About

Bato is a fifth class municipality in the province of Catanduanes, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 19,984 people.

The Spanish colonizers, who surveyed the early settlers of the area, recorded the name "Bato" and later this became the town's name. There are several unproven theories when and why the town was named "Bato", like it came from the name of the "water Wells", or it came from the Tagalog word bato, meaning "rock". Another legend states that a Spaniard asked a settler woman the name of the settlement, and she replied "Bato". There is no certainty whether the woman understood the question or not, whether she referred to her own name or the name of the settlement itself, or to their early occupations of the area.

Bato is located at the southeastern portion of Catanduanes and is bounded on the north by the municipality of San Miguel; on the east by the Philippine Sea; on the south by Cabugao Bay and on the west of Virac, the capital town of Catanduanes which is just 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Bato.