Municipal Profile

Natural and physical characteristics

Miagao lies between 10° 36' 44" N latitude and 122° 06' 39" and 122° 17' 30" E longitude. A later section lists 10° 38' 26.4" N latitude and 122° 14' 6.3" E longitude.

Miagao is one of the seven towns comprising the First District of Iloilo Province. It is situated 40 kilometers southwest of Iloilo City and 58 kilometers from San Jose, the capital town of Antique. Overlooking the island of Negros towards Sulu Sea or Panay Gulf, Miagao is bounded by:

Igbaras to the northeast
Guimbal to the east
San Joaquin to the west
Sibalom, Antique to the northwest

Land area and waters:

The municipality has a land area of 15,696 hectares or 156.96 square kilometers. The urban area composed of 22 barangays has an area of 1,852.55 hectares or 18.5255 square kilometers, while the remaining 97 barangays have a total area of 13,843.45 hectares or 138.4345 square kilometers. A later profile table lists 15,680.00 hectares total, 2,055.16 hectares urban, and 13,624.84 hectares rural.

The municipal waters serving as fishing ground for both migratory and endemic fish has an area of 48 square kilometers. Miagao's coastline stretches for 16 kilometers, spanning 22 barangays.

The inland bodies of water are composed of three main rivers, namely Tumagboc, Oyungan, and Bacauan. The other smaller rivers are Naulid, Oya-oy, and Narat-an. They all flow to the Panay Gulf. The Oyungan River has colored stones.

Topography:

Miagao is partly coastal and partly mountainous. In general, its terrain is rolling with mountain ranges serving as border between Miagao and part of the Province of Antique and other neighboring towns of Iloilo. The poblacion is situated on a hill overlooking the sea and public institutions are located on a plateau. The low and high mountains lying close to the river, plus the narrow coastal plains stretching 16 kilometers, are varied topographical features of Miagao.

Climate:

Miagao has two pronounced seasons: dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. The maximum temperature is 32.2°C and the minimum is 22.9°C. There are two prevailing winds: the southwest monsoon called “habagat” and the northeast monsoon called “amihan”.

Soil:

The soil consists of five major types: Alimodian clay loam, Sta. Rita clay, Umingan fine sandy loam, Alimodian soil undifferentiated, and beach sand.

Natural resources:

Miagao is rich in natural resources. It has vast forest reserves at Tabiac and Tulahong forestry areas. It has metallic and non-metallic reserves as indicated by grains of sand found on the beach lines. It has abundant source of ceramic clay used for potteries and mixtures of sand and lime structure called the Miagao Stone used as building material, like the one used in building the Miagao Church. It is also blessed with natural scenic attractions like Sinuhutan Cave, Danao Lake, Bugsukan Falls, rice terraces, and others.

Slope:

The municipality has five slope classifications ranging from 0°–30° slopes above sea level. The area marked A has a slope of 0°–3°; B 3°–7°; C 8°–13°; D 30°. The highest slopes are found in the mountain ranges that run from north to west of the municipality and the lowest slopes on the shoreline.

Barangays:

Comprised of 119 barangays, of which the page lists 25 as classified urban in one line and 22 urban in the tables, and 97 as rural barangays.

History

Miagao became an independent municipality in 1716. It used to be a part or arrabal of four different towns. Record shows that before Miagao became a town, it was an arrabal of:

Oton until 1580
Tigbauan until 1592 (page lists 1952 in one place, likely a typo)
Suaraga or Suaragan (now San Joaquin) until 1703
Guimbal until 1716 when it became an independent town

It was only in 1731, however, when Miagao had its own head. The first Capitan and Teniente Mayor (equivalent to mayor and vice mayor in present-day set-up) were Nicolas Pangkug and Diego Sale, respectively. Their “election” was held in Guimbal under the supervision of Victorino C. Ma., authorized representative of the governor.

Nicolas Pangkug served for three consecutive terms of one year each from 1731 to 1733. Before he became town capitan, he was teniente mayor of Guimbal. As a resident of Miagao, he was entrusted with the care and supervision of this town until he became the head. Pangkug became capitan again in 1735 and 1739–1740. Altogether, he served for six years.

From 1716 to the present, Miagao has had 135 town heads. The current mayor listed on the page is Oscar “Richard” S. Garin, an engineer by profession, former member of the House of Representatives, vice governor of the Province of Iloilo, Sangguniang Panlalawigan member, and municipal mayor of Guimbal. He is serving Miagaowanons on his first term as municipal mayor of the town.

How Miagao got its name has several versions:

One popular version is that the name was derived from a wild plant called “miagaos” that grew abundantly in the place when the Spaniards first came.
The most widely accepted version is that the name was derived from a plant named Miagos, or Osmoxylon lineare, a flowering plant from the family Araliaceae that used to grow abundantly in the area. Because of its abundance, the Spaniards named the place Miagos, which later became Miagao.
According to Rev. Fr. Lorenzo Torres, a native priest of Igbaras, Iloilo, Miagao was derived from the name of an old Negrito called Miyagaw, who when asked the name of the place by the Spaniards, gave his name instead. The Spaniards mistook the answer as the response to their query.
A legend relates that the name came from the love story of two young lovers, Maya and Gao.

Creation of the municipality

History taught us that Miag-ao in 1580 was nothing more than a barrio of Oton, the first established town in Iloilo province. Then Miag-ao became part of Tigbauan town until 1592 when it was then transferred under the jurisdiction of Guimbal. Miag-ao was like an orphan child nobody wanted whose care was relegated from one uninterested neighbor to another.

In 1716, the Spanish Civil Government decided to make Miag-ao an independent pueblo (town). Miag-ao of 1716 had 13,493 people and 2,974 houses. Of this population, there were 4,570 taxpayers. It can be supposed that the Spanish Governor of the Province of Iloilo thought it best to make Miag-ao a new entity for better tax collection. The governor and his officials used Miag-ao as a summer escape because of the beautiful shoreline filled with colorful sea shells. Miag-ao as an economic center was also likely the reason for frequent Muslim raids during the 18th century.

Miag-ao became a town in 1716 during the election held in Guimbal to decide on the town officials to run Miag-ao — Nicolas Pangkug as capitan (equivalent to mayor) and Diego Sale as teniente mayor (equivalent of vice mayor) were elected. The attendance during this election by the then Spanish Governor Victorino made it a significant event in the province.

Map showing Miagao in Iloilo Province

Image on the original site · transcribed

Natural and physical characteristics

Miagao lies between 10° 36' 44" N latitude and 122° 06' 39" and 122° 17' 30" E longitude. A later section lists 10° 38' 26.4" N latitude and 122° 14' 6.3" E longitude.

Igbaras to the northeast
Guimbal to the east
San Joaquin to the west
Sibalom, Antique to the northwest

Land area and waters:

The municipal waters serving as fishing ground for both migratory and endemic fish has an area of 48 square kilometers. Miagao's coastline stretches for 16 kilometers, spanning 22 barangays.

Topography:

Climate:

Soil:

The soil consists of five major types: Alimodian clay loam, Sta. Rita clay, Umingan fine sandy loam, Alimodian soil undifferentiated, and beach sand.

Natural resources:

Physical resource profile

Indicator	Figure
Total land area	15,680.00 hectares
Total urban land area	2,055.16 hectares
Total rural land area	13,624.84 hectares
Coastline	16-kilometer stretch
River tributaries	Tumagboc, Oyungan, Bacauan, Naulid, and Narat-an. All flow to Panay Gulf.

Demography at a glance

Indicator	Figure
Population, Census 2020	68,115
Population, Census 2015	67,565
Population, Barangay Survey 2020	72,547
Urban population, Census 2020	22,636
Rural population, Census 2020	45,139 (rural table subtotal lists 45,479)
Annual population growth rate	1.23
Urban population density	10.9 persons/hectare
Rural population density	3.31 persons/hectare
Number of households, PSA 2015	14,124
Household population, PSA 2015	66,767
Total number of houses	12,414
Average family size	5

Population per barangay: urban (PSA 2020)

No.	Barangay	Population
1	Bacauan	624
2	Bagumbayan	988
3	Baybay Norte	3,013
4	Baybay Sur	969
5	Bolho	387
6	Bugtong Lumangan	350
7	Diday	767
8	Guibongan	1,089
9	Igpajo	332
10	Igtuba	1,345
11	Kirayan Tacas	1,376
12	Lumangan	792
13	Malagyan	1,641
14	Mambatad	982
15	Mat-y	2,197

Population per barangay: rural (PSA 2020)

No.	Barangay	Population
1	Agdum	400
2	Aguiauan	481
3	Alimodias	652
4	Awang	139
5	Bacolod	515
6	Banbanan	419
7	Banga	224
8	Bangladan	366
9	Banuyao	937
10	Baraclayan	414
11	Bariri	143
12	Belen	199
13	Bolocaue	194
14	Buenavista Norte	413
15	Buenavista Sur	293

Education

Degree-granting institutions:

University of the Philippines Visayas
Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U) Miagao Campus

High school:

Public (national high schools) – 8:

Miagao National High School
Palaca-Damilisan National High School
Kirayan National High School
Alejandro Firmeza Memorial National High School
San Rafael National High School
Bacolod National High School
San Jose National High School
Don Arsenio Napud Memorial National High School

Private – 3:

Saint Louise de Marillac School of Miagao
Kaunlaran Learning Center Foundation, Inc.
Doane Christian Fellowship Academy

Grade school / elementary:

Private – 3
Public (complete) – 31: District of Miagao East – 15; District of Miagao West – 16

Pre-elementary:

Private – 5
Public – 22
Day care centers – 102

Health

Public health facilities and services:

Main Health Center
UPV Infirmary (with dental services and medical laboratory)
UPV Ambulance
24 Hours First Aid Clinic
Dental Clinic
DOTS Laboratory
Birthing Center
MDRRMO Rescue Vehicle
Municipal Ambulance – 3
24/7 MDRRM Emergency Rescue Vehicle
Barangay Health Stations: 19
PhilHealth sponsored program under the national government

Private health facilities and services:

No. of private clinics – 13
No. of lying-in clinics – 1
No. of dental clinics – 7
No. of medical laboratory – 4
No. of pharmacies – 11
No. of eye clinics – 3
No. of diagnostic centers – 2

Note: Some data on this article may need updating.

LGU health workers

LGU health workers	Numbers
Municipal Health Officer	1
Rural Health Physician	2
Dentist	1
Nurses	3
Rural Health Midwives	12
Sanitation Inspectors	2
Medical Technologist	1
Dental Aide	1
DOH Nurse Deployment Program	12
DOH Vaccinators	2
DOH Rural Health Midwife Placement Program	4
Barangay Health Aide	1
Barangay Health Workers	278
Administrative staff	3
Administrative Aide (Utility)	1

No.	Barangay	Population
1	Agdum	400
2	Aguiauan	481
3	Alimodias	652
4	Awang	139
5	Bacolod	515
6	Banbanan	419
7	Banga	224
8	Bangladan	366
9	Banuyao	937
10	Baraclayan	414
11	Bariri	143
12	Belen	199
13	Bolocaue	194
14	Buenavista Norte	413
15	Buenavista Sur	293
16	Bugtong Naulid	197
17	Cabalaunan	258
18	Cabangcalan	144
19	Cabunotan	243
20	Cadoldolan	113
21	Cagbang	321
22	Caitib	564
23	Calagtangan	481
24	Calampitao	826
25	Cavite	203
26	Cawayanan	285
27	Cubay	830
28	Cubay Ubos	158
29	Dalije	1,627
30	Damilisan	1,295
31	Dawog	830
32	Dingle	427
33	Durog	1,072
34	Frantilla	190
35	Fundacion	316
36	Gines	752
37	Igbita	236
38	Igbugo	523
39	Igcabidio	322
40	Igcabitoon	461
41	Igcatambor	326
42	Igdalaquit	182
43	Igdulaca	708
44	Igpandan	317
45	Igpuro-Bariri	314
46	Igsoligue	452
47	Igpuro	538
48	Ilog-ilog	175
49	Indag-an	623
50	Kirayan Norte	1,834
51	Kirayan Sur	1,475
52	Lacadon	692
53	La Consolacion	471
54	Lanutan	549
55	Mabayan	226
56	Maduyo	163
57	Maninila	1,139
58	Maricolcol	359
59	Maringyan	558
60	Matalngon	136
61	Naclub	577
62	Nam-o Norte	307
63	Nam-o Sur	211
64	Narat-an	759
65	Narorogan	239
66	Naulid	820
67	Olango	333
68	Ongyod	208
69	Onop	268
70	Oya-oy	308
71	Oyungan	1,495
72	Potrido	363
73	Pudpud	598
74	Pungtod Monteclaro	320
75	Pungtod Naulid	161
76	San Fernando	464
77	San Jose	439
78	San Rafael	1,204
79	Saring	422
80	Sibucao	371
81	Taal	191
82	Tabunacan	504
83	Tambong	188
84	Tan-agan	569
85	Tatoy	647
86	Ticdalan	312
87	Tig-amaga	228
88	Tig-apog-apog	257
89	Tigbagacay	230
90	Tiglawa	165
91	Tigmalapad	521
92	Tigmarabo	505
93	Toog	134
94	Tugura-ao	304
95	Tumagboc	442
96	Valencia	475
97	Wayang	240
	Sub-total	45,479
	Total population	68,115

History

Creation of the municipality

Natural and physical characteristics

Physical resource profile

Demography at a glance

Population per barangay: urban (PSA 2020)

Population per barangay: rural (PSA 2020)

Education

Health

LGU health workers

Government

Citizen tools · BetterGov.ph

Municipal Profile

History

Creation of the municipality

Natural and physical characteristics

Physical resource profile

Demography at a glance

Population per barangay: urban (PSA 2020)

Population per barangay: rural (PSA 2020)

Education

Health

LGU health workers