Pandan, Catanduanes

The Official Seal

The official seal of Pandan, Catanduanes was primarily designed to personify all the identifying qualities of the Municipality of Pandan. It reflects the geographical location, the products that abound in the municipality and the temperament and condition of the people.

The upper portion of the seal is a facsimile of a rising sun to signify that Pandan is located at the north-eastern part of Catanduanes. The lower portions are a replica of abaca and fish, thus signifying that the two most important products of the municipality of the municipality are fish and abaca.

           The light-yellow of the upper portion is color of the dawn which Pandan sees that the rising sun creeping above the vast Pacific Ocean. The abaca is green to signify the color of the abaca plants that covers a big portion of its mountain and hills. The fish is red to make it known that lapu-lapu (lana) abound in this municipality where many fisherman at a much higher prices this being a delicacy in a five-star restaurants. And the background of the lower portion is light blue to signify peace and tranquility of the people living known as Pandananons which are noted for their peacefulness and hospitality.

POLITICAL SUBDIVISION

The municipality of Pandan has total land area of 119.90 square kilometer and has 26 barangays. The urban area comprises four barangays, namely; Libod, Napo, Del Sur and Del Norte. The rural area is composed of twenty-two (22) barangays, which is subdivided into three categories; the coastal, riverside or inland and hilltop or upland barangays. The coastal barangay is comprised of the following; Cobo, San Andres, Balogñonan, Canlubi, Baldoc, Marambong, San Roque, Tabugoc, and Wagdas. The riverside or inland barangays includes the following; San Rafael, Sta. Cruz, Catamban, Oga, Lumabao, Panuto, Bagawang, Salvacion, Lourdes, and Tokio, while Hiyop, Porot and San Isidro comprises the hilltop or upland barangays.

Climate

Pandan has two distinct dry and wet seasons the same is true throughout the province. Rainy day occurred on the month of October to December with an average of 15 tropical storms distributed considerably every year. A very pronounced dry season is true in the area, March to May were dry months and the other months of the year used to have been under fair weather condition. The hottest temperature recorded between April to May was under 280 (degrees) centigrade, where from the month of November to January, temperature drops to 250 (degrees) centigrade caused by the high pressure in Central and Northern Asia intensifying the Siberian cold air mass to shroud the municipality. The deepest ground penetration of about 80% of the annual rainfall was 975 millimeters.

TOPOGRAPHY

The topographic condition of the municipality is relatively mountainous. Wherein Pandan belongs to the northern physiographic units by an old fault scarp, thus, a rugged terrain consisting of moderately high hills characterize the area. The highest absolute relief is 365 meters above sea level.

Five major rivers drain the uplands of Pandan. These are the Pandan, Minaile, Lourdes, Canlubi and the Mambang rivers. Pandan and Canlubi rivers drain from the central portion of the area to Pandan Bay. Mambang River also drains into Pandan Bay but its headwater can be traced from the central and western portions of the area while both Minaile and Lourdes rivers drain the eastern uplands to the Philippine Sea. Several other smaller drainage systems drain the area.

GEOLOGY

The island of Catanduanes is underlain by rocks that range in age from Cretaceous to Recent. The northern block, where the Pandan is located, largely underlain by rocks belonging either to the Late Cretaceous to Oligence Yop Formation or the Early to Late Eocene Payo Formation.

The Late Cretaceous to Oligence Yop Formation underlies the northeastern part of the municipality from Tabugoc River to northern coasts till Yop Point. Small inliers are also observed along Lourdes and Minaile rivers. Capistrano (in RP-Japan Report, 1994) named these volcanic rocks Yop Volcanic.

Miranda and Vargas (in RP-Japan Report, 1994) re-defined these volcanic rocks and renamed it as Yop Formation. The Yop Formation largely consists of sub-marine basaltic lava/pillow basalts and tuffaceous breccia. Intercalation of highly indurated arkosic sandstone and tuffaceous sandstone is also present.

The sandstone member of the Early to Late Eocene Payo Formation unconformable overlies these volcanic rocks. The Payo Formation is reported to compose of three members, the Cabugao (Subgreywacke) Sandstone member, the Hitoma–Payo Coal Bearing member and the Sipi Limestone member. However, in Pandan, only the Cabugao Sandstone member is present. A non-Mapbase outcrop of limestone, probably belonging to the Sipi Limestone, is observed in barangay Lourdes.

The Cabugao Sandstone member of the Payo Formation underlies approximately 73% of the land area of Pandan. This lithologic member has a basal monomictic conglomerate which, consists primarily of basalt pebbles and cobbles derived from the older Yop Formation. The basal conglomerates are dark greenish brown and are moderately compacted and indurate. These clasts are usually matrix supported.

WATER RESOURCES

Pandan is almost surrounded by body of waters, on the North is the Pacific Ocean and on the West by the Maqueda Channel. The Poblacion is bounded on the East by a river and the on the West by Swamp, not to mention the waterfalls, rivers, springs and beaches.

Swamp and marshes has an area of 1,851 hectares and these are potential areas for fishponds especially for that residing not more than a stone throw from it. However, areas with nipa plantations are reserved, as nipa shingles is still a chief use for roofing among the common houses in the municipality.

Fishing is another source of livelihood because it was proven that marine water of Pandan has very rich fishing ground and is one of the biggest municipal water in the entire province of Catanduanes.

Spring is one of the sources of potable water supply in the municipality and the others are from artesian well, jetmatic and pitcher pumps, which are being provided by the municipal government for the 26 barangays.