Milagros, Masbate

Milagros
Municipality
Municipality of Milagros
Rice fields in Milagros
Flag
Map of Masbate with Milagros highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Milagros Location within thePhilippines
Coordinates:12°13′09″N123°30′32″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol Region
Province	Masbate
District	2nd district
Barangays	27 (seeBarangays)
Government
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•Mayor	Natividad Isabel R. Magbalon
•Vice Mayor	Jose S. Magbalon Jr.
•Representative	Elisa T. Kho
•Municipal Council	Members Joseleo O. Tan Oscar G. Alba Jenil M. Rosero Romeo F. Delgado Joey D. Avila Roberto C. Ojeda Eduardo C. Arcenas Leopoldo D. Garra III
•Electorate	33,988 voters (2022)
Area
• Total	565.30 km2(218.26 sq mi)
Elevation	11 m (36 ft)
Highest elevation	163 m (535 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population (2020 census)
• Total	57,538
• Density	100/km2(260/sq mi)
•Households	12,371
Economy
•Income class	1st municipal income class
•Poverty incidence	28.59 % (2021)
•Revenue	₱ 276.1 million (2020)
•Assets	₱ 829.4 million (2020)
•Expenditure	₱ 200.5 million (2020)
•Liabilities	₱ 269.8 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Masbate Electric Cooperative (MASELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8(PST)
ZIP code	5410
PSGC	054112000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)56
Native languages	Masbateño Tagalog

Milagros,officially theMunicipality of Milagros,is a 1st classmunicipalityin theprovinceofMasbate,Philippines.According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 57,538 people.

It is facing the Asid Gulf and is the largest municipality in the province in terms of land area. 

Etymology

Milagros got its name from Spanish wordMilagromeaning miracle. Stories handed down from generation to generation told us that the community was founded by early settlers who are peace loving and faithful converted Christians. Early then, coastal communities are the center of trade and commerce because of its facility to transport goods and products to and from the other communities. These are often the targets of marauding “moro” bandits who pillage and wreak havoc to victim communities. News of the atrocities caused by these heartless invaders sent shivers to the bones of those unwarring communities.

One day a flotilla of vintas with armed men aboard anchored at the bay ready to attack on signal. People scampered to safety to neighboring hills leaving behind the weak, the sick and the old. Being true believers of the Christian faith, they implored the aid of their patron Saint, St. Joseph to spare them from the wrath of these heartless invaders. Their prayers were not left unanswered. Every time these invaders are poised to attack, they saw myriads of armed combatants with guns and cannons lined up at the shore in defense position, thus giving the bandits second thoughts of pursuing their attack. Every time these bandits are set to attack these armed combatants always appear. Sensing that they are vulnerable to these invincible defenders, the “moro” bandits called off the attack.

This always happened whenever there were invaders who threaten the peaceful community. News of these events circulated among other bandit groups, which eventually deter them from raiding the community.

For these countless miracles, the community was called “MILAGROS”.

History

Milagros is one of the original municipalities of Masbate since its creation as a New Province by virtue of Philippine Commission Act. No. 105 enacted on March 18, 1901. It is the mother municipality of Cawayan, Balud and Mandaon until their creation under Executive Order 244.

The former dominant political clan in Milagros was the De Jesus Clan and followed by the Abapo Clan. In 2015, former Milagros town Mayor Bernardito Abapo was arrested in a raid by the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on a suspected drug laboratory in Masbate province.The results of the 2007 Local Elections replaced the Abapo Clan by the Magbalon Clan Dr. Natividad Isabel Revil-Magbalon finished her 3-consecutive terms or a total of 9 years as being the mayor of the municipality. Since Dr. Natividad Isabel Magbalon can no longer run for mayor, her husband Jose Magbalon Jr. run on her behalf and won the 2016 elections with 51.2% votes over his opponent Bobet Trias.

Geography

Milagros coast

The municipality is endowed with rich mineral resources the as of to date has partially been tapped. Manganese is being extracted at barangays Pamangpangon and Taisan and as being exported to Japan. Large deposit of white clay, which maybe used in making of porcelain products and other novelty items can be found at Barangay Bonbon and Matanglad. Other precious minerals such as gold, copper and silver are also present in the area.

The municipality is bounded on the south by Asia Gulf which is part of the Visayan Sea, a rich existing fishing ground. Milagros is 26 kilometres (16 mi) fromMasbate City.

Aware of the need to conserve, protect and manage our marine resources, the LGU has passed the Municipal Fishery Ordinance and Instituted the Coastal Resource Management Program.

Under this program, Bangad Fish Sanctuary was established and Mangrove Reforestation was launched and sustained. Fish wardens are trained and deputized. Other coastal barangays has resorted to seaweeds farming as alternative livelihood and to prevent corals and sea grass from further degradation from drag net and trawl fishing.

Barangays

Milagros is politically subdivided into 27 barangays with one island barangay and one island sitio.

It is located at the southern part of the Masbate Island duplicating boomerang shape of the Island. It is bounded out the north by the Mobo, Baleno, Masbate City, Mobo, North – East by Uson North West by Aroroy, Mandaon and Balud, On the East by the Municipality of Cawayan and to the south by Asid Gulf.

It is the largest municipality of the province with an area of 56, 540 hectares. It has an estimated population of 50, 100 for the year 2007.

• Bacolod
• Bangad
• Bara
• Bonbon
• Calasuche
• Calumpang
• Capaculan
• Cayabon
• Guinluthangan
• Jamorawon
• Magsalangi
• Matagbac
• Matanglad
• Matiporon
• Moises R. Espinosa
• Narangasan
• Pamangpangon
• PoblacionEast
• Poblacion West
• Paraiso (Potot)
• San Antonio
• San Carlos
• Sawmill
• Tagbon
• Tawad
• Tigbao
• Tinaclipan (Bato)

Climate

Climate data for Milagros, Masbate
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	29 (84)	29 (84)	31 (88)	32 (90)	32 (90)	31 (88)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	30 (86)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	23 (73)	22 (72)	23 (73)	23 (73)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	25 (77)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	24 (75)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches)	39 (1.5)	34 (1.3)	42 (1.7)	36 (1.4)	73 (2.9)	109 (4.3)	118 (4.6)	108 (4.3)	129 (5.1)	136 (5.4)	112 (4.4)	89 (3.5)	1,025 (40.4)
Average rainy days	12.6	9.7	12.0	13.0	20.5	25.3	26.2	24.8	25.2	25.9	21.9	17.9	235
Source: Meteoblue

Demographics

Population census of Milagros

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 6,674 — 1918 10,521 +3.08% 1939 30,171 +5.14% 1948 33,502 +1.17% 1960 17,048 −5.47% 1970 24,480 +3.68% 1975 24,630 +0.12% 1980 28,496 +2.96%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 33,305 +1.57% 1995 38,925 +2.96% 2000 44,575 +2.95% 2007 48,185 +1.08% 2010 52,619 +3.26% 2015 57,473 +1.69% 2020 57,538 +0.02%
Source:Philippine Statistics Authority

In the 2020 census, the population of Milagros, Masbate, was 57,538 people,with a density of 100 inhabitants per square kilometre or 260 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Milagros

10 20 30 40 50 60 2006 52.10 2009 45.27 2012 49.57 2015 44.62 2018 36.37 2021 28.59 Source:Philippine Statistics Authority

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System