Gutalac

Gutalac, officially the Municipality of Gutalac, is a local government unit in the province of Zamboanga del Norte on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is a municipality rather than a commercial brand, despite the supplied brand-oriented record format. The municipality uses several local-language forms of its name, including Cebuano Lungsod sa Gutalac, Subanen Benwa Gutalac, Chavacano Municipalidad de Gutalac, and Tagalog Bayan ng Gutalac. The area that now forms Gutalac was formerly part of Labason. An earlier attempt to establish a separate municipality called Panganuran was made through Executive Order No. 116, signed by President Diosdado Macapagal on October 1, 1964. The order separated nine barrios and sitios from Labason and designated the then barrio of Gutalac as the proposed seat of government. The Supreme Court later declared the creation void ab initio in a decision dated December 24, 1965. Gutalac was subsequently organized through Batas Pambansa Blg. 19, issued on March 6, 1979. The law separated ten barangays from the western portion of Labason, again establishing Barangay Gutalac as the seat of local government. A plebiscite was held on April 17, and the municipality was officially created on December 22, 1979. The municipality is politically divided into 33 barangays, which are further organized into puroks and, in some areas, sitios. According to the 2024 census cited in the reference material, Gutalac had a population of 37,512. Its local economy includes agriculture and other rural activities, while mining is represented by the Gutalac Nickel Project operated by Florjenmar Mining and Development Corporation. The project is described in the reference material as the municipality's first and only large-scale mining operation. Gutalac is connected by bus services operated by Rural Transit Mindanao, Inc. and Alga Bus Transport, Inc., with routes serving destinations including Dipolog City, Ipil, and Zamboanga City. The municipal government consists of a mayor, vice mayor, and eight elected members of the Sangguniang Bayan. The local legislative body also includes ex officio representation from the Association of Barangay Councils and the Sangguniang Kabataan federation. Elected officials other than the relevant ex officio representatives serve three-year terms and may be reelected for up to three consecutive terms. Education infrastructure includes 33 public elementary schools, three basic high-school facilities, and one senior-high-school institution. Manungos Hill is identified as a local landmark known for its elevated views over the surrounding area.

Gutalac's institutional history is tied to the administrative reorganization of territory formerly governed by the municipality of Labason. The first documented attempt to create a separate municipality in the area came through Executive Order No. 116, signed by President Diosdado Macapagal on October 1, 1964. That measure established the municipality of Panganuran after separating nine barrios and sitios from Labason. The proposed municipal seat was the then barrio of Gutalac. The 1964 creation did not remain legally effective. In a decision dated December 24, 1965, the Supreme Court declared the establishment void ab initio. The territory therefore continued within the existing administrative arrangement until a later legislative act created Gutalac under its present name. Batas Pambansa Blg. 19, issued on March 6, 1979, organized Gutalac as a municipality by separating ten barangays in the western part of Labason. Barangay Gutalac was designated as the seat of government. A plebiscite took place on April 17, and the municipality was formally created on December 22, 1979. The modern municipality is divided into 33 barangays. Its local government follows the standard Philippine municipal structure, comprising a mayor, vice mayor, and Sangguniang Bayan. The council has eight elected members, supplemented by ex officio members representing the barangay and youth-government structures. Local officials generally serve three-year terms, subject to the applicable consecutive-term limits. Gutalac's public infrastructure includes a network of elementary and secondary schools. The reference material identifies 33 public elementary schools, three basic high-school facilities, and Riverside Community School as a senior-high-school institution offering the General Academic Strand. Transportation providers connect residents with larger urban and regional centers, including Dipolog City, Ipil, and Zamboanga City. Economic activity includes rural commerce and mineral development. The Gutalac Nickel Project, operated by Florjenmar Mining and Development Corporation, is described as the municipality's first and only large-scale mining company. Manungos Hill is a recognized local landmark and visitor site because of its panoramic view over the municipality. The 2024 census figure cited for Gutalac is 37,512 residents.

• 2024

  Population recorded at 37,512

  [1]Gutalacen.wikipedia.org

  The population figure cited in the reference material for the 2024 census is 37,512 residents.

• 1979

  Gutalac established as a municipality

  [1]Gutalacen.wikipedia.org

  Batas Pambansa Blg. 19 organized Gutalac from ten barangays separated from western Labason. A plebiscite was held on April 17, and the municipality was officially created on December 22.

• 1965

  Earlier municipal creation invalidated

  [1]Gutalacen.wikipedia.org

  The Supreme Court declared the creation of Panganuran void ab initio in a decision dated December 24, ending the legal effect of the earlier arrangement.

• 1964

  Creation of Panganuran proposed

  [1]Gutalacen.wikipedia.org

  Executive Order No. 116 separated nine barrios and sitios from Labason to create the municipality of Panganuran, with Gutalac designated as the proposed seat of government.

A rural municipal government and community in Zamboanga del Norte, with an economy supported by local services, transportation links, education, and mineral development.

1. 1Gutalacen.wikipedia.org