Brief Profile of the Municipality of Itogon
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
Location
(Barangay)
Name of Tourism Sites
Type of Attraction
Facilities
Tinongdan
Binga Dam
Manmade
Tinongdan
Mt. Marikit
Natural
Tinongdan
Ambasa Cave
Natural
Tinongdan
Mt. Ugo
Natural & Historical
Virac
Balatoc Mines Underground
Manmade
Virac
Crosby park
Natural
Poblacion
1300L Swimming Pools
Manmade
Swimming pools, cottages
Dalupirip
Asin Hotsprings
Natural
Ampucao
Philex-Daynet Adventure Trail
Natural
Tinongdan
Cayoco Ibaloi Village
Historical
Old Ibaloi Nipa Huts
Dalupirip
St. Joseph Heritage Church
Historical & Religious
Church
Poblacion
Mt. Bidawan/Ave Maria
Historical, Religious and Natural
Grotto
Dalupirip
Suyok Falls
Natural
Dalupirip
Mt. Palanchey
Natural & Historical
Source of Data: Mayor’s Office, 2010
F. F. INFRASTRUCTURE
a. TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Main Access Road
Baguio-Kias-Poblacion Provincial Road
Baguio-Kias-Philex Provincial Road
Baguio-Bua-Itogon National Road
Baguio-Twin River-Kiweng-Dalupirip National Road
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 1st 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)
Year
Income
IRA Share
Percentage of IRA Share
2009
137,987,805.05
84,700,934.00
61.38%
2010
130,088,497.88
88,703,378.00
68.19%
2011
144,071,164.90
95,878,810.00
66.55%
2012
145,944,875.15
93,063,925.00
63.77%
2013
167,312,166.26
108,811,560.00
65.04%
Source: Municipal Treasury Office, Itogon, Benguet
I. POLITICAL SUBDIVISION
BARANGAY POPULATION, AREA AND NUMBER OF SITIOS
BARANGAY
POPULATION
AREA (has.)
# of SITIOS
AMPUCAO
10,450
11,332.00
40
DALUPIRIP
2,578
17,118.80
23
GUMATDANG
1,895
531.40
16
LOACAN
7,714
4,581.00
42
POBLACION
3,267
1,803.60
21
TINONGDAN
4,216
12,515.70
35
TUDING
7,703
501.10
22
UCAB
7,870
633.30
17
VIRAC
10,267
753.10
37
TOTAL
55,960
49,800
253
Source of Data: NSO Census, 2010
