Candijay

Candijay, officially the Municipality of Candijay (Munisipyo sa Candijay; ), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,119 people.

Candijay is home to the Bohol Island State University (BISU) School of Fisheries, offering college courses related to modern fishing methods and fish preservation. It also has educational facilities for elementary and secondary levels in almost all barangays of the municipality.

History
The name of the town is said to have come from the words "Kang Dihay" meaning belonging to Dihay, a strong man with many followers. The name was eventually changed to Candijay and was organized during the Spanish regime and was then one of the 34 towns in the province in 1879 with a population of 5,030.

The municipality of Candijay was one of the 34 towns established during the Spanish regime in 1879 and so was its establishment as a parish. The people were eventually converted to the Roman Catholic religion by the Spaniards. The parochial church of Candijay is dedicated to Saint Joseph whose feast day is 19 May.

Geography
Candijay is located on the eastern side of Bohol, 97 km from Tagbilaran. The town has a land area of 8687 ha.

The town faces Cogtong Bay which has the most diverse mangrove ecosystem in Bohol. The bay is home to 32 of the Philippines' 47 species of mangroves and associates. Yet due to illegal fishing and mismanagement of the mangroves, the mangroves and marine life in the area dwindled. To rectify the damage done, the municipal government is now engaged in a coastal resource management program: the planting of mangroves, though the control and eventual abolition of illegal fishing has yet to be addressed.

Barangays
Candijay is politically subdivided into 21 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Tourism
Candijay has several natural resources. Among these which consequently are visited by both foreign and local tourists are the Canumantad Falls which is still being developed, the pristine cold spring Canawa Spring, in Canawa and the Kawasihan Islet Sand Bar in Panas.

There are also some potential eco-tourism destination which consequently start to attract visitors such as the Layog Caves in Luan, Sangat Cave in Tambongan and Ilaja Cave in Panas; the hinterland rice terraces in Tambongan, Canawa, Cadapdapan, Tubod and Abihilan; Danicop Gorge Brook in Cambane; the Kantaligsok Peak which is said to be the tallest peak found in Tugas; as well as the Candijay Mangrove Forests in Panadtaran. The community-based Panadtaran Mangrove Association (PAMAS), which seeks to preserve Panadtaran's mangroves and other natural resources in the area and promote them for eco-tourism pursuits, has now established the Candijay Mangrove Adventure Tour.

Candijay also boasts a man-made lake known as Boongon SWI.

Education
High schools

Elementary and primary schools
 * Anoling National High School
 * Bohol Island State University - Candijay Campus, Teacher Education Laboratory High School
 * Candijay National High School
 * Cogtong National High School
 * La Union National High School
 * Saint Joseph Academy
 * Tambongan National High School


 * Abihilan Elementary School
 * Anoling Elementary School
 * Boyoan Elementary School
 * Cadapdapan Elementary School
 * Cambane Elementary School
 * Canawa Elementary School
 * Candijay Central Elementary School
 * Canolin Elementary School
 * Cogtong Elementary School
 * La Union Elementary School
 * Luan Elementary School
 * Lungsudaan Elementary School
 * Pagahat Elementary School
 * Panadtaran Elementary School
 * Panas Elementary School
 * Pangpang Elementary School
 * San Isidro Elementary School
 * Tambongan Elementary School
 * Tawid Elementary School
 * Tubod Elementary School
 * Tugas Elementary School