Liloy, officially the Municipality of Liloy (Subanen: Benwa Liloy; Chavacano: Municipalidad de Liloy; ), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 42,213 people. Liloy is mainly an agricultural community with an economy that relies mostly on crop production such as corn, rice, coconuts, peanuts, and root crops. It is known as the "Peanut Capital of Zamboanga del Norte".

History

Before its municipal jurisdiction, Liloy was once a barrio of the municipality of Sindangan in the old Zamboanga province. By virtue of Executive Order No. 469 issued by President Elpidio Quirino on August 22, 1951, the municipality of Liloy was organized, separated from Sindangan. The municipality contains Barrio Liloy, designated as the seat of the government, and eight sitios. It was inaugurated on December 16 of the same year. The first municipal mayor of Liloy was Arsenia Almonte Teves. The seat of the municipal government had been transferred at least twice—to Timan and to Upper Liloy Beach. Liloy subsequently lost large portions of its territory when two separate municipalities were created. By virtue of Republic Act No. 2510 enacted in 1959, eleven barrios were separated to establish Salug. By virtue of ''Batas Pambansa Blg. 14'' approved in 1978, seven barangays were separated to establish Tampilisan.

Geography

Liloy's total area is 12843 ha, 78% of which is an agricultural land planted with coconuts, corn, rice, root crops and some rubber trees. According to the records of the Municipal Assessor's office, 22% of the municipality's territory comprise the residential area which is sixty-five (65); commercial, nine (9); industrial, in Barangay Timan and Santa Cruz, ten (10); institutional land, fifty (50); public school sites(?); and wharf, eight hundred sixty (860) hectares. There are also open areas for road right of way of public highways and roads traversing in the different barangays of the municipality. It lies on the north-western side of the Zamboanga peninsula, bounded in the north by the Sulu Sea; south, the municipality of Tampilisan; east, the municipality of Salug; and west, the municipality of Labason.

Climate

There are two distinct seasons, the dry and the rainy. Usually, the rainy season starts from the month of June and ends in December while the dry season occurs in the months of January to May. Typhoon comes rarely in this area because it is not within the typhoon belt.

Barangays

Liloy is politically subdivided into 37 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios. The sitios of Silucap, Bacong, Libertad, Balacan, Tampilisan, Cabangkalan, Tambalang, and Kayoc were elevated into barrios in 1955.

Demographics

Indigenous people/tribal community: Subanon

Religion

Culture

Liloy's Alay Festival was once a private-funded festival by the Tan family in Barangay Fatima to honor Nuestra Señora Birhen de Regla. At present, it is one of the most celebrated festivals in the town. The Local Government Officials contribute and show support financially and morally for the said activity. The Araw ng Liloy starts on the 22nd day of August every year. Also known as Linggo ng Liloy, the celebration is held for a week. It is highlighted by a Beauty Pageant to select the Mutya ng Liloy

Tourism

Tourism is centered on its growing developments along the beaches in the Barangays of Patawag, Banigan, Santa Cruz, Timan, and Punta, catering to white sand beaches and corals. Barangay Baybay, the seat of trade and commerce in the town, has also rapidly boomed in trade, industry, education and commerce. The under-construction two-floor market with an escalator will be the first in the province.

Government

Liloy is governed by a mayor, a vice mayor and eight councilors. Each official is elected publicly to a three-year term. The chief of the Association of Barangay Captains and the President of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation are also among the members of the municipal council. Roberto L. Uy, Jr. is the current mayor of the municipality, and John Momar T. Insong is the town's vice mayor.

Municipal Hall

The Municipal Hall is a two-story Batangas-type building built in the late 1950s; repaired in 1987. A one-story annex municipal building was constructed in 1965 and later, repaired in 1990.

Transportation

Liloy can be reached from the capital city of Dipolog by overland transportation via the National Highway. The highway is parallel to the coast with a distance of 132 km. From Liloy to Zamboanga City at the very tip of the peninsula is 184 km. Bus terminals for land transportation are situated at down and uptown area (Barangay Fatima).

Liloy Seaport

The port is situated at barangay Lamao and currently managed under the Philippine Ports of Authority (PPA).

Liloy Airport

Liloy Airport is an airport serving the general area of Liloy. It is classified as a feeder airport by the Air Transportation Office, and under the jurisdiction of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. It is one of the three domestic airports in the province, located in Barangay Comunal. It was first developed in 1950 under the administration of Mayor Aquilino Bomediano Sr. The first OIC of Liloy Airport was Tony Macias, a Filipino-American citizen. Between the years 1960 to 1970, three twelve-seater PAL planes served their flights to domestic destinations like Dipolog, Cebu and Davao. Its usable runway length is 600 m with a total of 1200 m. Current OIC of Liloy Airport is Edwardo Toledo. Private and government charter planes and choppers usually land at the airport.

Education

Liloy I District

Elementary • Liloy CS • Banigan ES • Comunal ES • Ganase ES • Gayam ES • Lamao ES • Mabuhay ES • Maigang ES • New Bethlehem ES • Patawag ES • Punta ES • Santa Cruz ES • San Miguel ES • Silucap ES • Tapican ES • Villa C. Sudiacal ES Secondary

Liloy II District

Elementary • Baybay CS • Baybay SPED Center • Canaan PS • Candelaria ES • Dela Paz ES • Kayok ES • Libertad ES • Santo Niño PS • Timan ES Secondary

Liloy III District

Elementary • Compra ES • Cabangcalan ES • Causwagan ES • El Paraiso ES • Goaw ES • Goin ES • Malila 'L' ES • Mauswagon ES • Overview ES • Panabang ES • San Francisco ES • San Isidro ES • San Roque ES Secondary

Private Schools

Lisun Institute - is a private institute located in the heart of the Barangay Fatima, near the Fatima Public Market. It also offers some College courses which was founded in the 1960s. Liloy Immanuel School - is a private school in Liloy founded by CAMACOP. Ave Maria College- is the first and so far the only Catholic tertiary school in the town. Assumption of Mary Parochial School, Inc. Higher Ground Baptist School