sea and the roadside, houses are overcrowded. For its expansion, it has to reclaim a generous portion of the sea nearby. Malinta The name "Malinta" originated from the root word "Linta" which means leech – a small (about one inch in length and ¼ inch in width) blood-sucking worm that inhabit the dark but warm forest corridor. When engorged with blood, the worm swells to about two inches in length and a half inch in width. "Malinta" literally means the place where linta/leeches are plentiful. This must have started in the later part of the 1800s when Malinta was still forested. A highland barangay, Malinta is a growing community with 500 households according to the latest Census. During saudan or tiangge (marketdays) Malinta is a center of trade for various goods such as farm products, livestock, fish and assorted commercial commodities. It is a meeting place for minor entrepreneurs and farmers. Juan Villamor was the first Teniente del Barrio of Malinta. Mapiña Mapiña may have gotten its name from the piña or pineapple grove planted in the area. Mapiña means the place where pineapple is plentiful. Maingaran Maingaran probably came about in the 1930s when Pio V. Corpuz was a Congressman for Masbate. His residential house was built one hundred meters away from the road. In order to inform his visitors, the name "Don Pio V. Corpuz" was printed and placed right at the roadside. Since then, the people refer to the place "May ngaran" which literally means – the site where the name was printed. May Ngaran eventually evolved into Maingaran. The sitios of Maingaran are Calpi, Buyog, Pukdol, Bagalihog, Daan-Lungsod, and Panangdangan. The original families were: Julian Casadangan, Antonio Malunes, Lorenzo Malunes, Jorge Malunes, Lutz Radaza, Leoncio Cabatingan, Isidro Villaraiz, Macario Cristobal, Juan Dioquino, Antonio Fernandez, and Gregorio Sampaga. Nursery Barangay Nursery, was the original name of the place. Sometime in the 1950s, the area was occupied by the Masbate Provincial Nursery under Mr. Romeo Escuadra, Provincial Agriculturist. In the course of time, at the periphery of Nursery, the population grew. In 1973, the place was renamed "Acacia", but like "Balo" the name was not popular. The residents continued to call their place Nursery. So Nursery remains as the official name of the barangay. Pating Barangay Pating, formerly called "Ubos" elected Natividad Cervantes whose alias was "Pating", the first Barangay Chairman of the said barangay. Pawa Pawa is