Looc | |
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| Municipality of Looc | |
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 Flag  Seal | |
 Interactive map of Looc | |
.svg)  Looc Location within thePhilippines | |
| Coordinates:12°15′38″N121°59′33″E / 12.2605°N 121.9926°E /12.2605; 121.9926 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Mimaropa |
| Province | Romblon |
| District | Lone district |
| Founded | 1730 |
| Incorporated | 1844 |
| Barangays | 12 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Lisette Arboleda |
| • Vice Mayor | Dianson Taytay |
| • Representative | Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona |
| • Councilors |
|
| • Electorate | 15,595 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 132.82 km2 (51.28 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 31 m (102 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 198 m (651 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 21,964 |
| • Density | 165.37/km2 (428.30/sq mi) |
| • Households | 5,641 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 4th municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 39.62 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 161 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 405.9 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 114.7 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 115.6 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Tablas Island Electric Cooperative (TIELCO) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 5502 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)42 |
| Native languages | Onhan Tagalog |
Looc, officially theMunicipality of Looc, is amunicipality in theprovince ofRomblon,Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 21,964 people.[5]
It is known as the fish basket of the province, and the location of the Looc bay mariculture park and sanctuary.[6]
Looc is from theFilipino/Onhan wordlook, meaning "bay", referring to the body of water the town encloses. The first settlers of Looc whereOnhan-speaking tribes fromPanay Island which came around 1730. The settlement was originally abarrio of thepueblo (town) of Cabolutan (located in present-daySan Agustin) until 1790, when the town's population was wiped-out by asmallpox epidemic and the town was abolished. The abolition transferred Looc under the administration ofpueblo de Banton inBanton Island.[7]
In the early 1800s, the settlement continued to progress and increase its population. Thus, in 1844,Spanish colonial authorities converted Looc into a full-pledged pueblo. Back then, Looc was still part ofCapiz province, until 19 March 1853, when Romblon was officially declared a district separate from Capiz, and finally a full-fledged province in 1868. Looc was one of the first four municipalities of the newly created province of Romblon, the other three beingRomblon (capitol), Banton, andSibuyan (Cajidiocan). It then comprised the territories of what is now the municipalities of Alcantara and Santa Fe, andCarabao Island. Looc would lose these territories during the American colonial period beginning in 1901.[7]
On 8 June 1940, the municipality was abolished by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 581, also known as the "Festin Bill" (authored by Congressman Leonardo Festin). Looc was then consolidated into the special municipality of Tablas together with all other municipalities in the island and demoted to a barrio with a representative in the town's capitol in Odiongan. During theJapanese Occupation of the Philippines, the town became one of several emergency municipalities sponsored by the guerilla movement in the province. On 1 October 1946, Commonwealth Act No. 581 was repealed by Republic Act No. 38 (authored by Congressman Modesto Formilleza), thus abolishing the special municipality of Tablas and restoring Looc to its municipal status.[7]
On 21 March 1961, the municipality of Alcantara was created from the eastern barangays of Looc, reducing the municipality to its present size.[8]
Looc is located along the shores of Looc Bay on the southern portion ofTablas Island. It is bordered to the north by the municipalities ofFerrol andOdiongan, to east by the municipality ofAlcantara, to the south by the municipality ofSanta Fe and to the west by Looc Bay andTablas Strait.[9] It has a total land area of 13,282 hectares (32,820 acres).[10] Its topography consists predominantly of slopes which are characterized as nearly level to slightly and strongly undulated rolling hills.[11]
Looc is politically subdivided into 12barangays. Each barangay consists ofpuroks and some havesitios.
| Climate data for Looc, Romblon | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 32 (90) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 30 (86) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (73) | 22 (72) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 47 (1.9) | 33 (1.3) | 39 (1.5) | 48 (1.9) | 98 (3.9) | 150 (5.9) | 169 (6.7) | 147 (5.8) | 163 (6.4) | 172 (6.8) | 118 (4.6) | 80 (3.1) | 1,264 (49.8) |
| Average rainy days | 11.4 | 8.2 | 9.3 | 9.7 | 19.1 | 25.6 | 27.4 | 25.5 | 25.5 | 25.2 | 18.5 | 14.5 | 219.9 |
| Source: Meteoblue[12] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 6,056 | — |
| 1918 | 11,021 | +4.07% |
| 1939 | 18,448 | +2.48% |
| 1948 | 14,830 | −2.40% |
| 1960 | 17,427 | +1.35% |
| 1970 | 12,813 | −3.03% |
| 1975 | 14,864 | +3.02% |
| 1980 | 15,341 | +0.63% |
| 1990 | 19,285 | +2.31% |
| 1995 | 19,196 | −0.09% |
| 2000 | 19,898 | +0.77% |
| 2007 | 20,787 | +0.60% |
| 2010 | 21,841 | +1.82% |
| 2015 | 22,262 | +0.36% |
| 2020 | 21,799 | −0.44% |
| 2024 | 21,964 | +0.18% |
| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14][15][16][17] | ||
According to the 2024 census, Looc has a population of 21,964 people.[18]
Majority of its citizen speak to local dialect,Onhan.
Poverty incidence of Looc
Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]
On 12 January 1999, the 48-hectare Looc Bay Marine Refuge and Sanctuary was officially opened in the municipality after four years of intensive community education on the value and better management of marine resources. The local government, together with the community through their Barangay Fishermen Organization and Looc Baywatch Task Force, worked together to ensure the safety of the Looc's marine resources. The marine sanctuary was awarded two Trailblazing Galing Pook awards in 2000 and 2007 by the Galing Pook Foundation for being the best Coastal Resource Management program. Today, the marine sanctuary is not just a refuge of marine wildlife, but a tourist destination which attracts revenues for the municipality.[27][28]
As a municipality in the Province of Romblon, government officials in the provincial level are voted by the electorates of the town. The provincial government have political jurisdiction over local transactions of the municipal government.
Pursuant to Chapter II, Title II, Book III of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991,[29] the municipal government is composed of amayor (alkalde), avice mayor (bise alkalde) andmembers (kagawad) of the legislative branchSangguniang Bayan alongside a secretary to the said legislature, all of which are elected to a three-year term and are eligible to run for three consecutive terms.
Barangays are also headed by elected officials:Barangay Captain,Barangay Council, whose members are calledBarangay Councilors. The barangays have SK federation which represents the barangay, headed by SK chairperson and whose members are called SK councilors.
As of 30 June 2019, the incumbent mayor and vice mayor are Lisette Arboleda and Dianson Taytay, respectively.[30]
The Looc 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.[31]
Places adjacent to Looc, Romblon | |
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 Province ofRomblon | |
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| Municipalities | |
