Paracale Explained

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Pushpin Map:Philippines
Pushpin Label Position:left
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Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Philippines
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Type2:Province
Nickname:Gold Town
Motto:Ako'y Paracaleño, yaman ko'y ginto nasa lupa nasa puso
Subdivision Type3:District
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1611
Parts Type:Barangays
Parts Style:para
P1: (see Barangays)
Leader Name:Romeo Y. Moreno
Leader Title1:Vice Mayor
Leader Name1:Bernadette E. Asutilla
Leader Name2:Josefina B. Tallado
Leader Title3:Municipal Council
Leader Name4: voters (electorate_point_in_time}}|)
Elevation Max M:753
Elevation Min M:0
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Blank1 Title:Households
Timezone:PST
Utc Offset:+8
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Demographics Type1:Economy
Demographics1 Title2:Poverty incidence
Demographics1 Info2:%
Demographics1 Title3:Revenue
Demographics1 Title4:Revenue rank
Demographics1 Title5:Assets
Demographics1 Title6:Assets rank
Demographics1 Title7:IRA
Demographics1 Title8:IRA rank
Demographics1 Title9:Expenditure
Demographics1 Title10:Liabilities
Demographics Type2:Service provider
Demographics2 Title1:Electricity
Demographics2 Title2:Water
Demographics2 Title3:Telecommunications
Demographics2 Title4:Cable TV
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Blank1 Info Sec1:Tagalog
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Blank4 Name Sec2:Patron saint

Paracale, officially the Municipality of Paracale (Tagalog: Bayan ng Paracale), is a third-class municipality in the province of Camarines Norte, Bicol region, Island of Luzon Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 60,198 people.

Paracle’s economy is driven by agriculture and small scale, often informal gold mining and gold ore processing. Rice, corn, coconut and root crops and vegetables are the major agricultural products. Being a coastal community with a number of historical sites and providing boat access to Calaguas Group of Islands it also has some claim as a tourist destination.

History

Paracale was an active fishing and small scale mining community prior to the Spanish colonial period. In 1572, attracted by news of gold deposits, Juan de Salcedo petitioned to search for mines in the Bicol region.[1] Arriving by boat from the North, Salcedo’s expedition found mining operations at Paracale, but was forced to retreat due to sickness and lack of provisions. A more permanent settlement and mission post was established by Franciscan friars in 1581. It was established as a town in 1611. However, the mission was abandoned in 1634, reestablished by the Franciscans in 1638, but was abandoned again in 1662. In 1687, the Franciscan missionaries returned to their mission.

In 1863, Paracale was then formally established as a town. Seventeen years later, the Franciscans returned to Paracale to reestablish church administration.

Gold mining

The town's name was derived from para cale, meaning “canal digger.”

Small scale mining in Camarines Norte pre dates the Spanish colonial period, but the region came to prominence in 1626 when a sizable gold deposit was identified close to the current location of Paracale town. Spaniards employed local labour to extract gold-bearing gravel from adjacent rivers and streams, although mining operations were described as intermittent, small in scale and rarely profitable due to frequent flooding, in 1688 it was recorded that miners in Paracale were paid three reals per week plus food for extraction of gold ore.[2]

During the period of American colonial rule dredges were used to mine primary lode deposits.

Artisanal mining for gold still persists in many locations adjacent to the town. An ILO report published in 2017 estimated that about half the population of the town were engaged in small scale mining activities either as a financier, mine worker, processor or independent gold panner.[3] Compressor mining, a hazardous informal mining method where ore is extracted by divers in flooded, narrow shafts while breathing through an air tube connected to makeshift compressor, was banned in the Philippines in 2012. Nonetheless Parcale attracted significant attention in November 2013 when a collapse of informal mining operations on the beach led to the deaths of a number of compressor mining divers.[4] In 2021, the Philippine National Police sought the closure of all illegal mining activities in Camarines Norte as the components of improvised explosive devices used by NPA terrorists were established as coming from illegal mining sites in the area.[5]

Barangays

Paracale is politically subdivided into 27 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Paracale, Camarines Norte, was 60,198 people, with a density of NaNPD/km2NaNPD/km2.

Climate

Infrastructure

Transportation: Land transportation is the primary means of transporting people, goods and services from the barangay to the town proper of Paracale. The municipality is connected to its different barangays by the municipality's major roads, namely the Maharlika Highway.
Water supply: The barangays of the municipality are being served by levels I, II and III water supply. Other barangays are being served by shallow wells, deep wells or dug wells.
Power supply: Paracale is being served by electric power, formerly by the defunct Hidalgo Electric Enterprise, now by the National Power Corporation through the Camarines Norte Electric Cooperative (CANORECO). After the establishment of this cooperative, there was a great improvement in terms of power supply condition in the municipality.
Communication: Paracale has a telecommunication system that is being run by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC). There are two satellites of Smart, Globe. There is postal office and has a staff of one mail carriers serving all barangays in the municipality. These personnel cannot adequately serve the entire from the lack of personnel; another problem is the difficulty in the delivery of mails in the remote and far-flung barangays.
Mining companies:

Media

Paracale and its surrounding area is being served by a local community radio, Radyo Natin 102.5

Churches

Government

Municipal officials:

Education

Public Secondary Schools

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Newson . Linda . Conquest and Pestilence in the Early Spanish Philippines . 2009 . University of Hawaii Press . Honolulu . 978-0-8248-6197-1 . 158.
  2. Book: Newson . Linda . Conquest and Pestilence in the Early Spanish Philippines . 2009 . University of Hawaii Press . Honolulu . 978-0-8248-6197-1 . 158.
  3. Web site: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining baseline report: Camarines Norte and South Cotabato . International Labour Organization . 27 September 2021 . 29.
  4. Web site: Paddock . Richard . In the Philippines, workers toil among hazards in compressor mining . . 27 January 2014 . Center for Investigative Reporting . 27 September 2021.
  5. Web site: Caliwan . Christopher . PNP seeks closure of illegal mining sites in Camarines Norte . Philippine News Agency . 27 September 2021.