Townapedia

Mahayag, Philippines

Mahayag is a town of 17,144 people in Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippines, founded in March 9, 1960.

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Population17,144 GeoNames
Elevation64 m 210 ft
FoundedMarch 9, 1960
Time zoneAsia/Manila
Land area194.9 km²
Nearest airportPagadian Airport (PAG) 32 km

Why visit Mahayag

Townapedia lists 6 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.

About Mahayag

Mahayag, officially the Municipality of Mahayag (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Mahayag; Subanen: Benwa Mahayag; Chavacano: Municipalidad de Mahayag; Tagalog: Bayan ng Mahayag), is a municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 48,695 people.

From the Wikipedia article Mahayag (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do1

Baba-an Hill

Scenic view · 10.9 km

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Restaurants and cafes6

La Pergola Cafe

Restaurant · 5.0 km

Rizal Avenue

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Bulans Bakeshop

Bakery · 5.6 km

Mabini Street

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Kampihan Grill & Restaurant

Restaurant · 3.9 km

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Polar Bear Food Hub

Restaurant · 1.1 km

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Jollibee

Fast food · Burger · 5.2 km

Mabini Street

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Mon's Grill

Fast food · 1.3 km

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Where to stay1

Hotel Aleksandra

Motel and hotel · 5.3 km

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Churches and places of worship3

Calvary Baptist Church Mabuhay

Church · Baptist · 4.0 km

Mabuhay-Parasan Road, Molave

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Calvary Baptist Church Molave

Church · Baptist · 5.0 km

Guillen Street, Molave

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First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church Mission

Place of worship · 4.9 km

Open in Google Maps · +63 917 711 3478

History

The Municipality of Mahayag was founded in 1960 by Executive Order No. 393, created from areas in the municipalities of Dumingag and Molave. The area now known as Mahayag was once an unfamiliar place, unmistakably swampy darkened by big trees, wild shrubs and marshes and the habitat of wildlife. The name Mahayag was derived from the Subanen dialect “Boyed Mahayag” a native term for forested and mountainous area. It was the Subanen tribe who first lived in the area, particularly along river banks since it is where their economic livelihood is situated.

During the early part of 1939, Christians explored and settled permanently in the plains of Mahayag in search of plain land for farming. The Subanen tribe retreated to mountainous areas and settled there.

Social and economic activities were being established such as “Taboan” hence; Christian settlers proposed that the place be named “Mahayag” a Cebuano term (ma = to become + hayag = bright) which means to become bright or sunny. When the Visayan migrant first trickled into the area after World War II, the place was heavily forested. Local historical sources said that when the large “DAO” trees which stand in the town site fell, the place became bright, hence the expression “MAHAYAG”.

From the History section of Mahayag on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Shopping2

Gas and EV charging3

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Schools, colleges and libraries102

Healthcare1

Map of Mahayag

119 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Pagadian Airport (PAG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 32 km away.

  • Molave 6 km southeast, about 6 min by car
  • Sergio Osmeña Sr 8 km northeast, about 8 min by car
  • Tambulig 11 km southeast, about 11 min by car
  • Dumingag 12 km northwest, about 12 min by car
  • Pagadian 33 km south, about 33 min by car
  • Tangub 34 km east, about 34 min by car
  • Tubod 39 km east, about 39 min by car
  • Ozamiz City 44 km east, about 44 min by car
  • Oroquieta 57 km northeast, about 57 min by car
  • Iligan 89 km east, about 1 h 30 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

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Sources and licences

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Page built November 7, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.