Carigara
Carigara | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Carigara | |
Downtown Area (Real St.) | |
|
Flag Seal | |
| Etymology: Kan Gara to Kalgara | |
Map of Leyte with Carigara highlighted | |
Interactive map of Carigara | |
Carigara Location within the Philippines | |
| Coordinates: 11°18′N 124°41′E / 11.3°N 124.68°E | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Eastern Visayas |
| Province | Leyte |
| District | 2nd district |
| Founded | 25 January 1571 |
| Named after | Datu Gara |
| Barangays | 49 (see Barangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Eduardo "Ed" T. Ong Jr. |
| • Vice Mayor | Jimmy A. Camposano |
| • Representative | Lolita T. Javier |
| • Councilors | List |
| • Electorate | 38,820 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 117.86 km2 (45.51 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 130 m (430 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 1,267 m (4,157 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2024 census) | |
• Total | 56,060 |
| • Density | 475.6/km2 (1,232/sq mi) |
| • Households | 12,830 |
| Demonym(s) | Carigaran-on Kalgaran-on (vernacular term) |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 1st municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 26.53 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 266.6 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 872 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 184.7 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 213.2 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Leyte 3 Electric Cooperative (LEYECO 3) |
| • Water | Metro Carigara Water District (MCWD) |
| • Telecommunications | Bayan Telecommunications, Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, Dito Telecommunity |
| • Cable TV | G Sat, Sky Direct, Cignal, SatLite |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 6529 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)53 |
| Native languages | Waray Tagalog |
| Religion | Christianity, with other minorities |
| Local Feast | Magara Festival |
| Feast Date | every 16th day of July |
| Website | www |
Carigara (Tagalog: [kɐɾiˈɡaɾɐʔ]), officially the Municipality of Carigara (Waray: Bungto han Carigara; Tagalog: Bayan ng Carigara), is a First Income Class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 56,060 people.
Established in 1571, Carigara is the first town founded in the Eastern Visayas region. A pivotal development occurred in 1735 when Leyte and Samar were separated from Cebu province, forming a unified provincial governance structure with Carigara serving as provincial capital during this era.
Carigara is renowned for its distinct offerings, including pastillas, humba, sundang (machete), and the hubhob delicacy. Hubhob, a local delight, is crafted from grated cassava, eggs, kalamay, milk, and sugar, cooked within a bagacay (bamboo pole) over charcoal, bringing a unique and flavorful taste to this traditional specialty.