Language/Dialect
Bicol is the native tongue but with different nuances and variations, especially when one goes up to the northern towns like Pandan, Caramoran, and Panganiban. English and Tagalog are commonly spoken and understood.
Geographical Location
San Andres is the second largest municipality in the province off Catanduannes in terms of population an land area. It is situated 17 kilometers northwest of Virac, the capital town of the province. On the north, it is bounded by the municipality of Caramoran, on its northwest the MAqueda Channel and on the southwest portion by the Lagonoy Gulf.
Topography and Land Area
Although lying along great bodies of water, this municipality is predominantly mountainous. Of its total land area of 20,260 hectares, 52.17% is classified as forest zone and is under the supervision and maintenance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. More than half of this forest are denuded primarily due to typhoons that frequently visit the place and secondarily due to undisciplined loggers. However, 20% to 30% of this area still provides a haven to the municipality’s flora and fauna. A good portion of this could be tapped as guano reserves.
The land elevation of the area varies from sea level to about 800 meters above sea level. Its poblacion, lying along Lagonoy Gulf, is occupying a flat to nearly flat area. This is traversed by only one major road linking the municipality to Caramoran on the north and to Virac on the east. Of the 38 barangays, 26 are lying along the coast and a great majority of the area also, connected by only one road. Road building and other connecting routes from one barangay to another is very much restricted by the steep mountainous profile of the area.
The land elevation of the area varies from sea level to about 800 meters above sea level. Its poblacion, lying along Lagonoy Gulf, is occupying a flat to nearly flat area. This is traversed by only one major road linking the municipality to Caramoran on the north and to Virac on the east. Of the 38 barangays, 26 are lying along the coast and a great majority of the area also, connected by only one road. Road building and other connecting routes from one barangay to another is very much restricted by the steep mountainous profile of the area.
Population Overview
San Andres is home to about 32,375 people. The total population of this municipality represents 14% of the total population of the province of Catandunaes. Of the total population, 17% live in the urban area (Poblacion), while the remaining 83% live in the rural areas.
The 38 Barangays of Calolbon
Ang bayan ng San Andres ay isang ika-5 klaseng bayan sa lalawigan ng Catanduanes, Pilipinas. Ayon sa senso noong 2000, ito ay may populasyon na 31,463 katao sa 6,059 na kabahayan. Ito ay binubuo ng 38 barangay. At ito ay ang mga sumusunod.
Agojo
Alibuag
Asgad (Juan M. Alberto)
Bagong Sirang
Barihay
Batong Paloway
Belmonte (Pob.)
Bislig
Bon-ot
Cabungahan
Cabcab
Carangag
Catagbacan
Codon
Comagaycay
Datag
Divino Rostro (Pob.)
Esperanza (Pob.)
Hilawan
Lictin
Lubas
Manambrag
Mayngaway
Palawig
Puting Baybay
Rizal
Salvacion (Pob.)
San Isidro
San Jose
San Roque (Pob.)
San Vicente
Santa Cruz (Pob.)
Sapang Palay (Pob.)
Tibang
Timbaan
Tominawog
Wagdas (Pob.)
Yocti
Agojo
Alibuag
Asgad (Juan M. Alberto)
Bagong Sirang
Barihay
Batong Paloway
Belmonte (Pob.)
Bislig
Bon-ot
Cabungahan
Cabcab
Carangag
Catagbacan
Codon
Comagaycay
Datag
Divino Rostro (Pob.)
Esperanza (Pob.)
Hilawan
Lictin
Lubas
Manambrag
Mayngaway
Palawig
Puting Baybay
Rizal
Salvacion (Pob.)
San Isidro
San Jose
San Roque (Pob.)
San Vicente
Santa Cruz (Pob.)
Sapang Palay (Pob.)
Tibang
Timbaan
Tominawog
Wagdas (Pob.)
Yocti
Trade and Industry and Agriculture
AGRICULTURE SECTOROf the municipality’s total land area, 28% or 5,682.70 comprises the agricultural zone. Agricultural land in the municipality are planted to major crops like rice covering 277 hectares irrigated and 509.00 hectares rainfed; rootcrops with 704.00 hectares; corn with 20 hectares and minor crops such as orchard with 174.00 hectares.
Fishery resources cover 448 hectares while diversified crops has 3,560.00 hectares. It ranks second to farming as the main source of livelihood. Species in sea water includes herrings, squids, groupers, lobster, Spanish mackerel, seads and other pelagic species.
For livestock and poultry, records at the Municipal Agricultural Office showed that the municipality has a total of 9,695 heads of livestock and 9,075 for poultry. This is broken down into cattle, carabao, goat, hog and dogs for livestock, and chiken and duck for poultry.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
With regards to industry, the municipality has no major industry except for small/home cottage industries that are abaca and forestry based. This consists of handicraft, bamboo craft, furniture making, metal craft and other micro industries. All of these are family run business on small capital.
Communication Facilities
The present telecommunication service of San Andres includes two (2) post offices and one (1) telegraph service office. Thee services of these offices regarding facilities includes mail box, mail bags, money order machine, and postal station. These offices are also manned by at least 9 personnel among which includes post masters, letter carrier and a driver.
With regards to other telecommunication services, the municipality has 7 Barangay Cellular Mobile Telephone service. It offers basic telecommunication service such as outgoing telephone calls and incoming message reception. This is operated by CEDCO, a cooperative. The municipality has also two private calling telecommunication--Bayantel and the Bureau of Telecommunication’s Telegraphic Transfer Service.
With regards to other telecommunication services, the municipality has 7 Barangay Cellular Mobile Telephone service. It offers basic telecommunication service such as outgoing telephone calls and incoming message reception. This is operated by CEDCO, a cooperative. The municipality has also two private calling telecommunication--Bayantel and the Bureau of Telecommunication’s Telegraphic Transfer Service.
Transportation Facilities
San Andres is traversed by the main arterial road constituting the circumferential road of the province from the boundary of Barangays San Jose and Lubas. Of the 38 barangays, only 11 are intersected by the 38 kilometers national road, 12.1 kilometers provincial road, 7.3 kilometers municipal roads, 44.36 kilometers barangay roads and 8 kilometers farm o market road.
There are at least two daily trips of ferry boat plying Tabaco to San Andres which is considered as an alternative transport facility for commuters from Catanduanes to mainland Bicol and Metro Manila. Some commuters going to coastal municipalities of Camarines Sur use small motor boats from the coastal barangays of Cabcab, Bislig, Codon and Mangayway.
The municipality has 19 light vehicles/jeepneys, 29 trucks, 2 government-owned motorcycles, 72 tricycles, 4 ambulances, 117 sicad-sicad, and 210 bicycles.
There are at least two daily trips of ferry boat plying Tabaco to San Andres which is considered as an alternative transport facility for commuters from Catanduanes to mainland Bicol and Metro Manila. Some commuters going to coastal municipalities of Camarines Sur use small motor boats from the coastal barangays of Cabcab, Bislig, Codon and Mangayway.
The municipality has 19 light vehicles/jeepneys, 29 trucks, 2 government-owned motorcycles, 72 tricycles, 4 ambulances, 117 sicad-sicad, and 210 bicycles.
Income
Per records of the Municipal Planning and Development Office (MPDO), the average family income is approximately P 4,800.00 with the agriculture sector being the biggest employer. Almost 60% of the labor force were engaged in agriculture activities while remaining 40% were into non-agricultural activities, broken down as follows: 15% for community/social and personal services; 10% for wholesale and retail business; 10% transportation/storage/communications; 1.5% for construction; 2% for water and 1.5% for others.
Education Services
In San Andres, elementary education is divided into two (2) districts, the San Andres East District and the San Andres West District. The seat of the East District is San Andres Central Elementary School which is located at Sapang Palay, one of the barangay in the Poblacion; the San Andres West District is in Cabcab Central Elementary School which is located at barangay Cabcab.
There are five secondary schools which are distributed to four barangays of the municipality namely: Manambrag, Mayngaway, Codon and Cabcab. The San Adnres Vocational School was located at the Poblacion. All of these schools are public. Tertiary education are being offered in Virac, the capital town of the province, or in mainland.
There are five secondary schools which are distributed to four barangays of the municipality namely: Manambrag, Mayngaway, Codon and Cabcab. The San Adnres Vocational School was located at the Poblacion. All of these schools are public. Tertiary education are being offered in Virac, the capital town of the province, or in mainland.
Climatic Condition
San Andres like any other municipalities in the province experience type II climate with an average precipitation between 2,000 – 3,000 millimeter annually. This is due to the northeast monsoon weather occurrence during the months of October thru February and a frequent experience of tropical disturbances which brings abnormal rainfall.
It has two distinct wind patterns—the northeast monsoon normally prevailing through the months of October to February and the southwest monsoon which occurs during the months of July and August. The months of April to June and September are periods of weather transition between monsoons usually associated with light precipitation and good weather.
It has two distinct wind patterns—the northeast monsoon normally prevailing through the months of October to February and the southwest monsoon which occurs during the months of July and August. The months of April to June and September are periods of weather transition between monsoons usually associated with light precipitation and good weather.
