Pres. Manuel Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines

About Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte

Location and Access

The Municipality of Pres. Manuel A. Roxas is a coastal municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, within the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX). It lies along the western side of the province, between the larger municipalities of Katipunan and Sindangan, with its territory extending from coastal lowlands facing the sea to inland agricultural and hilly areas.

Land access to Pres. Manuel A. Roxas is primarily via the national highway that links the provincial capital Dipolog City to western municipalities such as Sindangan and beyond. Buses, vans and jeepneys plying the Dipolog–Sindangan–Liloy route stop at the town center, from which local transport services connect the coastal and upland barangays.

The nearest commercial airport is Dipolog Airport, located in Barangay Minaog in Dipolog City. For seaport access, residents and visitors commonly use the port facilities of Dapitan City, including the seaport in Barangay Taguilon, which connects Zamboanga del Norte to other parts of the Philippines by sea.

Location of Municipality Hall

The municipal hall of Pres. Manuel A. Roxas is situated along the main national highway in the urban core of the municipality, close to the built-up area that serves as the town center. Public documents and maps often associate the commercial and service hub with the coastal and lowland barangays, particularly Barangay Irasan and nearby communities. However, official sources do not consistently identify a specific barangay name for the municipal hall site. In practice, residents treat this central area along the highway as the seat of local government and municipal services.

Economy of Pres. Manuel A. Roxas

The economy of Pres. Manuel A. Roxas is predominantly agricultural. Much of its land area is devoted to farms producing rice, corn, coconut, bananas, and root crops, with many households also raising livestock and poultry for income and subsistence. Coastal and riverine barangays supplement their livelihood with small-scale fishing and aquaculture, while inland communities focus more heavily on crop and livestock production.

Small family-run enterprises, rice and corn mills, copra trading, and micro-retail outlets operate in various barangays such as Irasan, Labakid, Marupay, Sebod, and Villahermoso, where traders buy farm produce and supply basic goods. Like most municipalities in the province, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas observes its annual town fiesta and barangay fiestas, which bring homecoming residents and visitors to the area and temporarily boost local trade and services even if the specific festival names and dates are not always widely publicized.

Natural Resources and Rivers

Pres. Manuel A. Roxas benefits from a mix of coastal areas, lowland plains, and hilly and forested terrain. Agricultural lands provide fertile fields for rice and corn, as well as coconut groves and mixed-crop farms. Upland barangays such as Denoman, Nabilid, Tanayan, and Upper Minang contain sloping and forested areas that support watershed functions, timber and non-timber forest products, and traditional upland farming.

Rivers and streams traverse the municipality, draining from the interior hills toward the coast and providing water for irrigation, household use, and small-scale fishing. These waterways help sustain rice paddies and diversified farms in low-lying barangays, although individual river names are not always consistently documented in public sources. Coastal and near-coastal barangays take advantage of marine and brackish-water resources for fishing and gleaning.

Power, Water, and Utilities

Electric power in Pres. Manuel A. Roxas is supplied through the provincial distribution network, which in this part of Zamboanga del Norte is served by the local electric cooperative. Primary lines follow the national highway and extend into many interior barangays, providing household lighting and power for small businesses and public facilities. Some remote sitios may still supplement grid power with generators or solar systems.

For water supply, residents typically rely on a combination of level II and level III water systems, communal or barangay-based waterworks, deep wells, and spring developments. Densely populated barangays such as Irasan, Sebod, and Piñalan have more organized water systems, while outlying communities are more dependent on shared standpipes, pumps, or individual wells. Mobile phone coverage and basic internet access are present in the town center and many barangays, supporting communication and digital transactions.

Banking, Commerce, and Health Services

Local commerce in Pres. Manuel A. Roxas is concentrated in the town center and larger barangays, where public markets and clusters of sari-sari stores, small eateries, trading posts, and service shops operate. The presence of a Land Bank of the Philippines EASY Access Facility in Barangay Irasan, along with other rural banking and microfinance services near the public market area, gives farmers, traders, and salaried workers access to formal banking, ATM services, and loan facilities. For additional banking options, residents may also travel to Dipolog City or Sindangan, which host a wider range of commercial banks.

Health services are provided by a municipal Rural Health Unit located in the town center, supported by barangay health stations in several barangays. These facilities deliver basic consultations, maternal and child care, immunization, and health education. For more advanced diagnostics, surgery, or specialist treatment, residents usually go to hospitals and private clinics in Dipolog City and other larger urban centers in the province.

Education in Pres. Manuel A. Roxas

Most barangays in Pres. Manuel A. Roxas are served by public elementary schools, ensuring that basic education is accessible at the community level. Primary schools are commonly located in or near the centers of barangays such as Balubo, Canibongan, Irasan, Piao, Salisig, and other interior and coastal communities, helping reduce travel time for young pupils.

Secondary education is offered through several public high schools located in different barangays. These include President Manuel A. Roxas National High School in Barangay Langatian, Lipakan National High School in Barangay Lipakan, and Marupay National High School, which also maintains an extension campus in Barangay Piñalan. Students from smaller or more remote barangays travel to these secondary schools using local transport.

There are no universities or large colleges based in Pres. Manuel A. Roxas itself. For tertiary education, residents commonly enroll in institutions located in Dipolog City, Dapitan City, and other regional centers, commuting or boarding there during the academic year.

Local Transportation

Within Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, everyday mobility relies heavily on tricycles, motorcycles, and jeepneys. Tricycles and motorcycle-for-hire units (habal-habal) are common in the town center and in many barangays, providing flexible transport for passengers and small cargo between the market area, schools, and nearby communities.

Public utility jeepneys and multicabs run along the main highway, linking the central area with outlying barangays such as Galokso, Marupay, Pangologon, Situbo, and Villahermoso, as well as neighboring municipalities like Katipunan and Sindangan. Pedicabs may be used over short distances in flatter sections of the town center, while taxicabs are generally not present and long-distance trips are handled by provincial buses and vans. As in many rural municipalities in the Philippines, schedules can be more frequent during market days and school days, with fewer trips in the evenings and on lean days.

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.