Mandaon
In 1948, Juan Valencia, a settler from Pampanga, advocated for its elevation into a municipality.On July 18, 1949, President Elpidio Quirino, through Executive Order No.244, officially recognized Mandaon as an independent municipality, distinct from Milagros.In the 2020 census, the population of Mandaon, Masbate, was 44,122 people,[3] with a density of 160 inhabitants per square kilometre or 410 inhabitants per square mile.Poverty incidence of Mandaon Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] The municipality is home to the 3,668-hectare campus of the only state college in the province of Masbate: the Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology (DEBESMSCAT), named after the former congressman of the province, Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa, Sr.