Bato, Camarines Sur


Bato, officially the Municipality of Bato, is a municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the, it has a population of people.
The municipality of Bato is home to a lake teeming with various kinds of fishes. Sinarapan, the world's smallest commercially harvested fish, occupies the waters of Lake Bato. Also present, the lake abounds with tilapia housed in fish cages.

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 from the capital town of Pili and 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
  • Goyudan
  • Lobong
  • Lubigan
  • Mainit
  • Manga
  • Masoli
  • Neighborhood
  • Niño Jesus
  • Pagatpatan
  • Palo
  • Payak
  • Sagrada
  • Salvacion
  • San Isidro
  • San Juan
  • San Miguel
  • San Rafael
  • San Roque
  • San Vicente
  • Santa Cruz
  • Santiago
  • Sooc
  • Tagpolo
  • Tres Reyes

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Bato was 52,021 people, with a density of.
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. Natives are also conversant with Coastal Bikol, Filipino/Tagalog and English languages.

Religion

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

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 beds
  • Health personnel numbers only about seventeen

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 firemen personnel.

Transportation

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 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

Notable personalities