Support Asian Catholic Dioceses Directory
Support Asian Catholic Dioceses Directory
www.ucanews.com

Diocese of Masbate

Report An Error
Diocese of Masbate
  • Facebook Share
  • Twitter Share

In a land area of 7,000 square kilometers, the diocesan territory covers the civil province of Masbate with its one hundred twenty one islands.

Population

In the diocesan territory, the population is 903,926 as of the end of 2016. About ethnic groups, there are no data available.

Language

Masbateño is the predominant medium of communication with a mixture of Bicolano. Waray or Cebuano is spoken in the southeastern towns while Ilonggo or Capiceno is spoken in southwestern towns. Masbateños are also conversant in Tagalog and English.

History

  • Diocese of Masbate
    (Diocesis Masbatensis)

    Suffragan of the Archdiocese of Caceres
    Created on March 23, 1968
    Erected on Sept. 25, 1968
    Comprises the civil province of Masbate with its one hundred twenty one islands
    Titular: St. Anthony of Padua

    The Diocese of Masbate was created on March 23, 1968, separating it from the Diocese of Sorsogon. It comprises then, and now, the civil province of Masbate with its 121 islands including the two larger ones – Burias and Ticao. It is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Caceres. Its titular patron is St. Anthony of Padua.

    Names of places scattered over Masbate's 121 islands are reminders of the missionary journeys and church foundations that were made by the Spanish soldiers and missionaries long ago:
  • San Pascual and Claveria in Burias
  • San Jacinto and Monreal in Ticao

Corpus and Esperanza in Aroroy.

Masbate town is the most important foundation however, and is now the seat of the diocese as well as the civil capital of the province.

Devotional practices such as the rosary, novenas to saints, and other religious manifestations as processions, the misa de gallo and Holy Week traditional activities are still very much part of the way of life of most parishioners.

Political

A Philippine province is headed by a Governor. A Provincial Council (Sangguniang Panlalawigan) is composed of a Vice Governor (Presiding Officer) and Provincial Board Members. A Philippine city or municipality is headed by a Mayor. A City Council (Sangguniang Panlungsod) or Municipal Council (Sangguniang Bayan) is composed of a Vice Mayor (Presiding Officer) and City or Municipal Councilors. A barangay is headed by a Barangay Captain, who is also the presiding officer of the barangay council. The Barangay Council is composed of seven (7) Barangay Kagawads. A similar unit called a Youth Council (Sangguniang Kabataan) is headed by an SK Chairperson with a similar rank to a Barangay Captain. The council is composed of SK Members.

Transportation

  • Modes of transportation
        Mini-buses serve the transportation needs of the people of the province as well as visitors and tourists. They are stationed at the main town's land terminal, which is beside the municipal public market
  • Airport
        Masbate Airport is an only domestic airport that serves the whole Masbate Province. It is located in the main city of Masbate in the Philippines. The airport is classified as a minor commercial domestic airport by the Air Transportation Office. Traveling by plane is the quickest way to Masbate.
  • Sea Port
        The province has one major port set up at the capital town and 14 municipal ports. The municipal ports are served by motorized boats which can accommodate 50 passengers. These same ports connect the municipalities to Bogo town in Cebu, Estancia town in Capiz, Pasacao town in Camarines Sur, and to Pilar and Bulan towns in Sorsogon.
        It is the shipping gateway to Masbate Province. It receives and transfers different cargos from and to different places. There are various watercrafts you can see at Masbate Ports such as big and small ferry, fast craft, and large ships for the shipping of cargos.

 

Geography

  • Power Supply
        The power plant of the National Power Corporation, augmented by a Napocor Power barge, generates enough power to serve the power requirement of almost all municipalities of the province.
  • Water Supply
        The Masbate Water District (MWD), the main source of water supply, serves only Quezon street and barangay Tugbo in the maintown. All other areas in the capital town are currently supplied with water by water peddlers. Masbate Water District's (MWD) another water system project for Mobo is fast nearing completion and it is expected to boost potable water supply in the area.

 

Economy

The annual per capita income was (in Philippines Pesos) 14,025 (as of June 2010 USD300).

  • Major industries: Farming remains the main source of livelihood. Cattle raising is growing its popularity among the people of the province while fishing is considered one of the major industries. Copra is the leading product followed by corn and rootcrops. Considered as one of the richest in terms of mineral resources, Masbate has considerable deposits of copper, silver, iron, manganese, and chromite.

    Cottage industry is likewise another source of livelihood. They are: furniture and cabinet making, ceramics, garments, handicrafts and metalcrafts.

    While coconut production and fisheries remain the basic industries, Masbate is expanding to include wholesale and retail trade, bigger ventures in manufacturing, community and personal services, transportation, communication and storage, financing, insurance, real estate and business services, agriculture, fishery, forestry, and electricity and gas.

 

Telecommunication

Pilipino Telephone Corporation (Piltel) has installed phone lines for over 2,000 households and business establishments in the maintown and has established calling stations in the towns of Milagros and Cataingan. Long distance phone calls can be made through other companies, such as RCPI-Bayantel and PT&T.

There are three radio stations in Masbate, the DYME-AM of the Masbate Community Broadcasting Corporation and DYME-FM of MCBC, an affiliate of ABS-CBN and the Spirit Fm of St. Anthony of Padua Parish.

The Masbate Cable and Charles Cable are the two cable television firms that service the towns of Masbate, Aroroy, Baleno, Dimasalang, and Cataingan.

Topography

Masbate is bounded on the north by Burias and Ticao Pass, east by San Bernardino Strait, south by the Visayan Sea, and west by the Sibuyan Sea. Relative to mainland Bicol, the province faces the southwestern coasts of Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.

The general surface configuration of the province ranges from slightly undulating to rolling and from hilly to mountainous. In each island, the rugged topography is concentrated in the northeastern portion and gradually recedes to blunt hills and rolling areas in the south, southeast, and southwest.

Masbate is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol, Region V. Its capital is Masbate City and consists of three major islands: Masbate, Ticao and Burias.

Masbate is subdivided into 20 municipalities and 1 city with 3 congressional districts and 550 barangays.

Education

The literacy rate (simple literacy) is 87.23 percent as of Dec. 2008 according to government census.

Culture

  • Galleon Festival
        The Galleon Festival assumes its place and reputations as a church-based revelry about the Masbateño identity, history and goal. Some interesting features of the festival namely: the parade of the Galleons' replicas, the street dances dubbed "pasa-kalye" and the barter system.
  • Pagdayao Festival
        Pagdayao festival honors, praises and give thanks to the city's patron Saint Anthony of Padua every June of the year Manifesting religiosity of the Masbateños as a people.
  • Rodeo Masbateño
        The only rodeo show in Asia. It is celebrated every month of April showcasing ten [10] competitive events for cowboys with their calves. Highlighting this event is the difficult "figure of eight" competition where the cowboy criss-cross around a group of barrels. Women participate too in heart stopping event like calf wrestling, bull riding, calf lassoing and carambola.
  • Barangay Bantigue Fiesta
        Every 10th of August, residents from Barangay Bantigue celebrate the feast in honor of Saint Felomina. People from other barangays of Masbate City and     municipalities of Masbate come to this barangay to visit the church, pray and dance to Saint Felomina. It is believed that Saint Felomina has miraculous intercession for those needing help or asking favors especially those who cannot conceive a child. This has become a significant tradition in Masbate City.

 

Help us improve the Asian Catholic Dioceses Directory

Asian Saints

Asian Pilgrimages

Support Asian Catholic Dioceses Directory
Support Asian Catholic Dioceses Directory
UCA News
The Asian Catholic Dioceses Directory is the largest information database on the Church in Asia, brought to you by UCA News.
CONTACT US
Union des Nouvelles Catholiques Asiatiques (UCA News, UCAN)
31 Avenue de Ségur,
75007 Paris.
[email protected]