COMMUNITY OVERVIEW

Historical Background

Barangay Paruk was under the municipality of Malangas before it was declared as a barangay on October 10, 1956 by then barangay chairwoman Hon. Maria Decipulo when the immigrants from Zamboanga del Norte settled in the area. The name Paruk was derived from a native Subanen leader tribe which means “suba nga matin-aw” or clear river. On December 28, 1956, under the Executive Order No. 223, his Excellency, late President Ramon Magsaysay signed barrio Paruk as part of the jurisdiction of the municipality of Siay. During the time of the sixth (6th) Teniente del barrio, Hon. Gregorio Candame, the barangay experience extreme drought and earthquakes which took place between the years 1976 to 1982. Natural and man-made calamities happened during the time of the late Hon. Herminio Balaoing (1982-1991), including floods, massacre, and bombing. Then the barangay was put on fire by the rebels in June 1, 1992. In honor of the first crop harvesting season, the celebration of “Araw ng Paruk” was moved to March 15 by Hon. Henry D. Lumbuan in 2002.

Land Area and Boundaries

The barangay’s total land area is 1100 hectares, 640 hectares used for residential purposes, 333 hectares for agriculture, 20 hectares for timberland, and the 107 hectares left are alienable and disposable (A and D). It consists of eight (8) puroks and is bounded by barangays including Minsulao (north), La Victoria (south), Barangay Lobing of Diplahan (east), and on its frontier; Barangay Coloran of Siay, Barangay Mali, Little Baguio and Israel of Imelda.

Governance

Barangay Paruk follows the established Philippine political structure for barangays whereby the barangay is headed by a Barangay Assembly. Its most basic form is composed of a total of 9 people-elected government officials namely, one Barangay Chairman, in the person of Hon. Ramces R. Enriquez, seven Barangay Kagawads, namely (from left to right in the top picture), Hon. Cipriano Manoba, Hon. Crispin Pilapil, Hon. Ronila Bandianon, Hon. Jimmy Fernandez, Hon. Wilfredo Guerrero, and Hon. Bernave Lumbuan, and one Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman, Hon. Dave Acallendo.

However, in Barangay Paruk, they also have a Barangay Secretary, Maritess Fernandez, Barangay Treasurer, Gina Bentayo, IT Specialist, Joylen Dacules, and Indigenous People’s Representative Divina Duyanan (female standing at leftmost in bottom picture). They do not obtain their positions through elections but via appointments; the former three are appointed by the Barangay Assembly and the latter one is appointed by the Barangay Council of Elders – a council of seven Indigenous People elders of Barangay Paruk.

Location

DEMOGRAPHICS

Population Pyramid

According to the recent census of Barangay Paruk in 2023, the barangay has a population of 1,483 individuals, the team, however, was only able to interview a total of 1,089 individuals with a total of 563 males and 526 females. The figure also shows that the dominant population age group is between the ages of 6 to 10 years, with 74 males and 60 females.

Religious Affiliations

Roman Catholics are the vast majority in Barangay Paruk, with 719 (66%) individuals of the total population. There are 104 (10%) Bible Baptists, 75 (7%) Baptists, and 22 (2%) Seventh-Day Adventists, and 169 others (16%).

Civil Status

The majority of the population of Barangay Paruk is single, with a total of 571 individuals accounting for 52.43% of the 1,089 individuals surveyed. Married individuals come second with a total of 408 (37.47%) individuals. A minor percentage of the population is comprised of 52 (4.78%) widows or widowers, 42 cohabiting (3.85%), and 16 separated (1.47%).

Ethnicity

The Ilonggos are the greater majority accounting for 561 (52%) individuals, while the Bisayans come in second, constituting 334 (31%) individuals. The mixed ethnicity of Ilonggo-and-Bisayans accounts for 98 (9%) individuals. Moreover, there are 26 (2.4%) Subanens, 17 (2%) Bicolanos, and 53 (5%) others.

Educational Attainment

Out of 1,089 residents surveyed, 266 (24.42%) are currently studying, 234 (21.49%) are high school undergraduates, 228 (20.94%) are elementary undergraduates, 107 (9.83%) graduated high school, 77 (7.07%) are elementary graduates, 75 (6.89%) are college graduates while 60 (5.51%) residents are college undergraduates, 37 (3.39%) individuals are unable to have any formal education, and 5 (0.46%) are graduates of a vocational course.

Working Status

Of the 1,089 residents surveyed, 357 (32.78%) are currently working. In the non-working bracket, there are 732 (67.21%) residents which includes 266 students and 466 unemployed individuals. Out of the 357 working individuals, 159 are farmers, 24 are vendors, 23 are drivers, 18 are laborers, 17 are public school teachers, 15 are construction workers, 12 are house helpers, 11 are health workers, and 78 are employed in other occupations.

Average Monthly Family Income

The figure above shows that 142 (47.49%) households have an average monthly income of less than 5,000 PHP, 94 (31.44%) households have a monthly income of 5,000-10,000 PHP, 24 (8.03%) households are able to secure 10,000-15,000 PHP at the end of each month, a smaller portion of 19 (6.35%) households earn at least 15,000-20,000 PHP in a month. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the poverty threshold for a family of five for the year 2023 is 13,797 PHP. Of the 299 households, 236 (78.93%) households in Barangay Paruk earn less than the poverty threshold identified by the PSA while only 63 (21.07%) earn above.

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