MUNICIPALITY OF DARAGA

Daraga as a competitive municipality with responsive conditions for economic growth, tourism, trade, and investment to create a sustainable economy and environment and delivered basic services to empowered constituents driven by dynamic and accountable leaders. The Comprehensive Development Plan commits its development efforts and resources for the attainment of a progressive Daraga propelled by a highly trained/ efficient local administration and a dynamic and self-reliant community with improved quality of life and increased opportunity for resources, employment, wealth, education, social services, sound environment and happiness for all Daraguenos. The plan is premised on the concept of people empowerment through total development and local competitiveness both anchored on sustainable development. The Municipality of Daraga can actively compete only on the basis of quality and utility and growth that must be sustained from generation to generation with high regard of environment and moral laws of the society. The general vision of this CDP is to improve the quality of life of every Daragueno through empowerment to muster their capabilities and responsibilities and enable them to manage resources, promote their welfare and advance their development. Therefore, efforts shall be devoted in providing their basic services, raising their income, savings and investments that will bring increased productivity and employment to the people.

VISION

Daraga a competitive municipality with responsive conditions for economic growth, tourism, trade, and investment to create a sustainable economy and environment and delivered basic services to empowered constituents driven by dynamic and accountable leaders.

MISSION

We commit ourselves to move towards achieving this vision of Daraga by carrying out the following mission:

1. To deliver quality basic services for the social protection of Daragauenos on the principles of facilitation, transparency, and accountability;

2. To demonstrate business friendliness and competitiveness by encouraging new investments and business to support employment;

3. To provide environmental protection by preserving the integrity of the environment with provision for controlled sanitary solid waste management;

4. To support sustained peace and order and public safety in the community and ensure the protection of the people;

5. To perform our work upholding the principle of integrity, using the best management system and technology;

6. To develop an organizational culture that recognize the importance of employee commitment and contribution;

7. To deliver timely service in consonance with standard of excellence that would empower customers and stakeholders;

8. To accelerate the transformation of the Municipality of Daragainto city with developed commercial, tourism, technology, investment and financial center in the Province of Albay.

GEOGRAPHY

Daraga is located in the south-west portion of Albay province, along the Maharlika Highway, making it accessible from Manila, the Visayas, and the other municipalities of eastern Bicol Peninsula. It is bounded on the north and east by Legazpi City, south by Sorsogon (particularly the municipality of Pilar), and west by Camalig and Jovellar.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 118.64 square kilometres (45.81 sq mi) constituting 4.61% of the 2,575.77-square-kilometre (994.51 sq mi) total area of Albay. This municipal land area is distributed among the present 16 urban barangays and 42 rural barangays. The urban barangays total 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) (12.65%) and the rural barangays make up the remaining 10,360 hectares (25,600 acres) (87.35%) of the total municipal land area.

LANGUAGE

The languages spoken in Daraga include East Miraya (Daragueño), Bikol, Filipino, and English.

ECONOMY

Daraga's economy, originally agriculture-based, has rapidly transformed into an emerging urban system, benefiting from the economic opportunities of being located contiguously within the urban center of Legazpi. It draws trade relations with the island province of Masbate through the nearby Port of Pilar.

Daraga will be the site of the future Bicol International Airport which will further boost tourism in the region and will introduce more opportunities especially in this town. Local officials are now considering cityhood in the near future or upon the completion of the said international airport, if that so, Daraga would be the fourth city in Albay.

Daraga has the highest number of business establishments among towns in Albay. As of 2011, it has over 2,300 business establishments registered in the Permits and Licensing Office. The town is a center of handicraft manufacturing with several handicraft factories located in the municipality.