History
Historical accounts show that what is now the present municipality is a part of the municipal district of the sub-province of Bontoc of the old Mountain Province. It has a recorded population of 49 in 1903 and increasingly in the succeeding years. It only became a regular municipality on July 25, 1963 by virtue of Presidential Executive order no. 42.
Economic Development
Sabangan is situated along the scenic view of the Chico River inhabited by peace loving and hardworking people where the main source of income and livelihood were derived from farming, vegetable gardening, hog raising and others as skilled workers such as carpenters and laborers, where they are most employed in other municipalities and province particularly Benguet Province and Baguio City. One of the strengths of the municipality was traversed by two big rivers where farm expansion is a potential as well as potable water supplier to nearby municipalities.
Socio Cultural Development
Famous Igorot people inhabited the municipality with “ Kankana-ey” as their major dialect. They are characterized as helpful people manifested by the spirit of Bayanihan and “Og-ogbo” System which is the unity of helping and accomplishing field labor especially in times of hardship & bereavement. They were also inborn lovers of adventure which so explain the slow increase in population that indicate the out-migration of residents to seek greener pasture.
Political/ Administrative/ Fiscal Development
The first known town mayor named Songuitan (One name) died during his term due to a horse accident on official travel to the municipality of Tadian. He was the Town mayor who served the longest term from 1916 to 1945. The following are historical list of the municipal mayors with their corresponding period of incumbency:
- Songuitan 1916-1945
- Ceferino Codiamat 1945-1946
- Alejandro Dominguez 1946- 1949
- Constancio Velasco (OIC) 1950-1952
- Teofilo Pilando 1953-1955
- Honorio Dominguez 1956-1958
- Alejandro Copicop 1959-1967
- Fernando Budod Sr. 1968-1971
- Corpus Velasco 1964-1967
- Fernando Budod Sr. 1968-1971
- James Guidangen 1972-1979
- Fruto Likigan 1980-1986
- Teodoro Salupen (OIC) 1986-1987
- Marcial Lawilao Sr. 1988-1992
- Alfonso P. Budod Sr. 1992-1995
- .Marcial Lawilao Sr. 1996-1998
- Alfonso P. Budod Sr. 1998 – 2001
- Jupiter C. Dominguez 2001-2007 (Two terms)
- Donato L. Danglose 2007 –2010-2013-2016 (Three terms)
- Venancio E. Lipawen 2016 – 2019
- Marcial Jr. C. Lawilao 2019 – Present
Component Barangays
The municipality is politically subdivided into fifteen barangays grouped into four areas. Area I which is located in the northern side of the town comprises barangay Tambingan, Supang and Data. The central barangays of Lagan, Losad and Poblacion, located along the banks of the Chico River comprises Area II. Area III comprises barangay Pingad, Bun-ayan, Bao-angan, Camatagan and Gayang which are the upper barangays south of the town. Area IV comprises the southernmost barangays of Namatec, Busa, Capinitan and Napua which are all within the Bauko borders.
It is composed of 15 barangays, Six (6) of which were created by virtue of RA 3590, otherwise known as the revised barangay Charter. The following shows the legal basis and dates of creation of the barangays.
| Barangay | Legal Basis of Creation | Date | Name of Barangay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Bao-angan | Mun. Resolution no. 5 | January 31, 1972 | Bun-ayan |
| 2. Bun-ayan | Existing brgy. Prior to RA 3590 | Bun-ayan | |
| 3. Busa | Provincial Board Res. No. 150 | Sept. 4, 1970 | Capinitan |
| 4. Camatagan | Provincial Board Res. No. 118 | April 7, 1972 | Pingad |
| 5. Capinitan | Provincial Board Res. No. 22 | Jan 26, 1968 | Namatec |
| 6. Data | Existing brgy. Prior to RA 3590 | Data | |
| 7. Gayang | Existing brgy. Prior to RA 3590 | Gayang | |
| 8. Lagan | Existing brgy. Prior to RA 3590 | Lagan | |
| 9. Losad | Provincial Board Res. No 19 | Feb. 23, 1971 | Poblacion |
| 10. Namatec | Existing brgy. Prior to RA 3590 | Namatec | |
| 11. Napua | Provincial Board Res. No. 15 | Feb. 23,1971 | Namatec |
| 12. Pingad | Existing brgy. Prior to RA 3590 | Pingad | |
| 13. Poblacion | Existing brgy. Prior to RA 3590 | Poblacion | |
| 14. Supang | Existing brgy. Prior to RA 3590 | Supang | |
| 15. Tambingan | Mun. Resolution no. 2 | Jan. 16, 1972 | Lagan |
Location
The municipality of Sabangan lies in the southeastern side of Mountain Province and falls within the latitude of 120º 53’ to 121º and longitude of 16º 51″ to 17º 02’. It is bounded on the north by the municipalities of Sagada and Bontoc, on the east by the province of Ifugao and both south and west by municipality of Bauko.
Located 18 kilometers away from Bontoc and 129 kilometers away from Baguio City, it could be reached through the Halsema Highway, Sabangan-Cervantes Road and Bontoc via Tinglayan and Banaue.
Sabangan has an average elevation of 2,070 meters above sea level. The highest is 2,714 meters at the peak of Mt. Kalawitan while the low-lying barangays of Poblacion, Lagan and Losad record the lowest elevation with an average of 1,100 meters. The terrain is generally rugged and mountainous. About 86.58% of the total land area is hilly with forest covered slopes.
Income class
Sabangan is a fifth class municipality.
Demographic profile
| Mayor | Marcial Jr. Capsuyen Lawilao |
| Vice Mayor | Dario Panagan Esden |
| Area | 10,749 Has. |
| Total Population (MHO 2017) | 10,342 |
| Population Growth Rate (2010-2017) | 0.08 |
| Number of Households MHO 2017 | 2,186 |
| Average Household Size | 5 |
| Population Density | 900/sq.km. |
| Number of public elementary schools | 19 |
| Number of public high schools | 4 |
| Number of private high school | 1 |
| Number of Day care centers | 24 |
| Number of Rural health Unit | 1 |
| Number of Barangays | 15 |
| Number of Barangay health stations | 9 |
| Number of households with income below poverty threshold ( CBMS 2013) | 797 |
| Number of households with income below food threshold (CBMS 2013) | 513 |
| Number of unemployed of the labor force (CBMS 2013) | 429 |