Garcia-Hernandez Bohol Travel Guide

Garcia Hernandez is a booming town lying halfway between the town of Valencia and the port town of Jagna along the southern coast of Bohol. The town can be reached in an hour from Tagbilaran City which is 53 kilometers away passing by the towns of Baclayon, Albur, Loay, Lila, Dimiao and Valencia.

While traversing excellent coastal roads that give scenic views of cliffs, shorelines and the blue sea, one also passes by massive stone churches, especially that of the Baclayon Church, which is the oldest church in Bohol. Heritage homes that date back to the 17th and 18th century also abound along the way.

More so, your eyes will feast on the awesome beauty of verdant rice fields that stretches to nowhere with intermittent hills full of tropical vegetation. These you will find mostly on the outskirts of towns. The towns themselves are interesting. Massive stone churches, municipal halls with plazas, school buildings and markets lie along the highway.

Garcia Hernandez is considered a 4th class municipality with an increasing population of more than 24,000 spread over an area of 11,684 hectares. The basic literacy rate of the town is 99.44% with only a minimal few being drop outs from school for the main reason of poverty. However, the local government has implemented programs to alleviate this problem.

The town is politically subdivided into 30 barangays, to wit: Abijilan, Antipolo, Basiao, Cagwang, Calma, Cambuyo, Canayaon East, Canayaon West, Candanas, Candulao, Catmon, Cayam, Cupa, Datag, Estaca, Libertad, Lungsodaan East, Lungsodaan West, Malinao, Manaba, Pasong, Poblacion East, Poblacion West, Sacaon, Sampong, Tabuan, Togbongon, Ulbujan East, Ulbujan West and Victoria.

All 30 barangays have formed community-based organizations which are avidly supported by the LGU with skills training programs and interest-free loans for those who want to start their own livelihood projects. Projects range from organic vegetable community gardens, banana plots of the lakatan variety which is in demand, virgin coconut oil production and others.

These programs helped to develop the inhabitants to be self-sufficient and not rely on dole-outs from political figures of the town. Many have learned the ropes of business building and earn from them; and in the process, develop skills that are useful not only in the political arena but also in the further development of the town.

The inhabitants of Garcia Hernandez are deeply religious, brought about by the spiritual influences of the conquering Spaniards in earlier times. Religious practices have been handed down through the ages and are faithfully observed until now. The Roman Catholic Garcia Hernandez Church is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist whose feast day is celebrated with much fanfare every 24th of June.

Garcia Hernandez is blessed with natural attractions. The most visited is the Roxas Park where in the midst of tall mahogany trees, a spring gush forth and winds its way through rice fields with distant mountains as background. The area around the spring has been developed by the local government. Two pools were built and cottages with tables and benches for the comfort of the bathers. With a minimal fee, one can enjoy for one whole day the cool spring water, the diving board and slide.

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