Bogo City: The Main Market Of Town In Cebu

The Place

Bogo is located in the northern part of Cebu province, in mainland Cebu. It is 101 kilometers away from the regional capital of Central Visayas, Cebu City. Bogo is accessible by land and sea transportation. The adjoining municipalities of Bogo and their approximate distances are as follows: Tabogon in the southeast, 18 kms. Via the provincial road; Tabuelan in the southwest, 40 kms. Via San Remegio; San Remegio in the  west, 9 kms; and Daanbantayan, 26 kms, in the north. Bogo Bay, which lies to the east facing Camotes Sea, separates  Bogo from Medellin.


The city is characterized by nearly flat coastal plains at the central portion where the Poblacion barangays Gairan, Polambato, Don Rodriguez, Cayang, and Malingin are located. From the central coastal area, running through the interior is a rolling terrain, except along the eastern coastal portion, which is rugged and has a steep slope. Its highest elevation is 252 meters above sea level at Barangay Binabag. Steep slopes are approximately 3.2 kms. from the nearest foothill to  the northeast.

Physical Features

Bogo has an area of 10,545 hectares, which constitutes 2.7% of the total land area of Cebu province. It has 29 barangays or villages, seven of which are located along the coast. The city belongs to the 4th Congressional District of Cebu. The city has a gentle rolling terrain to nearly level along the northeastern portion consisting of barangays Don Pedro Rodriguez, Polambato, Cayang, Poblacion, Dakit, Malingin, Gairan, and Nailon. It has a coastal line running approximately 27 kms., fringed with coral formations with 

pockets of sandy shores at Nailon, Siocon, and Odlot.

History

Bogo's political community dates back to the arrival of the first waves of early Spanish colonizers in the capital city of Cebu. Settlements were already thriving along the shorelines of the town wherein seafaring tribes and traders from distant islands of the Visayas region and as far as the southern islands of Mindanao occasionally come to these settlements to sell or barter their products with the natives.The year 1600 ushered in the founding of real settlement which was subsequently transformed into a barangay where small huts made of cogon and bamboos squatted at the site where the Bogo Central Extension now stands. While the barangay was then a part of another bustling community of the north, now known as the town of Daan Bantayan. Hence, in January 1850 the Bishop of Cebu appointed Father Jaime Micalot, a Spanish friar, as the first Parish priest of Bogo and declared Saint Vincent Ferrer as the town's patron saint.

The first mass was celebrated in a hastily built structure made of cogon roofing, mixed with bamboo and lumber materials on April 5, 1850, which coincided with the death anniversary of the Patron Saint. Unfortunately, this chapel was gutted by fire of undetermined origin and a new stone church was constructed in the same place where the present Bogo Town Plaza is located.

Early historians aver that the town of Bogo derived its name from a lone Bogo tree which stood on the brink of the shore which is now part of Bogo wharf. Under its foliage, the natives of the place meet incoming traders who rode on frail sailboats loaded with goods to be sold or bartered with the natives of the town. Some of these traders, however, remained and married with the natives of the place.


The People

Per censal period as of 2007, the population of Bogo is recorded at 69,123 with households. The population density of Bogo in that same year stood at 741.6 and with a population growth rate of 1.09 for the past 7 years. Bogo has over 50,000 people and a nice little shopping area featuring a Gaisano department store and supermarket, movies, Jollibee and many other shops around about. Not far away is the new market area and jeepney terminal and you can ride a tricycle there for a few pesos. 

Climate

Bogo enjoys the third type of climate. It is characterized by no pronounced wet period and a dry season lasting from one to three months. Its relatively dry months are from November to May. The rainy season of the locality usually starts in June and ends in October. The average rainfall data in the area show that heavy rains usually fall from June to November.

Bogo is firmly warmer than most places in whole of Cebu province. Its mean temperature of 27.4oC is 6oC higher than that of the entire province. March, April, and May are usually the warmest months while November, December, and January are the coolest months.

The town is well protected from the full force of wind blows. The northeasterly wind direction is most prevalent during the months of January to May. When the northeasterly wind starts to hit in June the town is well protected by the mountain ranges of Cayang and Banban. July and August is the onset of southwesterly winds (locally called habagat) where low level areas, including the greater urbanized barangays are protected by the mountains of Binabag, Anonang Norte and Anonang Sur. This condition makes Bogo a good shelter for sea vessels during typhoon season.

SCUBA DIVING CAPITAN CILLO ISLAND

100 km north of Mactan Island, 10 km southeast of Bogo; 2 ½ hr by banca from Mactan, 1 hr from Sogod or by road to Bogo on Cebu's east coast and 30 min by banca. You would not normally make this journey in bad conditions, but even in good conditions fierce currents can be a real problem. Advanced divers pick spring tides in the hope of spotting larger pelagic species, but less experienced divers should choose neap tides and be with an experienced divemaster.


Nearby there is the port of Bogo, a long wharf that juts out into Bogo Bay where pump boats from other islands like Masbate and Leyte call in, fishing boats drop off their catch and at night, lovers seek solitude and darkness amidst the romantic backdrop of the sea. From the wharf you can look across the bay to Polambato where the vehicular ferry to Leyte pulls in. This is the vessel the bus to Manila uses to continue its 48 hour journey from Cebu City to the National Capital. I will always be proud to say that I came from this little town. But Bogo is a  place where every relaxation you need is all in one place. From the preserved history, friendly people, nice places, good political community and one thing one could not forget the foods in Bogo City. Bogo is a great little town to retire to. Enough going on to keep boredom at bay but not so busy it drives you crazy.