Brief Profile of the Municipality of Itogon

This Post was Archived (published since 2014/07/08)

A. THE TOWN’S HISTORICAL ROLES AND EVENTS

Itogon became a town when the Philippine Commission Act No. 43 set up the military government for the rancherios and then later on organized the First Civil Government in the Philippines.

Itogon is known for the Binga Dam. The Binga Hydroelectric plant is about 31 km. East of Baguio City and 19 km. downstream of the Ambuklao Hydroelectric Plant. Its construction started in August 1956 and in full operation in March 31, 1960. The Binga Hydro Electric Plant was first operated by the National Power Corporation and now by SN-Aboitiz. It supplies electricity to the northern part of Luzon.

The municipality used to be the premier mining town because of the mining companies operating such as Benguet Corporation, Philex Mining Company, Atok Big Wedge Mining Company (Now Atok Gold), Itogon Suyoc Mining Company.

  B.  GEO-PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Region                          :     Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR)
• Province                        :     Benguet
• Municipality                   :     Itogon
• Geographical Location   :     Longitude – 120° 37′ – 120   |   Latitude – 16° 10′ – 16° 28′
• Boundaries                    :     Northwest La Trinidad and Tublay  |   Northeast-Bokod  |   South-Pangasinan   |   Southwest-Nueva Viscaya   |  West-Tuba and   Baguio City
• Land Area                     :      49,800 hectares

C.  POPULATION

• Population                      :      55,960 (NSO 2010)
• Household                      :      11,865
• Average Household Size   :       5
• Population Density           :      2 person/hectare

D.  SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SECTOR

a.  EDUCATION

• Alternative Learning System (ALS) Center
  • Two (2) ALS Center (Itogon Central School at Poblacion and Tuding E/S at Tuding)
• Special Education
  • One (1) at Tuding Elementary School
• Day Care Centers
  • Public                 :    42
  • Private                :     5
• Elementary Schools
  • Public Schools      :    38
  • Private Schools    :      5
• Secondary Level
  • Public                 :      7
  • Private               :      5
• Tertiary Level                :     None

b.  HEALTH, NUTRITION AND SANITATION

• Rural Health Center          :   One (1) Poblacion
• Barangay Health Stations  :    Twenty one (21)
• Hospital                          :   One (1) Tinongdan Municipal Hospital

E.  ECONOMIC SECTOR

a.  TRADE AND INDUSTRY

TYPE OF COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS

• Financial Institution            :    Two (2) Rural Banks located at Ucab (Rural Bank of Itogon and Banco Bakun)
• Public Market                    :     Philex Mines, Ampucao, Itogon, Benguet
• Sari-sari stores                   :     950 (all barangays)
• Talipapa                           :     All Nine (9) Barangays

INDUSTRY

• Knitting and Loom Weaving              :    Barangay Poblacion and Ucab
• Mushroom Production                      :    Barangay Ampucao and Poblacion
• Broom Making                                 :    Barangay Tuding and Ucab
• Quilted Bed Sheets and Pillow Cases  :    Barangay Gumatdang and Poblacion
• Small Scale Mining                           :    Barangay Ampucao, Gumatdang, Loacan, Poblacion, Tuding, Ucab, Virac

b.  TOURISM

There are 23 possible tourist destinations/sites in the municipality; the frequently visited is the 1300Level Pools at Poblacion.  Trekkers/mountain climbers may also visit the Mt. Ugo at Tinongdan where an annual International Akyathlon and Summer Climb are scheduled every February and March respectively. The Mt. Bidawan at Poblacion is also developed. 

Inventory of Tourists Attractions

Source of Data: Mayor’s Office, 2010

F.    F.  INFRASTRUCTURE

a.  TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

• Main Access Road
  1. Baguio-Kias-Poblacion Provincial Road
  2. Baguio-Kias-Philex Provincial Road
  3. Baguio-Bua-Itogon National Road
  4. Baguio-Twin River-Kiweng-Dalupirip National Road
  5. Baguio-Bua-Itogon National Road-Midas, Ucab (Provincial Road)-Poblacion (Municipal Road)* Municipal and Barangay Roads Interconnect with the National and Provincial Roads.

b.  COMMUNICATIONS

• PNP LANDLINE             :   Telephone (PLDT) – (074) 442 3526

  Cellphone No.   09213987480

• Mayor’s Office Landlind  :    Telephone (PLDT) – (074) 423 0818

Landline is also limited to the mining companies including Binga. Due to its proximity to Baguio City, parts of Tuding are also presently interconnected with the telephone system. The rest of the populace utilizes cellular communication provided by the country’s biggest cellular companies namely smart, globe, and suncellular.

 POSTAL FACILITIES AND SERVICES

  ·         Post office             :           Municipal Sub Office at Antamok Tram Ucab

 Municipal Hall at Poblacion

G.   ENVIRONMENT

  The municipality is yet to implement fully the ecological solid waste management. Information Education Campaign (IEC) is being conducted; the material recovery facilities are being constructed in all barangays and the identification of an engineered sanitary landfill (Eco Park) is ongoing. An area at Besil, Gumatdang is being used as Temporary Residual Containment Area (TRCA). These are all incorporated in the ten (10) year Ecological Solid Waste Management Plan of the municipality.

H.    MUNICIPAL REVENUES

Itogon is classified as 1^st class municipality based on the income classification issued by the Department of Finance. The main source of revenue or income of Itogon is its Internal Revenue Allotment share. Other sources of revenues are national wealth tax on mining excise tax, national wealth tax on water resources, local taxes, operating and miscellaneous revenue and other receipts/fees. The table below shows the income and IRA share of the municipality from 2009-2013.

Share of the Municipality (2009-2013)

 Source: Municipal Treasury Office, Itogon, Benguet                                      

 I.    POLITICAL SUBDIVISION

  bARANGAY POPULATION, AREA AND nUMBER OF SITIOS

 Source of Data: NSO Census, 2010