The municipality of Corella was once known as “
Nug-as”. It was formerly a Sitio under the municipality of Baclayon. Baclayon, being the first municipality ever to be established in the island by the Spaniards, encompasses not only Corella but also Tagbilaran, Alburquerque, and Sikatuna.
Through the years, the population of each of these barangays grew and sought independence. Eventually, the municipality of Corella was established in the year 1884 and was named after a town in the province of Navarre, in Northern Spain.
municipal building of corella
In 2007, population grew to a record of 7,471 people occupying a land area of 4,848 hectares. The town is politically subdivided into 8 barangays, to wit: Anislag, Canangca-an, Canapnapan, Cancatac, Pandol, Poblacion, Sambog and Tanday. Having only eight barangays, Corella is the smallest municipality of Bohol.
Barangay Canangca-an, Corella’s biggest barangay which lies to the east, is the boundary of Corella with barangay Cang-agong of the municipality of Sikatuna lying next to it. The barangay consist of four (4) sitios, namely: Cang-anggod, Canghumangit, Cando and Pung-on. The new route connecting Corella to Balilihan, Catigbian and other interior towns passes thru this barangay.
Corella Church
The people of Corella are peace loving, hospitable and God-fearing. They are predominantly conservative Roman Catholics administered by the Parish of the Nuestra Señora del Villar (Our Lady of the Village). The feast day of Our Lady of the Village, whom the people love so much, falls on April 27 and is celebrated joyously with feastings and much fanfare.
Under the Recollects, the town of Corella was established as a separate parish and a stone church, convent and two stone school buildings were constructed under the direction of successive priests. The church was dedicated to the
Nuestra Señora Del Villar whose feast day falls on the 27th of April.
Through the years the church became dilapidated and a new church was constructed in the year 1924 with the help of all parishioners. Much of the religious activity of the town’s folks revolved around their church.
The topography of the town is beautiful with rolling terrain, mostly level on the west side, with mountains in the east and southeast portion. Hillsides are predominantly planted with coconut palm trees and bananas with intermittent open spaces cultivated for corn, cassava, camote, ube and other green leafy vegetables. Flat and open lowlands are planted with rice that spreads far and wide and looks like a green carpet that changes into gold as the rice ripens.
corella plaza
Aside from agricultural crops, the people of Corella also raise domesticated animals such as swine, goat, water buffalo, chicken, cow and duck. For those in the Poblacion and near to it, the people are engaged in retailing, radio repair, tailoring and the making of bamboo/baskets, hat and winnower weaving. Other small establishments are present such as restaurants and the like.
corella public market
Corella has not much to fear for it is generally outside the typhoon belt and so seldom experiences typhoons. That’s why agriculture and the raising of domesticated animals proliferate. In fact, it is home to the tarsier, the smallest primate of the world and is now one of its major attractions.
Corella is known primarily as the home of the endemic Philippine Tarsier, the world's smallest primates. The 7.4 hectare Philippine Tarsier sanctuary run by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, as well as the Research and Development Center is in Barangay Cancatac (Canapnapan?) of Corella, about three kilometers from the town proper.
The Foundation is based in Tagbilaran City and spearheads the individual and corporate membership campaign with the aim of allowing as many local residents as possible to actively support and participate in the Philippine Tarsier Conservation Program and the work of the Foundation.
Presently focusing its efforts in Bohol, the Foundation hopes to eventually link up with groups similarly engaged in nature conservancy elsewhere in the Philippines and thus jointly develop projects and rare fauna and flora species, and their natural habitats.
Todate, the Foundation has set-up the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuarycovering an area of 167 hectares within the three municipalities of Corella, Sikatuna and Loboc. This timberland area is currently under the administration of the DENR and is part of its Social Forestry Project. The Sanctuary starts at barangay Canapnapan in Corella, Bohol.
Within the sanctuary, the Foundation established a “
Tarsier Trail” for eco-tourism purposes. The trail traverses through the gently rolling terrain of the interior towns of Corella, Sikatuna and Loboc. The distance of the trail is roughly 15 kilometers with numerous vantage points set-up for proper viewing of the tarsier in its natural habitat.
An additional 8.4 hectares of land has been acquired by the foundation in Corella and enclosed it with a seven-foot high fence to guard and protect the tarsiers from predators like feral cats and also from poachers and hunters. The tarsiers roam freely inside the enclosure though at night some climb out of the fence to search for food farther into the forest. Before daybreak, they return as if observing a curfew.
Within or part of the 8.4 hectares of land, the Foundation established the
Tarsier Research and Development Center which serves as a visitor center and venue for research. Here, trekkers will be oriented with the unique characteristics and habits of the animal through photos and audio-visual presentations.
There are other Tarsier Sanctuaries established in the Bohol Province aside from Corella. In Corella, the sanctuary is located 10 kilometers from Tagbilaran City. In Loay town is the River Watch Tarsier Sanctuary, also a fenced preservation area. Another fenced sanctuary can be found in Loboc town.
Candijay town also has their own tarsier sanctuary. The town is 92.2 kilometers from Tagbilaran City. Here, the tarsiers are not fenced in. They are allowed to roam in their natural habitat freely and undisturbed. The municipality has 2,360 hectares of remaining upland forests as preservation area.
There are other caged tarsier sanctuaries in Loboc and Sagbayan Peak. They are only small enclosures. In Loboc, beside the main road, a family has a small caged sanctuary. The tarsiers there are so tame, you can fondle them. But concerned people does not approve of this practice for the tarsiers are easily traumatized and if they don’t die suddenly, they however cannot breed.
