barangays that are not accessible to the city government solid waste collection system are either burned, buried and in some cases, dumped into creeks, canals and rivers.
This controlled dumpsite, which is to be converted into a sanitary landfill in 5 years, is approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and is certified compliant with the Solid Waste Management Act.
Source: Regional Dev't. Council R5 - Ligao City
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