Malinao

Tagged as the prime rice granary of the first district of Albay, is a

fourth class agrarian based municipality located at the northeastern
seaboard of the province. The town is approximately located
between 13 21’ and 13 26 North latitude and 123° 33’ and 123° 43’
East longitude. The town is bounded on the north by the
municipality of Tiwi; at the west by the municipalities of Buhi,
Camarines Sur and Polangui, Albay; at the south by the bustling city
of Tabaco and the town’s eastern coastal barangays by Tabaco Bay.

The mountain range of mount Malinao, a saddle type mountain and

a dormant volcano whose highest altitude is estimated at 1,584
masl, dominates a large part of the town’s 107.50 km land area.

The world-renown Mayon Volcano lies southwest of the town,

providing Malinao with a picturesque ambiance for its agricultural
setting.

In 2007, the town’s population was counted by the Office of the

Municipal Social Welfare and Development at 46,105 revealing a
9,874 increase from the 36,231 National Statistics Office’s (NSO)
count in 2000. The data states that the town has an approximate
growth rate of 4% per annum for the past seven years. Relatively,
27.04% of the town’s population or 12,466 are children (0-12 years
old); young
people pegged at Senior Children –
15,830 or Adults
Citizen 12,466
34.33%; while -14,80
-3,000
the economically 9
productive adults
are counted at
14,809 or 32.12%
and senior
citizens at 3,000
or 6.51%, hence Youth –
Malinao has a 15,830
highly dependent
population.

History
The town was believed to have been established as a legitimate
settlement by the Spaniards between the years 1569 to 1600.
Records from the Ayala Museum shows that a church was built in
Malinao by the Spaniards in the year 1600, inferring that a
community of organized natives were flourishing in this verdant
environment during that epoch.
Oral tradition states that the place was once abundant with a tree
locally tagged as “Alinao” (Colombia serratifolia) and the name
Malinao was said to be a contraction of the words “ma-alinao”. In
Bicol language, “ma” is a prefix that denotes abundance of
something or plenty of. Alinao was said to be very versatile, used by
our forefathers in many ways and means. Thus the name Malinao
once meant to be a place plenty with Alinao.

Economic Sector

Agriculture
Most of its population engages in traditional farming and other agri-
related enterprise. Agriculture consistently dominates the town’s
economy. Ninety percent (90%) of the households are gainfully
engaged in agricultural
production, either farming Malinao Fact Nuggets
or fishing. Rice is the most Land Area: 10,750 hectares
dominant crop produced Barangays: 29 th
year-round. The average Income Class: 4
yield ranges from 16 to 18 Main Source of Income: Farming
metric tons at an average Poverty Threshold: P12,000.00
farm gate price of P8.50/kg. Subsistence Threshold: P2,500
Other crops such as Approved Budget (CY 2007):
vegetables, root crops, P43,893,021.84
bananas and other fruit 20% Development Fund
trees, and raising livestock Allocation:
as well as poultry has P7,159,605.04
augmented the meager Allocation for Social Welfare
income of the farm families. Fund:
P1,719,600.00
The establishment of Municipal Fish Sanctuary and Marine Reserve,
Mangrove Rehabilitation and Mmanagement and Shoreline Buffer
Forest were the significant intervention within the coastal areas that
show positive result in the refurbishing of our mangrove forest, as
numbers of wildlife and fish species and pelagic fishes increases
since its establishment in 2005. Active involvement of fishing
community and deputation of Bantay Dagat (Fish Warden) were
measures in minimizing illegal fishing within the Lagunoy Gulf.

Trade and Commerce

As an agro-satellite town, the commercial activities in the locality
are confined to its rural setting. The prominent commercial area is
the public agora at the Poblacion where private entrepreneurs
operate convenient store, service shops, eatery, drugstore, fresh
food stalls and other general merchandising shops. The proximity of
the town to the city of Tabaco somehow affects the growth of
business of local enterprises as residents often prefer to buy their
supplies in volume from the said city.