Oas, Albay

Oas
Municipality
Oas Municipal Hall
Location within Albay province
Oas Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 13°15′32″N 123°29′43″E / 13.2589°N 123.4953°ECoordinates: 13°15′32″N 123°29′43″E / 13.2589°N 123.4953°E
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol Region (Region V)
Province	Albay
District	3rd district
Barangays	53 (see Barangays)
Government [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Domingo Red Escoto Jr.
Area[2]
• Total	263.61 km^2 (101.78 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)[3]
• Total	67,960
• Density	260/km^2 (670/sq mi)
• Voter (2016)[4]	35,027
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	4504
IDD : area code	+63 (0)52
Income class	1st class
PSGC	050512000
Website	elgu2.ncc.gov.ph/oas/

Oas, officially the Municipality of Oas (Filipino: Bayan ng Oas), is a municipality in the province of Albay in the Bicol Region (Region V) of the Philippines. The population was 67,960 at the 2015 census.^[3] In the 2016 election, it had 35,027 registered voters.^[4]

History

Oas was founded during the early Spanish colonization of the Bicol Peninsula. In 1605, Father Baltazar de los Reyes converted 12 leading natives of the area to Christianity in one day, forming the foundation of the community now known as Oas.

There are three stories that tell the origin of the name of Oas:

1. The existence of numerous lagoons or pools of water abounding it prompted early colonizers to give it the name of "Oasis". The natives soon called the place by this name and later abbreviated it to "Oas".
2. There is a dam across the narrowest portion of a local river. This dam solely irrigates the vast fields of the place including those of the nearby town of Libon and results in a good harvest. People are wary of any cracks or leaks on the dam walls during months of heavy rains. A crier would shout "nawaswas" giving the call to the people (in times of this kind of emergency) for immediate action in groups. From then on, the natives coined this name to the place and later shortened it to present form.
3. Early Spanish Colonizers reaching this particular section of the Bicol Peninsula asked the name of the place from the about 600 natives living there, "Como se llama este sitio?" with gesture of their hands. The natives mistakenly thought the question to be "Onan kading lugar kadi, maiwas?" (What place is this, it's very big?) in their native dialect. In response, the natives answered, "Si, señores. Labi nikading iwas. Labi nikading iwas." (Yes, sirs, this is grand and spacious). From then on the early Spanish colonizers adopted in their official census the existence of "a rich fertile valley with verdant fields of grain" which is the little town of Oas in Bicol.

Geography

Oas is located at 13°15′32″N 123°29′43″E / 13.2589°N 123.4953°E.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 263.61 square kilometres (101.78 sq mi)^[2] constituting 10.23% of the 2,575.77-square-kilometre- (994.51 sq mi) total area of Albay.

Barangays

Oas is politically subdivided into 53 barangays.^[5]

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2015[3]		2010[6]
050512001	Badbad	0.9%	602	583	+0.61%
050512002	Badian	3.9%	2,681	2,348	+2.56%
050512003	Bagsa	1.3%	862	764	+2.32%
050512004	Bagumbayan	1.3%	879	1,018	−2.76%
050512005	Balogo	6.2%	4,236	3,897	+1.60%
050512008	Banao	0.7%	470	562	−3.35%
050512009	Bangiawon	1.3%	910	785	+2.85%
050512011	Bogtong	0.5%	367	351	+0.85%
050512010	Bongoran	2.7%	1,816	1,741	+0.81%
050512012	Busac	3.1%	2,079	1,939	+1.34%
050512013	Cadawag	0.7%	485	427	+2.45%
050512014	Cagmanaba	4.9%	3,305	3,039	+1.61%
050512015	Calaguimit	1.3%	867	865	+0.04%
050512016	Calpi	2.0%	1,335	1,224	+1.67%
050512017	Calzada	1.3%	911	1,029	−2.29%
050512018	Camagong	1.7%	1,167	1,146	+0.35%
050512019	Casinagan	0.9%	617	530	+2.94%
050512020	Centro Poblacion	0.3%	225	277	−3.88%
050512021	Coliat	1.1%	723	717	+0.16%
050512022	Del Rosario	1.1%	733	624	+3.11%
050512023	Gumabao	1.2%	793	865	−1.64%
050512024	Ilaor Norte	2.2%	1,495	1,525	−0.38%
050512025	Ilaor Sur	3.2%	2,202	2,275	−0.62%
050512026	Iraya Norte	2.9%	1,982	1,909	+0.72%
050512027	Iraya Sur	1.1%	774	711	+1.63%
050512028	Manga	3.4%	2,322	2,146	+1.51%
050512029	Maporong	1.7%	1,184	1,107	+1.29%
050512030	Maramba	4.9%	3,301	3,114	+1.12%
050512032	Matambo	0.7%	489	435	+2.25%
050512033	Mayag	0.7%	452	507	−2.16%
050512034	Mayao	2.4%	1,618	1,514	+1.27%
050512031	Moroponros	0.5%	357	283	+4.52%
050512035	Nagas	2.4%	1,631	1,665	−0.39%
050512037	Obaliw-Rinas	2.2%	1,504	1,401	+1.36%
050512038	Pistola	1.7%	1,135	1,101	+0.58%
050512039	Ramay	1.1%	734	724	+0.26%
050512040	Rizal	1.3%	864	892	−0.61%
050512041	Saban	2.8%	1,908	1,875	+0.33%
050512042	San Agustin	1.9%	1,285	1,240	+0.68%
050512043	San Antonio	1.4%	939	938	+0.02%
050512044	San Isidro	2.2%	1,529	1,400	+1.69%
050512045	San Jose	1.1%	744	759	−0.38%
050512046	San Juan	2.2%	1,503	1,390	+1.50%
050512047	San Miguel	1.1%	772	792	−0.49%
050512036	San Pascual (Nale)	1.2%	841	743	+2.39%
050512049	San Ramon	2.5%	1,710	1,657	+0.60%
050512050	San Vicente (Suca)	1.4%	938	1,046	−2.05%
050512056	Tablon	1.4%	940	903	+0.77%
050512051	Talisay	1.1%	779	693	+2.25%
050512052	Talongog	1.8%	1,192	1,144	+0.79%
050512053	Tapel	2.7%	1,813	1,371	+5.46%
050512054	Tobgon	2.4%	1,648	1,517	+1.59%
050512055	Tobog	1.9%	1,312	1,277	+0.52%
	Total		67,960	64,785	+0.92%

Demographics

Population census of Oas
Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 53,061 —     1995 56,536 +1.20% 2000 62,063 +2.02%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2007 63,888 +0.40% 2010 64,785 +0.51% 2015 67,960 +0.92%
Source: PSA[3][6][7]

In the 2015 census, Oas had a population of 67,960.^[3] The population density was 260 inhabitants per square kilometre (670/sq mi).

In the 2016 election, it had 35,027 registered voters.^[4]

Government

Sangguniang Bayan

• Vice-Mayor: Antonio B. Yuchongco
• Members Councillor

• Renee R. Raro
• Gader B. Rellama
• Robert N. Arevalo
• Cholita R. Redillas
• Leopoldo R. Zaragoza
• Gregorio P. Comboy
• Delbert Butch R. Vicera
• Raymundo T. Raquid
• Jose Gregorio R. Ricarte (Liga of Barangay President)

References

1. "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
2. "Province: Albay". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
3. "Region V (BICOL REGION)". Census of Population (2015): Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay (Report). PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
4. "2016 National and Local Elections Statistics". Commission on Elections. 2016.
5. "Municipal: Oas, Albay". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
6. "Region V (BICOL REGION)". Census of Population and Housing (2010): Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay (Report). NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
7. "Region V (BICOL REGION)". Census of Population (1995, 2000 and 2007): Total Population by Province, City and Municipality (Report). NSO. Archived from the original on 24 June 2011.

External links

• Municipality of Oas