Villaviciosa, Abra

Villaviciosa, officially the Municipality of Villaviciosa (Ilocano: Ili ti Villaviciosa; Tagalog: Bayan ng Villaviciosa), is a municipality in the province of Abra, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 5,675 people.^[3]

Villaviciosa
Municipality
Municipality of Villaviciosa
Flag
Map of Abra with Villaviciosa highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Villaviciosa Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 17°26′N 120°38′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cordillera Administrative Region
Province	Abra
District	Lone district
Barangays	8 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Jose W. Lagen Jr.
• Vice Mayor	Marjorie L. Lagen
• Representative	Menchie B. Bernos
• Municipal Council	Members Nelson L. Piyo Celia B. Oydoc Christian Ian C. Pilar Nixon B. Belmes Amelito M. Bagno Floro B. Fontanilla Elsie L. Bona Tessie G. Paned
• Electorate	4,302 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	102.93 km2 (39.74 sq mi)
Elevation	325 m (1,066 ft)
Highest elevation	667 m (2,188 ft)
Lowest elevation	126 m (413 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	5,675
• Density	55/km2 (140/sq mi)
• Households	1,367
Economy
• Income class	5th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	19.10 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 547.3 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 1,028 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 422.3 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 35.95 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Abra Electric Cooperative (ABRECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2811
PSGC	1400127000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)74
Native languages	Itneg Atta Ilocano Tagalog

The town is known for the Kimkimay Lake, a reminder of the wrath of the gods against people who have numerous vices.^[5]

Geography

View from Palayan View Deck

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 102.93 square kilometres (39.74 sq mi) ^[6] constituting 2.47% of the 4,165.25-square-kilometre- (1,608.21 sq mi) total area of Abra. Villaviciosa is located at 17°26′N 120°38′E.

The municipality is geographically situated at the southern portion of Abra, bounded in the north-west by San Isidro, north by Bucay, east by Manabo and Luba, south by San Emilio, and west by Pilar.

The town is accessible from Benguet by land transportation through the Abra-Ilocos Sur Road, the more frequently used route. From the nearby Province of Ilocos Sur, it is also accessible through the Candon via San Emilio to Luba‑Tamac, Villaviciosa Road and the Santa Maria‑Burgos via Pilar‑Villaviciosa Road.

Villavicios is situated 22.42 kilometres (13.93 mi) from the provincial capital Bangued, and 428.27 kilometres (266.11 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.

Climate

Climate data for Villaviciosa, Abra
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	29 (84)	30 (86)	31 (88)	33 (91)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	30 (86)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	18 (64)	18 (64)	20 (68)	22 (72)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	21 (70)	20 (68)	18 (64)	21 (70)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	10 (0.4)	10 (0.4)	14 (0.6)	23 (0.9)	80 (3.1)	103 (4.1)	121 (4.8)	111 (4.4)	119 (4.7)	114 (4.5)	39 (1.5)	15 (0.6)	759 (30)
Average rainy days	5.2	3.9	6.2	9.1	18.5	21.4	22.9	19.8	19.8	16.2	10.5	6.1	159.6
Source: Meteoblue[7]

Barangays

Villaviciosa is politically subdivided into 8 barangays.^[8] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2020[3]		2010[9]
140127001	Ap-apaya	9.6%	542	531	▴	0.21%
140127002	Bol-lilising	5.0%	283	294	▾	−0.38%
140127003	Cal-lao	16.6%	940	931	▴	0.10%
140127004	Lap-lapog	16.1%	916	766	▴	1.80%
140127005	Lumaba	9.8%	558	552	▴	0.11%
140127006	Poblacion	15.8%	897	836	▴	0.71%
140127007	Tamac	11.9%	678	627	▴	0.78%
140127008	Tuquib	15.2%	861	840	▴	0.25%
	Total		5,675	5,675		0.00%

Demographics

Population census of Villaviciosa

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1918	1,621	—
1939	2,574	+2.23%
1948	2,474	−0.44%
1960	3,194	+2.15%
1970	4,006	+2.29%
1975	3,865	−0.72%
1980	3,933	+0.35%
1990	4,612	+1.61%
1995	4,634	+0.09%
2000	4,877	+1.10%
2007	5,147	+0.75%
2010	5,377	+1.60%
2015	5,392	+0.05%
2020	5,675	+1.01%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[10][9][11][12]

In the 2020 census, Villaviciosa had a population of 5,675.^[3] The population density was 55 inhabitants per square kilometre (140/sq mi).

Economy

Poverty incidence of Villaviciosa

10 20 30 40 50 60 2000 45.79 2003 54.79 2006 49.70 2009 49.07 2012 39.16 2015 14.26 2018 19.93 2021 19.10 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Villaviciosa, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Abra, 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 which is being held every three years.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council
(2019–2022)^[21]

Position	Name
Congressman	Joseph Santo Niño B. Bernos
Mayor	Jose W. Lagen Jr.
Vice-Mayor	Marjorie L. Lagen
Councilors	Nelson L. Piyo
	Edmundo B. Belmes
	Nixon B. Belmes
	Amelito M. Bagno
	Ingrid B. Oca
	Ernest G. Binnong
	Elsie L. Bona
	Tessie G. Paned

Education

The Villaviciosa Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.^[22]

Primary and elementary schools

• Bol-lilising Elementary School
• Cal-lao Elementary School
• Lagaosian Elementary School
• Tamac Elementary School
• Villaviciosa Central School

Secondary schools

• Lumaba Integrated School
• Tuquib Integrated School