| Flag Size: | 120x80px | ||
| Seal Size: | 100x80px | ||
| Image Map1: |
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| Pushpin Map: | Philippines | ||
| Pushpin Label Position: | right | ||
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the | ||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||
| Subdivision Name: | Philippines | ||
| Subdivision Type1: | Region | ||
| Subdivision Type2: | Province | ||
| Subdivision Type3: | District | ||
| Established Title: | Founded | ||
| Established Date: | 1850 | ||
| Parts Type: | Barangays | ||
| Parts Style: | para | ||
| P1: | (see Barangays) | ||
| Leader Name: | Jovymarie C. Villazon | ||
| Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor | ||
| Leader Name1: | Ryan Fel B. Napuli | ||
| Leader Name2: | Robert Ace S. Barbers | ||
| Leader Title3: | Municipal Council | ||
| Leader Title4: | Electorate | ||
| Leader Name4: | voters (electorate_point_in_time}}|) | ||
| Elevation Max M: | 315 | ||
| Elevation Min M: | 0 | ||
| Population Density Km2: | auto | ||
| Population Blank1 Title: | Households | ||
| Timezone: | PST | ||
| Utc Offset: | +8 | ||
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code | ||
| Demographics Type1: | Economy | ||
| Demographics1 Title2: | Poverty incidence | ||
| Demographics1 Info2: | % | ||
| Demographics1 Title3: | Revenue | ||
| Demographics1 Title4: | Revenue rank | ||
| Demographics1 Title5: | Assets | ||
| Demographics1 Title6: | Assets rank | ||
| Demographics1 Title7: | IRA | ||
| Demographics1 Title8: | IRA rank | ||
| Demographics1 Title9: | Expenditure | ||
| Demographics1 Title10: | Liabilities | ||
| Demographics Type2: | Service provider | ||
| Demographics2 Title1: | Electricity | ||
| Demographics2 Title2: | Water | ||
| Demographics2 Title3: | Telecommunications | ||
| Demographics2 Title4: | Cable TV | ||
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Native languages | ||
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Crime index | ||
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Major religions | ||
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | Feast date | ||
| Blank3 Name Sec2: | Catholic diocese | ||
| Blank4 Name Sec2: | Patron saint | ||
Placer, officially the Municipality of Placer (Surigaonon: Lungsod nan Placer; Tagalog: Bayan ng Placer), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Surigao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 29,616 people.
In 1850, the town was founded by Captain Felipe Custodio and Capitan Luis Patino. It was named "Placer" (Spanish for "pleasure" or "delight") by Custodio in reference to the happiness derived from local gold mining, as well as the abundant fish and rice harvests. In 1860, this name was officially approved.[1]
In 1930, the municipality lost some of its territory when the Municipality of Mainit was formed, and again in 1947, when the Municipality of Tagana-an was established.[1]
After the Japanese obtained the surrender of American and Filipino troops on Mindanao in May and June 1942, Placer, along with much of Mindanao, remained free of Japanese occupation. In late September 1943, Japanese troops landed and occupied Placer. Their goals seemed to be to fill drums with oil from a storage tank there for their use and to search for lumber. About 300 to 400 Japanese troops were in town. Some began moving south toward Claver. On October 10, guerrillas under American leadership attacked with 135 men from both the north and south to dislodge the Japanese from Placer. This attack failed, leaving the town in Japanese hands.[2]
Placer is in the northeast of Mindanao Island, facing the Hinatuan Passage to the east. Its territory includes the small islands of Tinago, Banga, and Mahaba, as well as half of Masapelid Island where barangays Ellaperal, Lakandula, and Sani-sani are located.[1]
Its topography consists of low rising hills that are interspersed by plains.[1]
Placer is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
In 1956, the sitios of Santa Cruz, Anislagan, Alangalang, Soyoc, and Pananay-an were converted into barrios, while barrio Macalaya was divided into Upper and Lower Macalaya.[3]