Katagman Festival in
Oton is designed to inspire, excite and inform Ilonggos and help them make a
personal connection with the past and with the community. This year, the municipal
government is proud to offer interesting and relevant programs and events that
enrich the lives of Ogtonganons and offer every Ilonggos a unique perspective –
and a great time.
The scenic and
peaceful countryside of Oton is transformed into one of the most festive towns
with so much amazing entertainment for all the family. With the theme, “Ogtong
sang Una, Karon kag sa Palaabuton: Maskara nga Bulawan Amligan, Ipasundayag
Padulong sa Kauswagan,”the very friendly municipality of Oton will celebrate
its 442nd Foundation Day Celebration and its 13th
Katagman Festival with series of special events that will open on April 28
(Monday) with a Mass, Parade, Opening of Agri Fair, Garden Show and OTOP Fair in
the morning and the Search for Hiyas Sang Katagman at 7 p.m.; April 29
(Tuesday) FITS Day, Laro ng Lahi in the morning and the Search for Ginoong
Erpat and Ginang Ermat at 6:30 p.m.; April 30 (Wednesday) Borador sa Katagman
at 7 a.m. in Barangay Trapiche, Lampirong Diving Contest at 7 a.m. at the
Municipal Fishport and the Awarding of Outstanding Ogtonganons and Young
Achievers at 7 p.m.; May 1 (Thursday) Iloilo-Batiano Eco Walk at 5:30 a.m. (will
take-off at Oton Plaza), On-the-Spot Painting Contest at 8 a.m. at the Heritage
Lagoon, and Zumbra I (Tatoo/ Motorshow/ Rap and Band Performances) at 1 p.m. at
the Multi-purpose Gymnasium, Katagman Street Dancing Competition at 3 p.m., Katagman
Dance-Drama presentation at 6 p.m.; May 2 (Friday) Porma Balas at 7:30 a.m. at
the Municipal Fishport, Motorboat Race/ Baroto Race at 7:30 a.m. at the
Municipal Fishport, Awarding of Fishing Tournament, Lampirong Shelling and
Eating Contest at 7:30 a.m. at the Municipal Fishport; May 3 (Saturday) 442nd
Foundation Day Mass at 2 p.m.
It is believed that
the present name of the town, Oton, is a Hispanized version of the phrase “Ogtong Adlaw” which means noontime.
According to the story, the native gave this phrase when they were asked by
Spanish exporters as to the time of the day. Many people up to now still refer
to the town as Ogtong.
The Spanish conquest
of Iloilo started in 1566 in Ogtong.
Spanish authorities, led by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, approached the natives in
the area with an entirely different attitude. Spain’s strong sense of supremacy
which is common with other Spanish colonies is that the church and the state
are inseparable when carrying out Spanish objectives. The Church took care of
spiritual matters. Led by Fr. Martin de Rada of the Agustinian Order, Spanish
authorities evangelized and converted the local inhabitants from their primal
religion to Roman Catholicism. They also made Ogtong as their hiding fort until
1569. It was in 1572 when Ogtong became the seat of Spanish government and of
Christianity. The State took care of temporal matters as civil administration
built upon the traditional village organization and used traditional local
leaders to rule indirectly for Spain.
However, long before
Spanish conquest, Ogtong was said to have been an advanced society where the natives
enjoy substantial wealth from trading with people from the east. Regular trade
and cultural contacts already existed as written records reveal that Chinese
and Southeast Asian ceramics were found in the area. It is said that somewhere
near the present Batiano Bridge was once one of the five ancient major Malay
ports in Iloilo.
In the 1960s
anthropologists Alfredo Evangelista and F. Landa Jocano excavated an open pit burial
in Barangay San Antonio and found a death mask made of very thin gold with one
piece used to cover the eye and the other piece placed on the nose. Pre-Spanish
ceramic trade wares had also been retrieved.
Katagman Festival
recognizes the historical significance of the golden mask to the community. It
supports the values of Oton’s history set up to promote the understanding,
importance and enjoyment of its past to the widest possible audience of all ages.
Oton is a First
Class municipality. Approximately 10.2 kilometers away from Iloilo City, the
town is bordered in the east by the district of Arevalo in Iloilo City; west by
the municipality of Tigbauan: north by San Miguel; and the southern portion by
a stretch of shoreline of the Sulu Sea. Made up of 37 barangays, the town has a
total land area of 8,456 hectares. For more information, please contact Mrs.
Irene Otero – Municipal Tourism Officer at (033) 3351014.
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