# Balete, Aklan

Balete, officially the Municipality of Balete (Aklanon: Banwa it Balete; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Balete; Tagalog: Bayan ng Balete), is a municipality in the province of Aklan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,090 people.

## Geography

Balete is 21 kilometres (13 mi) from Kalibo, the provincial capital.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 118.93 square kilometres (45.92 sq mi)  constituting 6.53% of the 1,821.42-square-kilometre- (703.25 sq mi) total area of Aklan.

### Climate

Climate data for Balete, Aklan :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 32 (90) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 30 (86) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (73) | 22 (72) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 47 (1.9) | 33 (1.3) | 39 (1.5) | 48 (1.9) | 98 (3.9) | 150 (5.9) | 169 (6.7) | 147 (5.8) | 163 (6.4) | 172 (6.8) | 118 (4.6) | 80 (3.1) | 1,264 (49.8) |
| Average rainy days | 11.4 | 8.2 | 9.3 | 9.7 | 19.1 | 25.6 | 27.4 | 25.5 | 25.5 | 25.2 | 18.5 | 14.5 | 219.9 |
| Source: Meteoblue (Use with caution: this is modeled/calculated data, not measured locally.) ||||||||||||||

### Barangays

Balete is politically subdivided into 10 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Fulgencio was formerly known as Morthon.
| PSGC | Barangay | Population | Population | Population | ±% p.a. | ±% p.a. |
| | | 2020 | 2020 | 2010 | | |
| 060402001 | Aranas | 17.5% | 5,256 | 5,083 | ▴ | 0.34% |
| 060402002 | Arcangel | 11.6% | 3,486 | 3,454 | ▴ | 0.09% |
| 060402004 | Calizo | 12.8% | 3,863 | 3,773 | ▴ | 0.24% |
| 060402005 | Cortes | 10.9% | 3,278 | 2,872 | ▴ | 1.33% |
| 060402006 | Feliciano | 9.6% | 2,883 | 2,788 | ▴ | 0.34% |
| 060402007 | Fulgencio | 11.9% | 3,568 | 3,230 | ▴ | 1.00% |
| 060402008 | Guanko | 4.4% | 1,321 | 1,322 | ▾ | −0.01% |
| 060402009 | Morales | 10.6% | 3,184 | 2,619 | ▴ | 1.97% |
| 060402010 | Oquendo | 4.1% | 1,234 | 1,226 | ▴ | 0.07% |
| 060402011 | Poblacion | 2.8% | 847 | 830 | ▴ | 0.20% |
| | Total | Total | 30,090 | 27,197 | ▴ | 1.02% |

## Demographics

In the 2020 census, Balete had a population of 30,090. The population density was 250 inhabitants per square kilometre (650/sq mi).

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Balete
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 50
* 60
* 2006 45.10
* 2009 52.68
* 2012 25.59
* 2015 23.83
* 2018 17.26
* 2021 26.79
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

## Culture

In Balete, the Aklanon people-based piña industry preserves Filipino traditional weaving. Raquel Eliserio, as its cultural master won the AGAATI's Global Eco Artisan Awards 2021. She founded a haeab-ean (weaving area) in her Barangay Feliciano and another in neighboring Tangalan. Her over a hundred looms and piña fiber knotters utilize her unique suksuk or inlay. The counted warp and weft are pulled by cotton threads, numbered with Dicranopteris linearis sticks and the piña textile is inlaid with designs.

## Landmarks

* Agtawagon Hill - located at the south-eastern portion of Barangay Morales, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) away from the town center. During the Philippine Revolution, the hill was the last line of defense of the Filipino patriots during the Spanish-Filipino conflict. The same hill had served as camp for Filipino guerrillas during Japanese occupation during the Second World War. Foxholes had been built on the summit of the hill overlooking potential enemy movement.

## Education
### Secondary

Private sector schools:
* Balete Academy, Barangay Polacion
Public High schools:
* Calizo National High School, Barangay Calizo
* Cortes Integrated School, Barangay Cortes
* Fr. Julian C. Rago National High School, Barangay Feliciano
* Jose Borromeo Legaspi Memorial National High School, Barangay Aranas
* Jose F. Meñez Memorial National High School, Barangay Feliciano
* Balete Integrated School

### Colleges

* Balete Community College

## Notable personalities

* Jonha Richman - businesswoman and philanthropist
* Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo - politician
vtePlaces adjacent to Balete, Aklan :
Batan
Banga
Balete
Altavas
Madalag
Libacao :