Binahian

Binahian is one of the most beautiful (outskirt) barangays of Sipocot, Camarines Sur (Region V). This barangay is strategically situated/located along the shore line (Ragay Gulf). This place can be reached by boat from Tagbac port if coming from Quirino Hi-way. Its neighboring barangays include Caima, Manlubang, Lipilip, and Carayrayan (all from the town of Sipocot) and Bangon, Ragay, Camarines Sur.

Obviously, the native tongue (dialect) that is being used here is Bikolnon or some would claim as the Mainland Bikolnon which can be understood by the Bicolanos in all provinces of Region V - unlike other Bikol dialects which vary from town to town and very hard to understand.

Generally, its residents depend on farming and fishing as their source of living.

During the early 70's, Binahian can be identified as one of the barangays of Sipocot with only a handful households where one knows by name everyone in the neighborhood, no matter how far that neighbor may be. As it is located along the shore line (very conducive to watch the sunset) and at its background is a mountain where the sun rises, this beautiful setting has been attracting many tourists and visitors - reason enough to have a voluminous increase in its population year after year.

The Barangay Fiesta is celebrated every 12 & 13 of June where members of the family who might have been working in the Greater Manila Area or some other key cities of the country would pay a visit to their loved ones to join and celebrate the feast as part of tradition.

Unfortunately, education is not an attraction. There is no secondary school where the elementary graduates could continue their pursuit to gain more knowledge. They have to either go to nearby barangays or to the town proper to seek for a school that could provide them a far better secondary education.

Also, there is no hospital that could give immediate treatment to any resident who might be needing an urgent care or health assistance. Provision of medicines at the barangay center is also very limited, and there is no regular attending physician who visits the place even on a monthly basis. One has to cross the sea and travel for hours before he could get any medical treatment.

Noticeably, there are also some improvements that help promote the place to newcomers. There is a sizable Roman Catholic Church (which has been sponsored and built by one of the successful real estate developers - who is also from a known clan of the barangay) and a few-meter-pathway from the shore that provides convenience to those who travel by boat. And the good part is, the residents are all concerned to continuously do their best to contribute their unreserved talents and efforts for the improvement and beautification of the place.

Binahian is now the seat of the 22nd parish in the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Prelature of Libmanan. The parish is named under the patronage of St. Anthony of Padua. Canonically Erected as a parish on June 13, 2002, the first pastor is a 29 year old Rev. Fr. Apolinar Rull Napoles Jr.

In the recently concluded Nation-wide Barangay Election - October 29, 2007 - Berting Palmes won the highest position in the community, defeating all the other candidates who also wanted to serve the people. Hopefully more and more changes would be seen & realized during his term as the Barangay Captain. The residents are very eager to see what development will happen in the next couple of years.