Alcoy, Cebu
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Alcoy is a 5th class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 13,497 people in 2,435 households. 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.
Template:Infobox Philippine municipality
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Economy
Alcoy is mainly an agricultural town with Nug-as, a mountain barangay, producing 90% of 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.
Barangays
Alcoy is politically subdivided into 8 barangays.
- Atabay
- Daan-Lungsod
- Guiwang
- Nug-as
- Pasol
- Poblacion
- Pugalo
- San Agustin
Tourism
Alcoy's tourist attractions include unspoilt white beaches, coves and inlets, barrier and coral reefs, mangrove forests, verdant hills and valleys, towering mountains, fertile farmlands in the highlands. Tourists regularly flock to the town 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 people put up hospitality businesses such as resorts, restaurants, and bars. Accommodations are usually found in barangays Guiwang, Daan Lungsod, Pasol, and Poblacion.
The waters of Alcoy teem with marine flora and fauna. Diving and snorkeling are options for visitors to see the underwater spectacle. Leisurely boating or canoeing are another possible activities to appreciate the natural wonders of Alcoy seawaters. 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.
Tingko Beach in barangay Daan Lungsod is the most popular public beach in the town. It is situated in a small but deep lagoon across a coral island which is completely submerged during high tide and exposed during low tide. It is separated only by a very narrow channel from the mainland. Tingko Beach is characterised as an extensive stretch of arcing shoreline, approximately 800 meters long with very white sand and crystal clear water fringed with coconut palm grooves. A few feet from the shore the sea floor gradually plunges down to a depth of several meters below the surface. So that, low or high tide, Tingko Beach is a great place for beach bums. The beach can be crowded during weekends where locals and city folks, and ocassionally, foreigners, regularly flock to enjoy the beautiful sand, sea and sun. Take note however, that during the northeast winter monsoon season, sometime between November and January, the sand in the southern end of the beach would shift norhtward, thereby emptying the sand completely out exposing the rocky bed of the shore. The sand would return quickly early in summer, starting in early February. The beach is conspicuously hidden out of sight when viewed from the road as it is situated down below a low cliff. The KM 95 marker indicates the distance of the beach from the city.
A few meters beyond the northern reach of Tingko Beach stands the centuries-old Spanish-built Bantayan sa Hari (watch tower) on a promontory. Nearby are charming white houses, a row of beautiful white-washed houses over craggy shores, specially built for out-of-towners who want to stay in town temporarily for a short vacation with minimal fee.
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 August 30 with St. Rose of Lima as its patroness.
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
- e-Local Government Unit (eLGU) Website on the Municipality of Alcoy (http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/alcoy-cebu/)
- Department of Trade and Industry, Cebu: Profile page on Alcoy (http://www.dticebu.net.ph/mun_profile/alcoy.htm)
- Philippine Standard Geographic Code (http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp)
- 2000 Philippine Census Information (http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/)