# Bato, Leyte

Bato (IPA: [bɐ'to]), officially the Municipality of Bato (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Bato; Waray: Bungto han Bato; Tagalog: Bayan ng Bato), is a municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 38,505 people.
It borders with the municipality of Matalom in the south, Hilongos in the north, and Bontoc to the east. Bato, together with Hilongos, is also a center of commerce, trade and education in southwestern part of Leyte.

## Etymology

The place got its name from the expression adto sa bato, which refers to the church made of stone.

## Geography
### Barangays

Bato is politically subdivided into 32 barangays.  Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
* Alegria
* Alejos
* Amagos
* Anahawan
* Bago
* Bagong Bayan District (Poblacion)
* Buli
* Cebuana
* Daan Lungsod
* Dawahon
* Himamaa
* Dolho
* Domagocdoc
* Guerrero District (Poblacion)
* Imelda
* Iniguihan District (Poblacion)
* Kalanggaman District (Poblacion)
* Katipunan
* Liberty
* Mabini
* Marcelo
* Naga
* Osmeña
* Plaridel
* Ponong
* Revilla
* San Agustin
* SanNiño and or SanNiña
* Tabunok
* Tagaytay
* Tinago District (Poblacion)
* Tugas

### Climate

Climate data for Bato, Leyte :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 23 (73) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 78 (3.1) | 57 (2.2) | 84 (3.3) | 79 (3.1) | 118 (4.6) | 181 (7.1) | 178 (7.0) | 169 (6.7) | 172 (6.8) | 180 (7.1) | 174 (6.9) | 128 (5.0) | 1,598 (62.9) |
| Average rainy days | 16.7 | 13.8 | 17.3 | 18.5 | 23.2 | 26.5 | 27.1 | 26.0 | 26.4 | 27.5 | 24.6 | 21.0 | 268.6 |
| Source: Meteoblue ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Bato, Leyte, was 38,505 people, with a density of 530 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,400 inhabitants per square mile.

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Bato
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 2006 35.10
* 2009 36.38
* 2012 40.00
* 2015 38.60
* 2018 29.15
* 2021 31.49
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

## Transportation
### Shipping companies operating in Bato

* Medallion Transport: day & night trips to Cebu City and vice versa
* Medallion Transport: day & night trips to Ubay, Bohol and vice versa
* Southern Pacific Shipping: night trips to Cebu City and vice versa
* & Local MBCAs or Motor Bancas (Cebuano: Pambot) which serves day trips to Ubay, Bohol and vice versa; also, to the Island-Barangay of Dawahon and vice versa.

### Transit Bus Companies

* Super 5
* CUL Transport
* Mega Bus
* DLTB
* Ultrabus
* Philtranco

## Education
### Tertiary education

* Bato Institute of Science and Technology, Inc.

### Secondary education

(PUBLIC)
* Bato School of Fisheries
* Bato National High School
* Dawahon National High School
* Anahawan National High School
* Buli National High School
(PRIVATE)
* Bato Institute Of Science and Technology Inc. (High School Department)
* Bato Academy

### Elementary education

(PUBLIC)
EAST DISTRICT
* Anahawan Central School (Barangay Anahawan)
* Alejos Elementary School
* Tagaytay Elementary School
* Naga Elementary School
* Mabini Elementary School
* Bago Elementary School
* Himama-a Elementary School
* Liberty Elementary School
* Katipunan Elementary School
* Revilla Primary School
* Cebuana Primary School
* Plaridel Elementary School
* Osmena Elementary School
* Buli Elementary School
* Talisayan Primary School
* Imelda Elementary School
WEST DISTRICT
* Bato Central School (Brgys. Tinago and Kalanggaman)
* Dolho Elementary School
* Dawahon Elementary School
* Ponong Elementary School
* Tabunok Elementary School
* Tugas Elementary School
* Alegria Elementary School
* Amagos Elementary School
* Marcelo Elementary School
* Domagocdoc Primary School
(PRIVATE)
* Saint Teresa's School of Bato, Inc.
* Bato Institute of Science and Technology, Inc. (Elementary Department)