Villalba, Puerto Rico

Villalba was founded in 1917 by José Ramón Figueroa y Rivera and Walter McJones. Its current mayor is Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz.

By 1918, there weren't any highways connecting Villalba to its neighboring towns but by 1927 there was at least one.{{Cite web|title=Villalba|url=http://nuestropuertorico.com/municipios/villalba/|access-date=2021-10-11|language=es}}

Hurricane Maria passed through the area on September 20, 2017 and triggered numerous landslides in Villalba with significant rainfall.{{cite web |title=Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico |url=https://landslides.usgs.gov/research/featured/2017/maria-pr/ |website=USGS Landslide Hazards Program |publisher=USGS |access-date=2019-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303143147/https://landslides.usgs.gov/research/featured/2017/maria-pr/ |archive-date=2019-03-03 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico |url=https://landslides.usgs.gov/research/featured/2017/maria-pr/images/PR_Maria_LS_density_map.pdf |website=USGS Landslide Hazards Program |publisher=USGS |access-date=2019-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303143147/https://landslides.usgs.gov/research/featured/2017/maria-pr/images/PR_Maria_LS_density_map.pdf |archive-date=2019-03-03 |url-status=live }} Bridges were destroyed and many areas where vital infrastructure was located were inaccessible. The entire electrical system was destroyed. Villalba's emergency operations center and an assisted living center were among the many buildings destroyed in Villalba.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/07/us/puerto-rico-trump-vieques.html|title=Hunger and an ‘Abandoned’ Hospital: Puerto Rico Waits as Washington Bickers|first=Patricia|last=Mazzei|date=7 April 2019|via=NYTimes.com|access-date=31 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725172747/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/07/us/puerto-rico-trump-vieques.html|archive-date=25 July 2019|url-status=live}} Villalba received 27.82 inches of rain. The mayor's stated “Our main need is oxygen. Many people depend on oxygen through artificial respirators that require electricity.".{{cite news | title=María, un nombre que no vamos a olvidar. Faltó oxígeno en Villalba para ancianos y refugiados tras María

| trans-title=Maria, a name we will never forget. After Maria, elderly and people in refuges are without their oxygen equipment | newspaper=El Nuevo Día| date=2019-06-13 | url=https://huracanmaria.elnuevodia.com/2017/municipio/villalba/| language=es | access-date=2022-09-11}}

"From Catastrophe to Hope" ({{Lang|es|De la catastrofe a la esperanza}}), a documentary describing the destruction of infrastructure in Villalba and how volunteers, community members, the mayor, and emergency service personnel worked to try to save people's lives was published in 2019 by {{Lang|es|Noticias de Villalba}} (Villalba News). The mountainous geography of Villalba made restoring electricity and water services extremely challenging. Chaplains, and religious leaders of all denominations, provided emotional support to all involved.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/noticiasdevillalba/videos/338176143513500/|title=De La Catastrofe a La Esperanza|via=www.facebook.com|language=es}}

Subsequent to the hurricane, in 2018, Javier Hernández, the mayor discussed other options for electrical power, such as micro-grids, for Villalba, with the mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, reminding him that recovery from such a powerful hurricane would take years.{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/2018/08/puerto_rico_mayor_visits_hobok.html|title=Puerto Rico mayor visits Hoboken to discuss disaster recovery|first=Terrence|last=McDonald|date=11 August 2018|website=nj.com|access-date=31 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531122137/https://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/2018/08/puerto_rico_mayor_visits_hobok.html|archive-date=31 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/05/27/614886536/hoboken-mayor-returns-from-puerto-rico-exchange-trip|title=Hoboken Mayor Returns From Puerto Rico Exchange Trip|website=NPR.org|access-date=2019-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531124406/https://www.npr.org/2018/05/27/614886536/hoboken-mayor-returns-from-puerto-rico-exchange-trip|archive-date=2019-05-31|url-status=live}} Architect Jonathan Marvel talked about his company's plans to build an off-the-grid, 41-unit building in Villalba on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria.{{cite web|url=https://www.curbed.com/2018/9/20/17870542/puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-damage-rebuilding|title=How architects and designers are rebuilding Puerto Rico one year later|first=Diana|last=Budds|date=20 September 2018|website=Curbed|access-date=31 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531124722/https://www.curbed.com/2018/9/20/17870542/puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-damage-rebuilding|archive-date=31 May 2019|url-status=live}}File:Map of landslides in Puerto Rico - Hurricane Maria 2017.jpg

Villalba is located in the central region of Puerto Rico, on a valley in the Cordillera Central.{{cite web|url=https://enciclopediapr.org/en/encyclopedia/villalba-municipality/|title=Villalba Municipality|publisher=Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH)|website=enciclopediapr.org|access-date=2019-03-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106022233/https://enciclopediapr.org/en/encyclopedia/villalba-municipality/|archive-date=2019-11-06|url-status=live}} The highest point in the municipality is Cerro El Bolo at 3,526 feet (1,075 m) of elevation.{{Cite web|title=Cerro El Bolo|url=https://peakery.com/cerro-el-bolo-puerto-rico/|access-date=2021-09-11|website=peakery.com|language=en}}

• Guayabal Lake
• Toa Vaca Lake
• Toro Negro Forest Reserve

File:Villalba, Puerto Rico locator map.png

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Villalba is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a barrio referred to as {{lang|es|"el pueblo"}}.{{cite book |last1=Picó |first1=Rafael |last2=Buitrago de Santiago |first2=Zayda |last3=Berrios |first3=Hector H. |title=Nueva geografía de Puerto Rico: física, económica, y social, por Rafael Picó. Con la colaboración de Zayda Buitrago de Santiago y Héctor H. Berrios. |url=https://archive.org/details/nuevageografad00pic/page/247 |publisher=San Juan Editorial Universitaria, Universidad de Puerto Rico,1969 |access-date=2019-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226171916/https://archive.org/details/nuevageografad00pic/page/247 |archive-date=2018-12-26 |url-status=live }}{{cite book|author=Gwillim Law|title=Administrative Subdivisions of Countries: A Comprehensive World Reference, 1900 through 1998|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nXCeCQAAQBAJ|access-date=25 December 2018|date=20 May 2015|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-0447-3|page=300}}{{Cite web |url=http://welcome.topuertorico.org/maps/villalba.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324204920/http://welcome.topuertorico.org/maps/villalba.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2018-03-24 |title=Map of Villalba at the Wayback Machine|access-date=2018-12-29 }}

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}

1. Caonillas Abajo
2. Caonillas Arriba
3. Hato Puerco Abajo
4. Hato Puerco Arriba
5. Vacas
6. Villalba Abajo
7. Villalba Arriba
8. Villalba barrio-pueblo

{{div col end}}

{{Further|List of barrios and sectors of Villalba, Puerto Rico}}

Barrios (which are like minor civil divisions){{cite web |title=US Census Barrio-Pueblo definition |url=https://factfinder.census.gov/help/en/barrio.htm |website=factfinder.com |publisher=US Census |access-date=5 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513190743/https://factfinder.census.gov/help/en/barrio.htm |archive-date=13 May 2017 |url-status=dead }} are further subdivided into smaller areas called {{lang|es|sectores}} (sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.{{cite web|url=http://www.presupuesto.pr.gov/Presupuesto2015-2016/PresupuestosAgencias/229.htm|title=Agencia: Oficina del Coordinador General para el Financiamiento Socioeconómico y la Autogestión (Proposed 2016 Budget) |website= Puerto Rico Budgets|language=es|access-date=28 June 2019}}{{Citation | author1=Rivera Quintero, Marcia | title=El vuelo de la esperanza: Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004 | publication-date=2014 | publisher=San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón | edition=first | isbn=978-0-9820806-1-0 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.lexjuris.com/lexlex/Leyes2001/lex2001001.htm|title=Leyes del 2001|website=Lex Juris Puerto Rico|language=es|access-date=24 June 2020}}

{{main|Puerto Rico Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development}}

{{lang|es|Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico}} (Special Communities of Puerto Rico) are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of social exclusion. A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth. Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Villalba: Chino neighborhood, Cooperativa neighborhood, Hato Puerco Arriba, Apeaderos, Sector Cubones in Caonillas Arriba, Palmarejo in Villalba Arriba, Céspedes in Pino, Cerro Gordo and Sector El Semil in Villalba Arriba.{{Citation|author1=Rivera Quintero, Marcia|title=El vuelo de la esperanza:Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004|publication-date=2014| publisher=San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón| edition=First|page=273|isbn=978-0-9820806-1-0}}{{cite web|url=https://cpprbib.wordpress.com/biblioteca-virtual/guias-tematicas/comunidades-especiales/comunidades-especiales-de-puerto-rico/|title=Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico|date=8 August 2011|language=es|access-date=24 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624004414/https://cpprbib.wordpress.com/biblioteca-virtual/guias-tematicas/comunidades-especiales/comunidades-especiales-de-puerto-rico/|archive-date=24 June 2019|url-status=live}}

An Energy Consortium was signed in late February, 2019 by the mayors of Villalba, Orocovis, Morovis, Ciales and Barranquitas municipalities. The consortium is the first of its kind for the island. It is intended to have municipalities work together to safeguard their communities, in the event of a catastrophe, by creating resilient, and efficient energy networks with backups.{{cite web|url=http://industrialespr.org/communications/news/|title=Asociación de Industriales de Puerto Rico|first=Priscilla|last=Vazquez|publisher=Industriales Puerto Rico|access-date=2019-03-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190312030317/http://industrialespr.org/communications/news/|archive-date=2019-03-12|url-status=live}}

{{US Census population

| 1920= 13040

| 1930= 11847

| 1940= 12871

| 1950= 14972

| 1960= 16239

| 1970= 18733

| 1980= 20734

| 1990= 23559

| 2000= 27913

| 2010= 26073

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2017}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/0500000US72005|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213114938/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/0500000US72005|archive-date=February 13, 2020}}
1920-1930{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00476569ch4.pdf|title=Table 3-Population of Municipalities: 1930 1920 and 1910|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817181600/https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00476569ch4.pdf|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live}}
1930-1950{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/23761117v1ch12.pdf|title=Table 4-Area and Population of Municipalities Urban and Rural: 1930 to 1950|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830033735/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/23761117v1ch12.pdf|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live}} 1960-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/phc-3-53-eng.pdf|title=Table 2 Population and Housing Units: 1960 to 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170724061852/https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/phc-3-53-eng.pdf|archive-date=July 24, 2017|url-status=live}} 2010{{cite book|title=Puerto Rico:2010:population and housing unit counts.pdf|url=https://permanent.access.gpo.gov/gpo35934/cph-2-53.pdf|year=2010|publisher=U.S. Dept. of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2018-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220183043/https://permanent.access.gpo.gov/gpo35934/cph-2-53.pdf|archive-date=2017-02-20|url-status=live}}

2020{{Cite web|publisher=United States Census Bureau|title=PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census|url=https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/puerto-rico-population-change-between-census-decade.html|access-date=2021-08-25|website=The United States Census Bureau|language=EN-US}}|2020=22093}}

• Walter McK Jones School{{cite web |title=Walter McK Jones Foundation |url=https://www.mckjones.org/ |website=FUNDACION WALTER McK JONES |access-date=9 November 2020}}
• Guayabal Lake
• La Corona Hill
• Toa Vaca Lake
• Toro Negro State Forest
• Biblioteca Pública
• Centro de Bellas Artes Adrian Rosado
• Iglesia Católica Nuestra Señora del Carmen

• Coffee, green pigeon peas

• Manufacturing of aluminum packaging and electrical and electronic machinery, nutritional products, medical devices, and others.

Villalba celebrates its patron saint festival in July. The {{lang|es|Fiestas Patronales de Nuestra Sra. del Carmen}} is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.

Other festivals and events celebrated in Villalba include:

• Puerto Rico Marathon - July
• Areyto Festival - November
• Carlos Báez Marathon - December
• {{lang|es|Festival del ñame y Carne Frita}}- November{{cite web | title=Festival del ñame y la carne frita | website=Voces del Sur | date=2019-11-07 | url=https://vocesdelsurpr.com/event/festival-del-name-y-la-carne-frita-2/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111010237/https://vocesdelsurpr.com/event/festival-del-name-y-la-carne-frita-2/ | url-status=usurped | archive-date=November 11, 2019 | language=es | access-date=2020-07-19}}

In 2017, Villalba celebrated the 100th year of its founding.{{cite web | author=Admin | title=Fiestas Centenarias de Villalba 2017 | website=MiAgendaPR.com | date=2017-05-12 | url=http://www.miagendapr.com/event/fiestas-centenarias-de-villalba-2017/ | language=es | access-date=2020-07-19}}

{{main|Mayoralty in Puerto Rico}}

All municipalities in Puerto Rico are administered by a mayor, elected every four years. The current mayor of Villalba is Danny Santiago, of the New Progressive Party (PNP). He was first elected at the 2024 general elections.

The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district VI, which is represented by two Senators. In 2024, Rafael Santos Ortiz and Wilmer Reyes Berríos were elected as District Senators.[https://elecciones2024.ceepur.org/Escrutinio_General_121/index.html#es/default/SENADORES_POR_DISTRITO_Guayama_VI.xml Elecciones Generales 2024: Escrutinio General] {{webarchive|url= https://elecciones2024.ceepur.org/Escrutinio_General_121/index.html#es/default/SENADORES_POR_DISTRITO_Guayama_VI.xml |date=2024-12-30 }} on CEEPUR

The {{lang|es|municipio}} has an official flag and coat of arms.{{cite web | title=Ley Núm. 70 de 2006 -Ley para disponer la oficialidad de la bandera y el escudo de los setenta y ocho (78) municipios. | website=LexJuris de Puerto Rico | url=https://www.lexjuris.com/LEXLEX/Leyes2006/lexl2006070.htm | language=es | access-date=2021-06-15}}

Four horizontal, unequal stripes in width, that from top to bottom have the following order: green, white, green and yellow. In the immediate side to the flagstaff, in the superior stripe, appears, in white color, the star of the shield.{{cite web | title=VILLALBA | website=LexJuris (Leyes y Jurisprudencia) de Puerto Rico | date=19 February 2020 | url=http://www.lexjuris.com/pueblos/pueblos_files/VILLALBA.HTML | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219001612/http://www.lexjuris.com/pueblos/pueblos_files/VILLALBA.HTML | archive-date=19 February 2020 | url-status=live | language=es | access-date=17 September 2020}}

On a green background, representing land, a 19th-century villa, reflected by six homes and a church in silver and red, the church is adorned with the shield of Carmelites, and a white star prominently displays and shines over the villa. Around its border are five fig leaves. Atop are three golden towers.

File:Highways in Puerto Rico by 1927.jpg|right]]File:Highways in Puerto Rico by 1918.jpg

In 1918, Villalba was not yet connected to neighboring towns or municipalities. By 1927, Villalba was connected to Juana Díaz, and other neighboring municipalities with Puerto Rico Highway 149.

There are 23 bridges in Villalba.{{cite web|title=Villalba Bridges|url=http://bridgereports.com/pr/villalba/|website=National Bridge Inventory Data|publisher=US Dept. of Transportation|access-date=19 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220181342/http://bridgereports.com/pr/villalba/|archive-date=20 February 2019|url-status=live}}

• Villalba School District (Puerto Rico Department of Education)
• Puerto Rico Criminal Justice College- Villalba Campus (Puerto Rico Police Academy)

Lago Toa Vaca en Villalba, Puerto Rico.jpg|Lake Toa Vaca in Villalba

{{Portal|Puerto Rico|Geography}}

• List of Puerto Ricans
• History of Puerto Rico
• Did you know-Puerto Rico?

{{Reflist}}

• [https://welcome.topuertorico.org/city/villalba.shtml Welcome to Puerto Rico! Villalba]

{{Adjacent communities

|Centre = Villalba

|North = Orocovis

|Northeast =

|East = Coamo

|Southeast =

|South =

|Southwest = Juana Díaz

|West =

|Northwest =

}}

{{Porta Caribe}}

{{Puerto Rico subdivisions}}

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{{Authority control}}

Category:Municipalities of Puerto Rico

Category:Populated places established in 1917

Category:Ponce metropolitan area

Category:Energy in Puerto Rico