Besao, officially the Municipality of Besao is a 5th class municipality in the province of Mountain Province, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 6,873 people. [3]
Besao | |
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Municipality | |
Municipality of Besao | |
![]() Cordillera Central mountains in Besao | |
![]() Flag ![]() Seal | |
![]() Map of Mountain Province with Besao highlighted | |
OpenStreetMap ![]() | |
![]() ![]() Besao Location within the Philippines | |
Coordinates: 17°05′43″N 120°51′22″E | |
Country | Philippines |
Region | Cordillera Administrative Region |
Province | Mountain Province |
District | Lone district |
Founded | 1904 |
Barangays | 14 (see Barangays) |
Government | |
• Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
• Mayor | Bryne O. Bacwaden |
• Vice Mayor | Elizabeth A. Buyagan |
• Representative | Maximo Y. Dalog Jr. |
• Municipal Council | Members
|
• Electorate | 5,118 voters (2019) |
Area | |
• Total | 173.62 km2 (67.04 sq mi) |
Elevation | 1,405 m (4,610 ft) |
Highest elevation | 2,059 m (6,755 ft) |
Lowest elevation | 721 m (2,365 ft) |
Population | |
• Total | 6,873 |
• Density | 40/km2 (100/sq mi) |
• Households | 1,710 |
Economy | |
• Income class | 5th municipal income class |
• Poverty incidence | 16.63% (2018)[4] |
• Revenue | ₱84,366,121.39 (2020) |
• Assets | ₱227,963,577.55 (2020) |
• Expenditure | ₱65,528,020.12 (2020) |
• Liabilities | ₱25,752,515.24 (2020) |
Service provider | |
• Electricity | Mountain Province Electric Cooperative (MOPRECO) |
Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
ZIP code | 2618 |
PSGC | |
IDD : area code | +63 (0)74 |
Native languages | Kankanaey Balangao Bontoc Ilocano Tagalog |
Website | besao |
The municipality of Besao is believed to have derived its name from the Ilocano word ”Buso”, meaning headhunter. The people then of the neighboring towns specifically those from the Ilocos Region believed that the early ”Besaos” were headhunters. The word later on evolved as it is now called – Besao.
The town is known for the Agawa people's Agricultural Stone Calendar of Gueday. The stone calendar is one of the most enigmatic artifact in the Cordillera mountains. It is a testimony to the accurate scientific outlook of the ancient Agawa people in the cycle of weathers, agriculture, and heavenly bodies.[5]
Besao is politically subdivided into 14 barangays. These barangays are headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. All are elected every three years.
Climate data for Besao, Mountain Province | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 19 (66) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
22 (72) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
20 (68) |
19 (66) |
21 (70) |
Average low °C (°F) | 12 (54) |
12 (54) |
13 (55) |
15 (59) |
16 (61) |
17 (63) |
17 (63) |
17 (63) |
16 (61) |
15 (59) |
14 (57) |
13 (55) |
15 (59) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 35 (1.4) |
46 (1.8) |
63 (2.5) |
117 (4.6) |
402 (15.8) |
400 (15.7) |
441 (17.4) |
471 (18.5) |
440 (17.3) |
258 (10.2) |
94 (3.7) |
68 (2.7) |
2,835 (111.6) |
Average rainy days | 9.9 | 19.5 | 13.9 | 18.9 | 26.0 | 27.3 | 28.9 | 28.5 | 26.1 | 19.7 | 14.5 | 12.8 | 246 |
Source: Meteoblue[6] |
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1918 | 4,642 | — |
1939 | 5,144 | +0.49% |
1948 | 5,799 | +1.34% |
1960 | 8,174 | +2.90% |
1970 | 9,286 | +1.28% |
1975 | 7,051 | −5.37% |
1980 | 9,093 | +5.22% |
1990 | 8,473 | −0.70% |
1995 | 9,147 | +1.44% |
2000 | 9,875 | +1.66% |
2007 | 7,295 | −4.09% |
2010 | 7,818 | +2.55% |
2015 | 7,040 | −1.98% |
2020 | 6,873 | −0.47% |
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [7] [8] [9][10] |
The population of the town has been decreasing due to younger generations migrating to cities seeking for work.
Besao's main religion is animism.[citation needed] The town is one of the few animist towns in the southern Cordillera mountains. Much of its ancestral worship intangible heritage has been preserved by the older generations. However, the younger generations have been migrating to cities, making the animist religions of Besao in great danger in the long-term. Christian groups have been surfacing in the town since the younger generations have been moving into cities.
Besao, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Mountain Province, 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.
Position | Name |
---|---|
Congressman | Maximo Y. Dalog Jr. |
Mayor | Johnson D. Bantog II |
Vice-Mayor | June T. Lopsoten |
Councilors | Bryne O. Bacwaden |
Joel D. Lacsigen | |
Elizabeth A. Buyagan | |
John M. Antiyag | |
Dennis L. Bing-il | |
Edna S. Kidangen | |
James B. Badongen Sr. | |
William S. Beswilan | |
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)Places adjacent to Besao | ||||||||||||||||
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Bontoc (capital) | |
Municipalities | |
Barangays | See: List of barangays in Mountain Province |