Pitogo, Quezon

Pitogo, officially the Municipality of Pitogo (Tagalog: Bayan ng Pitogo), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 23,019 people.[3]

Pitogo
Municipality
Municipality of Pitogo
Downtown area
Map of Quezon with Pitogo highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Pitogo
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 13°47′06″N 122°05′17″E
Country Philippines
RegionCalabarzon (Region IV-A)
ProvinceQuezon
District3rd District
FoundedJanuary 25, 1681
Barangays39 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorPaulino S. Sayat
 • Vice MayorDexter L. Sayat
 • CongressmanAleta C. Suarez
 • Electorate16,422 voters (2019)
Area
 [2]
 • Total73.39 km2 (28.34 sq mi)
Population
 (2015 census)[3]
 • Total23,019
 • Density310/km2 (810/sq mi)
 • Households
5,046
Economy
 • Income class4th municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence25.37% (2015)[4]
 • Revenue (₱)66,087,695.68 (2016)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
4308
PSGC
045634000
IDD : area code +63 (0)42
Climate typetropical rainforest climate
Native languagesTagalog

Barangays

Pitogo is politically subdivided into 39 barangays.

  • Amontay
  • Cometa
  • Biga
  • Bilucao
  • Cabulihan
  • Cawayanin
  • Gangahin
  • Ibabang Burgos
  • Ibabang Pacatin
  • Ibabang Piña
  • Ibabang Soliyao
  • Ilayang Burgos
  • Ilayang Pacatin
  • Ilayang Piña
  • Ilayang Soliyao
  • Nag-Cruz
  • Osmeña
  • Payte
  • Pinagbayanan
  • Masaya (Poblacion)
  • Manggahan (Poblacion)
  • Dulong Bayan (Poblacion)
  • Pag-Asa (Poblacion)
  • Castillo (Poblacion)
  • Maaliw (Poblacion)
  • Mayubok (Poblacion)
  • Pamilihan (Poblacion)
  • Dalampasigan (Poblacion)
  • Poctol
  • Quezon
  • Quinagasan
  • Rizalino
  • Saguinsinan
  • Sampaloc
  • San Roque
  • Sisirin
  • Sumag Este
  • Sumag Norte
  • Sumag Weste

Demographics
Population census of Pitogo
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 3,454—    
1918 4,662+2.02%
1939 6,835+1.84%
1948 7,668+1.29%
1960 9,229+1.56%
1970 12,867+3.37%
1975 14,840+2.90%
1980 15,825+1.29%
1990 17,086+0.77%
1995 18,832+1.84%
2000 20,558+1.90%
2007 21,095+0.36%
2010 21,380+0.49%
2015 23,019+1.42%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[3][5][6][7]

Climate
Climate data for Pitogo, Quezon
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 27
(81)		 28
(82)		 30
(86)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 28
(82)		 29
(84)
Average low °C (°F) 21
(70)		 21
(70)		 22
(72)		 23
(73)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 22
(72)		 23
(74)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 31
(1.2)		 23
(0.9)		 25
(1.0)		 30
(1.2)		 85
(3.3)		 145
(5.7)		 182
(7.2)		 153
(6.0)		 172
(6.8)		 150
(5.9)		 113
(4.4)		 68
(2.7)		 1,177
(46.3)
Average rainy days 11.3 8.5 9.7 11.3 18.3 23.2 26.6 25.4 25.9 24.2 19.7 15.2 219.3
Source: Meteoblue [8]

History
Conversion of Saint Paul Church

The fact that Pitogo is built on a promontory of rolling hills has a great rationale behind. Historical records show that this site was selected by the town’s founders in 1766 because its lofty elevation provided them with good look out points for the marauding vintas of Muslim pirates who were then threatening the safety of the natives.

In 1754, a band of Christian settlers led by Juan Mauricio founded the town farther inland, a few miles up the Mayubok River, (now Pinagbayanan), to be safe from Moro depredations. But despite this precaution, the Moros came and raided the town. They came along the coastal town of Kalilayan (Tayabas).

Two years later, in 1756, Alejo Bautista became the next ruler. Again, the Moros remembering the place, visited Mayubok, burned the settlement and killed many of its inhabitants. Due to so much fright, the people placed the biggest church bell in a banca but the banca capsized at Aasnan. Expert divers tried to recover the historic bell but their toil remained futile and all in vain.

The survivors built another settlement in 1760 along the banks of Cawayanin River under Bernabe Rafael. Likewise, this community was destroyed by the Moros. St. Paul (the patron saint) was lost. He was found in a nearby barrio. The people stayed for a short time in the said barrio naming it “Adia” meaning safety.

In 1766, Buenaventura Salvador selected a well-located hill, the Maaliw Hill where few fishing huts could be found. The place was chosen because from its summit, where a native watchtower (Castillo) could be found, the approaching Moro Vintas could easily be detected while still afar.

The founding of Pitogo became very sure when a strong ruler in the person of Geronimo Santiago took care of the poblacion. He was known as Maniago whom the pirates feared so much. He ruled for almost ten years from 1771 to 1780. During that time the patron saint became famous too. The belief was that St. Paul was protecting miraculously the new town. On one occasion, when the Moros were about to enter the town, the place became all darkness and so the Moros had not other recourse but to go away.

1781 came and Juan Encarnacion became the ruler. According to legend, this was the time when St. Paul the Apostle was found under a big Pitogo tree on the promontory of Maaliw Hill. Taking this as a good omen and believing that St. Paul liked the place to be the permanent location of the poblacion, the people named the place after this palm tree known as “Pitogo” and began to settle here. This name later applied to this whole town as the community grew.

Another Mauricio became the ruler in 1814. The town was burned for the first time due to the carelessness of the inhabitants.

A very good ruler in the person of Geronimo de los Angeles came in 1817. During his time the stone church was built on the same place where St. Paul was once found on Maaliw Hill.

For two centuries, Pitogo had survived Muslim raids, epidemic conflagrations and two major wars to emerge as a thriving, pulsating community that has seen some progress during the past decades.

Places of interest
  • Conversion of Saint Paul Parish Church
  • Countryside Hotel
  • Soliyao Beach Resort
  • Puting Buhangin Beach
  • Parola / Kastilyo
  • Villa Rosa Ancestral House
  • Taklob Beach
  • Pacatin (Tapat-Ibayo)Beach
  • Pitogo Wharf

Educational institutions

Secondary schools:

  • Western Tayabas High School
  • Amontay National High School
  • Cabulihan National High School
  • Pitogo Community High School
  • Sampaloc National High School

Elementary schools:

  • Amontay Elementary School
  • Cabulihan Elementary School
  • Cawayanin Elementary School
  • Dulong Bayan Elementary School
  • Gangahin Elementary School
  • Pacatin Elementary School
  • Piña Elementary School
  • Pitogo Central School Bldg. 1
  • Pitogo Central School Bldg. 2
  • Poctol Elementary School
  • Quinagasan Elementary School
  • Rizalino Elementary School
  • Sampaloc Elementary School
  • Soliyao Elementary School
  • Sumag Elementary School

References
  1. "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  2. "Province: Quezon". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  5. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  6. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  7. "Province of Quezon". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  8. "Pitogo: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
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