Province of QUEZON
Municipality of LOPEZ
The prosperous town of Lopez is located in the southern part of Quezon Province, 220 kilometers away from Manila, 83 kilometers away from Lucena City (the provincial capital), 25 kilometers to Camarines Norte and bordered by the municipalities of Catanauan and General Luna on the south, Macalelon on the southwest, Calauag on the northeast, Gumaca on the west, Buenavista and Guinayangan on the east.
Lopez is the only first class municipality in the southern part of the province (3rd & 4th Districts) and is the 7th largest municipality in terms of land area. As of 2000 Census, the population of the town is 78,694, 28.04% of which live in the urban areas while the rest are scattered in the rural areas. About 56.99% of the total population belongs to labor force. The municipality has one ethnic group and its people speak two (2) major dialects, Tagalog and Bicol. The town occupies 395.1 square kilometers representing 4.53% of the total land area of Quezon. It is composed of 95 barangays, the most number in the province, 7 of which are urban (poblacion) while 88 are rural.
The population and settlement areas are highly concentrated within the poblacion, that is, within the urban barangays of Burgos, Gomez, Magsaysay, Rizal, Talolong, Danlagan and San Lorenzo Ruiz (Bocboc) as well as the rural barangays of Mal-ay, Sugod, Pansol, Calantipayan, Manguisian, Del Pilar, Bebito, Canda Ibaba and Canda Ilaya which are traversed by the national highway. The rest of the rural barangays, which are reached thru bridges and road networks, have scattered and low concentration of population.
The town boasts of having two (2) state universities, 1 private college and several other educational institutions. It is considered as the educational center of southern Quezon. The town also boasts of several institutions committed to provide health services. Lopeze�os' health and medical services are provided by one large government hospital, two (2) medium-sized private hospitals, and several rural health units (RHU) and private clinics.
The economy of the town is fueled by cultivation of agricultural products, such as coconut, rice, fruits and vegetables; poultry and livestock production; baked products and food delicacies; quarrying; fishing; cottage industries that produce bamboo furnitures, bolos, baskets, driftwood furnitures and other products that are made of rattan, anahaw, buri, buntal, tikiw and other resources abundant to the town. The town is also home to the Philippine Flour Mill and PIC.
The town boasts of three (3) beautiful islets, the Pulong Niyugan, Maniknik and Nagtakin which are very popular among vacationeers for their abudant coral reefs ideal for snorkelling. It has also several springs, the most popular of which is the so-called 'busay' known for its cool waters. The Sineguelas Park, a hilly area located near the PNR Station within the poblacion, is also popular among the residents.
The town's terrain generally ranges from 345 to 399 meters above sea level with rugged mountain areas. Coastal areas deviate from plain to hilly terrains. Rivers, streams and springs abound throughout the municipality. The most popular of which is the Talolong River which traverses the town proper.
History
Population/Settlements
Economy
Education
Utilities/Infrastructure
Social Services
Tourism
External Links
