# Santo Tomas, Isabela

Santo Tomas, officially the Municipality of Santo Tomas (Ibanag: Ili na Santo Tomás; Ilocano: Ili ti Santo Tomás; Tagalog: Bayan ng Santo Tomás), is a municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 24,528 people.

## History

The municipality was established in 1949 from several barrios of Cabagan.
In 1952, Santo Tomas lost two barrios when the barrios of Abut and Minagbag were transferred to the newly created town of Mallig. In 1961, those barrios were transferred to the newly created municipality of Quezon.

## Geography

Santo Tomas is a landlocked municipality situated in the northern portion of the province of Isabela. It is bounded to the west by Quezon, to the south by Delfin Albano, to the southeast by Tumauini, to the north and northeast by Cabagan and the Cagayan River.

### Barangays

Santo Tomas is politically subdivided into 27 barangays.  Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
* Ammugauan
* Antagan
* Bagabag
* Bagutari
* Balelleng
* Barumbong
* Biga Occidental
* Biga Oriental
* Bubug
* Bolinao-Culalabo
* Calanigan Norte
* Calanigan Sur
* Calinaoan Centro
* Calinaoan Malasin
* Calinaoan Norte
* Cañogan Abajo Norte
* Cañogan Abajo Sur
* Cañogan Alto
* Centro
* Colunguan
* Malapagay
* San Rafael Abajo
* San Rafael Alto
* San Roque
* San Vicente
* Uauang-Tuliao
* Uauang-Galicia
Uauang-Galicia is now the population is 0 according in 2010 Census.

### Climate

Climate data for Santo Tomas, Isabela :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 32 (90) | 35 (95) | 35 (95) | 35 (95) | 34 (93) | 33 (91) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 28 (82) | 32 (90) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19 (66) | 20 (68) | 21 (70) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 22 (72) | 21 (70) | 20 (68) | 22 (71) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 31.2 (1.23) | 23 (0.9) | 27.7 (1.09) | 28.1 (1.11) | 113.5 (4.47) | 141.4 (5.57) | 176.4 (6.94) | 236.6 (9.31) | 224.9 (8.85) | 247.7 (9.75) | 222.9 (8.78) | 178 (7.0) | 1,651.4 (65) |
| Average rainy days | 10 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 144 |
| Source: World Weather Online (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally) ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1903 | 3,678 | — |
| 1960 | 11,460 | +2.01% |
| 1970 | 13,575 | +1.71% |
| 1975 | 14,239 | +0.96% |
| 1980 | 15,915 | +2.25% |
| 1990 | 18,063 | +1.27% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1995 | 20,089 | +2.01% |
| 2000 | 21,380 | +1.34% |
| 2007 | 22,172 | +0.50% |
| 2010 | 21,688 | −0.80% |
| 2015 | 23,005 | +1.13% |
| 2020 | 24,528 | +1.27% |
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority :
In the 2020 census, the population of Santo Tomas, Isabela, was 24,528 people, with a density of 400 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,000 inhabitants per square mile.

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Santo Tomas
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 50
* 2000 46.00
* 2003 30.78
* 2006 23.50
* 2009 18.46
* 2012 23.38
* 2015 21.17
* 2018 22.68
* 2021 17.36
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority
Farming is its primary source of income. The most widespread plantations were rice, corn and tobacco farms. Locals also raise livestock for extra income.

## Government
### Local government

As a municipality in the Province of Isabela, government officials at the provincial and municipal levels are voted by the town. The provincial government has political jurisdiction over most local transactions of the municipal government.
The Municipality of Santo Tomas is governed by a mayor, designated as its local chief executive, and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the municipal councilors are elected directly in polls held every three years.
Barangays are also headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. The barangays have SK federation which represents the barangay, headed by SK chairperson and whose members are called SK councilors. All officials are also elected every three years.

### Elected officials

Members of the Santo Tomas Municipal Council (2022-2025) :
| Position | Name |
| District Representative | Antonio T. Albano |
| Municipal Mayor | Antonio M. Talaue |
| Municipal Vice-Mayor | Amado Talaue |
| Municipal Councilors | Rona Lulu R. Talaue |
| Municipal Councilors | Eduardo T. Pua, Jr. |
| Municipal Councilors | Jose Amado S. Talaue |
| Municipal Councilors | Armando B. Lopez |
| Municipal Councilors | Eduardo S. Talaue, Jr. |
| Municipal Councilors | Jesus Canceran |
| Municipal Councilors | Marirose Angolluan |
| Municipal Councilors | Sonny P. Tallion |

### Congress representation

Santo Tomas, belonging to the first legislative district of the province of Isabela, currently represented by Hon. Antonio T. Albano.

## Education

The Schools Division of Isabela governs the town's public education system. The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region. The office governs the public and private elementary and public and private high schools throughout the municipality.