Atok, Benguet

Atok
—  Municipality  —
Sunset in Atok
Seal
Map of Benguet showing the location of Atok.
Atok Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 16°35′N 120°42′E / 16.583°N 120.700°E / 16.583; 120.700Coordinates: 16°35′N 120°42′E / 16.583°N 120.700°E / 16.583; 120.700
Country	Philippines
Region	Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
Province	Benguet
District	Lone Congressional District of Benguet
Founded
Barangays	8
Government
• Mayor	Concepcion Balao
Area
• Total	215 km2 (83 sq mi)
Population (2007)
• Total	19,253
• Density	Bad rounding here90/km2 (Bad rounding here230/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	2612
Income class	4th class

Atok is a 4th class municipality in the province of Benguet, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 19,253 people in 3,397 households.

Geography[edit]

Atok has a land area of 22,385 hectares or 223.85 square kilometer. A great portion of the land is mountainous hence the highest point in the Philippine Highway System (Halsema Highway) is located in the municipality at 7,400 ft. above sea level.

Atok is centrally located in the heart of the province of Benguet. It is bounded by the municipality of Kibungan and Buguias on the north, the municipalities of the Kabayan and Bokod on the east, the municipality of Kapangan on the west and the municipality of Tublay on the south.

Since the municipality is one of Benguet's highland towns, the town's vegetable farmers have been hit three times by frost, causing millions of damage to crops. Atok is about 46 km from Baguio city.

History[edit]

The name of the municipality was derived from its location. It is a short term of the phrase Nay Patok shi chontog which means on the mountain top.

When the Americans came, the Philippine Commission enacted Act No. 48 on November 48 organizing the sub-province of Benguet into 19 towns: Baguio, La Trinidad, Galiano, Itogon, Tublay, Atok, Kapangan, Balakbak, Palina, Ampusongan, Loo Kabayan, Buguias, Adaoay, Bokod, Daklan, Sablan, Kibungan and Ambuklao.

In 1909, the town of Baguio became a chartered city and the number of towns of Benguet was reduced. Atok still stood as one.

During the Second World War, Atok was the scene of fierce pitch battles between the military forces of the 1st, 2nd, 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, 1st Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary, the USAFIP-NL 66th Infantry Regiments, the Igorot and Cordilleran guerrilla fighters and the Japanese Imperial Army forces. This is so because of the terrain along the Halsema road which is suited and ideal for the Filipino troops and guerrillas to mount ambushes and use the Philippine Commonwealth military and recognized guerrilla’s strategy of fighting. The place is now called the “Guerilla Saddle” located at km. 26, Caliking, Atok.

On June 25, 1963, President Diosdado Macapagal issued Executive Order No. 42 converting eight (8) of the thirteen towns (13) of Benguet into regular municipalities. Atok was among them.

Barangays[edit]

Atok is politically subdivided into 8 barangays.

• Abiang
• Caliking
• Cattubo
• Naguey
• Paoay
• Pasdong
• Poblacion
• Topdac

External links[edit]

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 1995 Philippine Census Information
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• 2007 Philippine Census Information

v t e Province of Benguet Municipalities Atok Bakun Bokod Buguias Itogon Kabayan Kapangan Kibungan La Trinidad Mankayan Sablan Tuba Tublay Highly urbanized city Baguio (Administratively independent from the province, but grouped under Benguet by the National Statistics Office)