Community Profile of Sayangan, Kibungan, Benguet
Kibungan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Benguet, Philippines. It is situated 62 kilometers north of Baguio City, near Atok, Kapangan, and La Union. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 15,700 people in 2,949 households. Kibungan is politically subdivided into 7 barangays namely Badeo, Lubo, Madaymen, Palina, Poblacion, Sagpat, and Tacadang.
Kibungan didn’t have a name until the American Regime. It is said that Americans, upon reaching a vicinity got curious with the place they were in, asked the natives of the place’s name. Upon inquiry, a female monkey swung through the stretched vines nearby. The natives, thinking that the American’squestion was referring to the monkey, replied “kibengen” (the Kankana-ey term for a female monkey). The Americans called it Kibungan as a consequence of the difficulty in pronouncing “kibengen”.
Topography
Kibungan is popularly known in the province as the “Switzerland of Benguet” because of its pine trees and rocky mountains. Deep ravines and cliffs separate and isolate many of its sitios and some of its seven barangays. Although some plateaus, hills and small valleys can be seen in the locality, Kibungan is dominantly mountainous. Aside from its beautiful mountains and century-old rice terraces, Kibungan has many rivers and streams. Waterfalls on high cliffs decorate the mountains especially on rainy days. Many streams contribute to the formation of three big rivers that join the Amburayan River in Kapangan and eventually drain to the South China Sea. The streams and rivers are rich with shrimps, ells and other fishes that can thrive only in the mountains. Hot springs are also found at the foot of some mountains. The municipality is within the cool highland mountainous zone with elevations at more than 2,500 meters above sea level. Generally, the slope is more than 18°. During its coolest months of December and January, Barangay Madaymen experiences chilling temperatures of 0° centigrade,
Kibungan didn’t have a name until the American Regime. It is said that Americans, upon reaching a vicinity got curious with the place they were in, asked the natives of the place’s name. Upon inquiry, a female monkey swung through the stretched vines nearby. The natives, thinking that the American’squestion was referring to the monkey, replied “kibengen” (the Kankana-ey term for a female monkey). The Americans called it Kibungan as a consequence of the difficulty in pronouncing “kibengen”.
Topography
Kibungan is popularly known in the province as the “Switzerland of Benguet” because of its pine trees and rocky mountains. Deep ravines and cliffs separate and isolate many of its sitios and some of its seven barangays. Although some plateaus, hills and small valleys can be seen in the locality, Kibungan is dominantly mountainous. Aside from its beautiful mountains and century-old rice terraces, Kibungan has many rivers and streams. Waterfalls on high cliffs decorate the mountains especially on rainy days. Many streams contribute to the formation of three big rivers that join the Amburayan River in Kapangan and eventually drain to the South China Sea. The streams and rivers are rich with shrimps, ells and other fishes that can thrive only in the mountains. Hot springs are also found at the foot of some mountains. The municipality is within the cool highland mountainous zone with elevations at more than 2,500 meters above sea level. Generally, the slope is more than 18°. During its coolest months of December and January, Barangay Madaymen experiences chilling temperatures of 0° centigrade,