Esperanza, Agusan del Sur

Esperanza
Municipality

Esperanza Bridge

Seal
Map of Agusan del Sur with Esperanza highlighted
Location within Agusan del Sur province
Esperanza

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 8°41′N 125°39′E / 8.68°N 125.65°E / 8.68; 125.65Coordinates: 8°41′N 125°39′E / 8.68°N 125.65°E / 8.68; 125.65
Country Philippines
Region Caraga (Region XIII)
Province Agusan del Sur
District 1st district of Agusan del Sur
Founded 1921
Barangays 47 (see Barangays)
Government [1]
 • Type Sangguniang Bayan
 • Mayor Deo S. Manpatilan
Area[2]
 • Total 1,355.48 km2 (523.35 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)[3]
 • Total 54,801
 • Density 40/km2 (100/sq mi)
 • Voter (2016)[4]  27,752
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code 8513
IDD : area code  +63 (0)85
Income class 1st class
PSGC 160303000
Website www.esperanza.gov.ph

Esperanza, officially the Municipality of Esperanza (Filipino: Bayan ng Esperanza), is a municipality in the province of Agusan del Sur in the Caraga (Region XIII) of the Philippines. The population was 54,801 at the 2015 census.[3] In the 2016 election, it had 27,752 registered voters.[4]

Geography

Esperanza is located at 8°41′N 125°39′E / 8.68°N 125.65°E / 8.68; 125.65.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 1,355.48 square kilometres (523.35 sq mi)[2] constituting 13.57% of the 9,989.52-square-kilometre- (3,856.98 sq mi) total area of Agusan del Sur.

Barangays

Esperanza is politically subdivided into 47 barangays.[5]

PSGC Barangay Population ±% p.a.
2015[3] 2010[6]
160303031 Agsabu 1.5% 812 612 +5.53%
160303032 Aguinaldo 1.0% 540 523 +0.61%
160303001 Anolingan 3.0% 1,649 1,567 +0.98%
160303002 Bakingking 0.9% 496 462 +1.36%
160303033 Balubo 1.5% 816 930 −2.46%
160303003 Bentahon 2.0% 1,084 956 +2.42%
160303004 Bunaguit 2.2% 1,192 1,253 −0.95%
160303006 Catmonon 3.2% 1,733 1,654 +0.89%
160303034 Cebulan 0.8% 432 316 +6.13%
160303007 Concordia 1.7% 935 779 +3.54%
160303035 Crossing Luna 2.5% 1,381 1,250 +1.92%
160303036 Cubo 1.6% 877 776 +2.36%
160303008 Dakutan 6.2% 3,391 3,271 +0.69%
160303009 Duangan 2.9% 1,610 1,596 +0.17%
160303011 Guadalupe 7.4% 4,046 3,854 +0.93%
160303037 Guibonon 0.9% 502 737 −7.05%
160303012 Hawilian 4.3% 2,358 2,147 +1.80%
160303038 Kalabuan 0.5% 283 343 −3.59%
160303039 Kinamaybay 1.2% 683 654 +0.83%
160303013 Labao 1.7% 930 721 +4.97%
160303040 Langag 2.2% 1,197 1,084 +1.91%
160303014 Maasin 2.0% 1,091 1,079 +0.21%
160303010 Mac-Arthur 0.4% 200 195 +0.48%
160303015 Mahagcot 1.5% 841 833 +0.18%
160303041 Maliwanag 0.5% 296 163 +12.03%
160303016 Milagros 2.1% 1,172 1,145 +0.44%
160303017 Nato 3.2% 1,732 1,639 +1.06%
160303042 New Gingoog 0.9% 495 420 +3.18%
160303043 Odiong 1.1% 622 545 +2.55%
160303018 Oro 3.5% 1,922 1,536 +4.36%
160303044 Piglawigan 3.4% 1,882 1,623 +2.86%
160303019 Poblacion 8.7% 4,778 4,907 −0.51%
160303020 Remedios 2.6% 1,447 1,665 −2.64%
160303021 Salug 2.3% 1,238 1,262 −0.36%
160303045 San Isidro 0.7% 385 358 +1.39%
160303046 San Jose 0.3% 150 151 −0.13%
160303022 San Toribio 4.4% 2,424 2,218 +1.71%
160303047 San Vicente 1.4% 765 578 +5.48%
160303023 Santa Fe 3.6% 1,990 1,698 +3.07%
160303024 Segunda 0.5% 293 314 −1.31%
160303048 Sinakungan 0.8% 464 485 −0.84%
160303026 Tagabase 1.5% 827 780 +1.12%
160303027 Taganahaw 0.7% 382 376 +0.30%
160303028 Tagbalili 1.0% 546 632 −2.75%
160303029 Tahina 1.4% 769 742 +0.68%
160303030 Tandang Sora 1.4% 768 732 +0.92%
160303049 Valentina 0.7% 375 336 +2.11%
Total 54,801 51,897 +1.04%

Demographics

Population census of Esperanza
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 36,139—    
1995 42,118+2.91%
2000 44,151+1.02%
YearPop.±% p.a.
2007 47,659+1.06%
2010 51,897+3.15%
2015 54,801+1.04%
Source: PSA[3][6][7]

In the 2015 census, Esperanza had a population of 54,801.[3] The population density was 40 inhabitants per square kilometre (100/sq mi).

In the 2016 election, it had 27,752 registered voters.[4]

The Golden Tara

In July 1917, a flood and storm swept through Agusan del Sur in Barangay Cubo of Esperanza. After the storm, a Manobo woman named Bilay Ocampo was on the banks of the muddy Wawa River where she eventually found a figure where it washed up from the river. The 21-karat gold figure dating to around 850 to 950 C.E. weighs 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and depicts a woman sitting in the lotus position in Buddhism, is ornamented with jewelry on her body, and wears a headdress. This figure turned out to be a representation of the Bodhisattva Tara. Now known as the "Golden Tara", after its discovery, it was handed to the former Deputy Governor Bias Baclagon then it was passed to the Agusan Coconut Company, because of a debt. It was then being sold and was purchased for ₱4,000 by the wife of American Governor-General Leonard Wood, Faye Cooper-Cole, who was the curator of Chicago Field Museum’s Southeast Asian department. They then donated the Golden Tara to the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois, United States where it is currently held in the Grainger Hall of Gems. Dr. H. Otley Beyer, known as the father of Philippine Archaeology and Anthropology, tried to encourage the government to buy the artifact however all attempts failed due to lack of funds.[8]

Another historical claim has it that when Bilay Ocampo found the Golden Tara, she decided to keep it as a doll. However she was told to give it over to Baclagon because they believed it was a diwata. Because of this, it was previously called Buwawan ni Baclagon or Ginto ni Baclagon (both translates to "Gold of Baclagon"). However, according to Bilay’s granddaughter, Constancia, the Golden Tara wasn’t handed over but it was stolen from her grandmother. The question of the validity of the purchase of the Golden Tara and whether it was acquired legally if it was in fact originally stolen from Bilay remains a debate of history.[8]

The Golden Tara remains exhibited in the Grainger Hall of Chicago Field Museum (now known as the Field Museum of Natural History) up to the present time and reports has it that the Philippine government has plans to continue its negotiations in re-acquiring the figure.[8]

According to UP scholar Dr. Juan Francisco, he described the golden statue as, "One of the most spectacular discoveries in the Philippine archaeological history."[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Province: Agusan del Sur". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "CARAGA". Census of Population (2015): Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay (Report). PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "2016 National and Local Elections Statistics". Commission on Elections. 2016.
  5. ↑ "Municipal: Esperanza, Agusan del Sur". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  6. 1 2 "CARAGA". Census of Population and Housing (2010): Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay (Report). NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "CARAGA". Census of Population (1995, 2000 and 2007): Total Population by Province, City and Municipality (Report). NSO. Archived from the original on 11 November 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Golden Tara - The Official Website of the Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur.
 Claveria, Misamis Oriental Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte Bayugan
Prosperidad
   Esperanza  
Impasugong, Bukidnon San Luis San Francisco
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/3/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.