# Santa Elena, Camarines Norte

Santa Elena, officially the Municipality of Santa Elena (Tagalog: Bayan ng Santa Elena), is a municipality in the province of Camarines Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 43,582 people.
Santa Elena is 80 kilometers (50 mi) from Daet and 262 kilometers (163 mi) from Manila.

## History

Santa Elena, formerly known as Ilayang Santol, was then a sitio of barrio Pulonguit-guit, Capalonga. In 1948, through the efforts of local leaders, it became an independent barrio.
Santa Elena became a municipality with ten barangays out of Capalonga by virtue of Republic Act No. 5480 on June 21, 1969.

### Territorial dispute with Calauag, Quezon

Santa Elena and Calauag in Quezon province were involved in a decade-long boundary dispute, leading to a Supreme Court case and presidential intervention. The dispute involved nine barangays: Don Tomas, Guitol, Kabuluan, Kagtalaba, Maulawin, Plaridel, Patag Ibaba, Patag Iraya, and Tabugon. In 1991, the Provincial Government of Quezon and Municipal Government of Calauag ordered the demolition of a boundary marker installed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. In 1995, President Fidel V. Ramos intervened during his visit to Calauag, initially allowing Calauag to retain jurisdiction. However, the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of Camarines Norte, transferring these barangays from Calauag’s jurisdiction.

## Geography
### Barangays

Santa Elena is politically subdivided into 19 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
* Basiad
* Bulala
* Don Tomas
* Guitol
* Kabuluan
* Kagtalaba
* Maulawin
* Patag Ibaba
* Patag Ilaya
* Plaridel
* Polungguitguit
* Rizal
* Salvacion
* San Lorenzo
* San Pedro
* San Vicente
* Santa Elena (Poblacion)
* Tabugon
* Villa San Isidro
The indicated barangays (‡) were formerly disputed with Calauag, Quezon, due to boundary realignment from Macahadok River to Tabugon Stream adjoining Quezon Canal in Barangay Tabansak in Calauag. In 2001, the case was elevated to the Supreme Court. The Case of Province of Quezon vs. Province of Camarines Norte eventually ruled in favor of Camarines Norte and Santa Elena was granted the said barangays.

### Climate

Climate data for Santa Elena, Camarines Norte :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26 (79) | 27 (81) | 29 (84) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 27 (81) | 29 (84) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 23 (74) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 51 (2.0) | 35 (1.4) | 37 (1.5) | 39 (1.5) | 91 (3.6) | 131 (5.2) | 168 (6.6) | 132 (5.2) | 162 (6.4) | 184 (7.2) | 166 (6.5) | 101 (4.0) | 1,297 (51.1) |
| Average rainy days | 13.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 12.0 | 19.8 | 24.1 | 26.7 | 25.1 | 25.3 | 23.9 | 21.2 | 17.6 | 231.4 |
| Source: Meteoblue ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Santa Elena, Camarines Norte was 43,582 people with a density of 220 inhabitants per square kilometre or 570 inhabitants per square mile.

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Santa Elena
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 50
* 60
* 2000 47.55
* 2003 49.35
* 2006 50.30
* 2009 43.05
* 2012 30.37
* 2015 43.68
* 2018 35.79
* 2021 23.62
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority