Argao, officially the Municipality of Argao (; ), is a municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 78,111 people.
Geography The municipality of Argao is located in the southeast of the province of Cebu, from Cebu City.
Argao is bordered to the north by the municipality of Sibonga, to the west are the municipalities of Ronda, Alcantara and Moalboal, to the east is the Cebu Strait, and to the south is the municipality of Dalaguete.
Barangays Argao is politically subdivided into 45 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Climate
Demographics
Economy
Tourism
The economy of the town of Argao heavily revolves around farming, baking, and tourism. Argao is renowned in Cebu as the "Torta Capital of the Province" because of its local delicacy, the Torta, a Cebuano tart that is inspired from the Spanish tart, but differs in its recipe by using tubâ or palm wine as the rising agent instead of the usual yeast. There are three Cebuano baking towns, the others are Liloan and Santander.
The La Torta Festival, which replaced the Pitlagong Festival in 2011, is the municipality's local food festival in honor of St Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of Argao. La Torta Festival happens every 28–29 September to celebrate Argao's Tart Economy and the torta as an Argaoanon delicacy, as well as cultural heritage from the Spanish period, which includes the tradition of making the torta.
Argao is also a producer of Cebuano tsokolate (chocolate). Much of the cocoa production originates from Argao. The raw cacao, once harvested, is molded, while melted, into disk-shaped tablets called tablea. These are often used in sikwate, a Cebuano version of hot chocolate. The production of chocolate in Argao is said to have been pre-colonial. Maria Cacao, a goddess of the Lantoy Mountain, is said to have been the giver of the cacao tree to the natives of Argao, according to legend. It is said that she and her husband Mangao reside in a cave in that area, surrounded by cacao trees.
Argao is, additionally, a producer of vinegar in the province. When the tubâ ferments or when it is aged too long, it becomes sour. It eventually turns into vinegar which is used as sauce or as component for a sauce in main courses. The palm vinegar is referred to as sukang tubâ. It is often accompanied with spices such as garlic and chili peppers and usually comes by the bottle.
Education The public schools in the town of Argao are administered by two school districts under the Schools Division of Cebu Province.
Elementary schools:
Alambijud Elementary School — Alambijud Anajao Elementary School — Anajao Apo Elementary School — Apo Argao I Central Elementary School — N. Bacalso Avenue, Poblacion Bala-as Elementary School — Bala-as Balisong-Casay Elementary School — Balisong Banahao Elementary School — Sitio Banahao, Talaga Binlod Elementary School — Binlod Bogo Elementary School — Bogo Bug-ot Elementary School — Bug-ot Bulasa Elementary School — Bulasa Butong Elementary School — Butong Calagasan Elementary School — Calagasan Canbantug Elementary School — Canbantug Canbanua Elementary School — Dr. T.S. Kintanar Street, Canbanua Candolonon Primary School — Sitio Candolonon, Balisong Cansuje Elementary School — Cansuje Catang Primary School — Catang Colawin Elementary School — Colawin Conalum Elementary School — Conalum Dalas-ag Primary School — Sitio Dalas-ag, Balisong Guiwanon Elementary School — Guiwanon Gutlang Elementary School — Gutlang Jampang Elementary School — Jampang Jomgao Elementary School — Jomgao Langtad Elementary School — Langtad Langub Elementary School — Langub Lapay Elementary School — Lapay Lengigon Elementary School — Lengigon Linut-od Elementary School — Linut-od Mabasa Elementary School — Mabasa Malacorong Primary School — Sitio Malacorong, Usmad Malalag Elementary School — Sitio Malalag, Ubaub Mandilikit Elementary School — Mandilikit Mompeller Elementary School — Mompeller Nug-as Elementary School — Sitio Nug-as, Cansuje Rrcy Elementary School — Sitio Candabong, Binlod Sua Elementary School — Sua Sumaguan Elementary School — Sumaguan Tabayag Elementary School — Tabayag Talaga Elementary School — Talaga Talaytay Elementary School — Talaytay Tiguib Elementary School — Tiguib Tulang Elementary School — Tulang Tulic Elementary School — Isidro Kintanar Street, Tulic Usmad Elementary School — Usmad
High schools: Argao National High School — San Miguel Street, Canbanua Bulasa National High School — Bulasa Calagasan National High School — Calagasan Cansuje National High School — Cansuje Colawin National High School — Colawin Mandilikit National High School — Mandilikit Talaga National High School — Talaga Usmad National High School — Usmad
Integrated schools: Taloot Integrated School — Taloot
Notable personalities
Cerge Remonde – former Press Secretary, Chairman of Radio Philippines Network, and President and CEO of IBC Francisco Remotigue – former Governor of Cebu Hilario Davide Jr. – former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Romulo Davide – National Scientist of the Philippines for Nematology and Plant Pathology Edsel Galeos – former mayor and current representative for Cebu's 2nd congressional district
See also
Philippine Science High School Central Visayas Campus
References
External links