1.1 The MUNICIPALITY OF LOPEZ: In a nutshell
The Municipality of Lopez is located in the southern part of Quezon Province, 216 kilometers away from Manila, 83 kilometers away from Lucena , 25 kilometers to Camarines norte , 3 nautical kilometers to Alabat Island and an adjacent neighbor by the Municipalities of Catanauan, General Luna, Calauag, Gumaca , Buenavista and Guinayangan.
The Terrain generally ranges from 345to 399 meters above sea level with rugged mountain areas. Coastal areas deviate from plain to hilly terrains. Rivers, streams and springs abound throughout the municipality, but the most popular is the Talolong River.
Lopez which is considered as one of the first class and largest municipalities in the province has a total land area of 39,510 hectares or 395.10 square kilometers representing 4.53 percent of the total land area of the province of Quezon. It is composed of 95 barangays, 7 of which are urban and 88 are rural.
Settlement areas in the municipality are high scattered, population concentration is noticeable only within the poblacion . The seven urban barangays of Burgos, Gomez, Magsaysay, rizal, Talolong, Danlagan, Hondagua as well as the ten of 88 rural barangays of Mal-ay, sugod, Pansol, Calantipayan, Manguisian, Del Pilar, Bebito, Canda Ibaba and Canda Ilaya are relatively close to one another. The rest of rural barangays are reached by road network and accessible during dry and wet season. The population of the municipality as of 2000 was 78,694 where 22.48% are in the urban areas and the rest are in the rural areas. Males out numbered the females at a ratio of 1.05:1.
The municipality had a labor force of 56.99 % in 2000 or 44, 849. About 9,474 of the employed labor force were engaged in primary industries such as farming and fishing.
The total monthly income accumulated from 14, 874 households in the community as of 1996 amounted to P30, 526.31. Of this figure, rural households reported 93% and 7% accounted to urban households. The average monthly income was P2, 543.86.
Per capita income was computed at P453.16. There is a virtual inadequacy of infrastructure, basic facilities and services , specially in the rural areas. This problem is resulted to distance between population settlements.
Although the municipality’s economy is basically engages in agriculture. Crops, poultry and livestock production cannot meet the local demand. The municipality continue to import agricultural and poultry products from its neighboring municipality . The municipality is rich in natural resources such as bamboo furnitures, bolo, baskets, rattan, anahaw and buri., buntal ad tikiw which can be tapped and developed to boost the economy of the community, but due to lack of marketing outlets and financial investments, few cottages industries exist in the locality.
The community has rich fishing grounds in the Lopez Bay area and a number of inland fishponds. Fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs and other sea products are abundant.
The town of Lopez is endowed is endowed with three(3) beautiful islets, the Pulong Niyugan, Maniknik and Nagtakin. With its deep water and alluring coral reefs attract vacationers. The municipality had also several potential tourist resources that will boost if they will be developed.
The municipal government of Lopez is committed to provide better quality of life and basic services to its constituents. A vision of productive , peaceful, self – reliant and economically developed community strategically positioned as a center of education , medical services blessed with a God-loving and healthy constituents enjoying the gift of nature to the fullest and living in a sustained and balanced ecosystem. To materialize its vision, the government prioritized programs on education, health, infrastructure development, agriculture and livelihood.
2. PHYSICAL AND NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS
2.1 GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND LAND AREA
The municipality of Lopez has a total land area of 39,510 hectares. It is bounded on the northwest by the town of Gumaca , on the northeast by Calauag, Buenavista and Guinayangan, on the north by the Alabat island composed of three (3)municipalities across the Lamon Bay and on the south by the Catanauan ang General Luna . it has 95 barangays and was considered to be one of the biggest town in the 4th district of Quezon Province. It lies 216 kilometers southeast of Metro Manila and 83 kilometers east of Lucena City, the province’s capital.
The municipality has a rolling terrain with scattered plains and valleys . The slope ranges from 0-3% . The municipality are composed of 95 barangays 76 of which are within the poblacion and 80 are classified as rural . The urban are measures only 122.3053 has, which is less than 1% of the total land area , while the rural barangay constitutes approximately 35,959.2038 or aroung 99.66% of the total land area of municipality .
Mangroves cover total land areas. Rivers, streams and springs abound throughout the municipality; the most popular is the Talolong River.
Agricultural lands are predominantly planted to coconut and other agricultural crops such as corn, vegetables, fruit trees are scattered on portions with slope ranging from 3% to 40% . Rice crops are grown on plain land of slope 0-3%. Likewise, pasture land and forest lands are also found on portions with slope 20% and above.
2.3 SOIL TYPE
Base on the Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM). There are six (6) types of soil in the area . These are Bigaaa Clay Loam, Faraon Clay Loam, Bolinao Clay Loam , Bauang Clay and the Catanauan Clay Loam. Faraon Clay Loam covers the largest area of the municipality, Bauang Clay Loam rank next while the Bolinao Clay Loam has the smallest coverage and can be found in Guamaca-Lopez boundary.
The climate is generally warm and humid largely due to oceanic air currents from the Lamon Bay and the air currents from the mountain areas surrounding the municipality. Based on the report of the Philippines Geographical Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical services Administration (PAGASA), Lopez has no defined dry season , although the months of February and May are relatively drier than the rest of the year , while the wet season is occurring from June to January with pronounced maximum rainfall from September to January . The recorded low temperature ranges between 21.7 degrees centigrade to 24 degrees centigrade while the high temperature fluctuate between 27.5 degrees centigrade to 32.2 degrees centigrade. The combination of rigid rainfall and mild climate produces lush vegetation in the country side.