Dimiao

Dimiao, officially the Municipality of Dimiao, is a local government municipality in the province of Bohol in the Philippines. It is situated on the southern coast of Bohol along the Carlos P. Garcia circumferential road, approximately 38 kilometres east of Tagbilaran. Although the exact date of the parish’s establishment is uncertain, baptismal records reach back to 1750, placing Dimiao among the older settled communities of Bohol. The municipality developed during the Spanish colonial period as a substantial territorial and ecclesiastical centre. A census conducted in 1818 recorded 2,916 native families and only one Spanish-Filipino family, while the population had reached 8,820 by 1897. Historically, Dimiao covered a much larger area than it does today. Valencia was separated from Dimiao in 1867 as its population increased, and Lila later became an independent municipality on 1 January 1915. These territorial changes shaped the present administrative geography of southern Bohol. Dimiao is divided into 35 barangays. Its coastal location and rural landscape support a mixed livelihood economy based on farming, fishing, tubâ gathering, and rope-making. Important local products include rice, corn, maguey, copra, rope, mangoes, and tubâ, a traditional coconut-based product. These activities reflect the municipality’s agricultural and maritime character rather than an industrial or commercial brand model. One of Dimiao’s most prominent cultural landmarks is the Dimiao Church, a historic stone church constructed during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Dedicated to San Nicolas Tolentino, the church is recognizable for its twin bell towers flanking the façade. The patronal feast is celebrated on 10 September and remains an important religious and community occasion. Education is provided through schools distributed across the barangays. Institutions identified in the town proper include Banban Elementary School, Dimiao National High School, and the private St. Nicholas Academy. The municipality’s population is predominantly rural, and available reference material reports a literacy rate of approximately 90 percent, with many inhabitants speaking some combination of Cebuano, English, and Filipino. According to the 2024 census cited by the reference article, Dimiao had a population of 14,894. Dimiao should therefore be understood as a geographic and civic entity rather than a conventional consumer brand. Its public identity is associated with municipal administration, Boholano heritage, coastal and agricultural livelihoods, religious history, and the preservation of historic local architecture.

Dimiao is one of the older communities in Bohol, although the precise date of its foundation as a parish or municipality is not established in the available reference material. Its baptismal records date to 1750, providing evidence of an organized Catholic community by the middle of the eighteenth century. During the nineteenth century, Dimiao served as a broad territorial unit on the southern part of Bohol. The 1818 census counted 2,916 native families and one Spanish-Filipino family, while the population was recorded at 8,820 in 1897. The municipality’s historical boundaries were considerably larger than those of the present-day town. Valencia was separated from Dimiao in 1867, reportedly following population growth and the need for a distinct municipal administration. Lila subsequently became an independent municipality on 1 January 1915. These separations reduced Dimiao’s territorial extent while establishing neighbouring municipalities that are now part of the wider southern Bohol landscape. The late nineteenth century also left a major architectural mark on the town through the construction of Dimiao Church. Built as a stone church during the latter half of the 1800s, it was dedicated to San Nicolas Tolentino and distinguished by two bell towers positioned on either side of the front façade. The church and the annual 10 September feast of its patron saint remain central elements of Dimiao’s cultural and religious identity. Dimiao’s economy has historically been based on household and community livelihoods rather than large-scale industry. Farming, fishing, tubâ gathering, and rope-making are among the activities associated with local residents. Rice, corn, maguey, copra, mangoes, rope, and tubâ are identified as important products. Its position along the southern coast provides access to marine resources, while its inland areas support agricultural production. In the modern period, Dimiao has been organized into 35 barangays, each composed of smaller puroks and, in some cases, sitios. Public and private education is distributed across the municipality, with Banban Elementary School, Dimiao National High School, and St. Nicholas Academy located in or near the town proper. The municipality’s population speaks Cebuano as a principal local language, while English and Filipino are also used. The reference material reports that approximately 90 percent of inhabitants are literate. The 2024 census cited for the municipality gives Dimiao a population of 14,894. Today, Dimiao remains an active municipality of Bohol whose identity combines local government, rural production, coastal livelihoods, Catholic heritage, and historic built culture. Its principal points of recognition are its old parish tradition, the Dimiao Church, its agricultural and fishing economy, and its role within the southern Bohol road and settlement network.

• 2024

  Population recorded at 14,894

  [1]Dimiaoen.wikipedia.org

  The 2024 census cited in the reference article reported a population of 14,894 for Dimiao.

• 1915

  Lila became independent

  [1]Dimiaoen.wikipedia.org

  Lila was established as an independent municipality on 1 January 1915, further defining Dimiao’s modern territorial boundaries.

• 1897

  Population recorded at 8,820

  [1]Dimiaoen.wikipedia.org

  The population of Dimiao was recorded as 8,820 in the late nineteenth century.

• 1867

  Valencia separated from Dimiao

  [1]Dimiaoen.wikipedia.org

  Valencia became separate from Dimiao as population growth led to the creation of a distinct municipality.

• 1818

  Nineteenth-century population record

  [1]Dimiaoen.wikipedia.org

  A census recorded 2,916 native families and one Spanish-Filipino family in the Dimiao area.

• 1750

  Earliest cited baptismal records

  [1]Dimiaoen.wikipedia.org

  Baptismal records associated with Dimiao date to 1750, demonstrating the presence of an established Catholic community by that time.

A rural coastal municipality in southern Bohol with an established parish heritage, agricultural economy, traditional livelihoods, and historic religious architecture.

• Agricultural product

  Rice

  Rice is one of Dimiao’s principal agricultural products and forms part of the municipality’s rural farming economy.

• Agricultural product

  Corn

  Corn is identified among Dimiao’s important crops and contributes to household and local agricultural production.

• Agricultural and fibre crop

  Maguey

  Maguey is a traditional local crop associated with Dimiao’s agricultural and fibre-related livelihood activities.

• Coconut product

  Copra

  Copra, the dried kernel of the coconut, is among the products linked to Dimiao’s coconut-growing and rural economy.

• Traditional manufactured product

  Rope

  Rope-making is a traditional livelihood in Dimiao, supported by locally available plant fibres and household-scale production practices.

• Agricultural product

  Mangoes

  Mangoes are listed among the municipality’s important agricultural products and contribute to its crop mix.

• Traditional coconut product

  Tubâ

  Tubâ is a traditional coconut-derived product associated with gathering and local rural livelihoods in Dimiao.

1. 1Dimiaoen.wikipedia.org