Kabugao

Not to be confused with Cabugao.

Kabugao, officially the Municipality of Kabugao (Ilocano: Ili ti Kabugao; Itawis: Babalay yo Kabugao; Tagalog: Bayan ng Kabugao), is a municipality and de jure capital of the province of Apayao, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 16,215 people.^[3]

Kabugao
Municipality
Municipality of Kabugao
Landscape in Barangay Dibagat
Map of Apayao with Kabugao highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Kabugao Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 18°01′26″N 121°11′00″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cordillera Administrative Region
Province	Apayao
District	Lone district
Founded	1950
Barangays	21 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Bensmar B. Ligwang (PRP)
• Vice Mayor	Fabulous B. Tucjang (NPC)
• Representative	Eleanor Bulut-Begtang
• Municipal Council	Members Benjie Ace L. Talimbatog Felipe B. Irving Vandolf A. Alitan Pedro B. Dandan Venancio D. Culdong Sedolito Bernard A. Agunos Gregorio B. Ligwang Arellano C. Culdong Jr.
• Electorate	12,081 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	935.12 km2 (361.05 sq mi)
Elevation	262 m (860 ft)
Highest elevation	689 m (2,260 ft)
Lowest elevation	78 m (256 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	16,215
• Density	17/km2 (45/sq mi)
• Households	3,506
Economy
• Income class	1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	19.11 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 355.8 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 772.7 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 184.6 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 0.1045 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Kalinga - Apayao Electric Cooperative (KAELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	3809
PSGC	1408104000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)74
Native languages	Isnag Itawis Ilocano Tagalog

History

On July 12, 1915, Governor General Francis Burton Harrison issued Executive Order No. 45, transferring the capital of then sub-province of Apayao from Tauit to Kabugao, to be effective on August 1.^[5]

Kabugao was occupied for a year by the Japanese during the Second World War.^[6] It was captured in December 1942, after the USAFIP NL retreated from the town.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 935.12 square kilometres (361.05 sq mi) ^[7] constituting 21.19% of the 4,413.35-square-kilometre- (1,704.00 sq mi) total area of Apayao.

Kabugao is 606 kilometres (377 mi) from Manila.

Barangays

Kabugao is politically subdivided into 21 barangays.^[8] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2020[3]		2010[9]
148104001	Badduat	6.6%	1,065	1,000	▴	0.63%
148104002	Baliwanan	2.9%	467	478	▾	−0.23%
148104004	Bulu	2.5%	401	298	▴	3.01%
148104007	Cabetayan	3.7%	597	556	▴	0.71%
148104005	Dagara	2.7%	437	484	▾	−1.02%
148104006	Dibagat	3.8%	616	797	▾	−2.54%
148104008	Karagawan	4.2%	676	676		0.00%
148104009	Kumao	3.5%	575	557	▴	0.32%
148104010	Laco	2.6%	427	410	▴	0.41%
148104011	Lenneng (Liyyeng)	15.9%	2,572	2,396	▴	0.71%
148104012	Lucab	3.5%	565	660	▾	−1.54%
148104013	Luttuacan	6.3%	1,014	786	▴	2.58%
148104014	Madatag	5.0%	818	766	▴	0.66%
148104015	Madduang	3.9%	626	423	▴	4.00%
148104016	Magabta	1.2%	191	215	▾	−1.18%
148104017	Maragat	1.7%	276	503	▾	−5.82%
148104018	Musimut	5.2%	842	822	▴	0.24%
148104019	Nagbabalayan	3.0%	482	511	▾	−0.58%
148104020	Poblacion	19.5%	3,154	3,217	▾	−0.20%
148104021	Tuyangan	1.4%	223	334	▾	−3.96%
148104022	Waga	1.2%	191	281	▾	−3.79%
	Total		16,215	16,215		0.00%

Dibagat

A typical home in Barangay Dibagat

Barangay Dibagat is inhabited by the Isnag and the Ilocano. There is a small grass airstrip built by SIL in 1985. Dibagat was only accessible before by canoe or by specialized aircraft, until the construction of Ilocos Norte–Apayao Road.

Climate

Climate data for Kabugao, Apayao
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	25 (77)	26 (79)	29 (84)	31 (88)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	28 (82)	27 (81)	25 (77)	29 (83)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	20 (68)	20 (68)	21 (70)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	22 (72)	21 (70)	23 (72)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	133 (5.2)	87 (3.4)	68 (2.7)	44 (1.7)	127 (5.0)	134 (5.3)	160 (6.3)	162 (6.4)	134 (5.3)	192 (7.6)	194 (7.6)	260 (10.2)	1,695 (66.7)
Average rainy days	18.1	13.3	13.3	11.8	19.7	20.9	22.8	22.8	20.3	16.6	18.4	21.7	219.7
Source: Meteoblue[10]

Demographics

Population census of Kabugao

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1918	3,448	—
1939	4,646	+1.43%
1948	4,545	−0.24%
1960	5,961	+2.29%
1970	7,358	+2.13%
1975	8,720	+3.46%
1980	9,600	+1.94%
1990	11,198	+1.55%
1995	12,710	+2.40%
2000	13,985	+2.07%
2007	14,529	+0.53%
2010	16,170	+3.97%
2015	15,537	−0.76%
2020	16,215	+0.84%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[11][9][12][13]

In the 2020 census, Kabugao had a population of 16,215.^[3] The population density was 17 inhabitants per square kilometre (44/sq mi).

Language

Ilocano and Isnag are the main languages spoken in Kabugao.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Kabugao

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 2000 51.96 2003 36.27 2006 39.20 2009 40.58 2012 63.90 2015 24.88 2018 35.34 2021 19.11 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Kabugao, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Apayao, 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
(2022–2025)^[22]

Position	Name
Governor	Elias C. Bulut Jr.
Mayor	Bensmar B. Ligwang
Vice-Mayor	Fabulous Tucjang
Councilors	Benjie Ace Talimbatog
	Gregorio B. Ligwang
	Venancio Culdong
	Pedro Dandan
	Felipe Irving
	Vandolf Alitan
	Arellano C. Culdong Jr.
LNB President	Frederick C. Amid
IPMR	James S. Amid
SK Federation President	Jazreal Jamila C. Enciso

Education

In 1948, Rev. Louis Saunders of an evangelical Protestant sect, The Disciples of Christ, opened the Apayao Christian Academy, Kabugao's first secondary school. In 1950, amidst rivalry among churches, the Catholics started its own secondary school, Our Blessed Lady of Lourdes.^[6]