Alcoy, Cebu - Definition and Overview

Alcoy is an agricultural municipality located in the province of Cebu in the Philippines. It is approximately 93 kilometers from the provincial capital Cebu City. It is bounded by the municipalities of Dalaguete to the north, Boljoon to the south, Badian and Alegria to the west, and Cebu Strait to the east.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Municipality of Alcoy

Region: Central Visayas (Region VII)

Province: Cebu

Founded: July 16, 1867

Population:

2000 census—13,497

Density—271 per km²

Area: 49.81 km²

Coordinates:

Barangays: 8

Congressional districts: 2nd district of Cebu

Class: 5th class; partially urban

With a total land area of roughly 50 square kilometers, it is one of the smallest towns in whole Cebu province. It is mainly an agricultural town with Nug-as, a mountain barangay, producing 90% of the commercial crops. The rest of the communities rely on subsistence fishing and backyard farming. The country's largest dolomite quarry is mined in Barangay Pugalo.

Among its tourist attractions include the many unspoilt white beaches, beautiful coves and inlets, barrier and coral reefs, mangrove forests, verdant hills and valleys, towering lush mountains, fertile farmlands in the highlands, beautiful and friendly people. Tourists local and foreign alike regularly flock to the town usually on summer times for its white sand beaches. Many foreigners, noticeably German and Americans who are married to local women, have established permanent residences in the town, building imposing structures. Taking advantage of the natural beauty of the town, many enterprising locals and foreigners alike put up hospitality businesses such as resorts, restaurants, and bars. Accommodations are usually found in barangays Guiwang, Daan Lungsod, Pasol, and Poblacion.

One can visit Alcoy anytime of the year for there's no pronounced dry and wet seasons unlike other places in the country. The best way to see Alcoy is to explore its interior mountain areas where most of the town lies and experience a night or two in a village house. There are secondary forest covers which still host to some of the endemic wildlife such as macaque monkeys, civet cats, wild chicken and several beautiful birds.

The waters of Alcoy is teemed with amazing marine flora and fauna. Diving and snorkeling are another options for visitors to see the underwater spectacle. A barrier reef extending more than a mile runs parallel to the shores of two coastal barangays of Pugalo and Pasol. Almost two miles offshore from Pasol, there is an undersea mountain that rises up a few meters below the surface of the sea which is replete with a variety of reef fish and other colorful marine organisms, a great diving site, which is still undiscovered by professional divers.

Alcoy can be reached in 2 to 3 hours by bus or V-hire from South terminal, located in Natalio Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City. Buses and V-hires ply regularly between the southern towns, including Alcoy and city, with departures and arrivals every 15 minutes. Small passenger jeepneys also ply between Alcoy and other neighboring towns of Dalaguete, Boljoon and Arago. All V-hires and most buses are air-conditioned. Non-airconditioned buses offer fares 10-15% lesser than airconditioned ones.

The town's annual fiesta is held every 30th of August with St. Rose of Lima as its patroness.

The town hall is located in the town proper called Poblacion. Tourists or travellers are advised to contact the Mayor's office for any assistance.

Note: Getting a ride on weekends to the town can be sometimes uncomfortable as many students, and local residents, crowd the terminals hoping to catch a ride back home for the weekends, competing with local tourists for seats. Friday evenings and all day Saturday are considered peak days for home-bound passengers. To get a ride back to the city, simply wait by the roadside and wave for any passing bus or V-hire to get a ride. The last trip for city-bound buses usually comes at around 5:00 PM. Sunday afternoon is considered peak hours for city-bound passengers.

External links

Cebu: