Bato, officially the Municipality of Bato (Rinconada Bikol: Banwāan ka Bato; Tagalog: Bayan ng Bato), is a municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
The municipality of Bato is home to a lake teeming with various kinds of fishes. Sinarapan, the world's smallest commercially harvested fish, occupies the waters of Lake Bato. Also present, the lake abounds with tilapia housed in fish cages.
History
This town was formerly called as "Kaliligno" or "Caliligno" named by the natives that settled along the river area.
This small village later was elevated into a status of a town under the decree of Spanish Superior Government on February 15, 1753. Years back, a parish was already existing which was also made under the same decree. This parish adopted "The Most Holy Trinity" as its patron saint. Its feast day is celebrated every Sunday after the Pentecost. The Bato is also known for its best noodles called Pansit Bato.
Geography Bato is from the capital town of Pili and from the country's capital city of Manila.
Barangays Bato is politically subdivided into 33 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Agos (Poblacion) Bacolod Buluang Caricot Cawacagan Cotmon Cristo Rey Del Rosario Divina Pastora (Poblacion) Goyudan Lobong Lubigan Mainit Manga (Mangga) Masoli (Poblacion) Neighborhood Niño Jesus (Poblacion) Pagatpatan Palo Payak Sagrada (Sagrada Familia) Salvacion San Isidro San Juan San Miguel (Poblacion) San Rafael (Poblacion) San Roque San Vicente (Poblacion) Santa Cruz (Poblacion) Santiago (Poblacion) Sooc Tagpolo Tres Reyes (Poblacion)
Climate
Demographics
In the 2024 census, the population of Bato was 52,021 people, with a density of .
Only about 58.27% of the household population is considered as literate.
Mother tongue of the majority is Riŋkonāda also known as Bikol Rinconada, one of the languages of Bicol region. The population speaks a different form of Rinconada Bikol called Bato variant, a lowland dialect (sinaranəw). Natives are also conversant with Coastal Bikol, Filipino/Tagalog and English languages.
Religion
Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion, followed by the Iglesia ni Cristo as the largest minority. Other religious denominations include Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; United Churches of Christ in the Philippines Seventh Day Adventist; Bible Baptist; Born Again; Jehovah's Witnesses; Protestants; Aglipay and Islam. There are three (3) Catholic Churches in Bato.
Economy
Majority of employment is within agriculture, fishery, poultry and construction industry groups.municipal profile
Commerce and industry 96 commercial establishments engaged in retail trade 46 commercial establishments engaged in services 1 commercial establishment engaged in real estate - MTBK Co. 1 engaged in banking and finance 31 industrial establishments 2 Hotels - Casa de Piedra and MTBK Hotel Natural resources include clams, pearls, local shrimps, tabios, and tilapia, particularly within Lake Bato; forest products such as anahaw leaves and local bamboo; non-metallic mineral resources such as white clay among others.
Agriculture Sector 78.087 square kilometers of Agricultural Lands devoted to crop production Rice, corn, coconut, root crops, vegetables, and fruit-bearing trees. Numerous farm and poultry products found
Local government The list of the incumbent and former officials of the Municipality of Bato is the following:
2025-Present
Mayor: Enric L. Dancalan Vice-Mayor: Diosdado T. Zorilla Councilors: John Mark T. Zorilla Martin G. Batacan Dominici G. Batacan Adolfo A. Ramos Eliseo T. Priela Jhonel Ll. De Lima Noel C. Tino Noel C. Tuyay
2022–2025 Mayor: Domingo L. Zorilla Jr Vice-Mayor: Victorio S. Ramos Councilors: Josebello Buquid Diosdado T. Zorilla Martin G. Batacan Noel C. Tino Alvin O. Sacueza Adolfo A. Ramos Jr. Noel C. Tuyay Erwin Nestor O. Rempola Jr.
2019-2022: Mayor: Hon. Francisco B. Bernaldez Vice-Mayor: Hon. Domingo L. Zorilla Jr. Councilors: Diosdado T. Zorilla Dominici G. Batacan Elizabeth Doctolero Ignacio L. Hugo Jose Samar Ban-Ban Aguila Matilde Sandrino Noel C. Tino
2016-2019: Mayor: Hon. Francisco B. Bernaldez Vice-Mayor: Hon. Victorio S. Ramos Councilors: Diosdado T. Zorila Domingo L. Zorilla Jr. Martin G. Batacan Darwin Doctolero Edgar R. Argarin Nestor A. Orasa Danilo S. Mata Ignacio L.Hugo
List of former Municipal Mayors Municipal Mayors of Bato, Camarines SurNo. PortraitName TermPlace of OriginNote(s)1.Don Elicario Guanzon1859Bato, Camarines Sur2. Don Paulino Vasquez Calleja1860Bato, Camarines Sur3. Don Luis Delos Santos1861Bato, Camarines Sur 4. Don Ubaldo Sanis Serano1862Libon, Albay5. Don Pedro Tigue1863-1864 Bato, Camarines Sur6. Don Anselmo Talagtag1865-1866Bato, Camarines Sur7.Don Francisco Peña1867-1868Bato, Camarines Sur8. Don Domingo Coralde 1869-1870Bato, Camarines Sur9. Don Gaspar Vasquez Calleja1871-1872Bato, Camarines Sur10. Don Jose Regaspi1873-1874Bato, Camarines Sur11. Don Pedro Guanzon 1875-1876Bato, Camarines Sur12. Don Espiritu Candola Cariño1876Bato, Camarines Sur13. Don Silvestre Isaac1877-1878Bato, Camarines Sur(9)Don Gaspar Vasquez Calleja1879-1880Bato, Camarines Sur14. Don Toribio Dakpano Coralde 1881-1882 Bato, Camarines Sur 15. Don Froilán Villanueva1883-1884Polangui, Albay16. Don Timoteo Isaac1885-1886Bato, Camarines Sur(9)Don Gaspar Vasquez Calleja1887-1888Bato, Camarines Sur17. Don Pablo Domamay1889-1893Bato, Camarines Sur(9)Don Gaspar Vasquez Calleja1894Bato, Camarines Sur18. Don Tomás Doroin Barrameda1895-1898Baao, Camarines Sur(17)Don Pablo Domamay1899-1900Bato, Camarines Sur(9)Don Gaspar Vasquez Calleja1901Bato, Camarines Sur19.Don Moises Calleja Sayson 1902-1903Bato, Camarines Sur20. Don Gregorio Orasa Isaac1904-1905Bato, Camarines Sur21. Don Eliseo Calleja1906-1907Bato, Camarines Sur22. Don Agrifino Villoso Varde1908-1912Bato, Camarines Sur23. Don Roman Repaso1913-1916Bato, Camarines Sur24. Don Cecilio Buquid Coralde1917-1919Bato, Camarines Sur25. Don Vidal Serantes Elpedes1920-1922Bato, Camarines Sur26. Don Eusebio Potian Buena1923-1925Bato, Camarines Sur29. Don Felix Morata Grageda1926-1928Camalig, Albay30. Don Mariano Talagtag Sesno1929-1931Bato, Camarines Sur31. Don Juan Sayson Belleza1932-1934Bato, Camarines Sur32. Don Eulogio Intia Buquid1935-1937Bato, Camarines Sur(31) Don Juan Sayson Belleza1938-1940Bato, Camarines Sur33. Don Pio Bartilet Mota1941-1943Bato, Camarines Sur34. Don Domingo Bontit Fortuno1944Bato, Camarines Sur(33) Don Pio Bartilet Mota1945Bato, Camarines Sur(32)Don Eulogio Intia Buquid1946-1947Bato, Camarines Sur35. Mateo Tanay Ramos1948-1951Bato, Camarines Sur36.Abundio Timbang Intia1952-1955Bato, Camarines Sur(33)Don Pio Bartilet Mota1956-1959Bato, Camarines Sur37. Jorge Regaspi Tuyay1960-1967Bato, Camarines SurRet. US Navy Veteran38. Atty. Ernesto Sabile Tino1968-1971Bato, Camarines SurFirst Lawyer-Mayor of Bato39. Nahil Yared Buquid1972-1986Cebu City, CebuFirst Female Mayor of Bato40. Narciso Romaraog Doctolero. Jr. 1986-1992Bato, Camarines Sur41. Tito Mota Pili1992-1998Bato, Camarines Sur42. Jaime Timbang Gonzales1998-2007Bato, Camarines SurRet. PAF 2nd. Lt. 43. Jeanette Osea Ramos Bernaldez2007-2016Bato, Camarines Sur44.Francisco Buena Bernaldez2016-2022Bato, Camarines SurFirst Engineer-Mayor of Bato45.Domingo Landagan Zorilla, Jr. 2022-2025Bato, Camarines Sur46.Enric Lanuzga Dancalan2025-PresentBato, Camarines SurFirst Nurse-Midwife Mayor of Bato
Tourism
Cotmon Falls Arbin Beach Resort Lake Bato Most Holy Trinity Parish Church Maruma Beach Bato Boulevard
Infrastructure
Health Municipal Health Center and Barangay Health Stations total bed capacity: Eight (8) beds Health personnel numbers only about seventeen (17)
Security
Facilities for police protection include Police Station Headquarters near the Municipal Hall in the Poblacion, Police Substation in Barangay Tres Reyes, Police Outpost in Barangay San Miguel. The bureau of Fire Protection of Bato has about eleven (11) firemen personnel.
Transportation of National Roads of Provincial Road of municipal roads of Barangays Roads six (6) bridges 235 privately owned vehicles public utility vehicles and government vehicles
Utilities Water supply is provided on 3 levels: Level I: wells, springs, or water peddlers common in rural barangays and households Level II: communal faucet system Level III: Bato Water District provides Level III Water Supply Service generally within the poblacion only
Power and electricity: Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative (CASURECO) which provides retails electrical supply to the municipality and maintains a substation Domestic Consumptions 95.18% with total average consumption rate of 35,595.40 KWH/month Industrial and Commercial Consumption have only about 0.48% connections Public buildings, streetlights and other account for the remaining 1.72% number of consumption
Communication facilities include telephone/cellular services, postal services, telegraph services, cable television services, and print and broadcast media services.
Education
The Bato Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.
A public library is located in Brgy. Divisna Pastora which is MTBK Divina Pastora Library
Primary and elementary schools
Agos Elementary School Antipolo Elementary School Bato North Central School Bato South Central School Buluang Elementary School Carlos Nardo Elementary School Cristo Rey Elementary School Dr. Heracleo Guballo Elementary School Manga Elementary School Modern Learning Center Nino Jesus Elementary School Palo Elementary School Masoli Elementary School Sagrada Elementary School Salvacion Elementary School San Roque Elementary School San Miguel Elementary School San Vicente Elementary School Tagpolo Elementary School Taburnal Learning Center Verbum Dei School
Secondary schools
Bato National Highschool Masoli High School Mataas na Paaralan ng Pagatpatan Payak High School Salvacion National High School San Roque National High School
Higher educational institutions
Holy Trinity College Ocampo Academy Technological Institute Saint John the Baptist Institute
Notable personalities
Maria Venus Raj (b. 1988), Binibining Pilipinas-Universe 2010 and placed 4th Runner-Up in Miss Universe 2010 pageant. Jun Jun Zorilla - Former Mayor of Bato Froilan Canlas - 2nd Placed in Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 1 Julian Alturas - Star Magic artist and co-managed by Rise Artist Studio Aristeo Solares - Cellist for the Manila Symphony Orchestra
References
External links
[ Philippine Standard Geographic Code] Philippine Census Information Official Site of the Province of Camarines Sur rappler.com