Itogon


Itogon, officially the Municipality of Itogon,, is a municipality in the province of Benguet, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 59,736 people.
It is a mining town, being the site of the first large-scale mining operations in the country. The town is also the site of Binga Dam, managed and operated by the SN Aboitiz Power - Benguet, Inc.
WWW itogon.gov.ph

History

Spanish period

During the Spanish Regime, a native of the historic pueblo of Itogon, named Codeng, was appointed by the Spanish authorities as capitan of another nearby village, Balingway. Balingway was later established as a town site and renamed after Codeng's native place.

American period

During the American rule, Itogon was established as one of the 19 townships of the province of Benguet, upon the issuance of Act No. 48 by the Philippine Commission on November 22, 1900.
Mining operations started in Itogon in 1903, after Benguet Corporation, the Philippines' first mining firm, was established in the town under the name, Benguet Consolidated Mining Company, by Americans Nelson Peterson and Harry Clyde.
On August 13, 1908, Benguet was established as a sub-province of the newly created Mountain Province with the enactment of Act No. 1876. As a result, six townships of Benguet were abolished, but Itogon remained a constituent town of Benguet sub-province.

World War II

Guerrilla forces in Northern Luzon launch a successful attack on the Itogon Mining District on October 15, 1942, drawing Japanese attention. This results in the Japanese pouring more troops in Luzon Island.

Post-war era

In 1948, plans by the National Power Corporation for a second dam construction along the Agno River in the province of Benguet started, after the Ambuklao Dam construction commenced in Bokod. Bulldozers started clearing the forested area of the Guissit Mountains in 1954 for the Binga Dam. Construction of the dam took 3 years and 9 months, from August 1956 until its formal operations opening in May 1960.
On May 15, 1951, the town was converted into a regular municipality from the former municipal district of the same name, with the enactment of Republic Act No. 616.
On June 18, 1966, the sub-province of Benguet was separated from the old Mountain Province and was converted into a regular province. Itogon remained to be a component municipality of the newly established province.

Geography

The Municipality of Itogon is located at, at the southeast end of the Benguet, forming a border with the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Pangasinan. The town is bounded by Baguio and the municipality of Tuba on the west, La Trinidad and Tublay on the north-west, Bokod on the north-east, Kayapa and Santa Fe on the southeast, San Manuel and San Nicolas on the south, and Sison on the south-west.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of constituting of the total area of Benguet. It is the largest municipality in Benguet by land area. Around 80 percent of the municipality's land area is protected as part of the Lower Agno Watershed Forest Reserve and Upper Agno River Basin Resource Reserve. The Agno River traverses the municipality and is impounded at Binga forming the Binga Dam.
Itogon is situated from the provincial capital La Trinidad, and from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Itogon is politically subdivided into 9 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Demographics

In the 2024 census, Itogon had a population of 59,736 people. The population density was.
Generally inhabited by 60 percent Ibalois, 40 percent Kankanaey, and other ethnicities such as the Ilocano, Itogon was the most populous municipality in the province, with a population of 61,773 in the 1990 census. Its population abruptly declined five years after as illustrated in the census of 1995.

Economy

Itogon's main source of livelihood is mining. Secondary to mining is agriculture. Major mining companies which operate in the town include Benguet Corporation, Philex Mining Corporation, Atok Big Wedge Mining Company and Itogon Suyoc Mines.

Government

Itogon, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Benguet, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Tourism

Known tourist destination areas in Itogon include the Binga Dam in Tinongdan and Balatoc Mines Tours in Balatoc, Virac. Other tourist spots include the open pit mines in Loacan, hot spring in Dalupirip, Mount Ugo in Tinongdan, Level 1300 swimming pools in Poblacion with hot steams and bath and the mummies in Domolpos also in Tinongdan.

Transportation

Highways through Itogon:

Education

There are two schools districe offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools. These are Itogon I Schools District Office, and Itogon II Schools District Office.

Public schools

As of 2014, Itogon has 39 public elementary schools and 7 public secondary schools.
SchoolBarangay
Acupan Elementary SchoolVirac
Ampucao Elementary SchoolAmpucao
Baguio Gold Elementary SchoolTuding
Balatoc Elementary SchoolVirac
Banget Elementary SchoolAmpucao
Binga Elementary SchoolTinongdan
Botic Elementary SchoolTinongdan
Dalicno Elementary SchoolAmpucao
Daynet Elementary SchoolAmpucao
Domolpos Community SchoolTinongdan
Fianza Elementary SchoolDalupirip
Goldfield Primary SchoolPoblacion
Gold Creek Elementary SchoolUcab
Gumatdang Elementary SchoolGumatdang
Itogon Central SchoolPoblacion
Jose F. Opiles Elementary SchoolTinongdan
Lab-ang Community SchoolAmpucao
Labilab Elementary SchoolLoacan
Lawiguen Community SchoolDalupirip
Liang Primary SchoolLoacan
Loacan Elementary SchoolLoacan
Luneta Elementary SchoolLoacan
Lusod Community SchoolTinongdan
Manganese Elementary SchoolAmpucao
Maximino Fianza Lopez Elementary SchoolLoacan
Midas Elementary SchoolUcab
Oling Elementary SchoolDalupirip
Pacalso Elementary SchoolTuding
Saybuan Primary SchoolTinongdan
Sayo Primary SchoolDalupirip
Simpa Primary SchoolAmpucao
Solomon Solano Elementary SchoolPoblacion
Tabu Community SchoolDalupirip
Tapsan Elementary SchoolAmpucao
Tinongdan Elementary SchoolTinongdan
Tocmo Elementary SchoolLoacan
Tuding Elementary SchoolTuding
Ucab Elementary SchoolUcab
Virac Elementary SchoolVirac

SchoolBarangay
Alejo M. Pacalso Memorial National High SchoolTuding
Ampucao National High SchoolAmpucao
Binga National High SchoolTinongdan
Fianza Memorial National High SchoolTinongdan
Laurencio Fianza National High SchoolDalupirip
Laurencio Fianza National High School - Bantic AnnexDalupirip
Loacan National High SchoolLoacan

Private schools