Basco, Batanes

Basco, officially the Municipality of Basco^[a], is a municipality and capital of the province of Batanes, Philippines. In the 2024 census, it had a population of 9,647 people.^[6]

Basco
Municipality
Municipality of Basco
From the top, left to right: Vayang Rolling Hills, Mount Iraya, Basco Cathedral, Basco Lighthouse, Valugan Beach, and Basco Airport
Flag Seal
Map of Batanes with Basco highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Basco Location in the Philippines Show map of Philippines Basco Basco (Luzon) Show map of Luzon Basco Basco (Batanes) Show map of Batanes
Coordinates: 20°27′N 121°58′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cagayan Valley
Province	Batanes
District	Lone district
Named after	José Basco y Vargas
Barangays	6 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Millo Caccam
• Vice Mayor	Cholo Gabotero
• Representative	Ciriaco Gato Jr.
• Municipal Council	Members Ankie Redondo Jacklord N. Labrador Carla A. Cordel Paking Castillo Eulalia Gordon Teresita Vinalay John Paul Castillo Aren Joseph C. Veracruz
• Electorate	6,170 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	49.46 km2 (19.10 sq mi)
Elevation [3]	23.4 m (76.8 ft)
Highest elevation	1,013 m (3,323 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[4]
• Total	9,647
• Density	200/km2 (510/sq mi)
• Households	2,823
Economy
• Income class	5th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	4.36 % (2021)[5]
• Revenue	₱ 113.5 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 277.9 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 89.55 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 56.83 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Batanes Electric Cooperative (BATANELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	3900
PSGC	0200901000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)78
Native languages	Ivatan Tagalog Ilocano

Basco is the most populous town in Batanes and is located on Batan Island, the second largest among the Batanes Islands, the northernmost group of islands of the Philippines. The town has a domestic airport, Basco Airport, that serves flights from Manila, Tuguegarao, and Itbayat.^{[citation needed]}

The Basco Lighthouse is one of the landmarks.

Etymology

The town is named after Capitán General José Basco, who led the pacification and conquest of the islands during his term as governor-general.

Geography

The municipality has a land area of 49.46 square kilometres (19.10 sq mi) ^[7] constituting 22.58% of the 219.01-square-kilometre- (84.56 sq mi) total area of Batanes.

Barangays

Basco is politically subdivided into 6 barangays.^[8] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2024[9]		2010[10]
020901005	Chanarian	4.5%	430	360	▴	1.25%
020901001	Ihubok II (Kayvaluganan)	18.4%	1,779	2,344	▾	−1.91%
020901002	Ihubok I (Kaychanarianan)	28.3%	2,728	1,822	▴	2.86%
020901006	Kayhuvokan	19.9%	1,917	1,700	▴	0.84%
020901003	San Antonio	23.5%	2,264	1,969	▴	0.98%
020901004	San Joaquin	5.5%	529	384	▴	2.27%
	Total		9,647	7,907	▴	1.40%

The sitio of Diptan was converted into a barrio, known as San Antonio, in 1955.^[11] Also in the same year, the sitios of Coral, Hago, Tuva, Diojango, Canalaan, Honaan and Dimnalamay were amalgamated into the barrio of San Joaquin.^[12]

Climate

Basco has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification Am). Compared to cities such as Laoag or Manila, it has a slightly cooler temperatures especially during the winter months due to its northerly location. Unlike these two cities whose hottest months are April and May, Basco has its warmest temperature during the months of June and July, similar to Taiwan.

Climate data for Basco, Philippines (2001–2020, extremes 1903–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	31.8 (89.2)	32.6 (90.7)	34.8 (94.6)	35.5 (95.9)	36.4 (97.5)	36.5 (97.7)	37.6 (99.7)	37.2 (99.0)	36.1 (97.0)	35.9 (96.6)	32.9 (91.2)	32.8 (91.0)	37.6 (99.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	24.1 (75.4)	24.8 (76.6)	26.0 (78.8)	28.1 (82.6)	29.8 (85.6)	30.4 (86.7)	30.4 (86.7)	30.0 (86.0)	29.5 (85.1)	28.3 (82.9)	26.9 (80.4)	24.7 (76.5)	27.7 (81.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)	21.3 (70.3)	21.9 (71.4)	23.0 (73.4)	25.1 (77.2)	26.8 (80.2)	27.5 (81.5)	27.5 (81.5)	27.2 (81.0)	26.7 (80.1)	25.5 (77.9)	24.2 (75.6)	21.9 (71.4)	24.9 (76.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	18.5 (65.3)	19.1 (66.4)	20.0 (68.0)	22.1 (71.8)	23.8 (74.8)	24.7 (76.5)	24.6 (76.3)	24.4 (75.9)	23.8 (74.8)	22.6 (72.7)	21.4 (70.5)	19.1 (66.4)	22.0 (71.6)
Record low °C (°F)	11.4 (52.5)	11.6 (52.9)	12.6 (54.7)	15.5 (59.9)	17.2 (63.0)	19.0 (66.2)	13.4 (56.1)	15.0 (59.0)	16.0 (60.8)	16.0 (60.8)	14.0 (57.2)	11.5 (52.7)	11.4 (52.5)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	146.0 (5.75)	91.1 (3.59)	55.1 (2.17)	56.4 (2.22)	215.0 (8.46)	183.4 (7.22)	230.5 (9.07)	321.1 (12.64)	343.3 (13.52)	260.7 (10.26)	268.6 (10.57)	158.0 (6.22)	2,329.2 (91.70)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm)	15	9	7	5	11	12	13	16	17	14	16	15	150
Average relative humidity (%)	80	82	82	84	85	85	85	86	86	83	84	82	84
Source: PAGASA[13][14]

Demographics

Population census of Basco

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 2,347 —     1918 2,338 −0.03% 1939 2,782 +0.83% 1948 3,312 +1.96% 1960 2,868 −1.19% 1970 3,757 +2.73% 1975 3,984 +1.18% 1980 4,341 +1.73%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 5,729 +2.81% 1995 5,772 +0.14% 2000 6,717 +3.30% 2007 7,517 +1.56% 2010 7,907 +1.86% 2015 8,579 +1.57% 2020 9,517 +2.21% 2024 9,647 +0.33%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[15][16][10][17][18][9][19]

In the 2020 census, Basco had a population of 9,517.^[20] The population density was 190 inhabitants per square kilometre (490/sq mi).

Economy

Poverty incidence of Basco

5 10 15 20 2000 9.66 2003 9.97 2006 4.10 2009 5.14 2012 16.87 2015 14.40 2018 7.01 2021 4.36 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Basco is part of the lone congressional district of the province of Batanes. It is governed by a mayor, designated as its local chief executive, and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council
(2025–2028)^[29]

Position	Name
Congressman	Ciriaco Gato Jr.
Mayor	Millo Caccam
Vice-Mayor	Cholo Gabotero
Councilors	Ankie Redondo
	Jacklord N. Labrador
	Carla A. Cordel
	Paking Castillo
	Eulalia Gordon
	Teresita Vinalay
	John Paul Castillo
	Aren Joseph C. Veracruz

Transportation

Basco is accessible by air from Manila via Basco Airport. It is served by PAL Express at present. The other airlines previously operating at Basco Airport have stopped their operations after the COVID 19 pandemic, except for SkyPasada via Tuguegarao Airport in Cagayan. These airlines are the only two airlines available for air travel as of 2024. Planes from Basco Airport are bound to only three places: (1) to Manila, served by PAL Express; (2) to Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, served by SkyPasada; and (3) to Itbayat Island, an island municipality of Batanes Province.

Telecommunication

Mobile and internet services are primarily provided by telecom companies such as Smart Communications and Globe Telecom.

Education

The Schools Division of Batanes governs the town's public education system. The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region.^[30] The Basco Schools Distric Office governs the public and private elementary and high schools throughout the municipality.^[31]

Primary and elementary schools

• Basco Central School
• Chanarian Elementary School
• Diptan Elementary School
• Tukon Elementary School

Secondary schools

• Batanes National Science High School
• Batanes General Comprehensive High School
• Valugan Integrated School

Higher educational institutions

• Batanes State College
• Saint Dominic College of Batanes

Media

AM

• 1134 kHz DWBT Radyo Pilipinas Batanes^[32]

FM

• 95.7 MHz DZYV Radio Yvatan
• 97.5 MHz DZNB Radyo Kayvayvanan Community Radio^[33]
• 103.7 MHz DWWF Radyo Natin Basco

TV

• Channel 7 DWAZ-TV GMA Network Batanes

Notes

1. Ivatan: Kavahayan nu Basco; Ilocano: Ili ti Basco; Tagalog: Bayan ng Basco