Poro, Cebu

Municipality in Cebu, Philippines

Municipality in Central Visayas, Philippines

Poro

Municipality

Municipality of Poro

Poro town hall

Flag

Map of Cebu with Poro highlighted

OpenStreetMap

Poro

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 10°37′44″N 124°24′25″E﻿ / ﻿10.629°N 124.407°E﻿ / 10.629; 124.407
Country| Philippines
Region| Central Visayas
Province| Cebu
District|  5th district
Founded| 17 December 1701
Barangays| 17 (see Barangays)
Government

[1]

• Type| Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor| Edgar G. Rama (One Cebu)
• Vice Mayor| Dina Z. Rama (One Cebu)
• Representative| Vincent Franco D. Frasco (One Cebu)
• Municipal Council|

Members

*   * Ashley P. Otadoy
* Jhayson R. Morata
* Rogelio J. Gutierrez Jr.
* Emilianito E. Borlasa
* Andrew D. Zurita
* Alfie D. Yuzon
* Sally B. Estrera
* Reno S. Culango

• Electorate| 19,302 voters (2025)
Area

[2]

• Total

| 63.59 km2 (24.55 sq mi)
Elevation

| 48 m (157 ft)
Highest elevation

| 377 m (1,237 ft)
Lowest elevation

| 0 m (0 ft)
Population

(2024 census)[3]

• Total

| 26,908
• Density| 420/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
• Households

| 6,900
Economy

• Income class| 4th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence|

44.6

% (2021)[4]
• Revenue| ₱ 156.9 million (2022)
• Assets| ₱ 550.3 million (2022)
• Expenditure| ₱ 118.8 million (2022)
• Liabilities| ₱ 210.6 million (2022)
Service provider

• Electricity| Camotes Electric Cooperative (CELCO)
Time zone| UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code|

6049

PSGC|

072238000

IDD : area code | +63 (0)32
Native languages| Forohanon
Cebuano

Poro, officially the Municipality of Poro (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Poro; Tagalog: Bayan ng Poro), is a municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 26,908 people.[5]

The patronal feast of Poro is celebrated on the third Friday of January, in honour of the Santo Niño de Cebu.

Sto. Niño de Cebu Parish Church in Poro, Camotes Islands, Cebu

## Geography

[edit]

Poro is bordered to the north by the province of Leyte across the Camotes Sea; to the west by Pacijan Island, where the town of San Francisco is located; to the east by the town of Tudela; and to the south by the Camotes Sea.

Poro, along with the municipality of Tudela, is located on Poro Island of the Camotes Islands.

### Barangays

[edit]

Poro is politically subdivided into 17 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC |  Barangay  |  Population  |  ±% p.a.

|
|
|

|  |  2024[6] |  2010[7] |
072238001 |  Adela  |  6.5% |  1,737 |  1,339 |  ▴ |  1.84%
072238002 |  Altavista  |  3.6% |  958 |  1,142 |  ▾  |  −1.22%
072238003 |  Cagcagan  |  11.6% |  3,114 |  3,238 |  ▾  |  −0.27%
072238004 |  Cansabusab  |  2.1% |  577 |  525 |  ▴ |  0.66%
072238005 |  Daan Paz  |  3.4% |  922 |  888 |  ▴ |  0.26%
072238006 |  Eastern Poblacion  |  4.3% |  1,158 |  886 |  ▴ |  1.90%
072238007 |  Esperanza  |  12.4% |  3,324 |  3,131 |  ▴ |  0.42%
072238008 |  Libertad  |  4.9% |  1,313 |  1,276 |  ▴ |  0.20%
072238010 |  Mabini  |  4.7% |  1,259 |  1,254 |  ▴ |  0.03%
072238011 |  Mercedes  |  9.6% |  2,585 |  2,294 |  ▴ |  0.84%
072238012 |  Pagsa  |  4.4% |  1,183 |  672 |  ▴ |  4.05%
072238013 |  Paz  |  4.7% |  1,252 |  1,206 |  ▴ |  0.26%
072238014 |  Rizal  |  3.2% |  871 |  817 |  ▴ |  0.45%
072238015 |  San Jose  |  4.7% |  1,255 |  1,136 |  ▴ |  0.70%
072238016 |  Santa Rita  |  2.6% |  705 |  860 |  ▾  |  −1.38%
072238018 |  Teguis  |  5.2% |  1,397 |  1,323 |  ▴ |  0.38%
072238019 |  Western Poblacion  |  6.0% |  1,602 |  1,511 |  ▴ |  0.41%
| Total  | 26,908  | 23,498  |  ▴ | 0.95%

### Climate

[edit]

Climate data for Poro, Cebu

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 28
(82)  | 28
(82)  | 29
(84)  | 30
(86)  | 30
(86)  | 30
(86)  | 29
(84)  | 29
(84)  | 29
(84)  | 29
(84)  | 29
(84)  | 28
(82)  | 29
(84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 22
(72)  | 22
(72)  | 22
(72)  | 23
(73)  | 25
(77)  | 25
(77)  | 25
(77)  | 25
(77)  | 25
(77)  | 24
(75)  | 24
(75)  | 23
(73)  | 24
(75)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 78
(3.1)  | 57
(2.2)  | 84
(3.3)  | 79
(3.1)  | 118
(4.6)  | 181
(7.1)  | 178
(7.0)  | 169
(6.7)  | 172
(6.8)  | 180
(7.1)  | 174
(6.9)  | 128
(5.0)  | 1,598
(62.9)
Average rainy days  | 16.7  | 13.8  | 17.3  | 18.5  | 23.2  | 26.5  | 27.1  | 26.0  | 26.4  | 27.5  | 24.6  | 21.0  | 268.6
Source: Meteoblue[8]

## Demographics

[edit]

Population census of PoroYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1903 | 4,991| —
1918 | 6,754| +2.04%
1939 | 11,520| +2.58%
1948 | 12,523| +0.93%
1960 | 13,736| +0.77%
1970 | 14,858| +0.79%
1975 | 16,535| +2.17%
1980 | 17,717| +1.39%
1990 | 19,150| +0.78%
1995 | 21,517| +2.21%
2000 | 21,397| −0.12%
2007 | 21,529| +0.08%
2010 | 23,498| +3.24%
2015 | 25,212| +1.35%
2020 | 26,232| +0.84%
2024 | 26,908| +0.61%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[9][10][7][11]

### Etymology and languages

[edit]

The town's name is derived from the Waray-Waray word puro meaning "island". This how Camotes Island is called by Warays and Leyteños. Before the first municipality to be established in Camotes, puro meant the name of all the islands.

Aside from Cebuano, Waray, Tagalog, and English, the townsfolk also speak the local Porohanon language. Also known as Camotes Visayan, the language is mutually intelligible with other Visayan languages (e.g. Cebuano) spoken in the rest of the Camotes Islands, Cebu, other parts of the Visayas, and Northern Mindanao.

The town is home to the Porohanon language, one of the most endangered languages in the Visayas. The language is only used in the Poro islands. The language is classified as distinct from Cebuano by the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino and is vital to the culture and arts of the Porohanon people. Porohanon is distinguished by the way the locals substitute /j/ sounds with /ʒ/, for instance Cebuano maayong buntag ("good morning") vocalised as maazong buntag in Porohanon. (Possibly occasions too a handover from the yeísmo phenomenon in Spanish.) Other dialectical variations include the Porohanon ara dira instead of the standard Cebuano na-a diha.

## Economy

[edit]

Poverty incidence of Poro

2000
53.65

2003
38.87

2006
49.30

2009
45.08

2012
30.07

2015
34.09

2018
21.00

2021
44.60

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Municipality of Poro |  (DILG)
2. ^ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
4. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
5. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
6. ^ Census of Population (2020). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
7. ^ a b Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VII (Central Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
8. ^ "Poro: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
9. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
10. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
11. ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
12. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
13. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
14. ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
15. ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
16. ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
17. ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
18. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
19. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.

## Further reading

[edit]

* The Freeman, Clarence Paul Oaminal (30 April 1962) [2015]. "Macapagal visited Cebu months after the elections in 1961". Archived from the original on 15 August 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Philippine Standard Geographic Code

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Poro.

Places adjacent to Poro, Cebu

|  | Camotes Sea | Pilar

|
|

|  |
San Francisco |

Poro

| Tudela
|  |
| Camotes Sea |

* v
* t
* e

Province of Cebu

Cebu City (capital and largest city)

People|

* List of people from Cebu
* Governor
* Vice Governor
* Cebu Provincial Board

Municipalities|

* Alcantara
* Alcoy
* Alegria
* Aloguinsan
* Argao
* Asturias
* Badian
* Balamban
* Bantayan
* Barili
* Boljoon
* Borbon
* Carmen
* Catmon
* Compostela
* Consolacion
* Cordova
* Daanbantayan
* Dalaguete
* Dumanjug
* Ginatilan
* Liloan
* Madridejos
* Malabuyoc
* Medellin
* Minglanilla
* Moalboal
* Oslob
* Pilar
* Pinamungajan
* Poro
* Ronda
* Samboan
* San Fernando
* San Francisco
* San Remigio
* Santa Fe
* Santander
* Sibonga
* Sogod
* Tabogon
* Tabuelan
* Tuburan
* Tudela

Component cities|

* Bogo
* Carcar
* Danao
* Naga
* Talisay
* Toledo

Highly urbanized cities|

* Cebu City
* Lapu-Lapu
* Mandaue

(Administratively independent from the province but grouped under Cebu by the Philippine Statistics Authority. However, qualified voters in Mandaue are allowed to vote in elections for Cebu provincial officials by virtue of Republic Act No. 6641, in accordance with Section 452-c of the Local Government Code of 1991.)

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

|

*[PSGC]: Philippine Standard Geographic Code
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate. Executive Order 135 §6 states that for "census years" (years divisible by 10) the reference date would be May 1st, but for all other years, the reference date is to be the "middle of the year". This means that growth rates, although correct, are not necessarily simple year-on-year comparisons.
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