Oton: An Everyday Getaway Destination

photo by Jun Fuerte

OTON, Iloilo is an eclectic mixture of waterfront local shops, restaurants and resorts to provide for the desires and comfort of its visitors. There are all the services and amenities like that of an urban area without the crowds, bustle and impatience. The community typifies the charm and variety of activities to be found in the area.

photo by Bombette G. Marin

The Sheridan Boutique Resort is Iloilo’s newest resort destination. It is a cozy boutique Resort hidden away in the secluded barangay of Buray. It has a restaurant, the Ayanna Garden that opens daily at 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. and at 6 p.m. till 10 p.m. One can also swim in comfort and style to its soothing Azure Infinity Pool that opens from 9 a.m. till 10 p.m.,a garden pavilion at Wilfredo’s that can accommodate 300-350 persons.And for those who wish to stay overnight are 10-appointed two-bedroom suites.The boutique resort is just a few meters away from the alternate route on the right side of the road before reaching the Batiano Bridge.For more information, log on to their website: inquiry@sheridanboutiqueresort.com or send email: wilfredosgarden@yahoo.com.ph or call the resort at 09173077642.

photo by Vincent Angelo Gefes

Anhawan Beach Resort J.C. Zuleta St., Poblacion South is a privately owned beach resort with six hectares of land and 450 meters of beach front. It is one of the more popular resorts in Iloilo to spend your vacation and celebrate a special occasion. From a simple family gathering to a grand celebration, the resort takes pride of its facilities and services offered: a raft, restaurant, swimming pool, cabanas, pavilion rental, camping site, beach sports activities, jet ski, kayak, big raft restaurant, banana boat, beach football, speed boat, volley ball, and many more. For more information, please call (033) 3358949.

SANDIYA Festival is annually celebrated every 1^st week of December with activities for everyone to enjoy such as watermelon carving competition; the pinaka (biggest and heaviest watermelon); watermelon relay and watermelon eating contest. Everyone also gets to have a complimentary slice of watermelons during the festivity where slices of watermelons are placed around Oton Amphitheater Green.The municipal government, the Oton Watermelon Grower’s Association (OWGA) and East-West Seed Company Incorporated organizes this fun-filled celebration in order to increase consumer demand for fresh watermelon through promotion, research, and educational programs.

KATAGMAN Festival is annually celebrated every last week of April till the 1st week of May. It is where history and archaeology combined dramatizes the richness of Oton’s culture. The town takes pride of being the gateway of Christianity, along with Cebu and Manila, since it was also the focus of Spanish colonial domination. These beliefs gave meaning to the celebration of Katagman Festival. Katagman was the old name of Oton under the leadership of Datu Paiburong long before the Spaniards came.

photo by Bombette G. Marin

WEAVING in Barangays Salngan, Cagbang and Lambuyao’sis a livelihood program where the ancient craft of hand-weaving, along with hand-spinning, remains a popular craft in these barangays up to this day. It is one of the most important crafts handed down from generation, and their indigenous fabrics of hablon and patadyong are admired for their sheer beauty, uniqueness and global appeal. Oton’s flourishing weaving industry is one of the traditional industries literally woven around its histories and culture. However, production slowed down at some point in time because of better quality textiles came into market. Today, hablon and patadyong, a once traditional material, is being revived into a contemporary textile that holds endless opportunities for exciting applications.

photo by Bombette G. Marin

NANG PALANG’S Buco Pie in Barangay Trapiche is owned and operated by Mrs. Elena Tingson.  The enterprise started in 1972 as a small business in the locality. The enterprise was solely considered as an ordinary household undertaking meant to augment the family income. But as it were, improvements and innovations were continuously made on the product by its owner. By word-of-mouth, the product became known not only in the Ilonggo community, but also, to friends, acquaintances and relatives in places all over the country.Preparations starts daily at 2 in the afternoon till 11 in the evening. A number of 300 boxes of buco pies are consumed daily. Shelf life of the pie is up to a week if refrigerated and only 3 days if not. Presently, Nang Palang is also in to making processed foods and delicacies . For more information and orders, please call (033) 3360954 or at 09398046202.

Oton is a first class municipality in the province of Iloilo. It is politically subdivided into 37 barangays and is 11 kilometers south from the city. Many people believe that Oton is a Hispanized version of the phrase “ogtongadlaw”, which means noontime. According to the story, the native gave this phrase when they were asked by the Spanish exporters as to the time of the day. Many people still refer to the town as Ogtong. The town was the first settlement established in Panay during the Spanish period which later became the seat of the Alcadia de Panay from 1572 to 1581.

Your perfect family getaway awaits you in Oton. Play on its beaches. Spend your family vacation in luxurious rooms and suites. Enjoy a whole array of incredibly exciting and fun activities for kids of every age. For more information, please contact Mrs. Irene Otero -Municipal Tourism Officer at 09173954321.