HISTORY

Jagna appears in documentsas early as March 15, 1565 when Miguel Lopez de Legaspi was driven by unfavorable winds towards this coast and because his flagship “San Pedro” underwent repairs along Jagna bay.
The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) started their work in what was known as San Miguel de Hagna as early as 1596. The Recollect historian Licinio Ruiz wrote that the Jesuit priest P. Jose Sanchez founded the parish and town simultaneously on September 29, 1631 with St. Michael Archangel as its patron saint.
The name Jagna was, according to historical records, derived from legendary vernacular exclamation “ni hagna na”. The tale started from the usual occurrence at the mouth of a small river which is already dried up now but whose actual traces of real existence are still visible beyond doubt. At the mouth of the river was a hole or cave-in of considerable depth and size. Such condition of the river led the early inhabitants to call it as “Boho River”. The river used to abound with so much fish called “tigue” in the local dialect. When the school of that particular fish played on the surface of the water, such part seemed to appear like coconut oil boiling in a frying pan. And whenever the people saw the sizzling surface of the water caused by the movement of the fish, they used to remark “ni hagna na”, meaning the oil being cooked is almost done. Therefore, from this common expression of the villagers evolved the present name of the town “JAGNA”.
The first settlers of Jagna descended from the natives of Loboc and Talibon. These settlers wanted to migrate to Mindanao riding on their sailboats called “bilos”. Because of the inclement weather, they were forced to seek shelter in Jagna. However this brief refuge turned into a permanent stay as they found Jagna attractive and an ideal place for establishing a village.

Jagna is known as the “Calamay County” of Bohol and is famed for the production of the finest Calamays in the province.

Calamay, sometimes called “kalamay” is made from well-milled glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk and sugar. It is the signature delicacy and pasalubong from Bohol. One of the island’s most iconic images, that brown spoke-shaved coconut shell with a red band.

Calamay is not only about the land’s bounty; but it also encapsulates in a shell: industry and dedication that has cemented the Boholano. Surviving through heat and sweat, cooks still stick a smile when pouring the thick paste into the coconut shells.

Rev. Fr. Mariano Gutierrez, OAR incidentally taught the art of making calamay to the people of Jagna. while he was still parish priest of Jagna from 1825 until his death in 1855.

DEMOGRAPHIC

Jagna is a coastal municipality in the island province of Bohol.

The municipality has a land area of 120.50 square kilometers or 46.53 square miles which constitutes 2.52% of Bohol’s total area. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 35,832. This represented 2.57% of the total population of Bohol province, or 0.44% of the overall population of the Central Visayas region. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 297 inhabitants per square kilometer or 770 inhabitants per square mile.

MUNICIPAL PROFILE

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JAGNA MAYORS

Name of MayorTerms of Service
Captain Cruz Abrenilla1882 - 1884
Severo Salas 1886 - 1898
Capitan Quintin Abrenilla1902 - 1906
Presidente Agustin Abrenilla1906 - 1912
Capitan Catalino Caseñas1912 - 1916
Presidente Agustin Abrenilla1916 - 1922
Juan Virtudes1922 - 1931
Simplicio Cagampang1931 - 1940
Ubaldo Yap1941 - 1946
Antonio Galope1946 - 1955
Teodoro B. Galagar 1955 - 1965
Agripino Jamisola 1965 - 1967 (Aug)
Glicerio Madrazo1967 (Nov) - 1967 (Dec)
Atty. Alexander C. Villacastin1968 - 1971
1980 - 1986
1988 - 1995
Atty. H. Domingo Bagaipo1972 - 1980
Cesar M. Cagulada1986 - 1988
Marciana O. Tsurumi    1995 - 2001
Exuperio C. Lloren 2001 - 2010
Atty. Fortunato R. Abrenilla 2010 - 2019
Joseph A. Ranola2019 - Present