As reported in Chapter 1 (Section 1.2), the population of Tagbilaran is estimated as being over 87,000 with a population growth rate in excess of three percent per year. The population is spread across 15 barangays; these are Poblacion I, Poblacion II, Poblacion III, Cogon, Cabawan, Manga, Tiptip, Mansasa, Taloto, San Isidro, Ubujan, Bool, Booy, Dao, and Dampas (see Figure 5-1). Population densities within the city vary. Development is concentrated in Poblacion I, Poblacion II, Poblacion III, and Cogon. The central business district is situated in Poblacion II. Cogon has the largest residential population69 of 16,228 persons while Poblacion I has the highest population density of 213 persons per hectare (City of Tagbilaran, 2001). Table 5.3 presents area, population and population density information for the barangays of Tagbilaran.
66
Figure derived by author using data from NSO 2000 Census (National Statistics Office, 2000).
67
A jeepney is a form of public transport originally made from US military jeeps left behind in the Philippines after World War II.
68
It is difficult to estimate travel times because of road work undertaken in different areas at different times during my stay in Bohol. However, the condition of most roads had generally improved and travel times reduced since I first travelled to Bohol in 1997, when a 50 kilometre trip (Tagbilaran to Bilar) took up to two-hours by public bus.
69
Commercial activities are also present within Cogon. Cogon market and Plaza Marcela, a large department store, are very busy commercial centres as well as smaller trading and service
Barangay Area (hectares) (a) Population (b) Population Density Persons/hectare Bool 348.8 3,361 9.6 Booy 146.4 6,736 46.0 Cabawan 267.3 798 3.0 Cogon 204.4 16,228 79.4 Dampas 443.7 5,808 13.1 Dao 390.9 4,674 12.0 Manga 117.3 4,594 39.2 Mansasa 82.9 4,673 56.4 Poblacion I 25.9 3,203 123.7 Poblacion II 70.2 5,828 83.0 Poblacion III 70.7 6,234 88.2 San Isidro 429.4 3,776 8.8 Taloto 244.5 5,095 20.8 Tiptip 282.1 3,068 10.9 Ubujan 145.6 3,624 24.9 TOTAL 3,270.1 77,700 23.8
Table 5.3: Area, population and density for barangays in Tagbilaran
Sources: (a)
City of Tagbilaran (2002); (b)
Figure 5-1: Map showing barangay boundaries, Tagbilaran City, Bohol
Source: City Planning and Development Office, City Government of Tagbilaran (2004).
As the provincial capital, Tagbilaran is the centre of governance for the province. Government institutions and offices located in the city include the Tagbilaran City Government offices in Dao, the Provincial Government Capitol complex in Poblacion III as well as provincial offices for national government departments. These include the Department of Agriculture and the Government Service Insurance System. Health, social services and
educational facilities are also well represented. The city has a total of eight hospitals and clinics, as well as other health professional services and is the location for five tertiary institutions including two universities. Commercial activity is more concentrated in Tagbilaran than elsewhere in the province because of its size, accessibility and its position as the provincial capital. There are five shopping malls within the city, as well as several hotels and restaurants, fast food chains, and over 15 banks (City of Tagbilaran, 2001).
The economy of Tagbilaran is largely service- and trade-based, with very little industry and manufacturing occurring within the city. Agriculture in Tagbilaran is marginal with the amount of agricultural land declining as a consequence of conversion to non-agricultural uses. With nine of Tagbilaran’s fifteen barangays located along the coastline, fishing plays a role in the local economy albeit relatively minor (City of Tagbilaran, 2001).
Entrepreneurship is generally low; however, investment by both local and foreign investors is slowly increasing and is being encouraged by government and the business community. Small businesses and home based enterprises are common and include activities such as dressmaking, boarding houses, sale of cooked food items, and sari-sari stores.70 Boarding houses or rather, providing boarding facilities—a room and meals—is a fairly widespread practice across the city and was encountered through the course of conducting surveys as well as through observations. Boarders are often young people in their late teens or early twenties from other parts of the province who reside in Tagbilaran to continue their education or for employment opportunities. The money paid by boarders provides an additional source of income. Similarly, sale of cooked food items for lunches or other meals, and the operation of a small store or sari-sari from a residence or shop-front nearby also provide additional income sources for households. Plate 5-1shows a sari-sari store operating from a residential dwelling in Poblacion I, Tagbilaran.
70
A sari-sari store is a small store selling a wide range of household and other items, generally operating from private residential premises.
Photo by Fisher, 2004.
Plate 5-1: Sari-sari store in Poblacion I, Tagbilaran.
Sari-Sari stores operating out of households are a common small-scale business
enterprise undertaken in Tagbilaran. This store is located in Poblacion I, and is fairly typical in size, design, and product range to others across the city.
Tourism has been identified as a major development driver for the Province of Bohol as well as Tagbilaran City largely as an outcome of the designation of Panglao Island71 as the Panglao Island Tourism Estate.72 Development at Panglao has been identified as a priority by the national government as part of its National Tourism Strategy to develop destination areas (NEDA, 2004b). It is envisaged that Tagbilaran will play a vital role in tourism by acting as a gateway to Panglao and the rest of the province. There are also plans to develop tourism facilities within Tagbilaran itself, namely the establishment of hotels and restaurants (City of Tagbilaran, 2001). Growth in all sectors, particularly tourism have implications on water resource management in Tagbilaran since there is a need to increase the capacity and efficiency of water supplies, particularly potable water, to meet tourist satisfaction. Some of these implications are addressed in the following section.
71
The island of Panglao comprises the municipalities of Panglao and Dauis. The island is connected to Tagbilaran by two causeways in Dauis. Panglao is indicated on Figure 1-2, which provides the location of Tagbilaran within the Province of Bohol.
72
Panglao became a Tourist Zone by Proclamation No. 1801 (VII) dated November 10, 1978 (Republic of the Philippines, 1978a).