San Luis, Aurora, Philippines

About San Luis, Aurora

Location and Access

The Municipality of San Luis is one of the municipalities of the Province of Aurora in Region III – Central Luzon, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Its poblacion is inland, while several barangays extend toward the Pacific coast and the slopes of the Sierra Madre mountain range.

San Luis is primarily accessed by land. The municipality is linked to the provincial capital Baler and to the province of Nueva Ecija via the Baler–Bongabon Road, which crosses the Sierra Madre. This road network connects the urban barangays of the poblacion, such as Barangay I (Pob.), Barangay II (Pob.), Barangay III (Pob.) and Barangay IV (Pob.), to surrounding rural barangays.

The municipality is served by Dr. Juan C. Angara Airport, a local airport located in Barangay San Isidro, which accommodates small aircraft on scheduled flights to and from Manila. Coastal and riverside barangays make use of motorized and non-motorized boats for travel along the shoreline and waterways. Residents without direct seaport facilities typically connect through nearby coastal towns in Aurora for larger seaport services.

Location of Municipality Hall

The San Luis Municipal Hall stands in the poblacion area, the urban core of the town. On Zamboanga.com, the poblacion is represented by the contiguous urban barangays Barangay I (Pob.), Barangay II (Pob.), Barangay III (Pob.) and Barangay IV (Pob.). The principal government offices, including the municipal hall compound and other central services, are located within this poblacion zone.

Economy of San Luis

The economy of San Luis is driven mainly by agriculture, fishing and small-scale industries. Farmers cultivate coconut, palay (rice), citrus, pineapple, root crops, banana, corn, coffee and other fruits over extensive lowland and hillside areas. Active agricultural lands cover several thousand hectares and are supported by irrigation systems and post-harvest facilities such as solar dryers, rice mills and warehouses distributed across the barangays.

Fishing provides additional livelihood, especially in coastal barangays such as Dibut, Dikapinisan, Dimanayat and others, where both motorized and non-motorized boats are used. Inland fishponds are also present in selected barangays like Nonong Senior.

Home-based and cottage industries help diversify income. Households are engaged in sabutan crafts (hats, mats and other handicrafts), furniture-making, brick and pottery production (notably in Barangay Diteki), basketry, rattan craft, charcoal making, hollow blocks production, native wine and vinegar processing, meat products, salted egg making, “bukayo” and other food processing. These activities supplement farm income and supply goods to local markets and nearby towns.

Natural Resources and Rivers

San Luis has one of the largest forested areas in Aurora. A significant portion of its land area is classified as woodland, including virgin, residual, sub-marginal and mossy forests within the Sierra Madre range. The Diteki River Watershed Forest Reserve covers part of the municipality, and numerous watershed groups have been identified spanning barangays such as Diteki, Dikapinisan, Dimanayat, Ditumabo, Nonong Senior and others.

The municipality’s watersheds help sustain rivers and streams used for domestic needs, small-scale irrigation and fisheries. Communal and national irrigation systems serve hundreds of hectares of farmland, providing water for palay production and other crops. Forestlands supply timber and minor forest products such as rattan, nito, sabutan and other materials important for handicrafts and local industries. Wildlife typical of the Sierra Madre, including various bird and mammal species, is also found in the upland areas.

Power, Water, and Utilities

Electric power in San Luis is supplied mainly through the Aurora Electric Cooperative (AURELCO). Seventeen of the eighteen barangays are energized through a 69 kV substation located in Barangay San Isidro. In addition, Barangay Dimanayat operates a micro-hydro project that provides local electricity, and a municipal mini-hydro power plant contributes additional capacity and supports power subsidies for residents.

Domestic water supply relies primarily on groundwater, accessed through springs, free-flowing sources, shallow wells and pump systems distributed across the barangays. In the absence of a large, centralized water district, many households and communities depend on these localized systems for everyday use.

Telecommunications in San Luis are dominated by mobile networks, with major cellular providers offering coverage, and internet connectivity is available in the poblacion and selected barangays. Postal services are handled by a post office located in the municipal hall compound, serving mainly the barangays around the poblacion.

Banking, Commerce, and Health Services

Commercial activity in San Luis centers on the poblacion and larger barangays such as Bacong and Dibayabay, where sari-sari stores, small retail outlets, market stalls and service establishments are found. The municipality also hosts a number of industrial and agricultural buildings, reflecting its role as a local trading point for rice, coconut and other farm products. For a broader range of banking, commercial and specialized services, residents often transact in nearby towns and the provincial capital.

Health services are provided through a network of barangay health stations and a rural health unit. There are numerous Barangay Health Stations throughout the municipality, and the Rosauro R. Tangson Memorial Clinic – Rural Health Unit in Barangay II (Pob.) provides basic medical, maternal and child health, nutrition and other primary health services to surrounding barangays. Residents requiring higher-level hospital care generally travel to larger health facilities in neighboring municipalities and cities.

Education in San Luis

The San Luis Schools District Office oversees education in the municipality. San Luis has one primary school, numerous elementary schools and several secondary schools. Most barangays host at least one elementary school, including schools in Bacong, Dibayabay, Dibut, Dikapinisan, Diteki, Ditumabo, Nonong Senior, Real, San Jose and Zarah, among others. Literacy rates in the municipality are relatively high compared with earlier periods, with strong school participation across grade levels.

There are four secondary schools serving high school students in San Luis. These include secondary institutions located in barangays such as Dikapinisan, Dimanayat and Ditumabo, as well as a municipal high school in the poblacion area. Students seeking college or university education generally enrol in tertiary institutions located in Baler and other nearby towns in Aurora and Central Luzon.

Local Transportation

Local transport in San Luis reflects its mixed coastal, lowland and upland terrain. Within the poblacion and nearby barangays, tricycles are the most common mode of public transport, providing short-distance trips between residential areas, markets, schools and government offices. Bicycles, motorcycles, hand tractors and private vehicles are also used for personal mobility and farm-related travel.

The municipal road network is composed of national, provincial, municipal and barangay roads, many of which are still gravel, with some sections paved or concreted, particularly between the poblacion and Barangay Diteki and other interior barangays. Passenger jeepneys and provincial buses operated by companies such as Sierra Madre and Genesis connect San Luis with neighboring municipalities and provinces along the Baler–Bongabon route. In the coastal barangays, motorized and non-motorized boats, as well as small passenger and cargo vessels, provide additional transport options when sea and weather conditions allow.

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.