Capoocan, Philippines
Capoocan is a town of 8,473 people in Eastern Visayas, Philippines.
Why visit Capoocan
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 58 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 17 attractions in and around town.
Weather in Capoocan
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Capoocan
Capoocan (IPA: [kɐpo'ʔɔkan]), officially the Municipality of Capoocan (Waray: Bungto han Capoocan; Tagalog: Bayan ng Capoocan), is a municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 34,388 people.
From the Wikipedia article Capoocan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do17
5 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes58
Alberca Catering Services
Restaurant · Asian, Filipino, Fish, Chicken, Seafood · 6.4 km
Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00
46 more on the map.
History
The name Capoocan comes from the dialect term mapu-uk which means obstructed or "obstaculizado" in Spanish. It lies along the shores of Carigara Bay - its people drawing sustenance both from the waters which give an abundant harvest of fish that find their way in the markets of Tacloban and Carigara, as well as in the fertile lands that end at the foot of Mount Minoro.
Expansion efforts have been limited by the presence of Mount Minoro. The mountain obstructs and contains the town in its present site - forbidding further growth but protecting the town from the strong typhoons that have battered neighboring towns.
In 1904, the town earned its independence from its mother municipality, Carigara. Apparently too young for such a difficult undertaking, Capoocan willingly returned to barrio status after a few years of determined but unsuccessful attempts at independence.
On January 1, 1928, when it finally gathered strength and gained experience, Capoocan was granted municipal status again. It was ranked as a municipality at first but later on ascended to category.
Its first town executive was Brigido Merelos. In 1931, Atty. Jose Pigao was elected president but his term was short since he was appointed municipal judge of Pastrana. It was Perfecto Pilapil who succeeded him to serve the un-expired term.
From the History section of Capoocan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship75
Shopping20
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries67
Canomantag Elementary School
School · 8.1 km
Bagahupi – Babatngon – Santa Cruz – Barugo – Carigara Road
Healthcare45
Map of Capoocan
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ormoc Airport (OMC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 27 km away.
- Carigara 4 km east, about 4 min by car
- Ormoc 32 km south, about 32 min by car
- Santa Rita 37 km northeast, about 37 min by car
- Palompon 39 km southwest, about 39 min by car
- Dagami 38 km southeast, about 38 min by car
- Tacloban 40 km east, about 40 min by car
- Palo 41 km east, about 41 min by car
- Pawing 41 km east, about 41 min by car
- Burauen 45 km southeast, about 45 min by car
- Tanauan 46 km southeast, about 46 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Plaza Triunfo, DZ3160, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 7, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.