Cortes, Surigao del Sur

Cortes, officially the Municipality of Cortes (Surigaonon: Lungsod nan Cortes; Tagalog: Bayan ng Cortes), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 15,912 people. [3]

Cortes
Municipality
Municipality of Cortes
Seal
Map of Surigao del Sur with Cortes highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Cortes
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°14′N 126°10′E
Country Philippines
RegionCaraga (Region XIII)
ProvinceSurigao del Sur
District1st District
FoundedOctober 1, 1953
Barangays12 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorJosie M. Bonifacio
 • Vice MayorDennis H. Yu
 • RepresentativeProspero A. Pichay Jr.
 • Electorate12,854 voters (2019)
Area
 [2]
 • Total127.08 km2 (49.07 sq mi)
Elevation
39 m (128 ft)
Population
 (2015 census) [3]
 • Total15,912
 • Density130/km2 (320/sq mi)
 • Households
3,520
Economy
 • Income class4th municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence37.16% (2015)[4]
 • Revenue₱65,766,621.92 (2016)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
8313
PSGC
166808000
IDD : area code +63 (0)86
Climate typetropical rainforest climate
Native languagesSurigaonon
Agusan
Cebuano
Kamayo
Tagalog
Websitewww.cortes.gov.ph

Cortes faces the Philippine Sea on the eastern part. It has a protected marine sanctuary located in barangay Balibadon, Capandan, Mabahin, Poblacion, Tigao, Uba and Tag-anongan. It is known in the province of Surigao del Sur for its rich source of sea foods in the area. You can find different kinds of fish, crabs, etc. It has beaches with white sands and water falls. It also has a bird sanctuary located in barangay Burgos. It also has a wide area for agriculture. It has two season, rainy and sunny.

History

Cortes was originally known as "Kagyunod". It cannot be traced who changed Kagyunod into Cortes but many believed that Cortes derived its name after Governor General Cortes who was assigned to the Philippines by the Spanish King.

Cortes was once part of Tandag. It gained its independence on October 1, 1953 by virtue of Executive Order No. 642 series of 1953 creating Cortes into an independent municipal or corporation. It was not until March 19, 1954, however, that the new local government unit formally started to function with the assumption into office of the first set of municipal officials appointed by then President Elpidio R. Quirino.

Geography

Cortes lies between 9 deg. 08'00 N to 9 deg. 19'00 North latitude and 126 deg. 03'00 to 126 deg. 13'00 East longitude or lies in the mid-eastern portion of Surigao del Sur along the Pacific Coast. It is 28 kilometers from Tandag, the capital of the province. Cortes is bounded on the east by the vast Pacific Ocean, on the north by the Municipality of Lanuza and Lanuza Bay, on the south by the municipality of Tandag, and on the west by the municipalities of Lanuza and Tandag.

Cortes has a land area of 13,509.00 hectares. It comprises 12 barangays with Balibadon and Tag-anongan as the biggest and smallest barangays respectively.

Cortes has numerous rolling hills and uneven distribution of lowlands. Mabahin, Tigao and Burgos have a large area of rice and swamplands, the rest of the barangays are generally hilly. The south-western portion of the town is generally mountainous and covered with second growth forest.

Barangays

Cortes is politically subdivided into 12 barangays. In 1955, the sitios of Uba, Mabahin, Tag-anongan and Manlico were converted into barrios.[5]

  • Balibadon
  • Burgos
  • Capandan
  • Mabahin
  • Madrelino
  • Manlico
  • Matho
  • Poblacion
  • Tag-anongan
  • Tigao
  • Tuboran
  • Uba

Climate

Cortes has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round and with extremely heavy rainfall from December to February.

Climate data for Cortes
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 28.6
(83.5)		 28.8
(83.8)		 29.7
(85.5)		 30.7
(87.3)		 31.6
(88.9)		 31.5
(88.7)		 31.5
(88.7)		 31.7
(89.1)		 31.7
(89.1)		 31.1
(88.0)		 30.2
(86.4)		 29.2
(84.6)		 30.5
(87.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 25.3
(77.5)		 25.4
(77.7)		 26.1
(79.0)		 26.8
(80.2)		 27.6
(81.7)		 27.4
(81.3)		 27.4
(81.3)		 27.5
(81.5)		 27.5
(81.5)		 27.1
(80.8)		 26.5
(79.7)		 25.8
(78.4)		 26.7
(80.1)
Average low °C (°F) 22.1
(71.8)		 22.1
(71.8)		 22.5
(72.5)		 22.9
(73.2)		 23.6
(74.5)		 23.4
(74.1)		 23.3
(73.9)		 23.4
(74.1)		 23.3
(73.9)		 23.1
(73.6)		 22.8
(73.0)		 22.5
(72.5)		 22.9
(73.2)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 825
(32.5)		 694
(27.3)		 529
(20.8)		 374
(14.7)		 250
(9.8)		 177
(7.0)		 164
(6.5)		 139
(5.5)		 157
(6.2)		 218
(8.6)		 485
(19.1)		 700
(27.6)		 4,712
(185.6)
Source: Climate-Data.org[6]

Demographics
Population census of Cortes
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 1,213—    
1960 8,342+3.44%
1970 9,428+1.23%
1975 10,871+2.90%
1980 12,338+2.56%
1990 13,234+0.70%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1995 13,054−0.26%
2000 14,825+2.76%
2007 15,913+0.98%
2010 15,541−0.86%
2015 15,912+0.45%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [3] [7] [8][9]

Economy

Agriculture is the major source of living in Cortes. It is also known for its rich source of sea foods. Fishing is one source of living. However, there are limitations that been lay down by the local government to protect their sea against abuse. Farming is the second source of living.

Tourism

Attractions include:

  • Laswitan Lagoon (a 20-foot rock formation with three lagoons; name derives from the word "laswit" which means splash; when the water is high, especially during Amihan season, it creates huge waves that will splash on the rocks and creates a waterfall effect)
  • Bakwitan Cave
  • Lubcon Falls
  • Bugsay Beach Resort
  • Sihagan Beach
  • Buybuyan Beach
  • La Soledad Beach

Festivals

Kadagatan Festival – Every 21st to 24th day of July, the town of Cortes celebrates Kadagatan Festival. This festival is celebrated because of the abundance of fishes and other seafoods that Cortes have. The Rabita Statue symbolize this festival. You can see the statue in Cortes Commercial Triangle.

Araw ng Cortes – Every 29th day of September up to 1st day of October, Cortes celebrates Araw ng Cortes. This is because Cortes have its freedom from being separated from Tandag City.

References
  1.  Municipality of Cortes | (DILG)
  2. "Province: Surigao del Sur". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. Census of Population (2015). "Caraga". 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 to Create the Barrios of Uba, Mabahin, Tag-anongan and Manlico, in the Municipality of Cortes, Province of Surigao". LawPH.com. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
  6. "Climate: Cortes". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  7. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Caraga". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  8. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Caraga". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  9. "Province of Surigao del Sur". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
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