Polangui, Albay

Polangui is a first class municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. It is now a thriving, progressive first-class growth center, considered as the most promising and potential economic destination of the flourishing trade and commercial activities of the Third District of Albay. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 82,307 people, a labor force of 37,247 and 46,586 voting population.

Etymology

The origin of the name Polangui has many versions. The foremost and seems more accepted version is, "that of a giant robust tree which existed majestically in the early municipal settlement". The natives of the settlement called the "Oyangue", which also served as the early landmark of the area whereby new settlers looked upon in their wandering. Similarly, the early Spanish frontier settlers found this tree and it became their famous settlement landmark. The settlement was then called "Binanuaan" but often referred to as "Oyangue" by nearby settlers. As more settlers came to dwell and engage in various trade endeavors with the indigenous dwellers, the more was the settlement known in distant areas by the name "Oyangue" referring to the tree landmark which was more widely accepted than "Binanuaan". The passing of generations corrupted the word "Oyangue" into several acronyms. Most acceptable and widely used before was "Polangue" and later "Polangui" which has remained today.