Itbayat, officially the Municipality of Itbayat, (Ilocano: Ili ti Itbayat; ), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Batanes, Philippines. In the 2020 census, it had a population of 3,128 people. Itbayat is the country's northernmost municipality, located 156 km from the southernmost tip of Taiwan. The main island of Itbayat is the largest in Batanes. The municipality includes the rest of the province's northern islands, all small and mostly uninhabited. These islands are, from south to north: Di'nem Island, Siayan, Misanga, Ah'li, and Mavulis Island, the northernmost island of the Philippine archipelago.

History

A church and civil government were established in Batan Island in 1783. In 1855, civil authority was established and the mission canonically founded in Itbayat. A settlement during the Spanish colonial period, it became a municipal district when the Americans organized the province in 1909. In 1935, it became a municipality. On September 14, 2016, Typhoon Meranti (Ferdie) made landfall on Itbayat while at peak intensity, as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon, with the center of the eye passing directly over the island. During landfall, the storm's powerful winds caused extensive damage and knocked out the island's communications systems. On July 27, 2019, a series of destructive earthquakes, the largest of them of magnitude 6.0, caused severe damage in the town. Nine people died as a result, and sixty were injured. In 2024, Barangay San Rafael hosted the April 14 to June 6 Balikatan exercise involving the construction of humanitarian, logistics and disaster relief warehouse at Sitio Kagonongan, a supply depot area at the San Rafael National Food Authority warehouse and an American physician’s assistant station and lodging facilities for American soldiers at Itbayat District Hospital. In May 2024, the Philippine Coast Guard opened its first monitoring station in northern Luzon, located in Itbayat island, as part of efforts to monitor the entry of foreign vessels particularly from China. In June, the 51st Engineer Brigade' 513th Engineer Construction Battalion and United States Army, with Batanes LGU, Governor Marilou Cayco and Mayor Sabas C. De Sagon, led the dedication ceremony in Itbayat, of the 10x8-meters concrete logistical structure, Humanitarian assistance and Disaster response relief goods warehouse, part of 'Exercise Salaknib'.

Geography

Itbayat is located at °N, °W. The municipality has a land area of 83.13 km2. It constitutes 37.96% 219.01 km2 of the total area of Batanes.

Islands, islets, atolls and outcrops

The entire municipality of Itbayat constitutes several islands, islets, atolls and outcrops.

Barangays

Itbayat is politically subdivided into five barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Itbayat has cooler temperatures from December to February due to its northerly location.

Demographics

In the 2020 census, Itbayat had a population of 3,128. The population density was undefined PD/km2.

Economy

Fishing

In 2024, Batanes's first municipal tilapia hatchery was inaugurated in Barangay Raele.

Government

Local government

Itbayat belongs to the lone congressional district of the province of Batanes. It 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 councilors are elected directly by the people through an election held every three years.

Elected officials

Education

The Schools Division of Batanes governs the town's public education system. The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region. The office governs the public and private elementary and public and private high schools throughout the municipality.

Tourism

Infrastructure

Transportation to the island town is by boat or by plane direct from the provincial capital of Basco. Jorge Abad Airport serves as the gateway to the island for STOL planes through Basco airport or other airports from mainland Luzon. There are small carriers that provide commercial scheduled and non-scheduled flights to Itbayat from Basco Airport. Jorge Abad Airport is served by the following small airline companies: The town can be reached by sea going vessels that provide transportation for locals and tourists between Itbayat and Basco. The following companies provide daily scheduled voyage between Basco and Itbayat: There are no private charter boats or larger vessels in the island. Charter flights, however, can be scheduled to and from the town.