Buhi, Camarines Sur
Encyclopedia
Buhi, a town in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 70,756 people.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Lake Buhi
Lake Buhi
Lake Buhi is a lake found in Buhi, Camarines Sur, Philippines.It has an area of 18 square kilometres and has an average depth of 8 meters. The lake lies in the valley formed by two ancient volcanoes, Mt. Asog and Mt. Malinao. It was created in 1641, when an earthquake caused a side of Mt. Asog to...

 is home to the world's smallest edible fish locally known as "Sinarapan
Sinarapan
The sinarapan is the world's smallest commercially harvested fish located in the Philippines. They are endemic to the Bicol Region, specifically in Lake Buhi, Lake Bato, Bicol River and other bodies of water in Camarines Sur province.Sinarapan are a type of goby and they are transparent, except...

" (Mystychtis Luzonensis).

Notable Buhinons include Victor Wood (Singer/Politician), Imelda Papin
Imelda Papin
Imelda Papin is a Filipino singer and one of the bigger names in the Philippine music industry. Dubbed the "Sentimental Songstress", Imelda Papin is responsible for songs such as "Bakit " and "Isang Linggong Pag-ibig"....

 (Singer/Politician), Avel Bacudio (Fashion Designer), Rez Cortez and Eddie Garcia.(Film Actors).

History

The town known today as Buhi began as a small settlement by refugees fleeing the outrage of Mayon Volcano
Mayon Volcano
Mayon Volcano, also known as Mount Mayon, is an active volcano in the province of Albay, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Renowned as the "perfect cone" because of its almost symmetric conical shape, Mayon forms the northern boundary of Legazpi City, the largest city in terms of...

 hundreds of years ago. These people founded a permanent settlement in an area close to the lake and flourished as time passed.

The general exodus
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...

 of people fleeing and being able to escape grave calamities such as Mayon's eruption was known in local vernacular as "naka-buhi". Local lore takes this as the most probable explanation as to how the town acquired its present name - Buhi. One version of local legend attributes the town being accorded the name to the time when the first Spaniards came and asked local settlers the name of the area. The local settlers misunderstood the question as how they came to be there and so gave the response "Naka-Buhi".

There were two patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...

s with whom the town directed their devotion. The first was St. Francis of Assisi placed in the church made of wooden materials. Unfortunately, in 1730 the church was razed down by fire. It was, however, replaced by a stone structure built under the supervision of Rev. Fray Jose de Cerda. Another saint was installed, St. Anthony of Padua with whom the people observed the saint's feast day every 4 October. This saint, as it was said.

Buhi is not just famous for the majestic Lake Buhi
Lake Buhi
Lake Buhi is a lake found in Buhi, Camarines Sur, Philippines.It has an area of 18 square kilometres and has an average depth of 8 meters. The lake lies in the valley formed by two ancient volcanoes, Mt. Asog and Mt. Malinao. It was created in 1641, when an earthquake caused a side of Mt. Asog to...

 but it is likewise the home to the smallest commercial fish ever to thrive on earth known locally as the sinarapan
Sinarapan
The sinarapan is the world's smallest commercially harvested fish located in the Philippines. They are endemic to the Bicol Region, specifically in Lake Buhi, Lake Bato, Bicol River and other bodies of water in Camarines Sur province.Sinarapan are a type of goby and they are transparent, except...

.

Geographical Location

Buhi is located in the southwestern tip of the province of Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province borders Camarines Norte and Quezon to the north, and Albay to the south...

. It is bound on the east by Mt. Malinao, on the west by Mt. Asog, on the north by Sagñay-Buhi mountain ranges and on the south by the low-lying ranges of Polangui, Albay
Albay
Albay is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Legazpi City and the province borders Camarines Sur to the north and Sorsogon to the south. Also to the northeast is Lagonoy Gulf....

, with the following coordinates: 13 degrees 25’ 32.4" north latitude and 123 degrees 30’ 49.1" east longitude.

The municipality is 75 kilometers and 53 kilometers away northeast of Legaspi City and south of Naga City
Naga City
The City of Naga is a first class independent component city in the Philippines...

 respectively.

Topography

Buhi has generally mountainous and hilly surface. The Poblacion located south of the lake, has gently rolling topography.

Mt. Malinao (5,538 ft.) and Mt. Asog (4,852 ft) dominates the town's surface terrain whose highest elevation is 1.143m and 1.584m above main sea level respectively. 18,378 hectares of its land area are within the watershed declared as protected area by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 573 and Executive Order no. 224. All other areas are cultivated for agriculture, quarry and human settlement. Higher slopes east and north of Lake Buhi are predominantly forests and secondary brushland.

The municipality has been divided into four sectors, namely:
  • The Poblacion
    Poblacion
    A Poblacion or Población, literally "town" or "Population" in Spanish, is the name commonly used for the central barangay or barangays of a Philippine city or municipality. Common features of the poblacion include a town plaza, church, market, school and town hall. It is sometimes shortened to...

  • The Lake/Mt. Asog sector
  • the Road/cross road sector
  • The Mountain sector, according to their location.

Climate

Buhi has a warm, humid climate. During the warmest months from March to June, temperatures reach 29.2 C. The weather cools off during the rainy season which last from August to February with an average temperature of 24.7 C. Rainfall in Buhi averages 2.53mm a year.

Demography

Buhi is composed of 38 barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...

s, 6 of which are situated in the Poblacion. The total population is 70,756 as of 2007. The growth rate is about 2.1%. The total number of households is 13,238 and with an average household size of 5 persons.

Land

A total area of 22,855 hectares is occupied by the municipality, about 13,000 hectares of which are part of the watershed in Rinconada. Part of the watershed is home to coconuts, and other permanent crops.

Agricultural Area

Farmlands make up about 7,500 hectares of which about 2,375 hectares have access to irrigation, while 600 hectares are non-irrigated. About 2,811 hectares are open water spaces encompassing the Lake Buhi.

Roads

A means for transportation system for farm to market linkages, and access from other barangays.
One of the problem of roads in Buhi is almost all of its roads are gravel especially those in the lake, road and mountain sectors.

Water

Lake, lakelets, rivers and creeks in Buhi have a total area of about 2,811 hectares.

Lakelets serve as fish sanctuaries especially the sinarapan
Sinarapan
The sinarapan is the world's smallest commercially harvested fish located in the Philippines. They are endemic to the Bicol Region, specifically in Lake Buhi, Lake Bato, Bicol River and other bodies of water in Camarines Sur province.Sinarapan are a type of goby and they are transparent, except...

.
Some of the lakelets found in Buhi are the Lakelet of Manapao and Katugday.

Rivers and creeks serve as drainage canal and water supply for irrigation.

Potable water supply the existing of waterworks system at the 3 barangays sectors with 7,768 households.

Human resources

  • Presently the population is 70, 756 and has a total area utilized as built-up areas of 448ha.
  • The local government official and personnel- perform all aspect of local government administration and such specialized areas as planning, project development, program administration, budgeting, revenue administration and personnel administration.
  • The existing of DECS in different barangays that the trusts for optimum development of the pupils by utilizing strategies, innovation in teaching.
  • The existing of DSWD, this agency mandated to care, protect and protects and rehabilitate that segment of population which has the least of life and indigenous people (Agta) in terms-being and restore them to effective social functioning and participation in community affairs.

Barangays

Buhi is politically subdivided into 38 barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...

s.
  • Antipolo
  • Burocbusoc
  • Cabatuan
  • Cagmaslog
  • Amlongan (Del Rosario)
  • De La Fe
  • Divino Rostro
  • Ipil (Fatima)
  • Gabas
  • Ibayugan
  • Igbac
  • Iraya (Del Rosario)
  • Labawon (Santa Teresita)
  • De Los Angeles (Los Angeles)
  • Monte Calvario
  • Namurabod
  • Sagrada Familia
  • Salvacion
  • San Antonio
  • San Buenaventura (Poblacion
    Poblacion
    A Poblacion or Población, literally "town" or "Population" in Spanish, is the name commonly used for the central barangay or barangays of a Philippine city or municipality. Common features of the poblacion include a town plaza, church, market, school and town hall. It is sometimes shortened to...

    )
  • San Francisco (Parada)
  • San Isidro
  • San Jose Baybayon
  • San Jose Salay
  • Macaangay
  • San Pascual (Poblacion)
  • San Pedro (Poblacion)
  • San Rafael
  • San Ramon (Kaarayo)
  • San Roque (Poblacion)
  • San Vicente (San Vicente Ferrer)
  • Santa Clara(Poblacion)
  • Santa Cruz
  • Santa Elena (Poblacion)
  • Santa Isabel
  • Santa Justina
  • Lourdes (Santa Lourdes)
  • Tambo

  • Socio-economic profile

    Literacy rate
    • About 99 % of Buhinon can read and write


    Work and labor force
    • A labor force of 24, 000 or 63% of economically productive people age 15 to 64 years old


    Dialect
    • Buhinon


    Religion
    • 8 out of 10 are Roman Catholics; Iglesia ni Cristo – 1% of the total population


    Health
    • Presence of 1 public hospital; 2 private medical clinics; 38 health stations/centers; 3 pharmacies


    Public Hospital
    • Sagrada Community Clinic


    Private Clinics
    • Claveria Clinic
    • Portugal Clinic


    Private Clinics
    • Buhi Pharmacy
    • Pharacia Nazarrea (San Pedro)
    • Pharacia Nazarrea (San Buena)


    Education
    • No. of pre-schools: 33 public and 3 private schools
    • No. of elementary schools: 33 public and 3 private schools
    • No. of high schools: 3 private and 3 public schools


    Public high schools
    • Sta. Justina Barangay Highschool
    • Tambo Barangay Highschool
    • San Vicente Barangay Highschool


    Private high schools
    • Buhi St. Joseph's Academy Inc.(formerly St. Joseph's Academy)
    • Buhi Lyceum
    • St. Bridget School.


    Private elementary schools:
    • Buhi Institute Foundation
    • Holy Child Educational Center (Buhi Branch)


    Protection and security
    • Presence of Buhi Rescue Team


    Agriculture sector
    • Two thirds of the population depends on agriculture
    • More than one-fifth of the total land area is devoted to agriculture primary crops are rice, corn, coconut,and abaca
    • Rice grows in the vast field of Road sector while corn and abaca are being grown at Mountain sector


    Transportation facilities
    • Three major road networks that link the town to the adjacent province of Albay, Partido District and Iriga City
    • Presence of tricycles and jeepneys
    • Presence of non-aircon and aircon buses
    • Presence of motorized boats and bancas


    Water supply
    • Rural Waterworks Multi-Purpose
    • Cooperative provides the potable drinking water to at least 1,683 households in 7 urban areas


    Power and electricity
    • CASURECO III delivers electricity to 63 % of households and business establishments and 97 % of barangays
    • Host to a 1.2 MW mini hydro-electric power plant of the National Power Corporation


    Communication facilities


    • International and domestic telephone services are provided by DIGITEL
    • Public telephone booths are also available in commercial places and other public buildings
    • Internet
    • Mobile telephone
    • Cable television
    • Three national newspaper and several regional tabloids
    • VHF radio networks
    • Courier services
    • Telegraph services


    FM Station
    • 97.7 DWEA FM - Buhi (ASTIG ka dito!) Celebrates its 2nd year anniversary (September 11, 2010)
    • 100.1 Radyo Natin-Buhi (Sa Buhi Ika Sana)
    • 102.9 DWLR - Lauyay Radio


    Organizations
    • Tau Gamma Phi
      Tau Gamma Phi
      Tau Gamma Phi also known as the Triskelions' Grand Fraternity, is a fraternity established in the Philippines. Its members call themselves Triskelions. Their aim is to see a Fraternity System devoid of violence, and to earnestly propagate their fraternity's principles as their way of life...

    • Tau Gamma Sigma
      Tau Gamma Sigma
      Tau Gamma Sigma also known as the Triskelion Grand Sorority, is a sorority founded at the premier state run and owned educational institution in the Philippines, the University of the Philippines on January 17, 1969. An affiliated sorority of the Tau Gamma Phi, also known as the Triskelion Grand...

    • Triskelion Grand Fraternity
    • Gamma Phi Sigma (GOOD INFLUENCE)
    • O S T P (Obra Suka Tumba Phi) or (Onward Society Toward Progress)
    • Lasag Chapter
    • Alpha Phi Omega
      Alpha Phi Omega
      Alpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members...

    • Kabalikat Civicom
    • Kiwanis International
    • SJA Alumni Association
    • KJS
      KJS
      KJS may stand for:* Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church* Kareem J. Spratling* King James's School* King John School* Kowloon Junior School* KDE's JavaScript engine* Kosovo je Srbija, meaning "Kosovo is Serbia"...

    • Brandy Inc.
    • LANGO Society
    • Elephant's Club
    • Buhi Organization's of Mountain Bikers Inc.
    • Knights of the Altar
      Knights of the altar
      The Knights of the Altar is the name of a number of national organizations of serving and former altar boys in the Roman Catholic church, including the Philippines, Ireland the United States, and Canada...

    • PREX
      Prex
      Prex is a portable 32-bit embedded real-time microkernel operating system. The kernel is compact, under 25k bytes, and provides memory management, inter-process communication and multithreading in the kernel, and leaves more application-specific features like a file system to be implemented...

    • Catholic Women's League
      Catholic Women's League
      The Catholic Women's League is a Roman Catholic lay organisation aimed at women in England and Wales. Through emigration in the past, the CWL may be found in some Commonwealth countries. It is especially flourishing in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. -References:* Olivier Rota,...

    • Couples For Christ
      Couples for Christ
      The Couples for Christ is an international Catholic lay ecclesial movement whose goal is to renew and strengthen Christian family life and values. It is one of 122 International Associations of the Faithful The organization was affiliated with the Vatican recognition from the Pontifical Council...

    • Singles For Christ
    • Sixty Niners Fraternal Klan
    • TLXT - The League of Extra-ordinary Texters (DWEA 97.7FM Youth Arm)

    External links

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