In the know: Cam Sur’s Camaligan most densely populated town in Bicol

2015_0502_camaliganfishport267
The fishport facility in Camaligan town, by the Bicol river. Photo credit: from Flickr by mbb8356.

In the know: Cam Sur’s Camaligan most densely populated town in Bicol.

The tiny teeny town of Camaligan in Camarines Sur registers the highest in terms of population density among all the 107 municipalities and 7 cities in the region. It has a total land area of 4.68 square kilometers (1.81 square miles) and a population of 22,254 as of the 2010 official count. It is subdivided into 13 villages (barangays), 7 of which are considered urban.

Camaligan has more people than the entire province of Batanes (land area of 219.01 sq.km. or 84.56 sq mi and population of 16,604). It is ironic that with a small territory and population, Batanes is “over governed” and over represented in the government with six mayors, a governor and a congressional representative!

Here’s the table of 10 towns with dense population:

Town/ City Province Land area (In Sq. Km) Population (2010) Density(Person/Sq.Km)
Camaligan Cam Sur 4.68 22,254 4.800
Naga City 84.48 174,931 2,100
Daet Cam Norte 46 95,572 2,100
Legazpi City Albay 153.7 182,201 1,200
Tabaco City Albay 117.14 125,083 1,068
Daraga Albay 118.64 115,804 976
San Jose Cam Sur 43.07 38,523 894
Milaor Cam Sur 33.64 28,474 846
Nabua Cam Sur 96.2 80,011 833
Malilipot Albay 44.13 35,567 806

In contrast, the rural town of Gigmoto in Catanduanes has a land area of 181.82 square kilometers (70.20 square miles) and a small population of 7,569. It has a density of 42 persons per square kilometer, making it the lowest in Bicol.

Here’s the table of 10 towns with sparse population:

Town/ City Province Land area (In Sq. Km) Population (2010) Density(Person/Sq. Km)
Gigmoto Catanduanes 181.82 7,569 42
Milagros Masbate 565.3 52,619 93
Caramoran Catanduanes 263.74 25,618 97
San Miguel Catanduanes 129.94 12,966 100
Capalonga Cam Norte 290 29,683 102
San Lorenzo Ruiz Cam Norte 119.37 12,299 103
Garchitorena Cam Sur 243.8 25,204 103
Baras Catanduanes 109.50 11,787 108
Del Gallegp Cam Sur 208.31 23,064 111
Panganiban Catanduanes 79.96 9,290 116

 

In general, the Philippine’s burgeoning population is a steep challenge to the government. The urban centers are pockmarked with squatter colonies, now sanitized with a better sounding reference term of informal settlers. No matter how terms and reference are changed, many people are still squatters of their own country.

The government falls short in providing the basic needs and necessities of the people, including access to potable water, farm to market roads, schools, bridges, markets, education, drainage canals, creation of jobs, despite availability of funds which are pocketed by hustlers in the deep recesses of public service heirarchy. So that is why the national government is “selling” projects through the public private partnership program?

Jap Adupe
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