Esperanza, Agusan del Sur

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Esperanza
Municipality

Esperanza Bridge

Seal

Location within Agusan del Sur province

Esperanza
Location within the Philippines

Coordinates:

841N 12539ECoordinates:

841N 12539E

Country

Philippines

Region

Caraga (Region XIII)

Province

Agusan del Sur

District

1st district of Agusan del Sur

Founded

1921

Barangays

47 (see Barangays)

Government[1]
Type

Sangguniang Bayan

Mayor

Deo S. Manpatilan

Area[2]
Total

1,355.48 km2(523.35 sq mi)

Population (2015 census)[3]

Total

54,801

Density

40/km2 (100/sq mi)

Voter(2016)[4]

27,752

Time zone

PST (UTC+8)

ZIP code

8513

IDD:area code

+63(0)85

Income class

1st class

PSGC

160303000

Website

www.esperanza.gov.ph

Esperanza, officially the Municipality of Esperanza (Filipino: Bayan ng Esperanza), is

a municipality in the province of Agusan del Sur in the Caraga (Region XIII) of the Philippines. The
population was 54,801 at the 2015 census.[3] In the 2016 election, it had 27,752 registered voters.[4]
Contents
[hide]

1Geography
1.1Barangays

2Demographics

3The Golden Tara

4References

Geography[edit]
Esperanza is located at 841N 12539E.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 1,355.48 square
kilometres (523.35 sq mi)[2] constituting 13.57% of the 9,989.52-square-kilometre- (3,856.98 sq mi)
total area of Agusan del Sur.

Barangays[edit]
Esperanza is politically subdivided into 47 barangays.[5]

PSGC

Barangay

Population
2015

% p.a.
2010

[3]

[6]

160303031

Agsabu

1.5%

812

612

+5.53%

160303032

Aguinaldo

1.0%

540

523

+0.61%

160303001

Anolingan

3.0%

1,649

1,567

+0.98%

160303002

Bakingking

0.9%

496

462

+1.36%

160303033

Balubo

1.5%

816

930

2.46%

160303003

Bentahon

2.0%

1,084

956

+2.42%

160303004

Bunaguit

2.2%

1,192

1,253

0.95%

160303006

Catmonon

3.2%

1,733

1,654

+0.89%

160303034

Cebulan

0.8%

432

316

+6.13%

160303007

Concordia

1.7%

935

779

+3.54%

160303035

Crossing Luna

2.5%

1,381

1,250

+1.92%

160303036

Cubo

1.6%

877

776

+2.36%

PSGC

Barangay

Population
2015

% p.a.
2010

[3]

[6]

160303008

Dakutan

6.2%

3,391

3,271

+0.69%

160303009

Duangan

2.9%

1,610

1,596

+0.17%

160303011

Guadalupe

7.4%

4,046

3,854

+0.93%

160303037

Guibonon

0.9%

502

737

7.05%

160303012

Hawilian

4.3%

2,358

2,147

+1.80%

160303038

Kalabuan

0.5%

283

343

3.59%

160303039

Kinamaybay

1.2%

683

654

+0.83%

160303013

Labao

1.7%

930

721

+4.97%

160303040

Langag

2.2%

1,197

1,084

+1.91%

160303014

Maasin

2.0%

1,091

1,079

+0.21%

160303010

Mac-Arthur

0.4%

200

195

+0.48%

160303015

Mahagcot

1.5%

841

833

+0.18%

160303041

Maliwanag

0.5%

296

163

+12.03%

160303016

Milagros

2.1%

1,172

1,145

+0.44%

160303017

Nato

3.2%

1,732

1,639

+1.06%

160303042

New Gingoog

0.9%

495

420

+3.18%

160303043

Odiong

1.1%

622

545

+2.55%

160303018

Oro

3.5%

1,922

1,536

+4.36%

160303044

Piglawigan

3.4%

1,882

1,623

+2.86%

160303019

Poblacion

8.7%

4,778

4,907

0.51%

160303020

Remedios

2.6%

1,447

1,665

2.64%

160303021

Salug

2.3%

1,238

1,262

0.36%

160303045

San Isidro

0.7%

385

358

+1.39%

160303046

San Jose

0.3%

150

151

0.13%

160303022

San Toribio

4.4%

2,424

2,218

+1.71%

160303047

San Vicente

1.4%

765

578

+5.48%

160303023

Santa Fe

3.6%

1,990

1,698

+3.07%

160303024

Segunda

0.5%

293

314

1.31%

160303048

Sinakungan

0.8%

464

485

0.84%

160303026

Tagabase

1.5%

827

780

+1.12%

160303027

Taganahaw

0.7%

382

376

+0.30%

160303028

Tagbalili

1.0%

546

632

2.75%

160303029

Tahina

1.4%

769

742

+0.68%

160303030

Tandang Sora

1.4%

768

732

+0.92%

160303049

Valentina

0.7%

375

336

+2.11%

PSGC

Barangay

Population
2015

TOTAL

% p.a.
2010

[3]

[6]

54,801

51,897

+1.04%

Demographics[edit]
Population census of Esperanza
Year

Pop.

1990
1995
2000

36,139
42,118
44,151

% p.a.

Year

Pop.

% p.a.

2007
+2.91% 2010
+1.02% 2015

47,659
51,897
54,801

+1.06%
+3.15%
+1.04%

Source: PSA[3][6][7]

In the 2015 census, Esperanza had a population of 54,801.[3] The population density was
40 inhabitants per square kilometre (100/sq mi).
In the 2016 election, it had 27,752 registered voters.[4]

The Golden Tara[edit]

In July 1917, a flood and storm swept through Agusan del Sur in Barangay Cubo of Esperanza. After
the storm, a Manobo woman named Bilay Ocampo was on the banks of the muddy Wawa River
where she eventually found a figure where it washed up from the river. The 21-karat gold figure
dating to around 850 to 950 C.E. weighs 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and depicts a woman sitting in the lotus
position in Buddhism, is ornamented with jewelry on her body, and wears a headdress. This figure
turned out to be a representation of the Bodhisattva Tara. Now known as the "Golden Tara", after its
discovery, it was handed to the former Deputy Governor Bias Baclagon then it was passed to the
Agusan Coconut Company, because of a debt. It was then being sold and was purchased
for 4,000 by the wife of American Governor-General Leonard Wood, Faye Cooper-Cole, who was
the curator of Chicago Field Museums Southeast Asian department. They then donated the Golden
Tara to the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois, United States where it is currently held in the Grainger
Hall of Gems. Dr. H. Otley Beyer, known as the father of Philippine Archaeology and Anthropology,
tried to encourage the government to buy the artifact however all attempts failed due to lack of
funds.[8]
Another historical claim has it that when Bilay Ocampo found the Golden Tara, she decided to keep
it as a doll. However she was told to give it over to Baclagon because they believed it was a diwata.
Because of this, it was previously called Buwawan ni Baclagon or Ginto ni Baclagon (both translates
to "Gold of Baclagon"). However, according to Bilays granddaughter, Constancia, the Golden Tara
wasnt handed over but it was stolen from her grandmother. The question of the validity of the
purchase of the Golden Tara and whether it was acquired legally if it was in fact originally stolen from
Bilay remains a debate of history.[8]
The Golden Tara remains exhibited in the Grainger Hall of Chicago Field Museum (now known as
the Field Museum of Natural History) up to the present time and reports has it that the Philippine
government has plans to continue its negotiations in re-acquiring the figure. [8]
According to UP scholar Dr. Juan Francisco, he described the golden statue as, "One of the most
spectacular discoveries in the Philippine archaeological history."[8]