Bato, Camarines Sur

History

This town was formerly called as "Kaliligno" or "Caliligno" named by the natives that settled along the river area.

This small village later was elevated into a status of a town under the decree of Spanish Superior Government on February 15, 1753. Years back, a parish was already existing which was also made under the same decree. This parish adopted "The Most Holy Trinity" as its patron saint. Its feast day is celebrated every Sunday after the Pentecost. The Bato is also known for its best noodles called Pansit Bato.

Geography

Bato is 26 km from the capital town of Pili and 476 km from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Bato is politically subdivided into 33 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Agos
• Bacolod
• Buluang
• Caricot
• Cawacagan
• Cotmon
• Cristo Rey
• Del Rosario
• Divina Pastora (Poblacion)
• Goyudan
• Lobong
• Lubigan
• Mainit
• Manga (Mangga)
• Masoli
• Neighborhood
• Niño Jesus
• Pagatpatan
• Palo
• Payak
• Sagrada (Sagrada Familia)
• Salvacion
• San Isidro
• San Juan
• San Miguel
• San Rafael (Poblacion)
• San Roque
• San Vicente
• Santa Cruz (Poblacion)
• Santiago (Poblacion)
• Sooc
• Tagpolo
• Tres Reyes (Poblacion)

Climate

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Bato was 52,021 people, with a density of {{sigfig|52,021/107.12|2}} PD/km2.

Only about 58.27% of the household population is considered as literate.

Mother tongue of the majority is Riŋkonāda also known as Bikol Rinconada, one of the languages of Bicol region. The population speaks a different form of Rinconada Bikol called Bato variant, a lowland dialect (sinaranəw). Natives are also conversant with Coastal Bikol, Filipino/Tagalog and English languages.

Religion

• Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion, followed by the Iglesia ni Cristo as the largest minority.
• Other religious denominations include Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; United Churches of Christ in the Philippines Seventh Day Adventist; Bible Baptist; Born Again; Jehovah's Witnesses; Protestants; Aglipay and Islam.
• There are three (3) Catholic Churches in Bato.

Economy

Majority of employment is within agriculture, fishery, poultry and construction industry groups.

;Commerce and industry:

• 96 commercial establishments engaged in retail trade
• 46 commercial establishments engaged in services
• 1 commercial establishment engaged in real estate - MTBK Co.
• 1 engaged in banking and finance
• 31 industrial establishments
• 2 Hotels - Casa de Piedra and MTBK Hotel Natural resources include clams, pearls, local shrimps, tabios, and tilapia, particularly within Lake Bato; forest products such as anahaw leaves and local bamboo; non-metallic mineral resources such as white clay among others.

;Agriculture Sector:

• 78.087 square kilometers of Agricultural Lands devoted to crop production
• Rice, corn, coconut, root crops, vegetables, and fruit-bearing trees.
• Numerous farm and poultry products found

Local government

The list of the incumbent and former officials of the Municipality of Bato is the following:

2025-Present

• Mayor: Enric L. Dancalan
• Vice-Mayor: Diosdado T. Zorilla
• Councilors:
  • John Mark T. Zorilla
  • Martin G. Batacan
  • Dominici G. Batacan
  • Adolfo A. Ramos
  • Eliseo T. Priela
  • Jhonel Ll. De Lima
  • Noel C. Tino
  • Noel C. Tuyay

2022–2025

• Mayor: Domingo L. Zorilla Jr
• Vice-Mayor: Victorio S. Ramos
• Councilors:
  • Josebello Buquid
  • Diosdado T. Zorilla
  • Martin G. Batacan
  • Noel C. Tino
  • Alvin O. Sacueza
  • Adolfo A. Ramos Jr.
  • Noel C. Tuyay
  • Erwin Nestor O. Rempola Jr.

2019-2022:

• Mayor: Hon. Francisco B. Bernaldez
• Vice-Mayor: Hon. Domingo L. Zorilla Jr.
• Councilors:
  • Diosdado T. Zorilla
  • Dominici G. Batacan
  • Elizabeth Doctolero
  • Ignacio L. Hugo
  • Jose Samar
  • Ban-Ban Aguila
  • Matilde Sandrino
  • Noel C. Tino

2016-2019:

• Mayor: Hon. Francisco B. Bernaldez
• Vice-Mayor: Hon. Victorio S. Ramos
• Councilors:
  • Diosdado T. Zorila
  • Domingo L. Zorilla Jr.
  • Martin G. Batacan
  • Darwin Doctolero
  • Edgar R. Argarin
  • Nestor A. Orasa
  • Danilo S. Mata
  • Ignacio L.Hugo

List of former Municipal Mayors

Tourism

• Cotmon Falls
• Arbin Beach Resort
• Lake Bato
• Most Holy Trinity Parish Church
• Maruma Beach
• Bato Boulevard

Infrastructure

Health

• Municipal Health Center and Barangay Health Stations total bed capacity: Eight (8) beds
• Health personnel numbers only about seventeen (17)

Security

Facilities for police protection include Police Station Headquarters near the Municipal Hall in the Poblacion, Police Substation in Barangay Tres Reyes, Police Outpost in Barangay San Miguel. The bureau of Fire Protection of Bato has about eleven (11) firemen personnel.

Transportation

• 19.550 km of National Roads
• 45.650 km of Provincial Road
• 7.206 km of municipal roads
• 38.683 km of Barangays Roads
• six (6) bridges
• 235 privately owned vehicles
• public utility vehicles and government vehicles

Utilities

Water supply is provided on 3 levels:

• Level I: wells, springs, or water peddlers common in rural barangays and households
• Level II: communal faucet system
• Level III: Bato Water District provides Level III Water Supply Service generally within the poblacion only

Power and electricity:

• Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative (CASURECO) which provides retails electrical supply to the municipality and maintains a substation
• Domestic Consumptions
• 95.18% with total average consumption rate of 35,595.40 KWH/month Industrial and Commercial Consumption have only about 0.48% connections
• Public buildings, streetlights and other account for the remaining 1.72% number of consumption

Communication facilities include telephone/cellular services, postal services, telegraph services, cable television services, and print and broadcast media services.

Education

The Bato Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.

A public library is located in Brgy. Divisna Pastora which is MTBK Divina Pastora Library

Primary and elementary schools

• Agos Elementary School
• Atipolo Elementary School
• Bato North Central School
• Bato South Central School
• Buluang Elementary School
• Carlos Nardo Elementary School
• Cristo Rey Elementary School
• Dr. Heracleo Guballo Elementary School
• Manga Elementary School
• Modern Learning Center
• Nino Jesus Elementary School
• Palo Elementary School
• Masoli Elementary School
• Sagrada Elementary School
• Salvacion Elementary School
• San Roque Elementary School
• San Miguel Elementary School
• San Vicente Elementary School
• Tagpolo Elementary School
• Taburnal Learning Center
• Verbum Dei School

Secondary schools

• Bato National Highschool
• Masoli Highscool
• Mataas na Paaralan ng Pagatpatan
• Payak High School
• Salvacion National Highschool
• San Roque National Highschool

Higher educational institutions

• Holy Trinity College
• Ocampo Academy Technological Institute
• Saint John the Baptist Institute

Notable personalities

• Maria Venus Raj (b. 1988), Binibining Pilipinas-Universe 2010 and placed 4th Runner-Up in Miss Universe 2010 pageant.
• Jun Jun Zorilla - Former Mayor of Bato

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. municipal profile
3. "2022 ELECTION RESULTS: Bato, Camarines Sur".
4. "Bato - Camarines Sur | City/Municipality Results | Eleksyon 2019".
5. "Halalan 2016 - Partial and Unofficial Results".
6. (January 15, 2021). "Masterlist of Schools".