Barbaza, Antique
Encyclopedia
Barbaza is a 4th class municipality in the province of Antique
Antique province
Antique is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is San Jose and is located at the western portion of Panay Island, bordering Aklan, Capiz, and Iloilo to the east. Antique faces the Sulu Sea to the west....

, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

.

Located at the central part of the province of Antique, the municipality of Barbaza is 61.30 km. away from the provincial capital. It is composed of 22 upland and l7 lowland barangays where upland area accounts for 88.43% of the total land area of 13,875 hectares. As of August 1, 2007, the total population is 20,709 and 11,798 registered voters (as of 2009). Annual growth rate is1.44%; population density is 1.34 persons/hectare.

Barbaza is a 4th Class municipality (classified as partially urban by the National Statistical Coordination Board) in the province of Antique, Region VI (Western Visayas). Major sources of income of the people are derived from agricultural endeavors, fishing, trade and commerce, employment and remittances from abroad. About 94% of the total population have access to potable water. Five health centers serve 39 barangays. There is a 10 bed capacity government hospital manned by 27 health personnel.

Transportation services are generally provided by tricycles, jeepneys, vans and buses. There are also buses available everyday going back and forth to Manila that pass by Barbaza called the ROLL ON ROLL OFF nautical highway project of PGMA.

The town telephone system is operated by GLOBELINES and GLOBE and SMART company have their respective cell site too in Barbaza. Cable station is operated by Barbaza Multi-purpose Cooperative serving five towns and is now accepting money transfer via WESTERN UNION.

Year Founded : 1596

Land Area : 13,834 Hectares

Classification : 4th Class Municipality

Zip Code : 5706

No. of Barangays : 39 Barangays

Historical Background

Long after the discovery of the Philippines by the Spaniards led by Ferdinand Magellan on March 16, 1521, there was already an established settlement in a place presumably now Barangay Esparar. In the later years however, the Moros from Palawan and Mindoro started coming to raid and plunder the inhabitants and oftentimes abducted beautiful maidens and men to be made slaves. Because of fear, the inhabitants moved to a much safer place, in a narrow strip of land just at the foot of Mt. Dumangsal. The site of the new settlement up to this day is called Igtara, but the population rapidly increased.So, when the Moros stopped coming, they decided to move down to a much wider plain. The settlement started to flourish and later a church and a town hall were built out of bamboos and cogon grass. Today, it is where Barangay Binanu-an now stands. Binanu-an means “Ginbanwahan or Binanwahan”.

It is to be remembered then, that the formation of a formal government which was headed either by a Teniente or a Captain, started at Binanu-an. The settlement in Binanu-an lasted so long until sometime in the 17th century when the inhabitants, again, found a much better place to live in because it is nearer to the sea which yields fish in abundance. So, they decided to transfer from Binanu-an to the seashore by the bank of the once deep river called Nalupa. The new settlement was named Nalupa Nuevo. Permanent structures like a church and a Municipal Hall was built. The people lived in abundance and progress and the way of life of the people was enviable.

Unfortunately, sometime in the 18th century the settlement suffered another drawback. Dalanas river, one of the biggest and the swiftest rivers of Antique, used to overflow its bank during heavy rains causing havoc and destruction to properties and lives of the people. Alarmed by the situation affecting the settlement at Nalupa Nuevo, the Parish Priest being so influential received an order from Spanish Governor named Enrique Barboza to transfer the people to another site called Otngol which was at that time, a part of what is now the town of Laua-an.

It should be recalled that during the transfer of the settlement from Nalupa, to Otngol the Municipal Government was already run by a Capitan. The first Capitan was Tan Julian Flores. He was later succeeded by Tan Roman Francisco, then by Capitan Austiniano Ogatis-Barrientos. Tan Austiniano Ogatis-Barrientos was a big man with a loud harsh voice and with his “anting-anting” could drive back “Pulahans” (outlaws, so named because they wear red clothes) to their mountain lairs whenever they come down to town. It was during his administration sometime in 1886 when he worked out for the separation of the town from the Municipality of Laua-an. The town's name was changed to Barboza in honor of Spanish Governor Enrique Barboza of Antique. The spelling was later changed to Barbaza because of the difficulty in pronouncing the former name. To this day the town is officially named the Municipality of Barbaza.

Founded the Second World War under the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese Imperial forces was occupied and entered the town of Barbaza on 1942. The liberation by the Philippine Commonwealth troops under the 6th and 62nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army in the town of Barbaza, Antique and defeated and attacking Japanese Imperial forces on 1945.

Barangays

Barbaza is politically subdivided into 39 barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...

s.
  • Baghari
  • Bahuyan
  • Beri
  • Biga-a
  • Binangbang
  • Binangbang Centro
  • Binanu-an
  • Cadiao
  • Calapadan
  • Capoyuan
  • Cubay
  • Esparar
  • Gua
  • Idao
  • Igpalge
  • Igtunarum
  • Embrangga-an
  • Integasan
  • Ipil
  • Jinalinan
  • Lanas
  • Langcaon (Evelio Javier)
  • Lisub
  • Lombuyan
  • Mablad
  • Magtulis
  • Marigne
  • Mayabay
  • Mayos
  • Nalusdan
  • Narirong
  • Palma
  • Poblacion
  • San Antonio
  • San Ramon
  • Soligao
  • Tabongtabong
  • Tig-Alaran
  • Yapo
  • Palma

  • Tourist Attractions

    The Batabat and Punta Coral Reefs - Features spectacular diversities of tropical fishes and distinct coral formations in vibrant colors.
    Mt. Nangtud- Considered the highest peak in Panay island.
    Camp Eupre Forest and Orchard Resort
    Macalbag Waterfalls - 50-ft waterfalls with unchartered caves.
    Barbaza Catholic Church - Considered as the most modernly designed church in the province of Antique.

    Festival and Fiesta

    Barbaza celebrates the annual Batabat Festival, held every 3rd week of March.

    The feast of Saint Anthony of Padua celebrated every 12th of June.

    External links

    The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
     
    x
    OK