Camaligan

The origin of the town and its name can be traced back to the early settlers of the place. Known as the cortadores, or woodcutters, to the early Spanish colonizers who came to the place in the early 1700s, the settlers cut timbers from nearby mountains located upriver or around San Miguel Bay and made this as their form of living. Out of these timbers, they hewed out canoes or bancas which they stored under small sheds or huts. Later, when these sheds became abundant in the area, as they were made the permanent dwelling places by these canoe makers, the place was called "Camaligan", which means "a place where many sheds can be found", by combining the root word kamalig (or shed) and the locative suffix -an. The sheds served to shelter the canoe makers and protect their boats from the natural elements. Hence, the name and origin of the town is historically tied to the Bicol River and its early inhabitants.[7]

"Catagbacan" was the oldest known name of Camaligan. Moreover, according to D. Adolfo Puya y Ruiz, in his “Camarines Sur – Descripcion General De Està Provincia En Luzon” (Manila: 1887), Camaligan was called "Kinamaligan" before.[7]

With an area of 468.8 hectares (1,158 acres), it is the smallest municipality in Camarines Sur, but it is the densest, having an approximation of 5,200 persons per square kilometer,[8] which is almost twice the density of the neighboring City of Naga of 2,456 per square kilometer.[9]

In the 2015 census, the population of Camaligan was 24,109 people, [4] with a density of 5,200 inhabitants per square kilometre or 13,000 inhabitants per square mile.

Bicol River serves as a natural source of irrigation and fertilization to the town where agriculture is still considered as a major industry.[7]

Out of the 468 hectares total land area, 175 hectares are devoted to rice production, all of which are irrigated and fertilized by the river through its occasional flooding.[7]

Camaligan is being headed by a mayor who is being elected by its residents.

The current mayor of the town is Marilou Marquez-Hirose.[19] Last May 2019 Election, she has been re-elected for her third and last term as the Municipal Mayor.[2]

Since 1902, thirty (30) mayors already headed the town.

The people of Camaligan derived their socio-cultural identity as river people from the existence of the river. Bicol River is an important resource for irrigation and fertilization of the land where agriculture and fishing is still considered as a major industry. The place’s festivals, songs and dances found their roots and inspiration from the river. Hence, the river ecology has bred its own distinct community.[7]

St. Anthony of Padua Parish Church is one of the oldest churches in the province of Camarines Sur.[15] The church is one of the favorite spots for Visita Iglesia in the province.[20]

Santo Domingo Chapel is an old chapel which was a former burial ground during pre-colonial times. It is a central archeological site where a lot of burial jars, porcelains and skeleton bones were found during the diggings.[15]

Sira, or fish, is a small wharf painted with festive colors that is constructed on the riverside of barangay San Francisco. This also serves as a dock for banca passengers.[15]

After the initial launching of Camaligan River Park in 1 June 2014, its tourism industry began to be more active. Its continuous improvements attracted many visitors, mostly coming from the City of Naga, to come and enjoy walking along the riverside.[21]

M/B Camaligan is a motorboat which docks beside Camaligan River Park. Also known as Camaligan River Cruise, it is also a floating restaurant which crosses the Bicol River. Launched last 6 February 2019, it is the newest attraction which promotes the river culture of the town.[21]

• 
  Façade of San Antonio de Padua Parish Church
• 
  Camaligan River Park's Hall
• 
  M/B Camaligan passing the Sira

Camaligan is Bicol region's oldest known pre-colonial site, filled with numerous stone tools, jar fragments, shell middens, pig and deer bones, shark and ray cartilages, and other artifacts and biofacts. The site also homes to fifteen human skeletons of pre-colonial Ibalons. The site is so rare and vital as it does not contain any evidences of trade contact with China, Southeast Asian neighbors or South Asia, making it one of the very few pre-colonial sites in the Philippines with distinct Filipino artifacts and biofacts unaffected by outside trade. Both the University of the Philippines and University of California, Los Angeles have been pushing for the town's declaration as an "Important Archaeological Site." Scholars have also been pushing for the site's nomination in the UNESCO World Heritage List.[6][14]

In a documentary made by GMA News TV, it was found that the artifacts and biofacts were not limited to the town proper. In fact, during a road-widening project conducted in September 2017 by the national government, hundreds of human bone fragments, animal bones, burial and ceremonial jar fragments, and stone tools were found after digging only the edges of the road. The documentary also found many Camaligueños to own artifacts they have found in their own land. Due to these findings, the town's reputation as a vital pre-colonial Ibalon archaeological site was solidified.[22]

Camaligan has one (1) high school, six (6) elementary schools and thirteen (13) preschools. At present, there is no existing tertiary school in the town.

• Joyce Nocomura - crowned as Miss Philippines Water 2007.[23]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Camaligan, Camarines Sur.

• Camaligan Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Official Site of the Province of Camarines Sur