Gamu, officially the Municipality of Gamu (Ilocano: Ili ti Gamu; Tagalog: Bayan ng Gamu), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,655 people. [3]
Gamu | |
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Municipality | |
Municipality of Gamu | |
![]() Santa Rosa de Lima Church | |
![]() Seal | |
Nickname(s): Gateway to Mallig Plains Mother Town of the 2nd District Oldest Town of Mallig Plains | |
![]() Map of Isabela with Gamu highlighted | |
OpenStreetMap ![]() | |
![]() ![]() Gamu Location within the Philippines | |
Coordinates: 17°03′N 121°50′E | |
Country | Philippines |
Region | Cagayan Valley |
Province | Isabela |
District | 2nd district |
Barangays | 16 (see Barangays) |
Government | |
• Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
• Mayor | Timoteo M. Galanza |
• Vice Mayor | Mitzi P. Cumigad |
• Representative | Ed Christopher S. Go |
• Electorate | 19,382 voters (2019) |
Area | |
• Total | 129.40 km2 (49.96 sq mi) |
Elevation | 51 m (167 ft) |
Highest elevation | 89 m (292 ft) |
Lowest elevation | 29 m (95 ft) |
Population | |
• Total | 30,655 |
• Density | 240/km2 (610/sq mi) |
• Households | 6,666 |
Economy | |
• Income class | 4th municipal income class |
• Poverty incidence | 15.25% (2018)[4] |
• Revenue | ₱139,240,039.82 (2020) |
• Assets | ₱249,261,273.04 (2020) |
• Expenditure | ₱121,858,093.71 (2020) |
• Liabilities | ₱72,329,408.93 (2020) |
Service provider | |
• Electricity | Isabela 2 Electric Cooperative (ISELCO 2) |
Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
ZIP code | 3301 |
PSGC | |
IDD : area code | +63 (0)78 |
Native languages | Ilocano Tagalog |
Website | www |
While not a commercially thriving town, it lies near the cities of Ilagan and Cauayan, communities with banks, hospitals, and places of entertainment. It is the site of the 5th Infantry Division of Philippine Army as its infantry unit in Northern Luzon. The Infantry is located in Barangay Upi. The town itself is famous for its baroque church, which has pointed towers at its facade.
Gamu was originally called 'Gamut', likely from a local plant whose roots were made into a type of medicine ('gamot'). From Fr. Jose Bugarin's Ibanag dictionary "Gamu-t, root or stump [name] a town whose patroness is St. Rosa de Lima, under of the province of Cagayan until the year 1839, when the province of N. Vizcaya was established, and was added to it."
Gamu is located in the central part of the province of Isabela. It is approximately 10 kilometers away from the provincial capitol of Isabela and about 387 kilometers from the country's capital, Manila.
It is bounded on the north by the city of Ilagan, or the north-west by the municipality of Quirino, on the south by the municipality of Reina Mercedes and on the south-west by the municipality of Burgos, and on the Southeast by the municipality of Naguilian.
Gamu has a total land area of 129.40 square kilometers with 16 barangays, 3 of which are classified as urban barangays, District I, II and III, and the rests are considered rural barangays.[5]
Gamu is politically subdivided into 16 barangays. [6] These barangays are headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. All are elected every three years.
District I, II, and III are considered as urban barangays while the rest are rural.[5]
Climate data for Gamu, Isabela | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 29 (84) |
30 (86) |
32 (90) |
35 (95) |
35 (95) |
35 (95) |
34 (93) |
33 (91) |
32 (90) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
28 (82) |
32 (90) |
Average low °C (°F) | 19 (66) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
22 (72) |
21 (70) |
20 (68) |
22 (71) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 31.2 (1.23) |
23 (0.9) |
27.7 (1.09) |
28.1 (1.11) |
113.5 (4.47) |
141.4 (5.57) |
176.4 (6.94) |
236.6 (9.31) |
224.9 (8.85) |
247.7 (9.75) |
222.9 (8.78) |
178 (7.0) |
1,651.4 (65) |
Average rainy days | 10 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 144 |
Source: World Weather Online[7] |
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Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [8] [9] [10][11] |
In the 2020 census, the population of Gamu, Isabela, was 30,655 people, [3] with a density of 240 inhabitants per square kilometre or 620 inhabitants per square mile.
The town celebrated the Kuliglig Festival on August 23, 2013, following an executive order issued by the municipal government to officially proclaim it as the official festivity of the town.
The town of Gamu is notable for having the most number of Roman Catholic churches in the entire province of Isabela. These churches are often visited by pilgrims and frequented by travellers all over the country to pay homage to each of the respective Roman Catholic icons to whom each of the churches were dedicated and named after.
The municipality 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 | Ed Christopher S. Go |
Mayor | Timoteo M. Galanza |
Vice-Mayor | Mitzi P. Cumigad |
Councilors | Sheryl L. Labbuanan |
March Luigi E. Cumigad | |
Estela C. Burkley | |
Camilo A. Preza | |
Reynante D. Agustin | |
Felicisimo Caro | |
Norberto Labayog | |
Dante D. Martinez | |
Gamu, belonging to the second legislative district of the province of Isabela, currently represented by Hon. Ed Christopher S. Go.
The Schools Division of Isabela governs the town's public education system.[20] The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region.[21] The office governs the public and private elementary and public and private high schools throughout the municipality.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link)Places adjacent to Gamu | |
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Ilagan (capital) | |
Municipalities |
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Component Cities | |
Independent Component City |
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Barangays | See: List of barangays in Isabela |