Daraga ([dɐrɐ'ga] officially the Municipality of Daraga ; East Miraya Bikol: Banwaan ning Daraga; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
It is home of the famous Cagsawa Ruins which features one of the best views of the Mayon.
Etymology The word daraga historically referred to a "maiden", and term for an "unmarried woman" in many of the Bikol languages. The original settlement of Daraga dates back to the 12th century, but has changed location repeatedly due to the constant threats posed by the Mayon Volcano. The town was previously named Budiao, Cagsawa, Locsin, and Salcedo.
History Early history The early history of Daraga dates back to the 12th century when the area was first settled by traders. The name “Daraga” was derived from a type of tree that once grew abundantly on a hill where a baroque-style Catholic church now stands.
Spanish colonial era In 1578, Franciscan missionaries arrived and established a mission in the area, naming it Budiao. The settlement was later renamed Cagsawa. By 1595, Cagsawa had become a visita or satellite mission station under the jurisdiction of the nearby town of Camalig.
In 1772, Governor-General Simón de Anda y Salazar renamed Cagsawa to Salcedo, although the town would later revert to the name Daraga. The municipality suffered a major tragedy in 1814 when the eruption of Mayon Volcano destroyed the town, killing around 1,200 people who had sought refuge inside Cagsawa Church.
Formal governance of Daraga was organized in 1815, with Venancio Espíritu Salomón serving as Barangay Captain. Under the Becerra Law of 1892, Daraga became part of Legazpi City.
American colonial era In 1922, the Philippine Assembly granted Daraga its autonomy by separating it from Albay and Legazpi.
Post-war era In 1948, Republic Act No. 306 was enacted, once again incorporating Daraga into Legazpi as one of its districts.
Six years later in 1954, Republic Act No. 993 reestablished Daraga as an independent municipality. In 1959, it was renamed Locsin through Republic Act No. 2505, but this was reversed in 1967 when Republic Act No. 4994 restored the name Daraga.
In 1973, Presidential Decree No. 125 again merged Daraga with Legazpi City, but the implementation of this decree was later suspended.
Philippine fifth republic The town gained recognition in 1993 when it was awarded as the “Cleanest and Greenest Municipality” in the Bicol Region.
In June 2001, another eruption of Mayon Volcano covered parts of the town with volcanic ash. The following year, the municipal government completed the construction of a modern public market. In 2006, heavy rains brought by Typhoon Reming (international name: Durian) triggered mudflows from Mayon Volcano that buried at least eight villages, displaced over 20,000 residents, and destroyed thousands of homes.
In 2007, the National Museum declared the 400-year-old Our Lady of the Gate Parish Church (Daraga Church) a National Cultural Treasure. The town’s economy grew rapidly in 2008 with the opening of national food chains and the LCC Supermarket.
The municipal government began negotiations in 2010 for the construction of the Bicol International Airport, located in Barangay Alobo.
In February 2012, the town held its first-ever Cagsawa Festival to celebrate its heritage and history.
In 2024, Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo was arrested for his alleged involvement in the 2018 killing of Representative Rodel Batocabe of the Ako Bicol party.
Government Past municipal administrators
+ Daraga Albay Mayor Inclusive years Mayor 1948 - 1954 merger with Legazpi City 1954 - 1959 January 1, 1960 - December 30, 1963 Pedro F. Callos January 1, 1964 - December 30, 1971 Vicente Jaucian 1972 - 1984 Pedro M. Marcellana, Jr. 1984 - 1986 1986 - 1988 1988 - June 30, 1998 Atty. Cicero C. Triunfante June 30, 1998 - June 30, 2001 Wilson M. Andes June 30, 2001 - June 30, 2007 Gerry R. Jaucian June 30, 2007 - June 30, 2010 Atty. Cicero C. Triunfante June 30, 2010 - May 4, 2018 Gerry R. Jaucian May 5, 2018 - January 23, 2019 Carlwyn G. Baldo January 23, 2019 - June 30, 2022 Victor U. Perete June 30, 2022 - August 27, 2024 Carlwyn G. Baldo August 27, 2024 - June 30, 2025 Gerry Raphael Z. Jaucian, Jr. Term Starts at June 30, 2025 Victor U. Perete
Geography Daraga is located at , in the south-west portion of Albay province, along the Maharlika Highway, making it accessible from Manila, the Visayas, and the other municipalities of eastern Bicol Peninsula. It is roughly "boot-shaped", with the "tall" part ranging 13.05–13.25° north latitude and 123.66–123.73° east longitude and the "wide" part ranging 13.02–13.09° north latitude and 123.56–123.71° east longitude. It is bounded on the north and east by Legazpi City, south by Sorsogon (particularly the municipality of Pilar), and west by Camalig, and Jovellar. It is from Legazpi and from Manila.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of constituting of the total area of Albay. This municipal land area is distributed among the present 16 urban barangays and 42 rural barangays. The urban barangays total (12.65%) and the rural barangays make up the remaining (87.35%) of the total municipal land area.
Elevation 67.3% of the total municipal land area has a predominantly low elevation of up to . The surface terrain is generally characterized by combination of level to nearly level areas, gentle to undulating areas and undulating to rolling areas.
Soil The different soil types to be found within Daraga are the Mayon Gravelly Sandy Loam, Annam Clay Loam, Gravelly Sandy Loam, Legazpi Fine Sandy Loam (Stoney phase), Sevilla Clay Loam and Sevilla Clay.
The underlying geology are made up of several types: Alluvium, Shale and Sandstone Limestone and Basalt and Andesite Series. The prevalent geologic type is the Shale and Sandstone Sequence and other equally significant geologic types such as alluvium. Recent Volcanic, Crystalline Limestone and Psyroclastine Limestone are found near the base of Mayon Volcano mostly in the urban barangays.
Minerals available within the municipality of Daraga are non-metallic consisting of Gravel, and Boulders. These minerals are abundant in Barangays Budiao, Busay, Bañadero and Matnog brought down from the slopes of Mayon Volcano during occurrences of volcanic eruptions and rains.
Drainage The surface drainage pattern of Daraga is largely affected by the water runoff coming from Mayon Volcano coupled with those from other directions. Major river systems which convey and act as natural drainage channels as well as water sources include:
Yawa River in Barangay Cullat, Malobago, Kilicao, Tagas, Binitayan & Bañag which connects to the Albay Gulf in Legazpi City Colabos Creek in Bañag, San Roque, Market Area, Sagpon, and Bagumbayan Quillarena River in Malabog & Budiao Gumacon Creek in Barangay Maroroy, Tagas Gulang-Gulang Creek in Barangay Pandan
Climate
Daraga has a generally wet climate characterized by a lack of the dry season. Maximum rainfall is from November to January, and average monthly rainfall is . Prevailing winds are generally from north-east to south-west. Average temperature is .
But the climate change phenomenon has changed the past climate pattern. Dry spells are becoming more pronounced, as it is with the wet season. The phenomenon is felt all over the country as well.
Barangays Daraga is politically subdivided into 54 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Barangay Population Area Daraga Municipal Planning and Development Office Class Barangay head Alcala Rural Ester L. Llandeza Alobo Rural Dexter L. Marmol Anislag Urban Elmer Lodronio Bagumbayan Urban Mark C. Magalona Balinad Urban Darren Maceda Bañadero Rural Archie Bajamundi Bañag Urban Gayzel M. Cardiño Bascaran Urban Julius L. Duran Bigao Rural Salvador Miravalles Binitayan Urban Cecilia A. Arevalo Bongalon Rural Ferelyn M. Seva Budiao Rural Jefferson M. Mapula Burgos Rural Henry Mallapre Busay Rural Salvyn Mandane Canarom Rural Efren M. Llasos Cullat Rural Luis D. Espejo De la Paz (Ibong Salog) Rural Maria L. Marjalino Dinoronan Rural Hirfa M. Espadilla Gabawan Rural Roberto C. Obispo Gapo Rural Jesus M. Magdaong Jr. Ibaugan Rural Raul Ll. Malto Ilawod Urban Randy Kabayo Velasco Inarado Rural Rommel N. Marticio Kidaco Rural Nelson Magallano Kilicao Urban Eriberto M. Madrona Kimantong Urban Ramon D. Paran Jr. Kinawitan Rural Eduardo N. Lubiano Kiwalo Rural Janet L. Lorilla Lacag Rural Arthur L. Llabore Sr. Mabini Rural Ranulfo N. Llorera Malabog Rural Paulo Montallana Malobago Rural William Marbella Maopi Rural Alex M. Loteriña Market Area Urban Wilfredo N. Nayve Maroroy Urban Robinson "Toto" Lubiano Matnog Rural Bonifacio M. Odiver Mayon Rural Adoracion Blazo Mi-isi Rural Elmer A. Lorica Nabasan Rural Menche A. Llamasares Namantao Rural Danilo Llaneta Pandan Rural Rosalito Cimanes Peñafrancia Urban Jose M. Lobas Sagpon Urban Loreto Barajas Salvacion Rural Nelson N. Mabini San Rafael Rural Alodea M. Lisay San Ramon Rural Aidar L. Llaguno San Roque Urban Gary Calpe San Vicente Grande (Malingolingo) Rural Elena M. Vibar San Vicente Pequeño (Kapusungan) Rural Jesus Oarde Sipi Urban Dexter Billy M. Lorica Tabon-tabon Rural Ric M. Rodrigueza Tagas Urban Cherry M. Mayor Talahib Rural Nieves M. Jacob Villahermosa Rural Eladio L. Rodrigueza
Demographics
In the 2024 census, Daraga had a population of 138,000 people. The population density was .
In 2010, the 2010 municipal population of 115,804 was distributed among the urban and rural barangays. The urban population was 48.54% while rural population completed the remaining 51.45%. The "built-up density" was 5,659 persons/km2. It had a literacy rate of 96.08% and a municipality growth rate of 1.3%.
In terms of employment and livelihood, farming ranks high at 33.53%, crafts and related workers as well as elementary occupations follow second with 17.71% and 21.89% respectively.
Language The languages spoken in Daraga include East Miraya (Daragueño), Bicol, Tagalog, and English.
Economy
Daraga's economy, originally agriculture-based, has rapidly transformed into an emerging urban system, benefiting from the economic opportunities of being located contiguously with the urban center of Legazpi. It draws trade relations with the island province of Masbate through the nearby Port of Pilar.
Daraga is the site of the Bicol International Airport which will further boost tourism in the region and will introduce more opportunities especially in this town. Local officials are now considering cityhood in the near future or upon the completion of the said international airport, if that so, Daraga would be the fourth city in Albay.
Daraga has the highest number of business establishments among towns in Albay. As of 2011 it has over 2,300 business establishments registered with the Permits and Licensing Office. The municipality is a center of handicraft manufacturing with several handicraft factories choosing their location in the municipality.
Tourism
Daraga's existing tourist spots/attractions are the Cagsawa Ruins and Resort and the Our Lady of the Gate Parish.
Cagsawa Ruins and Resort is located in Barangay Busay. Its prominent attraction is the belfry of the Cagsawa Church which submerged in mudflow during the February 2, 1814, Mayon Volcano Eruption which killed 1,200 people.
The Our Lady of the Gate Parish was constructed in 1773 atop Santa Maria Hill in Barangay San Roque and is uniquely known for its rich Baroque architecture.
Transportation