Oas, Albay
Municipality in Albay, Philippines
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oas, officially the Municipality of Oas (Central Bikol: Banwaan kan Oas; West Miraya Bikol: Banwaan nin Oas; Filipino: Bayan ng Oas), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 64,890 people.[5]
Oas | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Oas | |
|
Flag | |
 Map of Albay with Oas highlighted | |
 Interactive map of Oas | |
.svg)  Oas Location within the Philippines | |
| Coordinates: 13°15′32″N 123°29′43″E | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Bicol Region |
| Province | Albay |
| District | 3rd district |
| Founded | 1605 |
| Barangays | 53 (see Barangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | John Kenneth M. Trinidad. |
| • Vice Mayor | Domingo R. Escoto |
| • Representative | Raymond Adrian Salceda |
| • Municipal Council | Members |
| • Electorate | 44,774 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 263.61 km2 (101.78 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 47 m (154 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 319 m (1,047 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 17 m (56 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 64,890 |
| • Density | 246.2/km2 (637.5/sq mi) |
| • Households | 15,198 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 1st municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 29.68 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 326.2 million (2024) |
| • Assets | ₱ 1,439 million (2024) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 222.2 million (2024) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 304.4 million (2024) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 4504 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)52 |
| Native languages | Central Bikol Tagalog |
| Catholic diocese | Diocese of Legazpi |
Etymology
There are two stories that purport to tell the origin of the name of Oas:
a) There is a dam across the narrowest portion of a local river. This dam solely irrigates the vast fields of the place including those of the nearby town of Libon and results in a good harvest. People are wary of any cracks or leaks on the dam walls during months of heavy rains. A crier would shout nawaswas, giving the call to the people (in times of this kind of emergency) for immediate action in groups. From then on, the natives coined this name for the place and later shortened it to present form.
b) Early Spanish colonizers reaching this particular section of the Bicol Peninsula asked the name of the place from the about 600 natives living there, "Como se llama este sitio?" The natives mistakenly thought the question to be "Onan kading lugar kadi, maiwas?" ("What place is this, it's very big?") in their native language. In response, the natives answered, "Si, señores. Labi nikading iwas. Labi nikading iwas." ("Yes, sirs, this is grand and spacious".) From then on the early Spanish colonizers adopted in their official census the existence of "a rich fertile valley with verdant fields of grain" which is the little town of Oas in Bicol.
History
Foundation
Oas was founded during the early Spanish colonization of the Bicol Peninsula. In 1605, Father Baltazar de los Reyes converted 12 leading natives of the area to Christianity in one day, forming the foundation of the community now known as Oas.
During the Marcos dictatorship
The town was one of the localities particularly harmed by the Dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos; in the waning days of the dictatorship, Oas was hit by a series of political killings targeting those who dared to speak out against the abuses of the Military and against Ferdinand Marcos.[6]
The most prominent of the victims was Clemente Ragragio, the municipal sanitation inspector of Ligao who was later also assigned to Oas. Known for his effectiveness, he had been awarded the 1983 Best Sanitary Inspector for Albay.[7] However, this led the dictatorship's local administrators suspecting him of being a rebel sympathizer, because his close relationship with locals in far-flung barangays allowed him to move around fearlessly, and because he expressed disagreements with the dictatorship's governance. A killer shot him three times in front of his house in the early evening of August 21, 1985, and the government did not investigate his murder. He was later honored by having his name inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani (lit. Monument of Heroes), which honors the martyrs and heroes who fought to restore democracy in the wake of the Marcos dictatorship.[6]
Recent history
Oas has been in the news several times in recent years due to the achievements of its outstanding citizens, notably chess prodigy Bince Rafael Operiano who topped the under-10 age category at the 6th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship in Bangkok in 2022,[8] and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray whose maternal lineage has its roots in Oas.[9]
Geography
Oas is located at 13°15′32″N 123°29′43″E.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 263.61 square kilometres (101.78 sq mi) [10] constituting 10.23% of the 2,575.77-square-kilometre- (994.51 sq mi) total area of Albay.
Oas is 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Legazpi City and 495 kilometres (308 mi) from Manila.
Barangays
Oas is politically subdivided into 53 barangays.[11] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
| PSGC | Barangay | Population | ±% p.a. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024[12] | 2010[13] | |||||
| 050512001 | Badbad | 1.0% | 622 | 583 | 0.45% | |
| 050512002 | Badian | 4.1% | 2,681 | 2,348 | 0.93% | |
| 050512003 | Bagsa | 1.3% | 862 | 764 | 0.84% | |
| 050512004 | Bagumbayan | 1.4% | 879 | 1,018 | −1.01% | |
| 050512005 | Balogo | 8.1% | 5,236 | 3,897 | 2.07% | |
| 050512008 | Banao | 0.7% | 470 | 562 | −1.23% | |
| 050512009 | Bangiawon | 1.4% | 910 | 785 | 1.03% | |
| 050512011 | Bogtong | 0.6% | 367 | 351 | 0.31% | |
| 050512010 | Bongoran | 2.8% | 1,816 | 1,741 | 0.29% | |
| 050512012 | Busac | 3.2% | 2,079 | 1,939 | 0.49% | |
| 050512013 | Cadawag | 0.7% | 485 | 427 | 0.89% | |
| 050512014 | Cagmanaba | 5.1% | 3,305 | 3,039 | 0.58% | |
| 050512015 | Calaguimit | 1.3% | 867 | 865 | 0.02% | |
| 050512016 | Calpi | 2.1% | 1,335 | 1,224 | 0.60% | |
| 050512017 | Calzada | 1.4% | 911 | 1,029 | −0.84% | |
| 050512018 | Camagong | 1.8% | 1,167 | 1,146 | 0.13% | |
| 050512019 | Casinagan | 1.0% | 617 | 530 | 1.06% | |
| 050512020 | Centro Poblacion | 0.3% | 225 | 277 | −1.43% | |
| 050512021 | Coliat | 1.1% | 723 | 717 | 0.06% | |
| 050512022 | Del Rosario | 1.1% | 733 | 624 | 1.12% | |
| 050512023 | Gumabao | 1.2% | 793 | 865 | −0.60% | |
| 050512024 | Ilaor Norte | 2.3% | 1,495 | 1,525 | −0.14% | |
| 050512025 | Ilaor Sur | 3.4% | 2,202 | 2,275 | −0.23% | |
| 050512026 | Iraya Norte | 3.1% | 1,982 | 1,909 | 0.26% | |
| 050512027 | Iraya Sur | 1.2% | 779 | 711 | 0.64% | |
| 050512028 | Manga | 3.6% | 2,322 | 2,146 | 0.55% | |
| 050512029 | Maporong | 1.8% | 1,184 | 1,107 | 0.47% | |
| 050512030 | Maramba | 5.1% | 3,301 | 3,114 | 0.41% | |
| 050512032 | Matambo | 0.8% | 489 | 435 | 0.82% | |
| 050512033 | Mayag | 0.7% | 452 | 507 | −0.79% | |
| 050512034 | Mayao | 2.5% | 1,618 | 1,514 | 0.46% | |
| 050512031 | Moroponros | 0.6% | 357 | 283 | 1.63% | |
| 050512035 | Nagas | 2.5% | 1,631 | 1,665 | −0.14% | |
| 050512037 | Obaliw-Rinas | 2.3% | 1,504 | 1,401 | 0.49% | |
| 050512038 | Pistola | 1.7% | 1,135 | 1,101 | 0.21% | |
| 050512039 | Ramay | 1.1% | 734 | 724 | 0.10% | |
| 050512040 | Rizal (Rabak) | 1.3% | 864 | 892 | −0.22% | |
| 050512041 | Saban | 2.9% | 1,908 | 1,875 | 0.12% | |
| 050512042 | San Agustin | 2.0% | 1,285 | 1,240 | 0.25% | |
| 050512043 | San Antonio (Linintian) | 1.4% | 939 | 938 | 0.01% | |
| 050512044 | San Isidro (Tabuguk) | 2.4% | 1,529 | 1,400 | 0.61% | |
| 050512045 | San Jose (Badongay) | 1.1% | 744 | 759 | −0.14% | |
| 050512046 | San Juan | 2.3% | 1,503 | 1,390 | 0.54% | |
| 050512047 | San Miguel (Mangayaw) | 1.2% | 772 | 792 | −0.18% | |
| 050512036 | San Pascual (Nale) | 1.3% | 841 | 743 | 0.86% | |
| 050512049 | San Ramon | 2.6% | 1,710 | 1,657 | 0.22% | |
| 050512050 | San Vicente (Suca) | 1.4% | 938 | 1,046 | −0.75% | |
| 050512056 | Tablon | 1.4% | 940 | 903 | 0.28% | |
| 050512051 | Talisay | 1.2% | 777 | 693 | 0.80% | |
| 050512052 | Talongog | 1.8% | 1,198 | 1,144 | 0.32% | |
| 050512053 | Tapel | 2.8% | 1,810 | 1,371 | 1.95% | |
| 050512054 | Tobgon | 2.5% | 1,649 | 1,517 | 0.58% | |
| 050512055 | Tobog | 2.0% | 1,313 | 1,277 | 0.19% | |
| Total | 64,890 | 64,785 | 0.01% | |||
Climate
| Climate data for Oas, Albay | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27 (81) |
28 (82) |
29 (84) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
29 (84) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22 (72) |
22 (72) |
22 (72) |
23 (73) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 55 (2.2) |
36 (1.4) |
45 (1.8) |
42 (1.7) |
114 (4.5) |
184 (7.2) |
245 (9.6) |
224 (8.8) |
238 (9.4) |
171 (6.7) |
130 (5.1) |
94 (3.7) |
1,578 (62.1) |
| Average rainy days | 13.0 | 9.5 | 11.8 | 12.7 | 21.3 | 25.3 | 28.3 | 26.5 | 26.4 | 24.2 | 19.9 | 16.1 | 235 |
| Source: Meteoblue[14] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 11,393 | — |
| 1918 | 16,488 | +2.49% |
| 1939 | 23,131 | +1.63% |
| 1948 | 27,824 | +2.07% |
| 1960 | 36,095 | +2.19% |
| 1970 | 47,952 | +2.88% |
| 1975 | 50,293 | +0.96% |
| 1980 | 52,269 | +0.77% |
| 1990 | 53,061 | +0.15% |
| 1995 | 56,536 | +1.20% |
| 2000 | 62,063 | +2.02% |
| 2007 | 63,888 | +0.40% |
| 2010 | 64,785 | +0.51% |
| 2015 | 67,960 | +0.92% |
| 2020 | 66,084 | −0.59% |
| 2024 | 64,890 | −0.44% |
| Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[15][16][13][17][18] | ||
In the 2024 census, Oas had a population of 64,890 people.[19] The population density was 250 inhabitants per square kilometre (650/sq mi).
Economy
Government
Elected officials
| Position | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | John Kenneth Trinidad. + | NUP | |
| Vice Mayor | Domingo Escoto Jr. + | Lakas | |
| Councilors | Allen Grem Rivera + | Lakas | |
| Brayan Bustamante + | NUP | ||
| Antonio Pale Yuchongco + | Independent | ||
| Robert N. Arevalo ‹› | Lakas | ||
| Manrox Rendor + | Lakas | ||
| Nensus Reblando + | Lakas | ||
| Arvin Gregg R. Ricarte ‹› | Independent | ||
| Noel Brijuega ‹› | Lakas | ||
| Ex Officio Municipal Council Members | |||
| ABC President | Joseph Rentosa (San Isidro) | Nonpartisan | |
| SK Federation President | Kyle Escalada (Rizal) | Nonpartisan | |
- Legend
- A + indicates that the official is elected for the first term
- A ♯ indicates that the official is re-elected to a higher position
- A ‹› indicates that the official is re-elected to the same position
Past Municipal Administrators
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Education
There are two schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.[29] These are the:
- Oas North Schools District
- Oas South Schools District
Primary and elementary schools
- Badbad Elementary School
- Badian Elementary School
- Balogo East Elementary School
- Balogo West Elementary School
- Banao Elementary School
- Bangiawon Elementary School
- Bogtong Elementary School
- Busac Elementary School
- Cadawag Elementary School
- Cagmanaba Elementary School
- Calaguimit Elementary School
- Calpi Elementary School
- Camagong Elementary School
- Casinagan Elementary School
- Celestino B. Redito Elementary School
- Coliat Elementary School
- Del Rosario Elementary School
- Divine Mercy Science Oriented School
- Grace Christian Mission Technical School
- Gumabao Elementary School
- Manga Elementary School
- Maporong Elementary School
- Maramba Elementary School
- Marian Formation Centers
- Matambo Elementary School
- Mayag Elementary School
- Moroponros Elementary School
- Nagas Elementary School
- Oas Community College
- Oas East Central School
- Oas North Central School
- Oas South Central School
- Our Lady of the Roses Montessori Learning Center
- Ramay Elementary School
- Saban Elementary School
- San Agustin Elementary School
- San Antonio Elementary School
- San Isidro Elementary School
- San Jose Elementary School
- San Juan Elementary School
- San Pascual Elementary School
- San Ramon Elementary School
- San Vicente Elementary School
- Tablon Elementary School
- Talisay Elementary School
- Tapel Elementary School
- Tobgon Elementary School
- Tobog Elementary School
Secondary schools
- Balogo High School
- Manuel Andaya Bustamante High School
- Maramba National High School
- Oas Polytechnic School
- Saban National High School
- Sabino Rebagay Memorial High School
- Saint Michael's Academy (Junior High School)
- Saint Michael's Academy (Senior High School)
- San Juan High School
- San Miguel High School
- Tobog High School
Notable personalities
- David Nepomuceno - 1924 Olympian, first Filipino to compete in the Olympics
- Catriona Gray - Miss Universe 2018
