Cawayan, officially the Municipality of Cawayan (; ), is a municipality in the province of Masbate, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
History Cawayan was created as a municipality from portions of Milagros through Executive Order No. 244 signed by President Elpidio Quirino on July 18, 1949.
Geography Cawayan is from Masbate City. It shares road crossings with the municipalities of Uson, Dimasalang, Palanas, and Placer. From Cawayan Port, Milagros is away and Bogo, Cebu is away.
Barangays Cawayan is politically subdivided into 37 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Begia Cabayugan Cabungahan Calapayan Calumpang Dalipe Divisoria Guiom Gilotongan Itombato Libertad Looc Mactan Madbad R.M. Magbalon (Bebihan) Mahayahay Maihao Malbug Naro Pananawan Poblacion Pulot Recodo San Jose San Vicente Taberna Talisay Tuburan Villahermosa Chico Island Lague-lague Palobandera Pena Island Pin-As Iraya Punta Batsan Tubog
Climate
Demographics
In the 2024 census, the population of Cawayan was 68,510 people, with a density of .
Economy
Agriculture
The locals of Cawayan still largely depend on subsistence farming despite its topographic advantage to adapt commercial farming. The lack of funding for agriculture and infrastructure and its political insecurity due to the presence and activities of armed groups kept by political families and other subversive elements hinder the town's progress in spite of its geographical benefits.
Being primarily plain and flat, Cawayan is conducive to cattle farming. Grasslands are abundant in the plains and in the gentle slopes of the valleys and hills. However, land grabbing issues still prevail as evidenced by hectares of private enclosures locally known as "ranchos" that run miles after miles. Herds of cattle inside the fence barrier are visible from the national road as one travels into the interior making Cawayan a major player in the cattle industry of the province.
Cawayan has several outlying islands crucial to its local fishing industries. These islands provide most of the marine resources to cater to the needs in the mainland. Barter trade is still practiced on Sundays, the town's busiest day.
Copra farming is also popular in Cawayan.
Infrastructure
Cawayan Port Improvement Project
The P42.95-million Cawayan Port Improvement Project in Barangay Mahayahay included the construction of rock causeway, back-up area, RC platform, RoRo ramp and breasting dolphin, as well as port lighting system, and mooring and fendering system. The project was completed on January 26, 2009.
RoRo Project
Other than the local outrigger boat operators, a shipping company provides services to cater to the town's need of reliable vessel to transfer commodities to and from Cawayan for trade. It departs daily from Cawayan usually at 12:00 noon for a six-hour trip and docks at Pulambato Port in Bogo, Cebu. And at around 12:00 midnight it sails back to Cawayan Port.
For about two years, the RoRo vessel stopped operating in Cawayan, but on October 10, 2012, RoRo service was restarted.
Industry A local crab meat processing industry operates in Peña Island owned by Arturo Marcaida Jr. He is considered as the most successful fisherman who made it big in fish culture and fish processing business not only in Masbate but in the entire Bicol Region which earned for him the title “Crab King".
Another booming industry of the town is the dried fish industry.
Tourism
Famous attractions include the Station of the Cross atop Mount Begia; tropical islets of Naro and Peña; a marine sanctuary across Recodo Bay; and a wide stretch of beaches among others.
Barangay Divisoria has one of the largest open markets in the Philippines.
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. These are the: Cataingan East Schools District (All schools in Cataingan) Cataingan West Schools District (All schools located in Cawayan)
Primary and elementary schools
Agoho Elementary School Cabayugan Elementary School Cabungahan Elementary School Calapayan Elementary School Calumpang Elementary School Dalipe Elementary School Eden's Christian Academy Cawayan East Central School F. Jumao-as Elementary School Iraya Elementary School Lague-Lague Elementary School Libertad Elementary School Mactan Elementary School Malbug Elementary School Palobandera Elementary School Pananawan Elementary School Pulot Elementary School R.M. Magbalon Elementary School San Jose Elementary School St. Isidore Diocesan School Taberna Elementary School Tubog Elementary School Tuburan Elementary School Victor M. Diano Elementary School Villaganas Village Elementary School Villahermosa Elementary School
Secondary schools
Rivera-Brizo National High School Casinillo-Monteroyo High School Dalipe High School Libertad High School Malbug High School Madbad National High School Naro National High School Sulpicio T. Condor Sr. National High School Tomas V. Rivera National High School Villahermosa National High School Western Masbate Roosevelt High School
Higher educational institution Atty. Manuel B. Abinuman Memorial Colleges DEBESMSCAT CAWAYAN CAMPUS Cawayan Community College
References
External links
LGU Cawayan Masbate Website [ Philippine Standard Geographic Code] Philippine Census Information Local Governance Performance Management System