Product Code Database
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Iriga, officially the City of Iriga (Rinconada Bikol: Syudad ka Iriga; ; ), is a component city in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 114,457 people.
As population spread out and evangelization progressed, the settlement at the foot of Sumagang Mountain developed in size and wealth, slowly pushing the Indigenous Agta communities up to the thickness of the forest. And in 1578 the I-raga settlement was established as "visita" of Nabua under Fray Pablo de Jesus and Fray Bartolome Ruiz, both Franciscans. Three decades later or on January 4, 1641, Mount Asog (named after an Indigenous Negrito chieftain) or Mt. Iriga, erupted. That eruption brought much fear to the settlers but with their strong faith and belief a miracle happened and as witnessed by local folks, the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mother and her son Lord Jesus or "Nuestra Señora de Angustia" at sitio Inorogan saved the people from terrible earthquake and flood. The eruption formed the cavernous gully on the side of Buhi leading to the steep gorge which was the crater of the "volcano".
Iriga, according to Fray Felix Huertas in his lengthily titled Estado Geografico, Topografico, Estadisticdo, Historico-Reliogoso de la Santa Apostolica Provincia de S. Gregorio Magno published in 1865, came from the native word iraga, which means "poseedores de mucho terreno", or "possessors of much land". From a mere "doctrina", a religious administrative word which roughly means a "mission post" in 1583. In 1683, this progressive visita of I-raga was converted into Pueblo de la Provincia de Ambos Camarines with a population of 8,908 which several decades later the name I-raga was changed to Iriga by the Spanish authorities and advocated St. Anthony of Padua as Patron Saint and June 13 as the annual fiesta.
From the middle of the 19th century until the first two decades of the 20th century, Iriga was a major abaca-producing town in the Bicol region, largely because of the rich volcanic soil surrounding Mt. Iriga which it spewed in its last eruption about six hundred years before the coming of the Spaniards in Bikol. According to William Freer, the American Superintendent of Schools in Camarines Sur, “The sides of the mountain nourish rich plantations of abaca owned by several Spaniards, and shelter several hundreds of the Philippine aborigines, the Negritos, who are now employed on the plantations. Because of the production of abaca the town of Iriga ranks third in importance in Camarines, being outclassed only by Nueva Caceres and Daet.”
During the incumbency of Don Martin Mendoza as Capitan Municipal, in the memorias de la Provincia de Ambos Camarines, showed that the “Pueblo de Iriga” was composed of “barrios y visitas distinguida la poblacion centro del casco en 5 barrios que son San Roque, San Francisco de Asis, San Juan Bautista, Santo Domingo de Guzman y San Miguel Arcangel con 6 visitas fuera del casco denominados San Nicolas de Tolentino, San Agustin, San Antonio Abad, Santo Niño, Santiago de Galicia y la visita de los monteses” with a population of 13,813. There were only four roads mentioned, they were coming from Nabua going to Baao, to Buhi and to Polangui, Albay, now the diversion road passing Salvacion, Masoli, Bato, then to the south road going to Polangui, Albay and there was only one way going to Nueva Caceres (Naga) via Bicol River by boat.
In 1913, the Manila Railroad (MRR) Company Station and the public market were established in their respective present site which readily contributed to the rapid growth of Iriga making it the center of trade and commerce in Rinconada area. It was also at this time that Mondays and Thursdays were declared as market days in Iriga. The Municipality of Iriga continued to prosper through the years. The original “barrios y visitas” have developed sitios which later on, these sitios have metamorphosed into distinct and separate barrios. After the Second World War, San Ramon, San Rafael, Cristo Rey, Santa Isabel, San Vicente Norte, San Andres, Santa Teresita, Perpetual Help, Sagrada, Niño Jesus, San Pedro and Antipolo, former sitios of barrio San Agustin, San Isidro and San Nicolas were created as barrios. And, the barrios of La Anunciacion and Santa Elena were sitios of Santo Domingo and Santiago, Del Rosario (Banao) of Santiago and Santo Niño and La Purisima of San Francisco & part of Santo Domingo, Santa Cruz Sur of San Francisco. Francia and San Jose from San Miguel and San Vicente Sur, Salvacion, La Trinidad and La Medalla from the large barrio of San Antonio. Some of these barrios were already created during the incumbency of Mayor Jose C. Villanueva in 1960. And the latest and the 36th barrio ever created was Santa Maria which comprises the sitios of Tubigan, Katungdulan, Bagacay, Sampaga, Rao and Cawayan of barrio Santa Teresita by virtue of Republic Act 6228.
Iglesia ni Cristo is the largest minority religion in the city. The INC's district office of ecclesiastical district of Camarines Southeast (CSE) is located in Barangay San Nicolas. The office oversees the church members in Rinconada and Partido areas in Camarines Sur, and Burias island in Masbate. Thus, a large number of INC members can be found in the city. At present, Iglesia ni Cristo has four local congregations and two extensions in Iriga.
Islam is a new religion in the city and most of its members are immigrants from Mindanao island. LDS Church members are also numerous, as well as Jehovah's Witnesses. Baptist adherents are also active in the city.
Iriga City Public Market is one of the busiest in the region which makes the city as the center of commerce in Rinconada district. The old Public Market was redesigned and reconstructed in 2010 and now hosts LCC supermarket, many local shops and several national chain restaurants. Sold at the new public market are locally grown and harvested organic produce such as tilapia harvested from nearby Lake Buhi and Lake Bato. Salt water fresh and dried fish from neighboring Balatan coast are sold in abundance in the market. Gift shops offering locally manufactured products made from local hemp, pili nut, bamboo and coconut are offered to local and foreign tourists.
The city is home to three major commercial complexes namely the LCC Mall Iriga, which was the second LCC Mall in the district, the UNP Town Mall near the University of Northeastern Philippines, Regent Central Commercial Complex and the newly built Gaisano Capital Iriga. A new convention center was built in front of the Catholic Grotto hosts important events in the city. ph.wowcity.com
There is a number of waterfalls and springs found in the city. Several resorts and hotels were built to accommodate growing tourist arrivals. The old Ibalon Hotel was renovated and renamed as Iriga City Plaza Hotel. Local cuisine offering meat and vegetarian dishes with coconut milk and red chili peppers.
Iriga, along with other major cities from Tutuban station to Legazpi station, were served by the Bicol Express, before the service ended in 2006.
Today, railway services are operated by the Philippine National Railways from the Iriga station in Brgy. San Francisco on the Naga–Legazpi route, which was reopened in early 2025.
Iriga's total road network is in length, of which are paved with concrete, with asphalt, with being out of gravel. There are also 23 bridges in the city, with the Barit Bridge, built in 1914, being declared a National Cultural Treasure in 2015.
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