Gutalac

Gutalac, officially the Municipality of Gutalac (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Gutalac; Subanen: Benwa Gutalac; Chavacano: Municipalidad de Gutalac; Tagalog: Bayan ng Gutalac), is a municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 36,090 people.^[5]

Gutalac
Municipality
Municipality of Gutalac
Flag Seal
Map of Zamboanga del Norte with Gutalac highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Gutalac Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 7°59′N 122°24′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Zamboanga Peninsula
Province	Zamboanga del Norte
District	3rd district
Founded	1979
Barangays	33 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Eddie Justin T. Quimbo (Lakas)
• Vice Mayor	Aljohn M. Garzon (Lakas)
• Representative	Adrian Michael A. Amatong (Liberal)
• Municipal Council	Members Arnold C. Dagodog Onesimo L. Coma, Jr. Cherie May L. Enero Christine Monique V. Howa Gina M. Garzon Manuel M. Gato Floro J. Serda, Jr Wilfredo J. Landong
• Electorate	27,304 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	492.86 km2 (190.29 sq mi)
Elevation	130 m (430 ft)
Highest elevation	333 m (1,093 ft)
Lowest elevation	16 m (52 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	37,512
• Density	76/km2 (200/sq mi)
• Households	9,109
Economy
• Income class	2nd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	57.35 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 297.3 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 399.6 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 234.8 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 89.2 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative (ZANECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	7108
PSGC	0907223000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)65
Native languages	Subanon Cebuano Chavacano Tagalog
Website	gutalac.zamboangadelnorte.com

History

Records show that the territories comprising the municipality was supposedly part of a municipality to be known as Panganuran, which was created through Executive Order No. 116 signed by President Diosdado Macapagal on October 1, 1964 upon separation of nine "barrios and sitios" of Labason. The seat of government was designated at then Barrio Gutalac.^[6] It is uncertain if either the territory existed for a while or the order was not implemented.

By virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 19 issued on March 6, 1979, the municipality of Gutalac was organized upon separation of ten barangays in the western part of Labason, with Barangay Gutalac the seat of government.^[7][8] A plebiscite was held on April 17.^[9] It was officially created on December 22.^[8]

Geography

Barangays

Gutalac is politically subdivided into 33 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

• Bacong
• Bagong Silang
• Banganon
• Bayanihan
• Buenavista
• Canupong
• Cocob
• Datagan
• Imelda
• Immaculada Concepcion
• La Libertad
• Loay
• Lower Lux
• Lux
• Malian
• Mamawan
• Map
• Matunoy
• New Dapitan
• Panganuran
• Pitawe
• Pitogo
• Poblacion (Gutalac)
• Salvador
• San Isidro
• San Juan
• San Roque
• San Vicente
• Santo Niño
• Sas
• Sibalic
• Tipan
• Upper Gutalac

Climate

Climate data for Gutalac, Zamboanga del Norte
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	29 (84)	29 (84)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	29 (84)	29 (83)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	98 (3.9)	78 (3.1)	116 (4.6)	115 (4.5)	222 (8.7)	281 (11.1)	272 (10.7)	282 (11.1)	237 (9.3)	258 (10.2)	180 (7.1)	108 (4.3)	2,247 (88.6)
Average rainy days	19.6	18.6	21.8	22.9	29.0	28.6	28.7	28.3	27.0	28.6	25.9	22.1	301.1
Source: Meteoblue[10]

Famous Landmark

Manungos Hill is visited due to its overlooking view of the area.^[11]

Demographics

Population census of Gutalac

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1980	10,405	—
1990	17,589	+5.39%
1995	25,022	+6.83%
2000	28,215	+2.61%
2007	29,883	+0.80%
2010	32,153	+2.70%
2015	34,654	+1.44%
2020	36,090	+0.86%
2024	37,512	+0.93%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Gutalac

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 2000 69.19 2003 73.47 2006 71.10 2009 70.41 2012 67.40 2015 61.40 2018 59.66 2021 57.35 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

Schools

There are 33 public elementary, three (3) basic high and one (1) senior high school in Gutalac.

Elementary Schools

Source:^[25]

Gutalac I

• Banganon ES
• Canuto Enerio ES
• Datagan ES
• Gutalac CS
• La Libertad ES
• Lower Lux ES
• Lux ES
• Matunoy PS
• Panganuran ES
• Pitogo ES
• Rosalina M. Carloto Mem. ES
• San Isidro ES
• San Juan ES
• San Roque ES
• San Vicente ES
• Sibalic ES

Gutalac II

• Bacong ES
• Bagong Silang ES
• Bayanihan ES
• Buenavista ES
• Canupong PS
• Cocob ES
• Gacsod ES
• Immaculada Concepcion ES
• Malian PS
• Mamawan ES

Basic High School

Source:^[26]

• Gutalac National High School
• Gutalac National High School- Canuto Enerio Ext.
• Gutalac National High School - Mamawan Annex

Senior High School

• Riverside Community School (General Academic Strand)^[27]