Balatan, Camarines Sur

Infobox Philippine municipality
infoboxtitle = Municipality of Balatan
sealfile =
locatormapfile = Ph_locator_camarines sur_balatan.png| caption = Map of Camarines Sur showing the location of Balatan
region = Bicol Region (Region V)
province = Camarines Sur
districts = 4th district(Rinconada)
barangays = 17
class = 4th class municipality; partially urban
mayor =
founded =
areakm2 = 63.72
pop2000 = 25,982
coordinates = |

Balatan is a 5th class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 22,537 people in 4,141 households.

Balatan was founded by Don Gregorio Balatan, also its first mayor and founder of the municipality's first school, the Balatan Institute. The current mayor is Nena B. Borja.

Balatan celebrates a festival, The Pintakasi and Pagkamundag Festival on February 18 and December 1-3 respectively. This town bounded by the municipalities of Bula, Bato,Nabua and a shoreline part of the Ragay Gulf. Trading in this town is comparably good since people from the Burias Island of Masbate province are most likely trading their products in this small municipality. Blessed with shallow depth shore, beautiful beaches and rich forest it is now considered to be the next center of development projects of the provincial and national government. The Animasola Island which according to the Balateño Fisherfolk is very scenic comes sunset is part of this municipality

History

Balatan is not an ancient municipality as compared to other towns in the fourth district. It was just a sitio known as Siramag which belonged to Nabua town.

In the year 1951, a member of the Provincial Board of Camarines Sur in the person of Gregorio O. Balatan Sr. proposed a resolution which indicated the division of Nabua into two municipalities: Nabua and Balatan. Balatan then was separated to its mother town and became an independent area on December 3, 1951 under Executive Order (EO) No. 485 of then Prseident Elpidio Quirino, owing its name to the father of Board member Gregorio Balatan who was Don Rufino Balatan.

Seven years later from its establishment as a town, the Parish of Our Mother of Perpetual Help was installed by Archbishop Pedro P. Santos. Balatan observes the annual fiesta celebration every June 27.

Barangays

Balatan is politically subdivided into 17 barangays.

ocio-Economic Profile

Literacy Rate

* Urban area literacy rate: 98.29%
* Rural area literacy rate: 96.17%

Language & Dialect

* 96.67% speak the mother tongue which is Bicol

Religion

* Catholics: 94.94%

Housing

* Years 1960-1990 there is an average of 96.60% of total housing units in the municipality which are occupied while only 3.40% are vacant

Health

* Crude birth rate: 19.97%
* Crude death rate: 1.95%
* Infant mortality rate: 11.09%
* Young child mortality: 1.03%
* Maternal mortality rate: 2.22%
* General medical consultation rate: 288.68%
* Hospitalization rate: 5.67%
* Health service and facilities implemented by the municipal health office through its Rural Health Unit
* Existence of four barangay health stations

Education

* 17 public elementary schools
* 1 private elementary school
* 3 public secondary schools
* 1 institution offering vocational/technical education

Protective

* Facilities for protective services include the ff:- Police headquarters - Police substation - Fire station - Municipal jail

Social Welfare

* Existing social welfare organizations or instrumentalities include: - CVRD’S People Organization - KALIPI (Women) PYM - Federation of Day Care Workers

Trade & Commerce

* Minor central business district consists of public market, grocery, sari-sari stores, welding and vulcanizing shop, calling office, fish dealer, bakery, barber shop, beauty parlor, billiard hall, coco lumber dealer, junk shop and cable network
* Neighborhood centers consisting of sari-sari stores, bakery, videoke/bar, mini-sound system, repair shops, piggery, cockpit, bakery, furniture shop, fish dealer, repair and welding shops, copra dealer, among others

Industry

* Mini-containerized ice plant which cater to the needs of rich-fishing activities few rice mills

Agriculture Sector

* 75.04% of the total municipal land area are devoted to crops such as rice, corn, vegetables, legumes, coffee, high value crops and fruits, sugar cane, coconut, banana, abaca, root crops and industrial crops
* For livestock production: 16 private owners engaged in raising carabaos, cattles, swines or poultry
* For fishery production

Tourism

* There are (3) beach resorts catering to domestic tourism

Transportation Facilities

* Land transportation refers to the present road circulation system as well as bus and jeepney terminal
* Marine transportation facility operates through the existing Balatan Municipal Port of Ragay Gulf

Water Supply

* Water supply distributed under Level III and Level I water systems:- Level III is operated by the Balatan Water District- Level I water supply system consisting of either shallow wells, deep wells or improved spring provides alternative water supply source

Power & Electricity

* 90% of the total households in the municipality are now served with electricity
* Barangays with electricity are serviced by CASURECO

Communication Facilities

* Communication facilities include the ff:- postal services - telegraph and telegraphic transfer service facilities - telephone services