Barotac Viejo

Barotac Viejo, officially the Municipality of Barotac Viejo (Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Barotac Viejo, Kinaray-a: Banwa ka Barotac Viejo, Tagalog: Bayan ng Barotac Viejo), is a municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 49,736 people.^[5]

In 1957, the sitio of Poscolon in the barrio of Calaigang was converted into a barrio.^[6] The same law was reenacted in 1959,^[7] probably indicating resistance to the renaming.^[8]

Barotac Viejo is in the northern part of the Province of Iloilo, facing the strait of Guimaras and the island of Negros. It is bounded on the north by San Rafael, on the west by Banate, on the south by the Visayan Sea, and on the east by Ajuy. It is 57 kilometres (35 mi) from Iloilo City and 18 kilometres (11 mi) from San Rafael.

The total land area of 18,578 hectares (45,910 acres). ^[9]

A range of sprawling hills and high mountains occupy three quarters of the land of Barotac Viejo. Mount Agumid on the northern boundary with San Rafael is the highest mountain, at about 550 meters high.

The town is divided by a long mountain range into upper and lower regions. The upper region, about 1,000 feet above sea level, experiences cooler temperatures and more abundant rainfall. The lower region, located near the sea, is well populated and primarily dedicated to rice cultivation.

Barotac Viejo is served by two rivers, namely the Barotac Viejo River and the Barotac Cayo River, along with several creeks and springs.

The Barotac Viejo River is the longest and the widest river passing through the heart of the town. It never runs dry, although it occasionally overflows during heavy rains. The river is used for bathing, laundry, and fishing.

The municipality has approximately 10 miles of shallow shorelines, with nearby fishponds supporting local aquaculture.

Rainy season sets in about May and last up to the middle of January. The rainfall in the upper region is comparatively heavier than the lower region. This is due to the chain of high mountains surrounding the place and innumerable springs that flow along the foot of the hills the heaviest rainfall occurs about in the early part of September during the southwest monsoon. Under usual condition, Barotac Viejo receives up to 100 centimetres (39 in) of rainfall. The average however in the upper region is 42 centimetres (17 in) and in the lower region 36 centimetres (14 in). Dry season sets in a little earlier in the lower region than in the upper region.

Barotac Viejo is politically subdivided into 26 barangays. ^[9] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

In the 2024 census, the population of Barotac Viejo was 49,736 people,^[16] with a density of 270 inhabitants per square kilometre or 700 inhabitants per square mile.

Poverty incidence of Barotac Viejo

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]}

The Barotac Viejo Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.^[25]

Primary and elementary schools

Secondary schools

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System