Santa Teresita, Cagayan

Santa Teresita, officially the Municipality of Santa Teresita (Ibanag: Ili nat Santa Teresita; Ilocano: Ili ti Santa Teresita; Tagalog: Bayan ng Santa Teresita), is a municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 19,573 people.^[3]

Santa Teresita
Municipality
Municipality of Santa Teresita
Flag
Nickname(s):  Vannamei Capital of the Philippines Youngest Town of Cagayan
Map of Cagayan with Santa Teresita highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Santa Teresita Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 18°15′07″N 121°54′36″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cagayan Valley
Province	Cagayan
District	1st district
Barangays	13 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Atty. Rodrigo P. De Gracia
• Vice Mayor	Ruben P. Fagela
• Representative	Ramon C. Nolasco Jr.
• Electorate	12,090 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	166.98 km2 (64.47 sq mi)
Elevation	16 m (52 ft)
Highest elevation	115 m (377 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	19,573
• Density	120/km2 (300/sq mi)
• Households	4,926
Economy
• Income class	4th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	9.71 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 171.2 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 460.9 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 127 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 60.8 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Cagayan 2 Electric Cooperative (CAGELCO 2)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	3512
PSGC	0201525000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)78
Native languages	Ibanag Ilocano Tagalog

Geography

Santa Teresita is situated 106.76 kilometres (66.34 mi) from the provincial capital Tuguegarao, and 591.91 kilometres (367.80 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Santa Teresita is politically subdivided into 13 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

• Alucao
• Buyun
• Centro East (Poblacion)
• Centro West
• Dungeg
• Luga
• Masi
• Mission
• Simpatuyo
• Villa
• Aridawen
• Caniugan
• Simbaluca

Climate

Climate data for Santa Teresita, Cagayan
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	24 (75)	26 (79)	28 (82)	31 (88)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	28 (82)	26 (79)	25 (77)	28 (83)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	21 (70)	21 (70)	21 (70)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	22 (72)	23 (73)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	150 (5.9)	106 (4.2)	84 (3.3)	48 (1.9)	103 (4.1)	115 (4.5)	134 (5.3)	156 (6.1)	136 (5.4)	240 (9.4)	246 (9.7)	300 (11.8)	1,818 (71.6)
Average rainy days	19	14.3	12.8	10.8	17.7	18.9	21.5	23.3	22.1	20.4	20.3	22.2	223.3
Source: Meteoblue[5]

Demographics

Population census of Santa Teresita

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1970 8,569 —     1975 9,635 +2.38% 1980 10,147 +1.04% 1990 11,557 +1.31% 1995 12,566 +1.58%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2000 13,804 +2.03% 2007 16,578 +2.56% 2010 17,600 +2.20% 2015 19,038 +1.51% 2020 19,573 +0.55%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[6][7][8][9]

Based on the 2020 census, the population of Santa Teresita, Cagayan, was 19,573 people,^[3] with a density of 120 inhabitants per square kilometre or 310 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Santa Teresita

10 20 30 40 2000 36.05 2003 33.02 2006 18.60 2009 18.63 2012 16.15 2015 12.56 2018 11.80 2021 9.71 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

Bakong (Hanguana malayana) is abundant in Santa Teresita.^[18] The aquatic plant grows to three meters and is used to make pulp, yarn, bioplastics, textile, clothing, accessories, furniture and paper handicrafts.^[19]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Santa Teresita is part of the first legislative district of the province of Cagayan. 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 municipal councilors are elected directly by the people through an election held every three years.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council
(2019–2022)^[20]

Position	Name
Congressman	Ramon C. Nolasco Jr.
Mayor	Rodrigo P. De Gracia
Vice-Mayor	Ruben P. Fagela
Councilors	Jeffereson M. Javier
	William A. Lorenzo
	Mark Anthony P. Palor
	Conrado P. Tabaco
	Gloria O. Baldiviso
	Rhudel A. Castillo
	Jose I. Gonzaga
	Jethro S. Tibuc

Education

The Schools Division of Cagayan governs the town's public education system.^[21] The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region.^[22] The Sta. Teresita Schools Disrict Office governs the public and private elementary and high schools throughout the municipality.^[23]

Primary and elementary schools

• Alucao Elementary School
• Aridowen Elementary School
• Bangalao Elementary School
• Buyun Elementary School
• Caniugan Elementary School
• Dungeg Elementary School
• Luga Elementary School
• Masi Elementary School
• Mission Elementary School
• Simbaluca Elementary School
• Simpatuyo Elementary School
• Sta. Teresita Central School
• Villa Elementary School

Secondary schools

• Luga National High School
• St. Francis Academy
• Sta. Teresita National High School