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Marble Central
Of Panay
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Antique is one of the provinces comprising the
island of Panay in Western Visayas. It has a
total land area of approximately 2,522 sq. km.
It is bounded on the north and northeast by
Aklan, on the east by Capiz, and on the
southwest by Iloilo. On the west is the Cuyo
East Pass of the Sulu Sea, part of the vast
China Sea. Eighteen municipalities make up the
province: fourteen along the coast, three
inland, and one on six islets. Coastal towns
are Anini-y, Tobias Fornier, Hamtic, San Jose
de Buenavista, Belison, Patnongon, Bugasong,
Laua-an, Barbaza, Tibiao, Culasi, Sebaste,
Pandan, and Libertad. The inland towns are
Sibalom, San Remigio, and Valderrama.
HISTORY
Historians have it that 10 Bornean datus
headed by Datu Puti, along with their
followers, left Borneo to escape persecution
by the rajah of the House of Sri-Vijaya and
landed in the island of Panay, then ruled by
the Ati king, Marikudo. After some haggling,
they succeeded in buying the island from the
Ati chieftain for one gold sadok and a gold
necklace for his wife. This enabled one of the
datus, Datu Sumakwel, to establish a permanent
settlement in what is now Malandog in the
municipality of Hamtic - the name was taken
after a specie of a large ant called
hantic-hantic, which abounds in the place.
Eventually, the settlers occupied the coastal
parts of the island while the natives took to
the hinterlands. The datus sliced the island
into political units, called sakop, namely
Hantic (Antique), Aklan, and Irong-Irong
(Iloilo). Datu Puti, Bangkaya, and Paiburong
headed these sakops but the entire island
continued to be called Hantic under the
supreme command of Datu Sumakwel.
Antique was later on officially recognized as
a separate political and military province
with Antique (San Jose) as the capital town.
The institution of American authority over the
island and the restoration of peace and order
in Panay led to the formation of a civil
government on April 13, 1901. During the
Japanese occupation, Mt. Baloy (elevation
2,080m), which straddles part of Antique, was
the headquarters of the 6th Military District
under Col. Macario Peralta. The other two
peaks of Panay, Mt. Madia-as (elevation
1,117m) and Mt. Nangtud (elevation 1,900m),
are found in the province of Antique.
GEOGRAPHY
Profiled like a seahorse, Antique is an
oversized serrated hemline on the western
border of the three-cornered scarf-like land
mass that is Panay. It lies between the China
Sea to the west and a tall mountain range, 155
kilometers long and 33 kilometers at its
widest, to the east, separating it from the
rest of Panay.
POLITICAL SUBDIVISION
The province is composed of 18 municipalities,
3 of which are inland, 14 coastal and 1 island
municipality. Antique was classified as a 2nd
class province as of January, 2002.
POPULATION
Per 2000 NCSO Survey, population is placed at
472,822 of which 50.57% are males and 49.43%
females.
LANGUAGE/DIALECT
Antiqueños speak Hiniray-a with Indo-Malayan
origin. English is widely spoken and
understood.
CLIMATE
Antique has a pleasant tropical climate.
INDUSTRIES
Major products shipped out of the province are
palay, rice, copra, muscovado sugar, legumes,
fruits and vegetables, livestock, fish and
fish preparations, and seaweeds. Manufactured
items like native gifts, toys, and housewares
have found their way in major cities of the
country and abroad. Principal mined products
exported include coal, marble, silica, copper,
and gemstone.
How to Get There
By Air
Asian Spirit offers direct flights from Manila
to San Jose, Antique every Monday. Wednesday,
and Friday.
By Land
Antique is accessible by land transport to and
from Iloilo, Aklan, and Capiz. San Jose, the
capital town, is a 1 ½ hour drive from Iloilo
City. Tricycles are numerous in town. Buses
and jeepneys provide service for intertown
travel. Car rental services are available with
rates depending on the type of vehicle used
and distance traveled.
By Sea
By boat, Antique is 16 hours from Manila. It
leaves Manila to Lipata Port, Culasi, Antique
every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. |
