Magarao

Magarao, officially the Municipality of Magarao, is a municipality in the province of Camarines Sur in the Bicol Region of the Philippines. It is a local-government and community entity rather than a commercial consumer brand. The municipality is associated with Central Bikol culture and is composed of 15 barangays, each further organized into puroks, with some also containing sitios. The name Magarao is traditionally explained through the local word “garao,” referring to fish traps formerly used along the municipality’s creeks and rivers. The prefix “ma-” indicates abundance, producing the interpretation “a place with many garao.” This explanation reflects the importance of waterways and fishing-related practices in the area’s historical identity. According to the historical account summarized in the municipality’s reference material, a group of Franciscan missionaries founded the town in 1570, although sustained missionary activity is associated with a later period beginning in 1690. Magarao subsequently developed as a predominantly Roman Catholic community. Religious traditions remain visible in barangay Santa Lucia, where residents hold a nine-day novena for Saint Lucy of Syracuse before her feast on 13 December. The observance includes dawn processions, the carrying of the saint’s image, devotional hymns known as the Gozos, the Spanish Ave Maria, and Mass. The celebration attracts devotees from other parts of the Bicol Region. Magarao is particularly known for hilot, a traditional local healing practice. Practitioners, commonly called manghihilot, provide forms of massage or manual treatment sought for muscle pain, strained tendons, physical fatigue, and related complaints. The practice has been transmitted across generations, and the town has been described as the “Hilot Capital of Bicol.” This designation is a cultural and tourism-oriented identity rather than a formal commercial certification. The local economy includes community livelihood activity and small-scale production. Government-supported training has covered ceramics, papermaking, handicrafts, product development, and other community-based industries. These initiatives have involved the local government and the provincial government of Camarines Sur through the Provincial Livelihood Training, Research and Development Program. The program aims to identify viable projects, improve residents’ skills, and encourage livelihood opportunities that can contribute to local economic development. Magarao is connected to neighboring areas through roads including the Calabanga–Naga road, while coastal and riverside barangays have traditionally been served by small passenger boats, locally called bancas. These routes connect communities near the Bicol River and estuarine areas, including Ponong, Barobaybay, and Carigsa, with the wharf area near Naga City. Electricity is supplied by Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative II, and water service is associated with the Metro Naga Water District. Telecommunications and internet access have been provided by national and local operators. Education is administered through the Magarao–Bombon Schools District Office, which oversees public and private primary and secondary institutions. Named secondary institutions include Magarao National High School and Ponong Integrated School. Magarao was formerly included in the Metro Naga area, although that designation was discontinued in 2017. In the 2024 census, the municipality recorded a population of 28,197.

Magarao is a municipality in Camarines Sur, in the Bicol Region of the Philippines. Its historical identity is closely connected with the waterways that cross or border the community. The traditional etymology derives the municipal name from “garao,” a type of fish trap used by local residents along creeks and rivers. The prefix “ma-,” signifying abundance, gives the resulting interpretation “a place with many garao.” This account links the town’s name to earlier fishing practices and to the environmental setting in which the settlement developed. A historical account identifies a group of missionaries from the Order of Friars Minor as founders of the town in 1570. The same account distinguishes this founding tradition from the continuation of missionary work, which is dated to 1690. The available reference material does not provide a continuous narrative of Magarao’s administrative development between those dates and the modern period, so the municipality’s later institutional history should be treated as requiring additional archival documentation. Roman Catholic practice has remained an important part of community life. In Santa Lucia, residents conduct an annual novena in honor of Saint Lucy of Syracuse during the nine days preceding 13 December. The observance includes daily morning processions to the poblacion, devotional singing, recitation or singing of the Spanish Ave Maria, and Mass. The Gozos, or hymns dedicated to the saint, form part of the local religious tradition. The event also draws devotees from other areas of Bicol, giving it significance beyond the immediate barangay. Magarao’s contemporary cultural profile is especially associated with hilot. Manghihilot are traditional practitioners who use forms of massage or manual treatment for complaints such as muscle pain, tendon strain, and bodily fatigue. Knowledge of the practice has been passed through generations. The town’s reputation as the “Hilot Capital of Bicol” reflects this living tradition and provides a distinctive element of its local identity. The municipality is politically divided into 15 barangays. Bicol is widely spoken, while Tagalog serves as a lingua franca in communication with non-Bicolano residents. Hiligaynon, Bisaya, and Ilocano are also used by immigrant communities. The population was recorded at 28,197 in the 2024 census, with a reported density of approximately 630 people per square kilometre. Economic development efforts have included government-supported livelihood training and community enterprise programs. Residents have participated in ceramics, papermaking, handicrafts, and other product-development activities. These initiatives were supported by the municipal and provincial governments, including through the Provincial Livelihood Training, Research and Development Program, whose objectives include skills training, project identification, and the development of community-based industries. Transport and public infrastructure reflect Magarao’s mixed inland and coastal geography. The Calabanga–Naga road is a principal road connection, while roads in rural areas may be gravel or unpaved. Bancas serve some coastal barangays and riverine communities along the Bicol River and nearby estuarine zones. Electricity is supplied by Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative II, water service is associated with the Metro Naga Water District, and telecommunications services are provided by several national and local operators. The Magarao–Bombon Schools District Office oversees educational institutions in the area, including Magarao National High School and Ponong Integrated School. Magarao was previously included in the Metro Naga area, but that designation ended in 2017.

• 2024

  Population recorded in the census

  [1]Magaraoen.wikipedia.org

  The 2024 census recorded 28,197 residents in Magarao.

• 2017

  End of Metro Naga inclusion

  [1]Magaraoen.wikipedia.org

  Magarao was formerly included in the Metro Naga area; that designation was discontinued in 2017.

• 1690

  Continuation of missionary work

  [1]Magaraoen.wikipedia.org

  The municipality’s historical account associates continued missionary activity with the year 1690.

• 1570

  Traditional founding of the town

  [1]Magaraoen.wikipedia.org

  Historical reference material attributes the founding of Magarao to missionaries from the Order of Friars Minor.

A local Philippine municipality identified with Central Bikol heritage, traditional hilot healing, riverine history, Catholic observances, and community-based livelihood development.

• Traditional healing

  Hilot services

  Traditional manual healing and massage services provided by local manghihilot. Residents and visitors seek these practitioners for muscle pain, strained tendons, and physical fatigue. The practice is a community cultural tradition rather than a standardized commercial product line.

• Community livelihood product

  Ceramics

  Ceramics are among the livelihood and skills-development activities supported through local and provincial training initiatives. The available material does not identify particular makers, product names, or commercial distribution channels.

• Community livelihood product

  Papermaking products

  Papermaking is included among the community-based livelihood activities promoted through training and product-development programs in Magarao. Specific product ranges and production volumes are not documented in the supplied reference material.

• Community livelihood product

  Handicrafts

  Handicrafts form part of local livelihood development efforts intended to provide residents with practical skills and opportunities for community-based production. The available sources do not specify particular craft categories or named brands.

1. 1Magaraoen.wikipedia.org