Bauko

Bauko, officially the Municipality of Bauko (Kankanaey: Ili di Bauko; Balangao: Babley hen Bauko; Bontok: Ili nan Bauko; Ilocano: Ili ti Bauko; Tagalog: Bayan ng Bauko; Spanish: Municipio de Baúco) is a municipality in the province of Mountain Province, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 32,021 people.^[5]

Bauko
Municipality
Municipality of Bauko
Bauko seen from Benguet
Seal
Map of Mountain Province with Bauko highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Bauko Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 16°59′30″N 120°51′52″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cordillera Administrative Region
Province	Mountain Province
District	Lone district
Barangays	22 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Randolf T. Awisan
• Vice Mayor	Bartolome B. Badecao
• Representative	Maximo Y. Dalog Jr.
• Municipal Council	Members Ashley T. Sili Gil B. Lumpisa Tomas B. Tanggacan Edna B. Capuyan Eduardo A. Patnay Mario I. Gaoken Jackson C. Codod Arcadio B. Taganas
• Electorate	26,811 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	153.00 km2 (59.07 sq mi)
Elevation	1,359 m (4,459 ft)
Highest elevation	1,915 m (6,283 ft)
Lowest elevation	751 m (2,464 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	31,470
• Density	210/km2 (530/sq mi)
• Households	7,360
Economy
• Income class	4th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	10.99 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 197.1 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 245.3 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 208.3 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 158.5 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Mountain Province Electric Cooperative (MOPRECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2621
PSGC	1404402000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)74
Native languages	Kankanaey language Balangao Bontoc Ilocano Tagalog
Website	lgubauko.gov.ph

History

Chico River Dam Project

Bauko was one of several municipalities in Mountain Province which would have been flooded by the Chico River Dam Project during the Marcos dictatorship, alongside Bontoc, Sabangan, Sadanga, Sagada, and parts of Barlig.^[6] However, the indigenous peoples of Kalinga Province and Mountain Province resisted the project and when hostilities resulted in the murder of Macli-ing Dulag, the project became unpopular and was abandoned before Marcos was ousted by the 1986 People Power Revolution.^[7]

Geography

The Municipality of Bauko is the largest town in Mountain Province.

Bauko is situated 27.72 kilometres (17.22 mi) from the provincial capital Bontoc, and 364.48 kilometres (226.48 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Bauko is politically subdivided into 22 barangays, divided into the upper and lower areas. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Abatan
• Bagnen Oriente
• Bagnen Proper
• Balintaugan
• Banao
• Bila
• Guinzadan Central
• Guinzadan Norte
• Guinzadan Sur
• Lagawa
• Leseb
• Mabaay
• Mayag
• Monamon Norte
• Monamon Sur
• Mount Data
• Otucan Norte
• Otucan Sur
• Poblacion (Bauko)
• Sadsadan
• Sinto
• Tapapan

Climate

Climate data for Bauko, Mountain Province
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	20 (68)	21 (70)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	22 (72)	23 (73)	23 (73)	22 (72)	20 (68)	22 (72)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	13 (55)	14 (57)	15 (59)	16 (61)	18 (64)	18 (64)	18 (64)	18 (64)	17 (63)	16 (61)	15 (59)	14 (57)	16 (61)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	35 (1.4)	46 (1.8)	63 (2.5)	117 (4.6)	402 (15.8)	400 (15.7)	441 (17.4)	471 (18.5)	440 (17.3)	258 (10.2)	94 (3.7)	68 (2.7)	2,835 (111.6)
Average rainy days	9.9	19.5	13.9	18.9	26.0	27.3	28.9	28.5	26.1	19.7	14.5	12.8	246
Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally)[8]

Demographics

Population census of Bauko

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 82 —     1918 7,994 +35.71% 1939 8,322 +0.19% 1948 8,347 +0.03% 1960 12,229 +3.23% 1970 14,104 +1.43%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1975 14,808 +0.98% 1980 16,688 +2.42% 1990 21,126 +2.39% 1995 24,242 +2.61% 2000 27,729 +2.92% 2007 29,382 +0.80%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2010 30,172 +0.97% 2015 31,065 +0.56% 2020 32,021 +0.64% 2024 31,470 −0.42%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[9][10][11][12][13]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Bauko

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 2000 60.30 2003 29.74 2006 13.40 2009 34.40 2012 21.12 2015 24.53 2018 21.75 2021 10.99 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Bauko, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Mountain Province, 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 (2019–2022):^[22]

• Congressman: Maximo Y. Dalog Jr.
• Mayor: Abraham B. Akilit
• Vice-Mayor: Bartolome B. Badecao
• Councilors:
  • Ashley T. Sili
  • Simon C. Lacwasan
  • Sabado T. Pussan Sr.
  • Labor M. Masidong
  • Stanly C. Dangatan
  • Tomas B. Tanggacan
  • Cornelio C. Matias
  • Arcadio B. Taganas

Education

There are two schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.^[23] These are Bauko I Schools District Office, and Bauko II Schools District Office.

Primary and elementary schools

• Abatan Elementary School
• Ambacbac Elementary School
• Asbiagan Primary School
• Bagnen Oriente Elementary School
• Bagnen Elementary School
• Banao Elementary School
• Bansa Elementary School
• Bauko Central School
• Bebe Elementary School
• Bila Elementary School
• Binaka Elementary School
• Bright Prodigy Academy of Bauko
• Caotit Primary School
• Coputan Primary School
• Cotcot Primary School
• Gotang Primary School
• Guinzadan Elementary School
• Guinzadan Norte Elementary School
• Lagawa Elementary School
• Lebao Primary School
• Leseb Elementary School
• Letang Elementary School
• Mabaay Elementary School
• Mayag Elementary School
• Monamon Elementary School
• Monamon Proper Elementary School
• Mount Data Elementary School
• Nanggawa Primary School
• Otucan Elementary School
• Otucan Norte Elementary School
• Pactil Elementary School
• Pangao Elementary School
• Pitpitan Elementary School
• Sadsadan Bato Elementary School
• Sadsadan Trail Elementary School
• Salin Elementary School
• Sengyew Primary School
• Shalimar Crown Academy
• Sinto Elementary School
• Soysoyoc Primary School
• Tamog-o Elementary School
• Tapapan Elementary School

Secondary schools

• Abatan National High School
• Bagnen National High School
• Banao National High School
• Bansa National High School
• Bauko Catholic School
• Guinzadan National High School
• Guinzadan National High School - Mayag Extension
• Leseb National High School
• Mabaay National High School
• Mt. Data National High School
• Otucan-Bila National High School
• Tapapan National High School
• Tipunan National High School

Higher educational institution

• Mountain Province State Polytechnic College

Notable personalities

• Maximo Dalog, Mt. Province Representative/congressman, lawmaker, governor, board member
• Marky Cielo, actor