# Dapa, Surigao del Norte

Dapa, officially the Municipality of Dapa (Surigaonon: Lungsod nan Dapa; Tagalog: Bayan ng Dapa), is a municipality in the province of Surigao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 29,006 people.

## Etymology

The town's name "Dapa" is a corrupted form of the vernacular term "Hapa." It was adopted by the local inhabitants as the permanent name of their settlement originally known as Taghaligue. This renaming served as a lasting reminder of the Moro raids that occurred during the early years of the last century under the Spanish colonization of the Philippines.

## Geography

Most of the municipality is situated on Siargao Island, but Middle Bucas Grande and East Bucas Grande Islands are also within its jurisdiction. It is known as the "Growth Center of the beautiful islands of Siargao".

### Barangays

Dapa is politically subdivided into 29 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
* Bagakay
* Barangay 1 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 10 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 11 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 12 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 13 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 2 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 3 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 4 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 5 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 6 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 7 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 8 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 9 (Poblacion)
* Buenavista
* Cabawa
* Cambas-ac
* Consolacion
* Corregidor
* Dagohoy
* Don Paulino
* Jubang
* Montserrat
* Osmeña
* San Carlos
* San Miguel
* Santa Fe
* Santa Filomena
* Union
Barangays 1 through 13 constitute Dapa's poblacion. Barangay Don Paulino is synonymous with the village of Giwan. Barangay Union is synonymous with the village of Union.

### Climate

Climate data for Dapa, Surigao del Norte :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27 (81) | 27 (81) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 161 (6.3) | 132 (5.2) | 112 (4.4) | 87 (3.4) | 136 (5.4) | 169 (6.7) | 146 (5.7) | 148 (5.8) | 132 (5.2) | 156 (6.1) | 176 (6.9) | 170 (6.7) | 1,725 (67.8) |
| Average rainy days | 20.0 | 16.2 | 18.3 | 17.5 | 24.0 | 26.7 | 27.5 | 27.5 | 26.5 | 26.4 | 23.8 | 21.0 | 275.4 |
| Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally) ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

Surigaonon is the common local language, while Cebuano, Filipino, and English are also spoken.

## Sports

The Siargao Island Sports Complex is a sports complex with a cost of PP300 million, it can accommodate 5,000 persons, expected to be finished by 2017 or early 2018, but opened and inaugurated in January 2020. Once completed, Siargao Sports Complex will host the regional games, which will mark its first hosting rights in the history of Caraga Region.

## Infrastructure
### Telecommunication

The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company provides fixed line services. Wireless mobile communications services are provided by Smart Communications and Globe Telecommunications.

## Education

Dapa is considered as the center of education in the island. The newly established Siargao National Science High School is the home of scholar students who are gifted in the field of science and mathematics. It may as well develop a strong science culture among high schools in the island.
Colleges:
* Siargao Island Institute of Technology
* Siargao National College of Science and Technology
High schools:
* Dapa National High School
* Consolacion National High School
* Union National High School
* Dagohoy National High School
* Siargao National Science High School
* San Nicolas School

## Media

* DXSS, Radyo Kidlat.