Milaor

13°35′44″N 123°10′41″E / 13.5956°N 123.1781°E / 13.5956; 123.1781CountryPhilippinesRegionBicol RegionProvinceCamarines SurDistrict 2nd districtFoundedMay 1, 1585Barangays20 (see Barangays)Government • TypeSangguniang Bayan • MayorAnthony R. Reyes • Vice MayorLeodel P. Menes • RepresentativeLuis Raymund F. Villafuerte Jr. • Municipal Council • Electorate23,967 voters (2022)Area • Total33.64 km² (12.99 sq mi)Elevation5.0 m (16.4 ft)Highest elevation30 m (100 ft)Lowest elevation−3 m (−10 ft)Population • Total33,963 • Density1,000/km² (2,600/sq mi) • Households7,241Economy • Income class3rd municipal income class • Poverty incidence% (2018)^[4] • Revenue₱ 118 million (2020) • Assets₱ 442.6 million (2020) • Expenditure₱ 106.6 million (2020) • Liabilities₱ 91.98 million (2020)Service provider • ElectricityCamarines Sur 2 Electric Cooperative (CASURECO 2)Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)ZIP codePSGCIDD : area code +63 (0)54Native languagesCentral Bikol
TagalogWebsitemilaor.gov.ph

Milaor, officially the Municipality of Milaor (Central Bikol: Banwaan kan Milaor; Tagalog: Bayan ng Milaor), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 33,963 people.^[3]

Milaor is part of the Metro Naga Urban Area. It is 17 kilometres (11 mi) from Pili and 433 kilometres (269 mi) from Manila.

History

The work of evangelization in Milaor began in 1579 when the Franciscan missionaries came to the Philippines upon the order of Pope Sixtus V and King Philip II, and given specific assignment to work in Bicol Region. In 1585, Milaor was declared a parish under the titular patron, Saint Joseph. The first parish administrator was Fray Matias de Andrade, OFM., who arrived in Bikol in 1582 and later became the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Nueva Caceres.

The Franciscans, Fray Juan del Sacramento and Fray Jose dela Virgen, initiated the construction of a church made of bricks and stones. This was built in a place known today as "Sinimbahanan" now a part of Cabusao, where ruins of the concrete foundation may still be found. Frequent attacks from the cimarrones and the tulisanes from nearby Mount Isarog, however, caused the transfer of the church to its present site. Fray Santiago de San Pedro de Alcantara completed the construction in 1730 and added a convent made of wooden materials in 1735. Both the church and the convent were destroyed by fire in 1740 and immediately the reconstruction was undertaken by Fray Francisco delos Santos, OFM. The present belfry was finished in 1840.

Milaor was formerly called "Milaud" or "may-laud". "Laud" means a lowland prone to being flooded, in fact that is being true up to this day. The expression "mapa-laud" means to go to a place which is low or with water, in other words, to go to a "laud". From "Milaud" or "Maylaud" it was transferred to "Milaor". The truth of this matter of the place being always filled with water is corroborated by the fact that in many barangays are to be found shells which thrive on water. These shell fossils mean that in ancient time this place was really covered with water or is frequently flooded to allow these shells or mollusks to thrive in the place.

Originally, Milaor comprised Palestina and the present parishes of Minalabac, San Fernando and Gainza. Until the eve following the uprising Naga City on September 19, 1898, during the Philippine Revolution, the Franciscan considered Milaor as their favorite resting place and abode away from the adjacent rapidly developing settlement that is Naga City today.

Geography

Barangays

Milaor is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Just like most cities in the Philippines, Milaor has a barangay system which is the core Local Government of the Philippines. Each barangay is headed by a chairman and barangay councils who were elected into office by popular vote of the community registered voters every three years.

Climate

Demographics

Population census of Milaor

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 3,758 —     1918 3,583 −0.32% 1939 7,389 +3.51% 1948 5,877 −2.51% 1960 8,551 +3.17% 1970 11,284 +2.81% 1975 13,167 +3.14% 1980 15,018 +2.66%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 18,199 +1.94% 1995 21,213 +2.91% 2000 22,635 +1.40% 2007 26,452 +2.17% 2010 28,474 +2.72% 2015 31,150 +1.73% 2020 33,963 +1.71%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[6][7][8][9]

In the 2020 census, the population of Milaor, Camarines Sur, was 33,963 people,^[3] with a density of 1,000 inhabitants per square kilometre or 2,600 inhabitants per square mile.

Languages

Central Bikol language is primarily being used in the town. Most people in Milaor speak the Coastal Bikol (Naga dialect) as their main language. While further south closer to Minalabac speaks a little of Rinconada Bikol which is recognized as a minority language. Tagalog is a secondary language in the town primarily used for tourists and visitors that cannot speak Bicolano language. Residents speak English as well when they go to work or school.

Religion

Parishes (Catholic Church in Milaor)

St. Joseph the Worker Parish

St. Joseph the Worker is the titular patron saint of the Municipality. The town and parish fiesta is celebrated every 1st day of May. The present parish priest is Rev. Fr. Ruben R. Buena. The vision of the parish is to continue forming Basic Ecclesial Communities, locally called as SKK or Saradit na Kristiyanong Komunidad. The locus and focus of this dream of the Church is by clustering all the neighboring families. Each cluster is composed of 15-20 families.

St. Anthony of Padua Parish

On May 13, 1994, another parish within the municipality of Milaor was established. The seat is at barangay San Antonio and the titular patron saint is St. Anthony of Padua. At present the parish priest is Rev. Fr. Edgar L. Barias, SOLT.

Economy