Besao


', officially the ' is a of the Philippines| in the province of,. According to the, it has a population of people.
The municipality of Besao is believed to have derived its name from the Ilocano word ”Buso”, meaning headhunter. The people then of the neighboring towns specifically those from the Ilocos Region believed that the early ”Besaos” were headhunters. The word later on evolved as it is now called – Besao.
The town is known for the Agawa people's Agricultural Stone Calendar of Gueday. The stone calendar is one of the most enigmatic artifact in the Cordillera mountains. It is a testimony to the accurate scientific outlook of the ancient Agawa people in the cycle of weathers, agriculture, and heavenly bodies.

Barangays

Besao is politically subdivided into 14 barangays.

Demographics

The population of the town has been decreasing due to younger generations migrating to cities seeking for work.

Religion

Besao's main religion is animism. The town is one of the few animist towns in the southern Cordillera mountains. Much of its ancestral worship intangible heritage has been preserved by the older generations. However, the younger generations have been migrating to cities, making the animist religions of Besao in great danger in the long-term. Christian groups have been surfacing in the town since the younger generations have been moving into cities.