Pilar, Sorsogon

Pilar
Municipality
Mayon Volcano as seen from Pilar
Seal
Map of Sorsogon with Pilar highlighted
Pilar Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 12°56′N 123°41′E / 12.933°N 123.683°E / 12.933; 123.683Coordinates: 12°56′N 123°41′E / 12.933°N 123.683°E / 12.933; 123.683
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol (Region V)
Province	Sorsogon
Legislative district	1st district of Sorsogon
Barangays	49
Government
• Mayor	Carolyn Sy-Reyes
Area
• Total	248.00 km2 (95.75 sq mi)
Population (2015)
• Total	74,564
• Density	300/km2 (780/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Pilarnon
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	4714
IDD : area code	56
Website	www.pilarsorsogon.gov.ph

Pilar is a first class municipality in the province of Sorsogon, Philippines located at the south of Luzon island. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 74,564 people.

Pilar is subdivided into 49 barangays. In 1957 the sitios of Naspi and Calaguitan were separated from the barrio of Putiao and converted into the barrio of Naspi.

Though whale sharks are more associated with the town of Donsol, whale sharks can also be seen in Pilar Bay near San Antonio. Interaction with the whale sharks is regulated by the local department office. With the help of WWF, strict guidelines were developed to protect the sharks. These include limiting the number of swimmers per boat, no scuba divers and staying further than three meters away from the sharks. In practise this rule is almost never applied. As many as 14 boats at a time may 'mob' a shark, with up to 30 or 40 swimmers following the shark on the surface. In recent years the number of male sharks have out-numbered female sharks by 20:1. The females that are seen are generally large mature adults in the 7m ~ 9m range. Increasing numbers of sharks show propellor marks on their backs. Anecdotal evidence from local fishermen suggests that prop strikes are from fishing boats in the off-season, rather than from tourist boats in the main January–May tourist season.