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Tagbilaran
Component city
City of Tagbilaran
Plaza Rizal
Plaza Rizal
Flag of Tagbilaran
Flag
Official seal of Tagbilaran
Seal
Map of Bohol with Tagbilaran highlighted
Map of Bohol with Tagbilaran highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Tagbilaran is located in Philippines
Tagbilaran
Tagbilaran
Location in Philippines
Country Philippines
Region Central Visayas
Province Bohol
District [[{{#property:P7938}} | — Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1804: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).]]
Incorporated
  • Municipality
  • City

9 February 1742
1 July 1966
Barangays 15 (see Barangays)
Government
 • Type Sangguniang Panlungsod
Area
 • Total 36.50 km2 (14.09 sq mi)
Elevation
39 m (128 ft)
Highest elevation
449 m (1,473 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)
 • Total 104,976
 • Density 2,876.1/km2 (7,448.9/sq mi)
 • Households
23,078
Economy
 • Income class 3rd city income class
 • Poverty incidence
10.46
% (2021)
 • Revenue ₱ 985.1 million (2020)
 • Assets ₱ 2,634 million (2020)
 • Expenditure ₱ 939.7 million (2020)
 • Liabilities ₱ 512.8 million (2020)
Service provider
 • Electricity Bohol Light Company (BLCI)
Time zone UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
6300
PSGC
[https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psgc/?q=psgc/barangays/{{#pro000&regcode={{&provcode=
  1. p {{#property:P988}} ]
IDD:area code  +63 (0)38
Native languages Boholano dialect
Cebuano
Tagalog
Website tagbilaran.gov.ph

Tagbilaran, officially known as the City of Tagbilaran, is a special type of city in the Philippines. It is the capital city of the province of Bohol. In 2020, about 104,976 people lived there, making it the most populated city in Bohol.

The city covers an area of about 32.7 square kilometers. It has a coastline of 13 kilometers on the southwestern part of Bohol Island. Tagbilaran shares its borders with the towns of Cortes, Corella, and Baclayon.

Tagbilaran is the main entry point to Bohol. It is located about 630 kilometers southeast of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It is also 72 kilometers south of Cebu City, which is the main city in the region.

What Does the Name Tagbilaran Mean?

The name Tagbilaran comes from old stories. It is believed to be a changed version of "Tagubilaan". This word combines "tagu" (meaning "to hide") and "Bilaan", which refers to the Blaan people. The Blaan people were known to raid the Visayan Islands.

Another idea is that the name comes from "tinabilan". This means "shielded" or "protected". This makes sense because Panglao Island helps protect Tagbilaran from invaders.

A Brief Look at Tagbilaran's Past

Landing Fields - Philippines - Bohol Island - NARA - 68160498
Aerial view of Tagbilaran, 1937

Long before the Spanish arrived, Tagbilaran was already a busy trading place. It traded with countries like China and Malaya. The Tagbilaran Strait was once home to the ancient kingdom of Kedatuan of Dapitan.

The Spanish first met the people of Tagbilaran in 1565. This was when the Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and the local leader Datu Sikatuna made a famous peace agreement. They sealed their friendship with a "blood compact."

Tagbilaran officially became a town on February 9, 1742. This happened when General Don Francisco Antonio Calderón de la Barca separated it from the town of Baclayon. The town was named after St. Joseph the Worker. Tagbilaran remained part of Bohol province until it became a city on July 1, 1966.

The city was taken over by the United States during the Philippine–American War. Later, it was occupied by Imperial Japan during World War II.

Sitio Ubos: The Oldest Part of Tagbilaran

Sitio Ubos means "Lower Town." It was Tagbilaran's first port and has been a busy trading spot since the 1600s. This area has the oldest and most heritage houses in Bohol.

However, Sitio Ubos became less important as a port when a causeway to Panglao Island was built. Many of its old houses were either torn down or left to decay. In 2002, Sitio Ubos was recognized for its history. It was declared a "Cultural Heritage Area." Some old houses still standing today include the Rocha–Suarez House and the Hontanosas House.

Important Historical Moments in Tagbilaran

One very important event in Philippine history is the blood compact. This was a peace treaty between Datu Sikatuna and Captain Miguel López de Legazpi. It was believed to have happened on March 16, 1565, in Bool, which is now a district of Tagbilaran.

However, in March 2006, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines corrected this. They placed a marker in Villalimpia, Hinawanan Bay, Loay. The marker states that the blood compact actually happened there on March 25, 1565. It took place inside Legazpi's ship, the San Pedro. This event marked the beginning of friendship between the Spanish and the Boholanos.

During World War II, Imperial Japanese forces took over Tagbilaran on May 17, 1942. The city government moved to Tiptip during this time. Another key event was the Battle of Ubujan. In this battle, a group of Filipino guerrillas fought bravely against Japanese troops.

How the 2013 Earthquake Affected Tagbilaran

On October 15, 2013, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 hit Bohol. Its center was near Sagbayan, Bohol. Tagbilaran was also affected. Four people died and 21 were injured in the city. Many buildings, including the seaport, airport, and city hall, were damaged.

Tagbilaran's Location and Landscape

Banat-i Hill
Banat-i Hill bordering the end of Tagbilaran

Tagbilaran is shaped like a strip of land. It has two hills: Elley Hull (100 meters high) to the south and Banat-i (145 meters high) to the north.

Understanding Tagbilaran's Climate

Climate data for Tagbilaran City (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 31.1
(88.0)
31.6
(88.9)
32.4
(90.3)
33.3
(91.9)
33.5
(92.3)
32.9
(91.2)
32.5
(90.5)
32.8
(91.0)
32.8
(91.0)
32.4
(90.3)
32.0
(89.6)
31.4
(88.5)
32.4
(90.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 26.8
(80.2)
27.1
(80.8)
27.6
(81.7)
28.5
(83.3)
29.0
(84.2)
28.7
(83.7)
28.4
(83.1)
28.7
(83.7)
28.6
(83.5)
28.2
(82.8)
27.8
(82.0)
27.2
(81.0)
28.0
(82.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 22.6
(72.7)
22.5
(72.5)
22.8
(73.0)
23.6
(74.5)
24.4
(75.9)
24.4
(75.9)
24.3
(75.7)
24.5
(76.1)
24.4
(75.9)
24.0
(75.2)
23.6
(74.5)
23.0
(73.4)
23.7
(74.7)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 101.0
(3.98)
79.6
(3.13)
76.6
(3.02)
67.5
(2.66)
81.5
(3.21)
128.2
(5.05)
126.7
(4.99)
116.3
(4.58)
126.5
(4.98)
176.3
(6.94)
178.9
(7.04)
153.6
(6.05)
1,412.6
(55.61)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) 14 11 11 9 10 15 15 13 14 18 18 16 164
Average relative humidity (%) 83 81 79 78 79 81 82 80 81 83 85 84 81
Source: PAGASA

What are Barangays?

Tagbilaran is divided into 15 smaller areas called barangays. Each barangay has its own smaller sections called puroks and sometimes sitios.

In 2020, Tagbilaran had a population of 104,976 people. About 44% of the city's population lives in the four main urban areas. These areas are also where most of the city's businesses and shops are located.

PSGC Barangay Population ±% p.a. Area PD
2010 ha acre /km2 /sq mi
071242001 Bool Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 6,132 5,972 0.17% 349 862 1,800 4,600     
071242002 Booy Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 9,838 8,800 0.74% 146 361 6,700 17,000     
071242003 Cabawan Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 1,734 1,531 0.82% 267 660 650 1,700     
071242004 Cogon Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 17,750 17,114 0.24% 204 504 8,700 23,000     
071242006 Dampas Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 9,838 8,440 1.02% 444 1,097 2,200 5,700     
071242005 Dao Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 8,858 6,772 1.79% 391 966 2,300 5,900     
071242008 Manga Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 7,224 6,460 0.74% 117 289 6,200 16,000     
071242009 Mansasa Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 6,069 6,156 −0.09% 83 205 7,300 19,000     
071242010 Poblacion I Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 3,057 3,072 −0.03% 26 64 12,000 30,000     
071242011 Poblacion II Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 5,431 5,029 0.51% 70 173 7,800 20,000     
071242012 Poblacion III Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 5,873 6,051 −0.20% 71 175 8,300 21,000     
071242013 San Isidro Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 5,424 4,821 0.78% 429 1,060 1,300 3,300     
071242014 Taloto Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 7,367 6,376 0.96% 245 605 3,000 7,800     
071242015 Tiptip Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 4,882 4,360 0.75% 282 697 1,700 4,500     
071242016 Ubujan Expression error: Missing operand for /.% 5,574 5,134 0.54% 146 361 3,800 9,900     
Total 96,792 Expression error: Unexpected < operator.% [convert: invalid number] Expression error: Unexpected / operator. Expression error: Unexpected * operator.
Tagbilaran bw-001
Map of Tagbilaran showing barangays and islands
Cogon: 17,750 (16.9%) Booy: 9,838 (9.4%) Dampas: 9,838 (9.4%) Dao: 8,858 (8.4%) Manga: 7,224 (6.9%) Taloto: 7,367 (7.0%) Mansasa: 6,069 (5.8%) Poblacion III: 5,873 (5.6%) Bool: 6,132 (5.8%) Ubujan: 5,574 (5.3%) Poblacion II: 5,431 (5.2%) San Isidro: 5,424 (5.2%) Tiptip: 4,882 (4.6%) Poblacion I: 3,057 (2.9%) Cabawan: 1,734 (1.7%)Circle frame.svg

How Many People Live in Tagbilaran?

Tagbilaran's Economy and Businesses

Island City Mall
Island City Mall (usually known as 'ICM')


Tagbilaran is Bohol's main business hub. It is also the center for government, education, and transportation. Many local and international visitors come to Bohol through Tagbilaran's port.

Some well-known local companies based in the city include Alturas Group (which runs Alturas Mall and Island City Mall) and Bohol Quality Corporation.

Exploring Tagbilaran: Tourism and Festivals

Boholtropics
Bohol Tropics Resort Club

Tagbilaran is a great starting point to explore Bohol's famous sights. These include the Chocolate Hills, tiny tarsiers, beautiful white sandy beaches, and amazing dive spots. You can also visit old churches and historical places.

The city has many hotels, resorts, and restaurants. Because of this, it has become a popular place for national meetings and events.

Fun Festivals in Tagbilaran

  • Saulog-Tagbilaran Festival: This festival takes place every year from April 20 to May 2. It includes street dancing, a boat parade, evening activities, and a beauty pageant. Families in Tagbilaran invite friends and relatives for special meals during this time.
  • Sandugo Festival: This annual festival in Tagbilaran celebrates the historic blood compact between Miguel López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna. The festival is held every July. It matches the city's Charter Day on July 1 and Bohol Province's Day on July 22.

Getting Around Tagbilaran: Transportation

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines Sea Port
Tagbilaran sea port
Tagbilaran Airport 1
Tagbilaran Airport terminal building

Tagbilaran has both paved and unpaved roads. To travel within the city, people use tricycles, multicabs, taxis, and jeepneys. For trips outside the city, buses, taxis, and vans are often used.

The Integrated Bus Terminal (IBT) in the Dao district is the main station for public transport. Buses from here travel to other towns in Bohol. You can also catch buses that go all the way to Metro Manila using the Pan-Philippine Highway (AH26). There is another bus station at Cogon market.

The city is connected by sea to major port cities in the Visayas Islands and Mindanao. Its link to Cebu City is very important for business. A fast ferry ride to Cebu City takes about 2 hours. Currently, Ocean Jet is the main ferry service on this route.

The Bohol–Panglao International Airport is located southwest of the city on Panglao Island. It opened on November 27, 2018, replacing the old Tagbilaran Airport. This airport is the main gateway for air travel to Bohol. Airlines like Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, and AirAsia Philippines use this airport. They mainly offer flights between Tagbilaran and Manila, Tagbilaran and Clark, and also to Mindanao. A flight to Manila takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Healthcare Services in Tagbilaran

Tagbilaran has both public and private hospitals and clinics. These facilities serve the health needs of the city and the rest of Bohol province. For very complex medical cases, patients are sometimes sent to nearby Cebu City because of more specialized facilities there.

Here are some of the healthcare facilities in Tagbilaran:

  • Holy Name University Medical Center Foundation, Inc.
  • Borja Family Hospital Corporation
  • Englewood Hospital
  • Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Regional Hospital (public hospital)
  • MMG Bohol Cooperative Hospital
  • Ramiro Community Hospital (private hospital)
  • Bohol St. Jude General Hospital
  • Tagbilaran Community Hospital
  • Tagbilaran Maternity and Children's Hospital

Learning in Tagbilaran: Education Centers

As the capital of Bohol, Tagbilaran is the main place for education in the province. All of Bohol's universities are located here, along with many other well-known schools.

Colleges and universities in Tagbilaran include:

  • ACLC College of Tagbilaran
  • Bohol Island State University (BISU)
  • BIT International College (BIT-IC)
  • Bohol Technical Institute (BTI)
  • Cristal e-College
  • Holy Name University
  • Holy Spirit School of Tagbilaran
  • Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHMS)
  • PMI Colleges Bohol
  • University of Bohol

Famous People from Tagbilaran

Sports Stars

  • Mark Magsayo – Boxer
  • Czar Amonsot – Boxer
  • Vanessa Sarno – Medalist in Weightlifting

Academics

  • José Abueva – A well-known scholar and academic

Artists and Cultural Figures

  • Napoleon Abueva – A famous artist

Entertainment and Media Personalities

  • Colet Vergara - Member of the Pinoy pop group Bini
  • Rich Asuncion – TV Actress
  • Maxelende Ganade – Singer-songwriter
  • Luke Mejares – TV Personality and Singer
  • Hazel Mae - Sportscaster
  • Marco Sison – Singer
  • Isagani Yambot – Journalist

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Tagbilaran para niños

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