mybeautifulILOILO: Living History in Old Town Tigbauan

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Living History in Old Town Tigbauan

TIGBAUAN, Iloilo offers a relaxing, carefree getaway with exciting attractions from beaches, heritage areas, fun events and fantastic local produce. It is magnet for local tourists. Preserved landmarks from one of Iloilo's earliest town sites still stand in this place. This picturesque town is looking forward to welcoming you with warm hospitality and exciting attractions and activities.

photo by Jose de Luna

St. John of Sahagun Parish was constructed using forced labor under Fray Florencio Martin in 1867. The beautiful baroque façade in rococo finish allows visitors a glimpse of the community’s intense spirituality. It had survived the ravages of World War II and the great earthquake in 1948. Presently, its intricately designed mosaic foretelling the visions of Heaven and Dante’s Inferno and the Way of the Cross is another site to behold. FIRST JESUIT SCHOOL FOR BOYS IN THE PHILIPPINES MARKER is found at the church courtyard. It was established in 1592 by Father Pedro Chirino. It was said that the boys, aside from being choir singers and servers during masses, were also taught how to read and write in Spanish.

SEAFDEC or South East Asian Fishery Development Center in Barangay Buyu-an was established in 1967. It is an inter-governmental organization that promotes sustainable fisheries development in the region.This 40-hectare complex includes various research laboratories, hatcheries, and brood stock tanks and caters to the information and technical services on bangus and prawn culture, with complete amenities and facilities thru their physical plant and sub-stations.The company also conducts research, develop technologies, disseminate information, and train people in the farming of fishes, crustaceans, mollusks, and seaweeds for food, livelihood, equity, and sustainable development.

photo by Vincent Angelo Gefes

Sol Y Mar Family Beach Resort in Barangay Namocon is truly a great escape from the busy schedule of city life. It is s a family-owned business with a unique cluster of beach amenities such as rooms for overnight stay, picnic sheds, pavilion, air-conditioned conference room, fitness club and a pool. It also has a restaurant where much of the food is grilled over charcoal and served on a traditional bamboo plate lined with banana leaf. The resort also offers special package rates for weddings, receptions, debuts, family reunion, full moon party, corporate outing or team building, baptism, anniversary, beach dinner and camping. This resort is not to be missed as it embraces the playground of the tanned and in high spirits. You can come and use the beach for a P30.00 per person for adults and P20.00 for children. For more information, please contact Mr. Boy Zayco at 09198914555.

photo by Vincent Angelo Gefes

Bearland Paradise Resort in Barangay Tan Pael is one of Iloilo’s luxury-type accommodations. It is equipped with outstanding facilities and a number of rooms to ensure exclusivity and privacy in every cabanas. Your very own private balcony awaits you too. It also has two sophisticated pools, for kids and for adults. And for those who wanted to have more fun under the sun, try their bamboo rafts designed for relaxation and comfort. It has beach cottages in native woods, rattan and bamboo to reflect the Ilonggo culture. It can accommodate intimate group gatherings for those who would want to commune with the beach. The resort has two beach rafts that can accommodate a group of ten. For more information please contact (033) 333-0748 or at 09174698512 and 0918629 7840 or visit their website at www.bearlandresort.com, facebook.com/bearlandresort admin@bearlandresort.com.

Saludan FestivaL is annually celebrated in October. Salud, a Hiligaynon term used for the crude method of threshing rice, catching fingerlings through nets or the process of extracting out juice from a coconut tree, is the main theme of the celebration. The community erupts into a riot of colors as it showcases the town’s distinct traditional activity celebrated through dance and music. The festivity explores Tigbauanons’ passion for fishing, farming and coconut wine production. At this time, the community celebrates their great merit and prosperity.

BANANA CHIPS manufactured by Pinaka-MMT (Matinong, Mainuswagon nga Tigbauan) in Barangay Taro is a livelihood development project focused on women-organized micro-enterprises supported the municipal government. The banana industry of the town through this barangay is a very important source of income and employment for the community. The community manufactures banana chips, banana loaf, banana fries, banana marble and banana muffin.

Tigbauan is situated 22.5 kilometers south from the city. It is comprised of 52 barangays over its 6,062 hectare land area. The town is bordered in the northwest by Leon; the northeast by San Miguel; east by Oton; west by Guimbal and the Iloilo Strait in the south. For more information, please contact Mr. Kenny Arias – Municipal Tourism Officer at 09298059714.

4 comments:

UnknownMay 24, 2013 at 7:46 AM
try leaving in Parara sur, tigbauan. A dream house fit for your family..a 200sqm floor area and 2609sqm lot area. If you are looking for a cozy, peaceful and relaxing place to live with your lovely family.. Here it is.. This dream house has a wide frontyard and a spacious backyard to grow vegetables and fruit trees.. Owning a poultry farm is recommendable.. The frontyard has a wide parking space too.. The house has two bedrooms and a huge masters bedroom..The living room and dining area can be a great palce for hosting parties.. There are large windows where fresh air can go through freely.. A very nice kitchen and a room for storage and of course a laundry area.. You can also raise pets that can run freely across the lawn..The fun part is the overlooking a gorgeous hills.. Plus a small sari sari store where business is good..Feel free to contact us anytime..smart number # 09297724590 4.2 million still negotiable…
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weirdjttMay 25, 2013 at 2:50 AM
sana, hindi na lang pina-alter ng yumaong Mayor Jaime Torres ang bubungan ng St. John of Sahagun Parish; tatlu-tatlo na ang kampanaryo tapos ang init ng singaw ng konkreto sa plasa lalo na tuwing summer kasi konti mga halaman at puno. meron pa po bang naghahablon sa Tigbauan? o baka, laging busy ang ilang tao sa pagma-mahjong?
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ILOILO: the Heart of the Philippines

Known as the heart of the Philippines, Iloilo stands at the crossroads of the orient and the developed Western world. Iloilo prides itself as the center of education, trade, commerce and tourism in the region. It occupies the southern and northeastern portion of Panay Island; to the north of it is the bountiful province of Capiz and the Jintotolo Channel; Guimaras Strait washes its southern shores; to the eastern side are the calm waters of Panay Gulf and Iloilo Strait; and the progressive province of Antique is its western neighbor. It lies in the midst of both; air and sea traffic.

Stretching 4,663 square kilometers, Iloilo is composed of 42 municipalities and a component city. It is sub-divided into five (5) congressional districts with topography varying from flat lands and rolling hills to mountain peaks and ranges, and roll down into flat plains towards the coastal towns. Iloilo City; the vibrant provincial capital, is a booming financial center.

It has a population of 2,110,588 Ilonggos (2007 NSO survey) for both province and city combined.

Hiligaynon is its local dialect. Filipino is the national language. English, the business language, is spoken widely.

Buses, jeepneys, public utility vans (PUV’s) ply the province while taxis and jeepneys ply the city’s well-developed system of road network. Fares are fixed except for taxicabs which have metered fare.

HISTORY

Iloilo is a junction over which Malay, Spanish, Chinese, American cultures met in the course of centuries. It has a colorful history that stretches back to a rich pre-colonial culture. According to oral tradition, 10 Datus from the kingdom of Bornay (now Borneo), escaped from the wrath of an oppressive regime of Sultan Makatunao in 1225 A.D. Finding a place where they can live in peace and harmony, the 10 Datus or chieftains namely Datu Puti (the leader), Datu Bangkaya, Datu Dumalugdog, Datu Sumakwel, Datu Lubay, Datu Paiburong, Datu Dumangsil, Datu Balensusa, Datu Paduhinog and Datu Dumangsol, along with their followers boarded on their balangays (vintas or boats) without knowing where to go, sailed across the Sulu Sea on their quest for the Promise Land. The group skirted to the southern tip of the island of Panay, towards the Siwaragan River in San Joaquin and proceeded to navigate inward to Andona creek just within the settlement of Sinugbuhan.

It was said that when Datu Puti along with his men landed in Sinugbuhan, they met an aeta who at that time was fishing along the riverbank. Through him the datus learned about Marikudo, his people and his territory. And through this fisherman, they sought an audience with the aeta chieftain. They sat down with the natives, negotiated and agreed to purchase the lowlands of Panay for their abode. According to the folk legend, they purchased the island from the Negritos led by their chieftain Marikudo and his wife Maniwantiwan, for a golden sadok or salakot (hat) and a manangyad (long golden necklace) that was said to have touched the ground. The datus then settled in the coastal areas of the island, while the natives agreed to live in the mountains and hinterlands.

Modern history of Iloilo began in 1566 when the Spaniards under Legaspi, established their first settlement in Oton. Christian doctrine was propagated, with the church as their house of worship and where Ilonggos acquired their first education. Spaniards under Miguel Lopez de Legaspi came to Panay and established a settlement in Ogtong (Oton) and later moved to La Villa de Arevalo (Arevalo) as the seat of Spanish power in 1581 with Gonzalo Ronquillo as deputy encomiendero. Because of rampant Moro attacks, the Spaniards moved to a village close to the mouth of the river. Irong-Irong or Ilong-Ilong, the name shortened to “Iloilo” later became the capital of the province.

With its rapid economic growth, the port of Iloilo opened to world trade in 1855 and soon became the center of commerce and trade in the whole Visayas and Mindanao. It was in 1890 under Becera Law of 1899, the Ayuntamiento of Iloilo (City Government) was established by virtue of a Royal Decree of 1896 and was given the honor of having a Coat of Arms with the Inscription: “La Muy Leal Y Noble Ciudad de Iloilo.”

Iloilo City is made up of many small neighborhoods, full of old-world character, linked by narrow, winding streets. Students, foreigners and artists thrive in this area, attracted by its sense of history and cosmopolitan feel along with its trendy bars and good restaurants.

Peaceful climate, dynamism of the local economy, a better quality of life, rich pool of skilled workforce, and excellent accessibility and linkages are factors that help maintained Iloilo’s competitive position among other provinces in attracting investments and penetrating new markets for its products.

Iloilo is place of perfect balance. It is fast-paced yet relaxed. It offers more than the usual; culture and arts, destinations, cuisine, people. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you will always enjoy the warmest and friendliest welcome in the heart of the Philippines.

HOW TO GET TO ILOILO

One can travel from other parts of the country in style through NAIA in Manila as its premier gateway. Major airlines have roundtrip flights that take about an hour. The new Iloilo Airport located in Cabatuan is built in a wider and panoramic place with state-of-the-art computerized facilities. It is 18 kilometers from the city and is accessible by van, jeepney and taxi. The city is the province’s port of entry for sea transport. Considered the third largest port in the country after Manila and Cebu, it is just five (5) minutes away from the city’s main commercial district. Shipping lines have regular trips taking about 20 hours, 12 times weekly; 14 hours boat trip from Zamboanga or Cagayan twice a week; daily 12- hour trip to Cebu. Fastcrafts from Bacolod City take 50 minutes. A relatively short trip and you are magically transported to a totally different environment. If ever a place could truly be called a melting pot of people and cultures, Iloilo is it.

Iloilo's FIRSTS

Perhaps, no other province in the Philippines has a record of so many FIRSTS as the province of Iloilo. The following list is by no means complete:

According to Maragtas Legend, Iloilo is site of the Malayan landing in the Philippines;

The first school for boys in the Philippines was founded in Tigbauan by Jesuit priest and historian, Pedro Chirino in 1592;

The first place to put up a Christian church in the Philippines was Jalaud (Dumangas) in what is now the barangay of Ermita, in 1566;

Iloilo is the first city outside Manila to have a foreign business house, the Loney & Co. and the first foreign vice-consul;

The first province to export sugar to Australia;

The only province to have two cities during the Spanish time: Iloilo City, chartered in 1890, and Jaro in 1891;

The biggest province in the Philippines in population, income and economic production during the 19^th century;

The best and biggest producer of textile during the Spanish era;

The FIRST golf course in the Philippines, Sta. Barbara Golf and Country Club in Sta. Barbara, 1907;

The FIRST department store in the country, Hoskyn & Co., established in 1877;

The FIRST commercial airline in the country was the Iloilo Negros Air Express Co. (INAEC);

The FIRST Philippine airline established after World War II was organized by Ilonggos, the FEATI;

The FIRST Provincial High School in the Philippines, the Iloilo National High School;

The FIRST Elementary School established under the Americans, Baluarte Elemenetary School in Molo;

The FIRST protestant barrio in the country, Calvario in Janiuay;

The FIRST Baptist Church in the Philippines, Jaro Evangelical Church;

The FIRST luxury liner in the Philippines, S/S Don Esteban of the De la Rama Line;

The FIRST city to have double-decked buses in the country;

The FIRST concrete road in the country, from Forbes Bridge to Jaro Plaza;

The FIRST city to have a car assembly plant, Taller Visayas de Strachan & McMurray. The car assembled was the “Deiler” in the 1920’s;

The FIRST province to produce many millionaires and the first city to have a millionaire’s row;

The FIRST Filipino to launch the propaganda movement in Spain, Graciano Lopez Jaena of Jaro also known as the greatest orator the Philippines’ ever produced;

The ONLY Filipino nominated to the Supreme Court of Cuba, Raymundo Melliza;

The FIRST Filipino to fly a passenger airplane, Jose Tinsay in 1925;

The FIRST doctor of laws from Oxford University, Melquiades Gamboa;

The FIRST doctor of philosophy in Political Science, Victorino Diamonon;

The FIRST Filipino doctor of Education, Pedro E. Y Rio;

The FIRST Filipino woman doctor of Philosophy in Engineering, Josette Garcia Portigo;

The FIRST Filipino doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology F. Landa Jocano;

The FIRST Filipino to win the Congressional Medal of Honor during the WWII, Captain Jose Calugas of Leon;

The FIRST Filipino soldier in the American Army to win medals of Heroism and Courage from the governments of United States, Belgium and France during the WWII, Sgt. Ramon Subejano of New Lucena;

The FIRST Filipino girl to be called the fastest woman in Asia, Inocencia Solis of New Lucena;

The FIRST most-be-medaled Filipino girl swimmer, Nancy Deano of Dingle;

The FIRST Filipino International Chess Grandmaster, Eugene Torre of Lapaz;

The FIRST guerilla unit to contact Gen. Douglas MacArthur and President Quezon by radio during World War II;

The FIRST Filipino lady to win a cultural heritage award, Magdalena Jalandoni of Jaro;

The FIRST Filipino feminist, Pura Villanueva Kalaw;

The FIRST modern custom house in the country;

The FIRST government constructed museum building in the Philippines, Museo Iloilo;

The FIRST successful compact farm in the country, Tagsing Buyo, Sta. Barbara;

The ONLY province to have an anti-biotic drug named after it, Ilozone and Ilotycin which are brands of erythromycin, a wonder drug developed from a soil sample from Iloilo;

The FIRST province to be declared a model in development planning by NEC/ USAID;

The number one food-producing province of the Philippines today;

The FIRST and ONLY town in the Philippines to produce four justices of the Supreme Court, seven senators, seven governors, and seven Cabinet Members;

The site of the FIRST International Research Center in the fishing industry in the country, SEAFDEC in Tigbauan;

The BIGGEST public school division in the country is the Division of Iloilo;

The FIRST city that initiated a free education program is the elementary schools by eliminating the matriculation fees and providing free school supplies and the elimination of tuition fees in public secondary schools.

REFERENCES

IIoilo’s FIRST, The Visayan Tribune, January 31, 1977;

Iloilo’s Artistic Cemeteries, Sumagaysay, Joy R., Iloilo Preview, Vol. 4, 2008;

Pasana-aw: Vignettes on Bisayan History and Culture, Funtecha, Henry F., Vol. 1, 2004;

mybeautifulILOILO

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Living History in Old Town Tigbauan

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