Molave, Zamboanga del Sur

Molave, officially known as the Municipality of Molave (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Molave; Subanen: Benwa Molave; Chavacano: Municipalidad de Molave; Tagalog: Bayan ng Molave), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. In the 2015 census, it had 52,006 people. [3] It is in the eastern part of the province of Zamboanga del Sur, and has an area of 21,685 hectares (83.73 square miles). The name "Molave" refers to the tree (and its hardwood) that was common in the area. Its economy is focused on agricultural production, and 1,378.5 hectares (3,406 acres) of fertile land is irrigated and planted with rice. Corn, coconut, cassava, banana, camote and various vegetables are also grown. These are marketed to neighboring towns and cities, and reach Cebu. Due to its strategic location, Molave is becoming the commercial hub of the Salug Valley.

For the tree, see Vitex parviflora.
Molave
Municipality
Municipality of Molave
Seal
Map of Zamboanga del Sur with Molave highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Molave
Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 8°05′N 123°29′E
CountryPhilippines
RegionZamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)
ProvinceZamboanga del Sur
District1st District
FoundedJune 16, 1948
Barangays25 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorCyril Reo A. Glepa
 • Vice MayorMonalisa J. Glepa
 • RepresentativeDivina Grace C. Yu
 • Electorate31,828 voters (2019)
Area
 [2]
 • Total251.50 km2 (97.10 sq mi)
Elevation
50 m (160 ft)
Population
 (2015 census) [3]
 • Total52,006
 • Density210/km2 (540/sq mi)
 • Households
11,401
Economy
 • Income class1st municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence29.3% (2015)[4]
 • Revenue₱183,071,509.94 (2016)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
7023
PSGC
097319000
IDD : area code +63 (0)62
Climate typetropical climate
Native languagesSubanon
Cebuano
Chavacano
Tagalog
Websitemolave.gov.ph

Molave originated during the 1930s as a small settlement in a marshy jungle, originally known as Salug. The Subanons were early settlers of the area; the fertile land of the Salug Valley later attracted settlers from throughout the Philippines, making the area ethnically diverse. On June 16, 1948, the settlement was separated from the municipality of Aurora as a separate municipality and designated the new capital of the province of Zamboanga.[5] Molave was the provincial capital until Zamboanga was divided into the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur; it became part of Zamboanga del Sur, with the town of Pagadian as its capital.[6]

Geography

Molave is in the northeastern part of the province of Zamboanga del Sur, at the foot of a hill, and is bounded by the Salug River and mountains which protect it from typhoons. It is bordered by the municipalities of Tambulig in the east, Mahayag in the west, Josefina and Province of Zamboanga del Norte in the north, and Ramon Magsaysay in the south. Molave is about 38 kilometres (24 mi) from Pagadian, the provincial capital, and 58 kilometres (36 mi) from Ozamiz. It is 15 metres (49 ft) above sea level.

Topography

Molave is divided into two topographical areas. The east and southwest lowlands, which cover 30 percent of its total land area, consist of nine barangays and are generally flat, swampy and marshy. The upland, which covers 70 percent of Molave's total area, is hilly and mostly deforested. The terrain is moderately sloping to rolling, with the overall grade varying from 10 percent in the lowlands to 27 percent in the mountains.

The municipality has two types of soil. The lowlands and part of the upper barangays are composed of San Miguel silt loam, and is well-suited for cultivation. Adtoyon clay loam is found in the upland areas, and can be used for grazing and a variety of crops such as corn, cassava, and camote.

Climate

Molave is the fourth type on the PAGASA climatology map, with rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year. Its average temperature is 29.7 °C (85.5 °F).

Climate data for Molave, Zamboanga del Sur
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 30
(86)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 32
(90)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)
Average low °C (°F) 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 24
(74)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 48
(1.9)		 44
(1.7)		 56
(2.2)		 56
(2.2)		 112
(4.4)		 135
(5.3)		 124
(4.9)		 124
(4.9)		 115
(4.5)		 134
(5.3)		 90
(3.5)		 56
(2.2)		 1,094
(43)
Average rainy days 13.0 11.7 15.6 18.1 25.6 25.7 25.2 24.1 23.8 26.1 22.3 16.5 247.7
Source: Meteoblue [7]

Barangays

Molave is divided into 25 barangays:

  • Alicia
  • Ariosa
  • Bagong Argao
  • Bagong Gutlang
  • Blancia
  • Bogo Capalaran
  • Culo
  • Dalaon
  • Dipolo
  • Dontulan
  • Gonosan
  • Lower Dimalinao
  • Pablo Bahinting Sr. (Lower Dimorok)
  • Mabuhay
  • Madasigon (Poblacion)
  • Makuguihon (Poblacion)
  • Maloloy-on (Poblacion)
  • Miligan
  • Parasan
  • Rizal
  • Santo Rosario
  • Silangit
  • Simata
  • Sudlon
  • Upper Dimorok

History

The Subanon people were early inhabitants of the area. Molave originated during the early 1930s as a small settlement in a marshy jungle which was known originally as Salug. The fertile soil of the Salug Valley attracted settlers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, making the area's population a diverse mix of Cebuano, Boholano, Ilongo, Tagalog, Ilocano, Leyteño, Misamisnon, Surigaonon, and Muslim and other ethnic groups. A number of Chinese and Filipino businessmen settled in the region before World War II.[8]

The population influx enabled the settlement's rapid development. Molave became a municipality with Republic Act No. 286, authored by Representative Juan S. Alano, on June 16, 1948.[8] It was separated from the municipality of Aurora, established as a separate municipality, and designated the capital of the province of Zamboanga del Sur with the act.[5] Molave was the provincial capital until Zamboanga's division in 1951 into the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur. It became part of Zamboanga del Sur, with Pagadian as its capital.[6]

Pelagio Blancia was appointed Molave's first mayor. Blancia was defeated in the 1951 elections, and Mayor Javier Ariosa moved the seat of government from Camp 7 (present-day Barangay Blancia) to its present site.[8] Ireneo Glepa, the current mayor,[9] was Molave's youngest and longest-serving vice mayor. Unopposed for two terms as vice-mayor, Glepa was elected mayor in May 2010.

Demographics
Population of Molave
YearPop.±% p.a.
1960 38,568—    
1970 21,579−5.64%
1975 22,363+0.72%
1980 29,698+5.84%
1990 36,556+2.10%
1995 40,423+1.90%
2000 45,082+2.37%
2007 48,215+0.93%
2010 48,939+0.54%
2015 52,006+1.16%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [3] [10] [11][12]

Economy
  • Gross sales of registered companies: ₱1,358,640,795
  • Total capitalization of new businesses, 2015: ₱150,000,000
  • Growth of capitalization of new businesses, 2014–2015: 286.9 percent

Molave is the commercial hub of the Salug Valley. Rice trading, milling and farming are major agricultural industries, and glass and aluminum are major non-agricultural industries. Molave's economy is focused on agricultural production; 91.85 percent of its total land area is devoted to agriculture, and 1,378.5 hectares (3,406 acres) are irrigated and planted with rice. Corn, coconut, cassava, bananas, camote, and other vegetables are also grown. They are marketed to neighboring towns and cities as far as Cebu. Molave has 23 farmer cooperatives (19 of which are registered), with a total membership of 7,566.[13]

Health

Molave has ten barangay health stations, one maternity clinic, 26 health and nutrition posts, and a municipal health center staffed by one rural-health physician, one dentist, one sanitary inspector, three nurses and 11 midwives. It has three private hospitals (Lumapas Hospital, Salug Valley Medical Center and Blancia Hospital), five private clinics, ten pharmacies, and two funeral chapels.[13]

Sports and recreation

Sports facilities include a municipal gymnasium, three tennis courts, four basketball courts, three volleyball courts and the Molave Regional Pilot School sports complex. A landscaped municipal plaza has a playground. A driving range is in the barangay of Parasan, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Molave.

Law enforcement

The Molave Municipal Police station has two PCOs and 24 PNCOs. It has two outposts, in the Dipolo and Sudlon barangays. Crime has decreased in recent years, and the 10th Infantry Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division (stationed in Barangay Bag-ong Argao) and the 906th Provincial Mobile Group help to maintain order.[13]

Education

Molave has four private preschools, 23 public and one private elementary school, six primary schools, five secondary schools and four tertiary schools. The secondary schools are:

  • Blancia Carreon College Foundation, Inc. (High School Department) [14]
  • Molave Vocational Technical School (MVTS) [15]
  • Parasan National High School
  • Sacred Heart Diocesan School
  • Simata National High School

The tertiary schools are:

  • Josefina H. Cerilles State College, Molave Campus
  • Our Lady Of Triumph Institute of Technology, Molave
  • Western Mindanao State University - External Studies Unit, Molave
  • Zamboanga del Sur Maritime Institute of Technology

References
  1.  Municipality of Molave | (DILG)
  2. "Province: Zamboanga del Sur". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. Census of Population (2015). "Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  5. "An act creating the municipality of Molave in the province of Zamboanga and making said municipality the capital of the province". LawPH.com. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
  6. "Republic Act No. 711 - An Act to Create the Provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur". Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  7. "Molave: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  8. "History". Molave.gov.ph. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  9. "Elected Officials". molave.gov.ph. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  10. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  11. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  12. "Province of Zamboanga del Sur". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  13. "Municipality of Molave". Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  14. Blancia Carreon College Foundation, Inc. (High School Department)
  15. "Molave Vocational Technical School". Archived from the original on 2013-07-05. Retrieved 2013-04-27.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.