Carigara
Municipality
Municipality of Carigara
Downtown Area (Real St.)
Flag Seal
Etymology: Kan Gara to Kalgara
Map of Leyte with Carigara highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Carigara Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 11°18′N 124°41′E / 11.3°N 124.68°E / 11.3; 124.68
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Province	Leyte
District	2nd district
Founded	25 January 1571; 453 years ago (25 January 1571)
Named for	Datu Gara
Barangays	49 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Eduardo "Ed" T. Ong Jr.
• Vice Mayor	Jimmy A. Camposano
• Representative	Lolita T. Javier
• Councilors	List • Joenlee C. Larraga • Anabella N. Crisostomo • Mildred C. Modesto • Raul Z. Lloren • Lorna A. Marpa • Joselu N. Guia • Kim Anthony G. Agner • Leny T. Ong DILG Masterlist of Officials
• Electorate	38,606 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	117.86 km2 (45.51 sq mi)
Elevation	130 m (430 ft)
Highest elevation	1,267 m (4,157 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	54,656
• Density	460/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
• Households	12,830
Demonym(s)	Carigaran-on Kalgaran-on (vernacular term)
Economy
• Income class	2nd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	25.00 % (2018)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 192.2 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 606.1 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 156.6 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 160.8 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Leyte 3 Electric Cooperative (LEYECO 3)
• Water	Metro Carigara Water District (MCWD)
• Telecommunications	Bayan Telecommunications, Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, Dito Telecommunity
• Cable TV	G Sat, Sky Direct, Cignal, SatLite
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6529
PSGC	0803715000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)53
Native languages	Waray Tagalog
Major Religion	Christianity, mainly Roman Catholicism
Local Feast	Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross
Feast Date	every 16th day of July
Website	www.carigara-leyte.gov.ph

Carigara (Tagalog: [kɐɾiˈɡaɾɐʔ]), officially the Municipality of Carigara (Waray: Bungto han Carigara; Tagalog: Bayan ng Carigara), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 54,656 people.^[3]

Established in 1571, Carigara holds the distinction of being the inaugural town founded in the expansive Eastern Visayas region. A pivotal development occurred in 1735 when Leyte and Samar were detached from Cebu, forming a unified provincial governance structure with Carigara serving as the premier provincial capital during this era.

Carigara is renowned for its distinct offerings, including pastillas, humba, sundang (machete), and the hubhob delicacy. Hubhob, a local delight, is crafted from grated cassava, eggs, kalamay, milk, and sugar, cooked within a bagacay (bamboo pole) over charcoal, imparting a unique and flavorful taste to this traditional specialty.

History

Carigara, originally known as "Kan Gara," translates to "that of Gara" or simply "Gara's." Legend has it that Gara hailed from Borneo and was among the unnamed companions of the ten datus who purchased Panay from the Ati (or Aeta) chief Marikudo. Over time, "Kan Gara" transformed into Kalgara for ease of pronunciation, and upon the arrival of the Spaniards, the place was named Carigara, thus adopting its present designation.

As the initial town established in Eastern Visayas,^[5] Carigara celebrates its town fiesta every 16th of July, marking the arrival of the Spaniards on July 16, 1569. This festivity, spanning nearly the entire month of July, is known as the Fiesta of the Holy Cross, commemorating this significant historical event.

Carigara's Attempt for a World Record

On July 14, 2018, Carigara made a bold attempt to secure the Guinness World Records for the "Largest Participants in Philippine Folk Dance," showcasing the Kuratsa.^[6] This event formed a part of the town's 423rd fiesta celebration slated for July 16, instilling a sense of pride among the locals and fostering hopes for an economic and tourism upsurge. The event boasted nearly 5,000 participants, predominantly comprising students, teachers from various schools, municipal employees, representatives from the private sector, and residents. Carigara had promptly submitted its bid and eagerly awaited official confirmation.

Geography

Topography

It is a town in the northern part of Leyte province located right on the shores of Carigara Bay, and surrounded by wide rice fields fanning out towards the mountains in the distance.

Carigara shares borders with Capoocan to the west, Ormoc to the south, Jaro to the southeast, Tunga to the east and Barugo to the northeast.

Flora and Fauna

Flora

The climatic and topographical characteristics of Carigara's expansive terrain, encompassing wide rice fields and hilly landscapes, create an optimal environment for cultivating fruit-bearing trees, vegetables, and a variety of crops. Noteworthy fruit-bearing trees suitable for cultivation include bananas, coconuts, jackfruits, mangoes, guavas, rambutans, santol, and star apples. In terms of vegetables, gabi, karubasa, pipino, kamalunggay, marigoso, munggos, sitaw, and upo are extensively grown by local farmers and residents, thriving exceptionally well within the community. Additionally, root crops like kamote and balanghoy flourish alongside rice crops, constituting a substantial part of the agricultural landscape in Carigara.

Fauna

Carigara features vast highland forests and a diverse fauna, including domesticated animals like carabaos, horses, cats, dogs, chickens, and pigs. In its wild population, the area is home to snakes, frogs, insects, various lizards, and a variety of birds, among other wildlife species.

Barangays

Carigara is politically subdivided into 49 barangays. ^[7] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Carigara, Leyte, was 54,656 people,^[3] with a density of 460 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,200 inhabitants per square mile.

Language

The predominant language in the municipality is Waray-waray, with Cebuano and Tagalog recognized as minority languages. English functions as the official language, often interspersed with Waray in colloquial exchanges. Although Spanish maintains residual relevance, its usage is limited to specific contexts and not prevalent in verbal or day-to-day communication.

Faith and Religion

Carigara is a Christian municipality, and most of the population are Roman Catholics. There are also adherents of other Christian denominations and sects like the Iglesia ni Cristo, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Seventh-day Adventists (Sabadistas), Evangelicals or Born Again Christians, Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses (Mga Saksi ni Jehova) and some more.

Economy

Culture

Festival

On January 25, 2019, Carigara commemorated its inaugural festival, the Magara Festival,^[20] coinciding with its 448th founding anniversary. Magara locally connotes abundance, elegance, and vibrancy. The inaugural Magara Festival primarily centered on celebrating the town's agricultural richness, local products, historical heritage, and its community.

Events

Turugpo is a significant public spectacle featuring duels between two male carabaos or two male horses, occurring annually on Black Saturday. This widely attended event garners immense popularity within the town, drawing thousands of both local and international tourists eager to witness this renowned and culturally significant fight.^{[21] [22]}

Tourism

Here's a list of some tourist attractions of the municipality of Carigara.

Attractions include:

• Lauron's Boulevard (Brgy. Baybay & Ponong) This is the place where people can buy street foods like isaw, pork barbecues, and many more.
• Carigara Municipal Library and Museum (Brgy. Baybay)
• Cassidy Elementary School (Brgy. Ponong) A school famous for its classical-style building.
• Datu Gara Shrine (Brgy. Canal)
• Gawas an Harigue (Brgy. Baybay) An old house with exposed posts on the sides.
• Heroes Shrine (Brgy. Baybay & Ponong) Located right between Carigara Boulevard and the Kan Gara Gymnasium.
• Holy Cross Parish Church (Brgy. Ponong) The oldest and largest church in Carigara.
• Kan Gara Gymnasium (Brgy. Ponong) The largest gymnasium.
• Lumen Ancestral House (Brgy. Sawang) The only house in the town which serves as a shelter for balinsasayaos.
• Plaza Triunfo (Brgy. Ponong) The largest plaza.
• St. Francis Assisi Parish (Brgy. Jugaban)

Infrastructures

Transportation

Land Transport

• Pedicabs are the common mode of transportation within the town proper and the poblacións.
• Tricycles and habal-habals on the other hand are commonly used for travelling within the town, especially to the far-flung barangays.
• Vans, jeepneys and buses are the mode of transport when travelling to the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc or to the municipalities that are faraway from the town. There are few bus companies situated in Carigara.

There are new modernized PUVs that travel from Carigara to Tacloban and vice versa issued by its local government on 24 November 2021.

Sea Transport

The municipality owns a port that is located in Barangay Baybay where local boats and ships docks.

Healthcare Service

Carigara District Hospital, commonly referred to as CDH, serves as the sole public hospital in the town. Residents from neighboring towns also visit the hospital to admit their ailing patients, seeking additional medical services and attention.

Utilities

Education

There are a total of 30 elementary schools, 6 high schools (1 private, 4 public, 1 pending construction) and 2 college institutions located on Carigara.^[23]

Grade School/Elementary School

Secondary School/High School

• Carigara National High School
• Carigara National Vocational School (formerly Carigara School of Fisheries)
• Jugaban National High School
• Sogod National High School
• Holy Cross College of Carigara (Private)
• Parag-um National High School (soon)

College/University

• Holy Cross College of Carigara
• Eastern Visayas State University (Carigara Campus)

Notable personalities

• Eduardo Makabenta Sr. - Waray-language poet and translator^[24]
• Mike Hanopol - musician, singer-songwriter

Gallery

Century-old houses in Brgy. Jugaban, Carigara, Leyte	Gawas an Harigue	Carigara Municipal Library and Museum

Cassidy Central School	Plaza Triunfo	Holy Cross Parish Church	Carigara Tide Embankment