Masbate

Summary data
Map of the Philippines highlighting Masbate
Typeprovince
Island groupLuzon
RegionBicol Region (Region V)
Cities1
Municipalities20
Barangays550
Coastal/Landlockedcoastal
Marine waterbodiesSibuyan Sea, Visayan Sea, Samar Sea, Burias Pass, Ticao Pass
Area (2013)4,138.56 km2 (1,597.91 sq mi)
Population (2020)908,920
Density (2020)220 / km2 (569 / sq mi)

Masbate is a province in the Philippines situated in the Bicol Region occupying the southeastern peninsula of Luzon and the outlying island provinces of Masbate and Catanduanes. Its capital is the City of Masbate.

The province has a land area of 4,138.56 square kilometers or 1,597.91 square miles. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 908,920. This represented 14.94% of the total population of the Bicol Region, 1.46% of the overall population of the Luzon island group, or 0.83% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 220 inhabitants per square kilometer or 569 inhabitants per square mile.

Map

Masbate is bordered, clockwise from the North, by the Burias Pass, Ticao Pass, Samar Sea, Asid Gulf, Sibuyan Sea, and Ragay Gulf.

details
Map of the Philippines with Masbate highlighted in redMap of Masbate showing its component cities and municipalitiesAroroyBalenoBaludBatuanCatainganCawayanClaveriaDimasalangEsperanzaMandaonMasbate CityMilagrosMoboMonrealPalanasPio V. CorpuzPlacerSan FernandoSan JacintoSan PascualUson

Local government units

Masbate has 20 municipalities and 1 city. The total number of barangays in the province is 550.

details
Local government units of Masbate
NameTypePopulation (2020)Population (2015)Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020)Area (2013), in km2Density (2020), per km2Brgy count
Aroroymunicipality88,35186,1680.53%440.3020141
Balenomunicipality28,85526,0962.14%204.3814124
Baludmunicipality40,15538,1241.10%231.0017432
Batuanmunicipality14,61015,086-0.67%56.2826014
Catainganmunicipality50,62350,3270.12%191.6426436
Cawayanmunicipality69,26567,0330.69%260.1926637
Claveriamunicipality42,14243,693-0.76%182.9823022
Dimasalangmunicipality24,90926,192-1.05%148.0716820
Esperanzamunicipality17,53418,568-1.20%67.4926020
Mandaonmunicipality44,12241,2621.42%319.1513826
Masbate Citycity (CC), capital104,52295,3891.94%188.0055630
Milagrosmunicipality57,53857,4730.02%565.3010227
Mobomunicipality40,82338,8131.07%143.4728529
Monrealmunicipality25,16426,614-1.17%128.6719611
Palanasmunicipality27,32226,2220.87%119.5322924
Pio V. Corpuzmunicipality23,74423,2360.46%89.3326618
Placermunicipality56,34055,8260.19%193.0329235
San Fernandomunicipality21,60023,057-1.36%77.5027926
San Jacintomunicipality29,68630,372-0.48%122.4024321
San Pascualmunicipality44,44946,674-1.02%246.6518022
Usonmunicipality57,16656,1680.37%163.2035035
Masbate Total908,920892,3930.39%4,138.56220550

Economy

The annual regular revenue of Masbate for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱1,283,771,368.40.

Historical annual regular income data

Annual regular income of Masbate (2009‑2016)
Fiscal YearAnnual Regular IncomeChange
2009722,301,210.00–
2010774,777,695.027.27%
2011851,429,005.209.89%
2012821,145,304.73-3.56%
2013909,142,044.6810.72%
20141,028,252,346.9713.10%
20151,150,695,772.6511.91%
20161,283,771,368.4011.56%

End notes:

  • Annual Regular Income = Locally Sourced Revenue + Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) Current Year + Other Shares from National Tax Collection
  • Locally Sourced Revenue = Real Property Tax (General Fund) + Tax on Business + Other Taxes + Regulatory Fees + Service/User Charges + Receipts from Economic Enterprises

Demographics

Population by age group

According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in Masbate is 5 to 9, with 122,270 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 6,775 individuals.

Age distribution

Population of Masbate by age group (2015 census)
Age groupPopulation (2015)Age group percentage
Under 122,1662.48%
1 to 497,91210.97%
5 to 9122,27013.70%
10 to 14119,27213.37%
15 to 1995,31210.68%
20 to 2469,4317.78%
25 to 2956,4566.33%
30 to 3449,7265.57%
35 to 3947,3735.31%
40 to 4443,4574.87%
45 to 4940,4244.53%
50 to 5434,1873.83%
55 to 5929,2893.28%
60 to 6421,9952.46%
65 to 6915,9691.79%
70 to 7412,0651.35%
75 to 798,3140.93%
80 and over6,7750.76%
Total892,393100.00%
  • Youth Dependency Ratio: 74.16
  • Old Age Dependency Ratio: 8.84
  • Total Dependency Ratio: 83
  • Median Age: 19.44

Historical population

The population of Masbate grew from 43,675 in 1903 to 908,920 in 2020, an increase of 865,245 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive annualized growth rate of 0.39%, or an increase of 16,527 people, from the previous population of 892,393 in 2015.

Trends in population growth

Population of Masbate (1903‑2020)
Census datePopulationAnnualized Growth Rate
43,675–
67,5132.79%
182,4835.10%
211,1131.51%
335,9714.17%
492,9083.82%
533,3871.60%
584,5201.85%
599,3550.25%
653,8521.64%
707,6681.71%
768,9391.15%
834,6503.03%
892,3931.28%
908,9200.39%

The total number of registered voters or electorate in Masbate for the year 2019 was 566,578.

National roads

As of December 2016, the National Roads in Masbate are:

Secondary Roads

  • Buenavista-Kawayan Road
  • Capitol-Cadre Road
  • Junction Crossing-Mandaon Road
  • Junction Milagros-Baleno-Lagta Road
  • Junction Tawad-Balud Road
  • Lagta-Crossing Malinta Road
  • M.R. Espinosa Airport Road
  • Masbate-Cataingan-Placer Road
  • Masbate-Milagros Road
  • San Fernando North Road

Tertiary Roads

  • Asid-Cagay Road
  • Cataingan Poblacion Road
  • Masbate Circumferential Road
  • Masbate Port Road
  • Placer-Daraga Road
  • San Fernando-Talisay Road
  • San Pascual-Claveria Road

Notes

  1. Unless otherwise specified, population count (excluding percentages) and land area figures are derived from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
  2. Data on registered voters is from the Commission on Elections.
  3. Maps utilize OpenStreetMap data available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License.
  4. Data on National Roads is from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
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