Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte

Saint Bernard, officially the Municipality of Saint Bernard (Kabalian: Lungsod san Saint Bernard; Cebuano: Lungsod sa Saint Bernard; Tagalog: Bayan ng Saint Bernard), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 28,414 people.[3]

Saint Bernard
Municipality
Municipality of Saint Bernard
Saint Bernard coastline
Flag of Saint Bernard
Flag
Map of Southern Leyte with Saint Bernard highlighted
Map of Southern Leyte with Saint Bernard highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Saint Bernard is located in Philippines
Saint Bernard
Saint Bernard
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°17′N 125°08′E
CountryPhilippines
RegionEastern Visayas
ProvinceSouthern Leyte
District 2nd district
FoundedDecember 9, 1954
Barangays30 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorEdito L. Mulig (PDR)
 • Vice MayorJocelyn L. Bungcaras (PDPLBN)
 • RepresentativeChristopherson M. Yap
 • Municipal Council
Members
 • Electorate18,603 voters (2022)
Area
[2]
 • Total100.20 km2 (38.69 sq mi)
Elevation
129 m (423 ft)
Highest elevation
786 m (2,579 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)[3]
 • Total28,414
 • Density280/km2 (730/sq mi)
 • Households
6,254
Economy
 • Income class4th municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence
25.48
% (2018)[4]
 • Revenue₱ 124.8 million (2020)
 • Assets₱ 338 million (2020)
 • Expenditure₱ 107.9 million (2020)
 • Liabilities₱ 68.26 million (2020)
Service provider
 • ElectricitySouthern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
6613
PSGC
086412000
IDD : area code +63 (0)53
Native languagesKinabalian
Boholano dialect
Cebuano
Tagalog
Websitewww.saintbernard.gov.ph

History
Landslide at Barangay Guinsaugon

This town was formerly the largest barrio of San Juan, then known as "Himatagon". On December 9, 1954, President Ramon Magsaysay issued Executive Order No. 84, transforming the barrio as a municipality of Saint Bernard. It was through the efforts of Leyte Governor Bernardo Torres that the conversion was made possible in response to the lingering clamour of the inhabitants for an independent and separate municipality from San Juan. As a gratitude to Governor Bernardo Torres, the people unanimously renamed Himatagon as Saint Bernard, with the honorific title "Saint" being a translation of the vernacular honorific "San" which is given to persons of virtue, wisdom, or generosity and the name Bernard being the English version of the name Bernardo.[5]

On February 17, 2006, a tragic series of mudslides killed over 1,100 residents in Barangay Guinsaugon, a barangay in the northern parts of the town. Affected families were treated by the Philippine government and other non-government organizations from all over the world. New houses were built, and the people chose "New Guinsaugon" as the name, (by adding the prefix "New"), of their village located one mile east of the town's proper.[6][7]

Geography

The town is situated on the Pacific coast, facing Cabalian Bay and the first town on Route 690 (from it towards Abuyog) from the eastern side of Sogod Bay.

Barangays

Saint Bernard is politically subdivided into 30 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Only 28 are considered truly functioning barangays, as two others were completely wiped out from a landslide during 2006.

  • Atuyan
  • Ayahag
  • Bantawon (There were no residents in 2015 according to the Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC). At present, there are around 110 people living in the once deserted barrio)
  • Bolodbolod
  • Nueva Esperanza (Cabac-an)
  • Cabagawan (Renamed as Maria Asuncion)
  • Carnaga
  • Catmon
  • Guinsaugon (Turned into a memorial site after the disaster and it is a no-build zone, thus becoming a non-functioning barangay)
  • Himatagon (Poblacion)
  • Himbangan
  • Himos-onan
  • Hinabian
  • Hindag-an
  • Kauswagan (No people as all of its residents transferred to other safe places as the area is prone to landslides)
  • Libas
  • Lipanto
  • Magatas
  • Magbagacay
  • Mahayag
  • Mahayahay
  • Malibago
  • Malinao
  • New Guinsaugon (This is the relocation site of the survivors of the Guinsaugon Tragedy of February 2006. This is a coastal barrio)
  • Panian
  • San Isidro
  • Santa Cruz
  • Sug-angon (The original barrio of Sug-angon was the neighboring barrio of Guinsaugon. Both Sug-angon and Guinsaugon were destroyed by the Guinsaugon Landslide Tragedy of February 2006. It was within the peaks of Sug-angon that the landslide started. Later, the survivors of Sug-angon were relocated near the coast and is also adjacent to Barrio New Guinsaugon)
  • Tabon-tabon
  • Tambis I (Tambis Uno)
  • Tambis II (Tambis Dos)

Climate
Climate data for Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 27
(81)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)
Average low °C (°F) 21
(70)		 21
(70)		 21
(70)		 22
(72)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 22
(72)		 23
(73)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 78
(3.1)		 57
(2.2)		 84
(3.3)		 79
(3.1)		 118
(4.6)		 181
(7.1)		 178
(7.0)		 169
(6.7)		 172
(6.8)		 180
(7.1)		 174
(6.9)		 128
(5.0)		 1,598
(62.9)
Average rainy days 16.7 13.8 17.3 18.5 23.2 26.5 27.1 26.0 26.4 27.5 24.6 21.0 268.6
Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally)[8]

Demographics
Population census of Saint Bernard
YearPop.±% p.a.
1960 11,621—    
1970 17,296+4.05%
1975 19,255+2.18%
1980 19,153−0.11%
1990 20,760+0.81%
1995 21,363+0.54%
YearPop.±% p.a.
2000 23,089+1.68%
2007 25,252+1.24%
2010 25,169−0.12%
2015 28,395+2.32%
2020 28,414+0.01%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [9][10][11][12]

Economy
Poverty Incidence of Saint Bernard
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14]
[15][16][17][18][19]

Saint Bernard's economy are based in agriculture and marine culture. The municipality is considered among the fastest growing economy in the pacific area of Southern Leyte.

Saint Bernard is a peninsula and therefore it is almost entirely surrounded by water. The majority of the people who live in the flat lands engage in fishing as their main mode of livelihood. Those who live in the mountain barangays, live through farming.

The common mode of transportation is by bicycles with side cars, known locally as "Potpot" (a type of pedicab) or, depending on the distance, tricycles with side cars, called "trisikads "or center cabs and "habal-habal", a motorcycle with a roof made up of wood or metal, operating in the area's environs.

The LGU established the Saint Bernard Town Center for economic activities of some small to medium sedium entrepreneurs.

Tourism
  • Hindag-an Falls- Barangay Hindag-an
  • Tinago Beach- Barangay Magbagacay
  • Tinago Spring Falls- Barangay Ayahag
  • Lipanto Marine Sanctuary- Barangay Lipanto
  • Himbangan Bird Sanctuary- Barangay Himbangan
  • Sangat Cave and Beach- Barangay Hindag-an
  • Saub Beach- Barangay Lipanto
  • Ground Zero Memorial Park & Lawigan River- Lawigan River, access at Brgy Tambis I
  • Libas River- Barangay Libas
  • Kissbone Cove and Resort- Barangay Magbagacay
  • Santo Nino Shrine - Sitio Cansi, Barangay Himatagon
  • Municipal Disaster Management Office - LGU Compound, Municipal Building, Barangay Himatagon

Education

There are accessible elementary schools in every Barangay in the municipality as of its 2019 census.

List of Secondary Schools in the Municipality of Saint Bernard.

  • Tambis National High School- Barangay Tambis 1
  • Himbangan National High School- Barangay Himbangan
  • Cristo Rey Regional High School- Barangay Malibago. The only diocesain and private school in the area.
  • New Guinsaugon National High School - relocation area of New Guinsaugon, Barangay Magbagacay

References
  1.  Municipality of Saint Bernard | (DILG)
  2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  3. Census of Population (2020). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  4. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  5. "Historical Background". Municipality of Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  6. "Mud wipes out Philippines village". BBC News. 17 February 2006. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  7. S. G. Evans; R. H. Guthrie; N. J. Roberts; N. F. Bishop (2007). "The disastrous 17 February 2006 rockslide-debris avalanche on Leyte Island, Philippines: a catastrophic landslide in tropical mountain terrain" (PDF). Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 7 (1). Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  8. "Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  9. Census of Population (2015). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  10. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  11. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
  12. "Province of Southern Leyte". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  13. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  14. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
  15. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
  16. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
  17. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
  18. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
  19. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
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