Baleno, officially the Municipality of Baleno, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Masbate, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 28,855 people. Baleno is 35 km from Masbate City.

History

Baleno was created as a municipality through Executive Order No. 244 signed by President Elpidio Quirino on July 18, 1949.

Geography

Barangays

Baleno is politically subdivided into 24 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Baleno, Masbate, was 28,855 people, with a density of undefined PD/km2.

Economy

Points of Activity

Baleno is a median town for buses coming from Metro Manila and Bicol to various towns beyond Baleno, including Aroroy, Balud and Mandaon. Some of the notable bus liners that service the town are Isarog Bus Liners and Raymond Transportation. Barangay Poblacion is the seat of the Municipal Government, and includes Plaza Valdemoro. Its parochial church is heavily devoted to the Our Lady of the Pillar a notable Christian figure in the Nueva Caceres (Archdiocese of Naga). Baleno has one Catholic school, the Liceo de Baleno, operated by the Diocese of Masbate and has several national-established high schools, namely Baleno National High School (Poblacion), Lagta National High School (Barangay Lagta), Lahong National High School (Barangay Lahong Proper), Magdalena National High School (Barangay Magdalena), and Amador-Bello High School (Barangay Gangao). Aside from the prominence of Roman Catholicism and traces of sects and Christian groups such as Iglesia ni Kristo and Jehovah Witness, the municipality is the seat of the Congregation of Our Lady of Rocks Pilgrimage Church (Ina Poon Bato Simbahang Naglalakbay), considered as a Filipino Marian Catholic Church, wherein it holds to the belief of Mother Mary as the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. It is currently being handled by Santa Ma. Merly Amor as the Foundress and Matriarch of the Church, and Most. Rev. Ernesto Ignacio Maurice S. Nalzaro as the Patriarch and Protector of the Church.