Sablan, Benguet

Sablan, officially the Municipality of Sablan (Ilocano: Ili ti Sablan; Tagalog: Bayan ng Sablan), is a municipality in the province of Benguet, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 11,588 people, making it the least populated municipality in the province.^[5]

Sablan
Municipality
Municipality of Sablan
Sablan Municipal Hall
Flag Seal
Map of Benguet with Sablan highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Sablan Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 16°29′48″N 120°29′15″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cordillera Administrative Region
Province	Benguet
District	Lone district
Barangays	8 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Alfredo B. Dacumos Jr.
• Vice Mayor	Arthur C. Baldo
• Representative	Nestor B. Fongwan
• Electorate	8,088 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	105.63 km2 (40.78 sq mi)
Elevation	497 m (1,631 ft)
Highest elevation	1,117 m (3,665 ft)
Lowest elevation	51 m (167 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	12,436
• Density	120/km2 (300/sq mi)
• Households	2,819
Economy
• Income class	5th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	10.58 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 123.4 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 213.4 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 95.04 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 47.16 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2614
PSGC	1401112000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)74
Native languages	Kankanaey language Ibaloi Ilocano Tagalog

Etymology

The term "Sablan" was derived from the local word "Sabdang", a local tree which thrived in the area.^[6]

History

Sablan was created officially as a municipal district on July 1, 1927, under Executive Order No. 61 dated May 17, 1927 by then American Governor General Leonard Wood.

Geography

The Municipality of Sablan is at the mid-western tip of Benguet. It is bounded by Kapangan on the north, Tublay on the northeast, La Trinidad on the east, Baguio in the southeast, Tuba in the south, Aringay on the southwest, and Burgos to the west.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 105.63 square kilometres (40.78 sq mi) ^[7] constituting 3.81% of the 2,769.08-square-kilometre- (1,069.15 sq mi) total area of Benguet.

Sablan is situated 22.62 kilometres (14.06 mi) from the provincial capital La Trinidad, and 258.68 kilometres (160.74 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

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

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2024[9]		2010[10]
141112002	Bagong	5.8%	719	764	▾	−0.42%
141112003	Balluay	5.4%	667	507	▴	1.94%
141112004	Banangan	16.0%	1,994	1,756	▴	0.89%
141112005	Banengbeng	7.1%	889	1,108	▾	−1.53%
141112006	Bayabas	19.8%	2,465	2,068	▴	1.24%
141112007	Kamog	12.0%	1,488	1,064	▴	2.37%
141112010	Pappa	5.0%	624	594	▴	0.35%
141112011	Poblacion	22.0%	2,742	2,650	▴	0.24%
	Total		12,436	11,588	▴	0.50%

Climate

Climate data for Sablan, Benguet
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	25 (77)	24 (75)	23 (73)	21 (70)	21 (70)	21 (70)	22 (72)	23 (73)	22 (72)	23 (73)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	12 (54)	12 (54)	14 (57)	16 (61)	17 (63)	16 (61)	16 (61)	16 (61)	16 (61)	15 (59)	14 (57)	12 (54)	15 (59)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	15 (0.6)	16 (0.6)	24 (0.9)	33 (1.3)	102 (4.0)	121 (4.8)	177 (7.0)	165 (6.5)	144 (5.7)	170 (6.7)	56 (2.2)	23 (0.9)	1,046 (41.2)
Average rainy days	6.3	6.6	9.5	12.8	20.6	23.5	25.4	23.4	23.2	21.4	14.0	8.2	194.9
Source: Meteoblue[11]

Demographics

Population census of Sablan

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1939	2,930	—
1948	2,786	−0.56%
1960	4,741	+4.53%
1970	5,681	+1.82%
1975	7,345	+5.29%
1980	7,900	+1.47%
1990	8,440	+0.66%
1995	9,170	+1.57%
2000	9,652	+1.10%
2007	10,890	+1.68%
2010	10,511	−1.28%
2015	11,457	+1.65%
2020	11,588	+0.24%
2024	12,436	+1.71%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][10][14][15]

In the 2020 census, Sablan had a population of 11,588.^[16] The population density was 110 inhabitants per square kilometre (280/sq mi).

Economy

Poverty incidence of Sablan

10 20 30 40 50 2000 49.10 2003 33.32 2006 14.10 2009 19.29 2012 9.19 2015 6.75 2018 8.71 2021 10.58 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Sablan, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Benguet, 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)^[25]

Position	Name
Congressman	Eric G. Yap
Mayor	Alfredo B.Dacumos Jr.
Vice-Mayor	Arthur C. Baldo
Councilors	Johny C. Cutay
	Harold H. Busoy
	Cesar B. Calado
	Romeo P. Amboy
	Jefferson I. Carame
	Cornelio I. Almacen
	Jerry W. Olanio
	Arthur F. De Leon

Education

The Sablan Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.^[26]

Public schools

As of 2014, Sablan has 14 public elementary schools and 2 public secondary schools.^[27][28][29]

Elementary (2013-2014)[29] School Barangay Amsalsal Primary School Banengbeng Bayabas MG School Bayabas Ebbes Elementary School Banengbeng Jose Gonzales Elementary School Bagong Mating Mang-osan Elementary School Banangan Michael G. Angel Elementary School Kamog Omas Ampaguey Elementary School Balluay Palali Elementary School Poblacion Pappa MG School Pappa Sa'dul Primary School Bagong Sablan Central School Poblacion Talete MG School Bayabas Taya MG School Pappa Yabyabuan MG School Bagong

Secondary (2013-2014)[28] School Barangay Sablan National High School Kamog Sablan National High School - Balluay Extension Balluay

Private schools

Saint Louis School of Sablan is the only private secondary school in the municipality, located at Barangay Poblacion.

Transportation

A major road within Sablan include Naguilian Road (formerly Quirino Highway).

Gallery

• 
  Municipal hall
• 
  Downtown Sablan
• 
  Fruit and souvenir stalls along Naguilian Road
• 
  Immaculate Conception Parish Church
• 
  Rural landscape

Notes