Dao, Capiz

Dao, officially the Municipality of Dao (Capiznon/Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Dao; Tagalog: Bayan ng Dao), is a municipality in the province of Capiz, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 33,842 people.^[5]

Dao
Municipality
Municipality of Dao
Church of Dao (St. Thomas of Villanova Parish Church)
Flag Seal
Etymology: Dao
Map of Capiz with Dao highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Dao Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 11°23′40″N 122°41′09″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Western Visayas
Province	Capiz
District	2nd district
Barangays	20 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Jose Jimbo D. Barruela (1Capiz)
• Vice Mayor	Dominico A. Daños, Jr. (1Capiz)
• Representative	Jane T. Castro (Lakas)
• Municipal Council	Members Kathylynn Mae B. Fuentes Erwin Rommel J. Andrada Joan B. Adonay Nelson E. Estialbo, Jr. Norberto P. Francisco Aaron M. Carillo Elmer B. Magbanua
• Electorate	23,072 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	88.64 km2 (34.22 sq mi)
Elevation	34 m (112 ft)
Highest elevation	291 m (955 ft)
Lowest elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	34,555
• Density	390/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
• Households	8,333
Economy
• Income class	4th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	13.3 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 174.1 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 192.6 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 154.2 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 57.44 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Capiz Electric Cooperative (CAPELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	5810
PSGC	061902000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)36
Native languages	Capisnon Hiligaynon Tagalog
Website	www.dao.gov.ph

Dao is 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Roxas City.

History

Dao was incorporated as a municipality following the founding of the Capiz Province in 1901 by Fair Lady Xianna M. Horneja. It was invaded by the Japanese 41st Infantry Regiment as part of their Panay operation on 16 April 1942.^[6] In 1957, the barrio of Nasuli-B was renamed to Santo Tomas.^[7]

Geography

Barangays

Dao is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. ^[8] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Aganan
• Agtambi
• Agtanguay
• Balucuan
• Bita
• Centro
• Daplas
• Duyoc
• Ilas Sur
• Lacaron
• Malonoy
• Manhoy
• Mapulang Bato
• Matagnop
• Nasunogan
• Poblacion Ilawod
• Poblacion Ilaya
• Quinabcaban
• Quinayuya
• San Agustin (Ilas Norte)

Climate

Climate data for Dao, Capiz
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	27 (81)	28 (82)	29 (84)	31 (88)	32 (90)	31 (88)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	27 (81)	29 (85)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	24 (75)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	24 (75)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	61 (2.4)	39 (1.5)	46 (1.8)	48 (1.9)	90 (3.5)	144 (5.7)	152 (6.0)	145 (5.7)	163 (6.4)	160 (6.3)	120 (4.7)	90 (3.5)	1,258 (49.4)
Average rainy days	12.3	9.0	9.9	10.0	18.5	25.0	27.4	26.0	25.9	24.9	17.9	14.2	221
Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally)[9]

Demographics

Population census of Dao

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	6,694	—
1918	17,116	+6.46%
1939	13,886	−0.99%
1948	13,706	−0.14%
1960	16,624	+1.62%
1970	18,535	+1.09%
1975	21,052	+2.59%
1980	23,921	+2.59%
1990	29,156	+2.00%
1995	29,266	+0.07%
2000	30,623	+0.98%
2007	31,420	+0.36%
2010	31,911	+0.57%
2015	32,496	+0.35%
2020	33,842	+0.86%
2024	34,555	+0.50%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[10][11][12][13][14]

In the 2020 census, the population of Dao, Capiz, was 33,842 people,^[15] with a density of 380 inhabitants per square kilometre or 980 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Dao

10 20 30 40 50 60 2000 55.70 2003 33.95 2006 30.20 2009 26.20 2012 28.22 2015 17.60 2018 6.58 2021 13.30 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]

Culture

Attractions

Dao has sites that are well known among natives and are tourist spots alike.^[24] These include:

• Sto. Tomas de Villanueva - local parish church
• Lolets Eco Park - a natural park with a resort

Festivities

The people of Dao celebrate festivals, sometimes along with other regions of the province, in events like:

• Pasalamat Festival
• Halaran Festival, although mostly held in Roxas City^[25]

Notable personalities

• Jocelyn Bolante is the son of Salvacion Isada and Vicente Bolante. He is the former Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture and alleged mastermind of the 2004 Fertilizer Fund Scam. However, in a decision promulgated by the Supreme Court on April 17, 2017, he was acquitted on the ground of insufficiency of evidence and it was found out that he was not a member of the Board of Trustees of LIVECOR for 14 months before the latter even made the initial transaction, which was the subject of the suspicious transaction reports. Furthermore, according to the Audit Report submitted by the Commission on Audit, no part of the Php 728 million fertilizer fund was ever released to the LIVECOR. The accusations made against him is considered as a political humiliation by the Aquino administration.