Reina Mercedes | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Reina Mercedes | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Map of Isabela with Reina Mercedes highlighted | |
 Interactive map of Reina Mercedes | |
.svg)  Reina Mercedes Location within thePhilippines | |
| Coordinates:16°59′14″N121°49′38″E / 16.9872°N 121.8272°E /16.9872; 121.8272 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Cagayan Valley |
| Province | Isabela |
| District | 2nd district |
| Founded | January 20, 1886[1] |
| Named after | Mercedes of Orléans |
| Barangays | 20 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Atty. Maria Lourdes P. Respicio-Saguban |
| • Vice Mayor | Atty. Jeryll Harold P. Respicio |
| • Representative | Ed Christopher S. Go |
| • Electorate | 17,780 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 57.14 km2 (22.06 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 49 m (161 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 88 m (289 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 32 m (105 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[4] | |
• Total | 28,222 |
| • Density | 493.9/km2 (1,279/sq mi) |
| • Households | 7,470 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 4th municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 13.25 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 381.3 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 770.1 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 152.3 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 94.77 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Isabela 1 Electric Cooperative (ISELCO 1) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 3303 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)78 |
| Native languages | Ilocano Ibanag Tagalog |
| Website | www |
The town derived its name in honor ofMercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain. Coupled with the province's name "Isabela", named afterIsabella II, Queen Regnant of Spain, the town's address of "Reina Mercedes, Isabela" is the most regnant address in the Philippines (which was also named after KingPhilip II of Spain).
Reina Mercedes was founded in 1743 on the early Gaddang site of Abbag, which means "on the other side" (of theMagat River), before then being renamed to Calering, and Calanusian (fromcanusi, a species ofwhite ebony).[6] The town was finally renamed in honor ofQueenMercedes of Orléans, the first consort ofAlfonso XII, son of Isabela II. Mercedes died of tuberculosis on June 26, 1878, in the fourth year of Alfonso's reign. When the town was partitioned fromCauayan on January 20, 1886, the priest Pedro Jiménez named it after the late queen.[7]
Reina Mercedes is 26 kilometres (16 mi) from the provincial capitalIlagan, and 416 kilometres (258 mi) from the country's capitalManila.
Reina Mercedes is politically subdivided into 20barangays. [8] Each barangay consists ofpuroks while some havesitios.
| Climate data for Reina Mercedes, Isabela | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 32 (90) | 35 (95) | 35 (95) | 35 (95) | 34 (93) | 33 (91) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 28 (82) | 32 (90) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19 (66) | 20 (68) | 21 (70) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 22 (72) | 21 (70) | 20 (68) | 22 (71) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 31.2 (1.23) | 23 (0.9) | 27.7 (1.09) | 28.1 (1.11) | 113.5 (4.47) | 141.4 (5.57) | 176.4 (6.94) | 236.6 (9.31) | 224.9 (8.85) | 247.7 (9.75) | 222.9 (8.78) | 178 (7.0) | 1,651.4 (65) |
| Average rainy days | 10 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 144 |
| Source: World Weather Online[9] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 2,271 | — |
| 1918 | 3,600 | +3.12% |
| 1939 | 4,376 | +0.93% |
| 1948 | 5,029 | +1.56% |
| 1960 | 7,948 | +3.89% |
| 1970 | 10,899 | +3.20% |
| 1975 | 12,311 | +2.47% |
| 1980 | 14,388 | +3.17% |
| 1990 | 17,139 | +1.77% |
| 1995 | 17,816 | +0.73% |
| 2000 | 20,353 | +2.90% |
| 2007 | 21,874 | +1.00% |
| 2010 | 23,497 | +2.64% |
| 2015 | 26,998 | +2.68% |
| 2020 | 27,900 | +0.69% |
| 2024 | 28,222 | +0.28% |
| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[10][11][12][13][14] | ||
In the 2024 census, the population of Reina Mercedes was 28,222 people,[15] with a density of 490 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,300 inhabitants per square mile.
Poverty incidence of Reina Mercedes
Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]
As a municipality in the Province of Isabela, government officials at the provincial and municipal levels are voted by the town. The provincial government has political jurisdiction over most local transactions of the municipal government.
The Municipality of Reina Mercedes is governed by a mayor, designated as its Local Chief Executive, and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the municipal councilors are elected directly in elections held every three years.
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. All officials are also elected every three years.
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| District Representative | Ed Christopher S. Go |
| Municipal Mayor | Maria Lourdes P. Respicio-Saguban |
| Municipal Vice-Mayor | Jeryll Harold P. Respicio |
| Municipal Councilors | Paolo R. Addun |
| Arnol M. Barangan | |
| Julio B. Cutaran | |
| Edwin M. Esteban | |
| Albino B. Cuntapay | |
| Domingo P. Baua, Jr. | |
| Salvador B. Apostol III | |
| Heribert R. Galabay |
Reina Mercedes, belonging to thesecond legislative district of the province of Isabela, currently represented by Hon. Ed Christopher S. Go.[25]
The Schools Division of Isabela governs the town's public education system.[26] The division office is a field office of theDepEd inCagayan Valley region.[27] Reina Mercedes Schools District office governs the public elementary and high schools throughout the municipality.[28]
 Province ofIsabela | |
|---|---|
Ilagan (capital and largest city) | |
| Municipalities | |
| Component cities | |
| Independent component city |
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| Barangays | |
