Goa, Camarines Sur
| Goa | |
|---|---|
| Municipality | |
Municipal Hall
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 Map of Camarines Sur showing the location of Goa |
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 Goa
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| Coordinates: 13°42′N 123°30′E / 13.7°N 123.5°ECoordinates: 13°42′N 123°30′E / 13.7°N 123.5°E | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Bicol (Region V) |
| Province | Camarines Sur |
| District | 4th District |
| Founded | 1777 |
| Barangays | 34 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Racquel Lim |
| Area | |
| • Total | 206.18 km2 (79.61 sq mi) |
| Population (2015 census) | |
| • Total | 63,308 |
| • Density | 310/km2 (800/sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) |
| ZIP code | 4422 |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)54 |
| Income class | 2nd class; |
| Website | www |
Goa is a second class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 63,308 people.
The current municipal mayor is Racquel Lim, elected in 2016.
Goa is bounded by the Municipality of Tinambac on the west, Municipalities of Tinambac and Lagonoy on the north, by Municipalities of Tinambac and Tigaon on the south, by Municipalities of San Jose and Lagonoy on the east.
Goa has a total land area of 20,618 hectares (50,950 acres) or about 3.99% of the province' land area. Its distance from the nearest municipality, San Jose, is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi), the Capital Town of Pili is 37 kilometres (23 mi), while Naga City is 52 kilometres (32 mi). Furthermore, Goa’s distance from Manila via Daet, Camarines Norte, is about 500 kilometres (310 mi) and via Quirino Highway is approximately 380 kilometres (240 mi).
Goa is politically subdivided into 34 barangays, ten (10) of which are located within the poblacion/urban area and the remaining are considered rural barangays. The largest barangay is Hiwacloy having an area of 1,818.87 hectares (4,494.5 acres) and the farthest barangay is Tamban which is about 28 kilometres (17 mi) from the poblacion area.
The town of Goa was originally situated at Barangay Salog which was then known as “Visita de Salog”, comprising the barrios of Lalud (now known as barangay Salog), Himagaan, Matacla, and Payatan. Lalud is found along the banks of Cagaycay River and is about five kilometers away from the present site of the town center.
The “visita” was established in 1701 by Franciscan Missionary Fr. Matias de Valdesoto and was attached to the parish of Manguiring, Calabanga. By 1729, it was declared independent and was later converted into a pueblo. The settlement center was later transferred to the present site because a disastrous flood swept the houses down the river and the inhabitants needed more land for planting. The original settlers found in the new site a wide stretch of plain land with brooks and rivers. There were scattered areas of swampland where 'gajo, a native slender cane plant the locals used for arrow shafts, grow in wild profusion.
In 1777, Franciscan Friar Fr. Juan Abalay, from the Portuguese colony of Goa, India, came to administer the parish. It was on his arrival that the village was converted into a town with the official name of Pueblo de Goa. Fr. Abalay was instrumental in naming the town Goa, motivated presumably for two reasons: to perpetuate the memory of his birthplace and to give official confirmation to the name which the place has been known for some time corrupted allegedly by the Spaniards from “gajo”.
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Wikipedia