Santa Catalina, officially the Municipality of Santa Catalina (; ), is a municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.

A feast is held in the municipality every 25th day of November to celebrate the Feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (the town's patron saint).

Etymology

When the Augustinians were Christianizing the Ilocos Region, a group of missionaries sailed westward through the river known as "El Mestizo" to the place now called Santa Catalina. After they landed in the region, they went looking for fresh water. When they finally found a freshwater spring up north, they took to drinking.

Supposedly, near the water, some of them saw an image of a beautiful lady, which disappeared after a few minutes. One of them recognized the image as that of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The Augustinians returned to Villa Fernandina (Vigan) and reported this matter to their superiors. This resulted in the construction of a church in the town, with Saint Catherine of Alexandria as the patron saint. It was also declared that the town would be named Santa Catalina in her honor.

A replica of the cross once planted by Salcedo and his party—to signify that the Spanish had conquered the area—stands near the entrance to the municipality.

Geography

With an area of , it is the smallest municipality in the province and the only municipality in Ilocos Sur which has an urban status for all its barangays based on National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

Santa Catalina is situated from the provincial capital Vigan, and from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Santa Catalina is politically subdivided into 9 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

  • Cabaroan
  • Cabittaogan
  • Cabuloan
  • Pangada
  • Paratong
  • Poblacion
  • Sinabaan
  • Subec
  • Tamorong

It has 3 sitios, namely:

  • Calawaan in barangay Tamorong
  • Mindanao, formerly Sabangan in barangay Paratong
  • Punta in barangay Cabittaogan

Climate

Demographics

In the 2024 census, Santa Catalina had a population of 14,319 people. The population density was .

Economy

As of February 2006, Santa Catalina with a poverty incidence of 7.9 percent and Vigan City with a poverty incidence of 8.6 percent, are the top two municipalities/cities with lowest poverty incidents in Ilocos Sur, and for the entire northern Luzon. This is among the results of the Poverty Mapping Project implemented by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) with funding assistance from the World Bank ASEM Trust Fund in response to the increasing demand for local level poverty estimates.

Trade

The main source of income for the locals include farming, fishing, and small-scale businesses. As with most Philippine towns, the phenomenon of migrant labor has also contributed much to the development of the town. It is evidenced by the numerous mansions and large houses that dot the area, along with the vast expanse of active farms and fields. Santa Catalina is only four (4) kilometers away from Vigan City, which is the province's center of commerce and trade. Santa Catalina has yet to establish a Central Business District (CBD). Residents currently go to Vigan to sell their produce and at the same time buy their household needs and other goods and merchandise that will be retailed in the locality.

Poultry, Livestock and Fisheries

The farmers in the locality do not produce livestock or poultry in commercial scale but mostly on the backyard level. Livestock such as cows and water buffalo were being raised to help farmers in their farm needs and serves as working animal. Likewise, goats were raised but not in herds and these are for local and home consumption of the farmers. Farmers do not raise poultry in commercial scale, but they raised chickens in backyard scale. Most farmers raised fighting cocks which commands higher prices in the market. The total area for fishponds is 53.9021 hectares. These fishponds are almost located in every barangay, but the biggest area is at barangay Cabittaogan. Fishponds are classified as a) brackish pond where milkfish are cultured, b) freshwater for the production of tilapia, c) fish cages, d) Municipal fishing grounds which were found within 15 kilometers from the shoreline of coastal barangay and e) communal fishing grounds found in Govantes River.

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! Position

! Name

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| Congressman

| style="text-align:center;" | Deogracias Victor B. Savellano

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| Mayor

| style="text-align:center;" | Edgar R. Rapanut

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|Vice-Mayor

| style="text-align:center;" | Jonathan Amando R. Redoble

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|rowspan=8| Councilors

| style="text-align:center;" | Restituto R. Oandasan

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| style="text-align:center;" | Expedito R. Rapanut

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| style="text-align:center;" | Niño R. Realin

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| style="text-align:center;" | Rowena R. Racadio

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| style="text-align:center;" | Angelie Victoria R. Ragasa

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| style="text-align:center;" | Donato R. Ragasa

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| style="text-align:center;" | Conrado A. Ragucos

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| style="text-align:center;" | Merlito R. Rapacon

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|}

Education

thumb|Sta. Catalina High School, Inc.

The Santa Calinta Schools District Office governs all educational institutions situated within the municipality.

Primary and secondary schools

  • Bernardo P. Ragasa Elementary School
  • Cabittaogan Elementary School
  • Cabuloan Elementary School
  • Calawaan Elementary School
  • Pangada-Cabaroan Elementary School
  • Paratong Elementary School
  • Santa Catalina Central School

Secondary schools

  • Cabittaogan High School
  • Santa Catalina High School (formerly known as Benito Soliven Institute).

Sister cities

  • Makati, Philippines

References

  • Community Website of Santa Catalina, Ilocos Sur
  • Philippine Standard Geographic Code
  • Philippine Census Information
  • Local Governance Performance Management System