Biliran, Biliran

Biliran (IPA: [bɪ'lirɐn]), officially the Municipality of Biliran (Waray: Bungto han Biliran; Cebuano: Lungsod sa Biliran; Tagalog: Bayan ng Biliran), is a municipality in the province of the same name, Biliran, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 17,662 people.^[5] The town's populace predominantly speaks Waray.

Biliran
Municipality
Municipality of Biliran
Flag Seal
Map of Biliran with Biliran highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Biliran Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 11°28′N 124°29′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Province	Biliran
District	Lone district
Founded	1712
Municipal Statuses	1782-1904, 1908-1910, 1912–Present
Barangays	11 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Grace J. Casil
• Vice Mayor	Mario A. Nierras
• Representative	Gerardo J. Espina Jr.
• Councilors	List • Neil Francis C. Peñaflor • Jonas B. Jadulco • Ma. Suzette S. Talaugon • Ma. Esther Hope R. Trani • Joel C. Dacillo • Ernesto A. Gelizon • Antonio I. Renola • Carlos S. Chan DILG Masterlist of Officials
• Electorate	13,858 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	70.30 km2 (27.14 sq mi)
Elevation	78 m (256 ft)
Highest elevation	859 m (2,818 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	18,721
• Density	270/km2 (690/sq mi)
• Households	4,358
Economy
• Income class	5th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	25.54 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 133.3 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 350.3 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 92.63 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 52.06 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Biliran Electric Cooperative (BILECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6549
PSGC	0807802000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)53
Native languages	Cebuano Waray Tagalog
Website	www.biliranmunicipality.gov.ph

Geography

Biliran serves as the gateway to the Biliran Province. It is situated in the southern part of the province connecting Biliran Island to Leyte via Biliran Bridge. The government is planning to add another bridge parallel to the old bridge for better connectivity.^[6]

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 70.30 square kilometres (27.14 sq mi) ^[7] constituting 13.12% of the 536.01-square-kilometre- (206.95 sq mi) total area of Biliran.

Barangays

Biliran is politically subdivided into 11 barangays.^[8] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2024[9]		2010[10]
087802001	Bato	9.1%	1,705	1,320	▴	1.81%
087802002	Burabod	10.5%	1,963	1,859	▴	0.38%
087802003	Busali	7.7%	1,450	1,684	▾	−1.04%
087802004	Hugpa	4.9%	913	892	▴	0.16%
087802005	Julita	9.9%	1,860	1,911	▾	−0.19%
087802006	Canila	4.7%	875	799	▴	0.64%
087802007	Pinangumhan	4.6%	852	739	▴	1.00%
087802008	San Isidro (Poblacion)	15.6%	2,926	2,841	▴	0.21%
087802009	San Roque (Poblacion)	12.8%	2,396	2,306	▴	0.27%
087802010	Sanggalang	6.1%	1,136	1,039	▴	0.63%
087802011	Villa Enage (Baras)	4.3%	806	793	▴	0.11%
	Total		18,721	16,183	▴	1.02%

Climate

Climate data for Biliran, Biliran
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	28 (82)	29 (84)	29 (84)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	30 (85)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	24 (75)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	73 (2.9)	56 (2.2)	75 (3.0)	71 (2.8)	114 (4.5)	174 (6.9)	172 (6.8)	163 (6.4)	167 (6.6)	161 (6.3)	158 (6.2)	125 (4.9)	1,509 (59.5)
Average rainy days	15.2	12.5	16.2	17.3	23.9	27.3	28.4	26.9	26.9	27.1	23.8	19.3	264.8
Source: Meteoblue[11]

Demographics

Population census of Biliran

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	2,362	—
1918	5,373	+5.63%
1939	9,218	+2.60%
1948	11,469	+2.46%
1960	8,138	−2.82%
1970	8,841	+0.83%
1975	9,801	+2.09%
1980	10,989	+2.31%
1990	11,531	+0.48%
1995	13,775	+3.39%
2000	13,817	+0.07%
2007	14,947	+1.09%
2010	16,183	+2.93%
2015	16,882	+0.81%
2020	17,662	+0.96%
2024	18,721	+1.41%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][10][14][15]

In the 2020 census, Biliran had a population of 17,662.^[16] The population density was 250 inhabitants per square kilometre (650/sq mi).

Economy

Poverty incidence of Biliran

10 20 30 40 50 2000 43.03 2003 34.86 2006 23.30 2009 33.18 2012 32.65 2015 27.70 2018 22.42 2021 25.54 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

Transportation

Biliran Bridge

Built during the presidency of Marcos, the Biliran Bridge is the only land access to the island of Leyte and throughout the island province. Completed around 1975, This bridge is approximately 150 meters long and its main span is kept in location by an arched steel structure that hovers above a brief and narrow water channel measuring at about 40 meters broad low tide.^[25]