Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines

About Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte

Location and Access

Polanco is a landlocked municipality in the central part of the province of Zamboanga del Norte, within Region IX – Zamboanga Peninsula in Mindanao. It is situated inland from the provincial capital Dipolog City and is reached mainly by road from Dipolog and neighboring municipalities such as Katipunan and Piñan (New Piñan).

The nearest commercial airport is Dipolog Airport, located in Barangay Minaog in Dipolog City, which connects the province to major cities in the Philippines. The closest seaport facilities for passenger and cargo vessels are also in Dipolog City, providing sea connections to other parts of Mindanao and the Visayas. From these gateways, public utility buses, vans, and jeepneys travel regularly to the town center of Polanco.

Overland, Polanco is served by provincial and municipal roads that link its rural barangays to the poblacion area. Passenger jeepneys, vans, and single motorcycles (habal-habal) commonly ferry people and goods between the municipality and nearby growth centers such as Dipolog City and other municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte.

Location of Municipality Hall

The Municipal Hall of Polanco is located in the urban core of the municipality within Barangay Poblacion North, which serves as the administrative and commercial center of the town. Surrounding the municipal compound are other key local government offices, public market facilities, schools, and service establishments that support residents from the different barangays. Adjacent areas in Barangay Poblacion South also host important community institutions and services.

Economy of Polanco

The economy of Polanco is predominantly agricultural. Large portions of its land are devoted to the cultivation of coconut, rice, corn, bananas, and other upland and lowland crops. Many farming households also raise livestock and poultry as supplemental sources of income. The municipality is known locally as the “Marang Capital of the Philippines” because of the abundance of marang and other tropical fruit trees in orchards and backyard farms across barangays such as Bethlehem, Guinles, New Lebangon, and New Sicayab.

Agricultural products are sold in the public market in the poblacion and traded toward Dipolog City and other neighboring municipalities. Small retail stores, rice mills, motor repair shops, and service enterprises operate in the town center and in larger barangays, providing employment and basic goods. Many families also benefit from remittances from relatives working in other parts of the Philippines and overseas.

Local culture and religious festivities contribute to the local economy. The municipality celebrates the Pasalamat Festival, also known as “Sinulog sa Polanco,” usually held on the last Sunday of January, as a thanksgiving celebration that draws devotees and visitors. Another notable celebration is the El Toro Festival held every December, which showcases local culture, agricultural heritage, and community activities that help boost commerce and tourism-related services.

Natural Resources and Rivers

Polanco is endowed with fertile agricultural land, gently rolling hills, and river systems that support farming and daily household needs. The municipality lies within the watershed area of the Layawan River and its tributaries, as well as smaller local rivers and creeks, including the Polanco River and streams that flow through barangays such as Obay and Dangi. These waterways are used primarily for irrigation of rice fields and other crops, and they help recharge groundwater sources for domestic use.

Natural vegetation, coconut plantations, and mixed agro-forestry areas provide timber, fuelwood, and non-timber forest products for local households. While there is some mineral and construction-material potential in parts of Zamboanga del Norte, the economy of Polanco itself remains largely focused on sustainable use of its agricultural land and water resources, with local initiatives promoting soil conservation and watershed protection.

Power, Water, and Utilities

Electric power in Polanco is supplied by the Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative (ZANECO), which distributes electricity from the regional grid to the municipality and its barangays. Most households in the poblacion and many rural barangays have access to electricity, although some remote sitios may still rely on shared connections or alternative energy sources such as small generators or solar home systems.

For water, residents depend on a mix of level II and level III water systems, barangay-managed waterworks, and individual wells and spring-fed sources. In the poblacion area and some larger barangays, piped water systems or communal standpipes provide potable water for households and public institutions. In more remote barangays, households often rely on deep wells, hand pumps, or gravity-fed pipelines from nearby springs. Basic telecommunications and mobile phone services are available, with signal coverage improving along main roads and in the town center.

Banking, Commerce, and Health Services

Commercial activity in Polanco is centered in the poblacion, particularly around Barangay Poblacion North and Barangay Poblacion South, where the public market, municipal hall, and various shops and service providers are located. Sari-sari stores and small trading outlets operate in almost all barangays, supplying daily necessities to local residents.

Formal banking services are modest but present. At least one rural bank branch operates in the town proper to serve farmers, traders, and small entrepreneurs, and an automated teller machine (ATM) of a government-owned bank is installed at the municipal compound, providing basic banking access to residents. For more extensive banking, insurance, and corporate services, many residents still travel to Dipolog City.

In terms of health services, Polanco has one Rural Health Unit (RHU) located in Barangay Poblacion South, which serves as the primary government health facility for maternal and child care, basic consultations, immunization programs, and public health campaigns. Barangay health stations operate in selected barangays to bring basic services closer to residents. For more specialized medical or hospital-level care, patients are commonly referred to hospitals and larger medical facilities in Dipolog City and other nearby urban centers.

Education in Polanco

Education is an important priority in Polanco, and most barangays host at least one public elementary school to serve local children. The Department of Education’s Schools Division of Zamboanga del Norte lists several primary and secondary schools in the municipality. At the secondary level, Polanco is served by Polanco National High School and its extension campuses, including an extension located in Barangay Isis. Other high schools and extensions serving the municipality are located in strategic barangays such as Lingasad and Silawe, helping students from outlying areas continue their studies without having to relocate.

Elementary schools are distributed among the barangays, allowing younger learners from communities such as Anastacio, Bandera, Maligaya, and Villahermosa to attend school close to home. For tertiary and technical-vocational education, many students from Polanco go to colleges and universities in Dipolog City and other nearby cities, commuting daily or boarding during the school week.

Local Transportation

Local transportation within Polanco typically relies on tricycles, habal-habal (motorcycle taxis), and jeepneys. In the poblacion and surrounding barangays, tricycles serve as the primary means of short-distance travel for residents, students, and workers. Habal-habal and single motorcycles are widely used to reach interior sitios and farms where road access is narrower or unpaved.

Public utility jeepneys and vans operate regular routes between Polanco and neighboring municipalities and cities, especially to Dipolog City, where passengers connect to provincial bus routes and inter-island transport. There are no regular metered taxicabs operating within the municipality; instead, residents rely on these traditional modes of public transport for daily mobility, market runs, school trips, and access to government and health services in the town center.

January 7, 2026

1️⃣ Andas for Traslación 2026 now ready, with upgrades

The Andas carrying the Black Nazarene for January 9 Traslación features new steering wheel and reinforced underchassis to handle massive devotee crowds safely.

2️⃣ Over 3,500 affected by Mayon volcano unrest

NDRRMC reports 3,515 people from 964 families evacuated in Albay due to recent magmatic eruptions, ashfall, and pyroclastic flows; all in permanent danger zone.

3️⃣ Magnitude 6.4 quake hits off southern Philippines

USGS detects 6.4 quake off Davao Oriental coast—no tsunami threat reported, but locals feel shaking; no immediate damage confirmed.