Antique (province)


Antique, officially the Province of Antique, is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital and most populous town is San Jose de Buenavista. The province is situated in the western section of Panay Island and borders Aklan, Capiz, and Iloilo to the east, while facing the Sulu Sea to the west.
The province is home to the indigenous Iraynun-Bukidnon, speakers of a dialect of the Kinaray-a language, who have crafted the only rice terrace clusters in the Visayas through indigenous knowledge and sheer vernacular capabilities. The rice terraces of the Iraynun-Bukidnon are divided into four terraced fields, namely, General Fullon rice terraces, Lublub rice terraces, Bakiang rice terraces, and San Agustin rice terraces. All of the rice terrace clusters have been researched by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and various scholars from the University of the Philippines. There have been campaigns to nominate the Iraynun-Bukidnon Rice Terraces, along with the Central Panay Mountain Range, into the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Etymology

Antique was one of the three of Panay before Spanish colonizers arrived on the islands. The province was known at that time as Hantík, the local name for the large black ants found on the island. The Spanish chroniclers, influenced by the French, recorded the region's name as Hantique, but this was only adopted in areas near Malandog River in present Hamtic town which then became the provincial capital. The province bearing its former capital's name is spelled and pronounced as "Antique", without 'h' and pronounced in dialectic way.

History

Early history

Historians believe that the earliest people who settled on the island of Panay were tribal Negritos or Atis. Oral history, relayed as the "Maragtas", states that ten "datus" or minor tribal Malay chieftains escaped persecution from a city called Odtojan from Borneo due to a tyrant ruler called Makatunaw. The ten datus, led by Datu Puti, sailed northward with their families and communities, landing on Panay after departing Borneo. The authenticity of this narrative is disputed but nonetheless continues to be a part of the local history of the people of Antique.
According to the Maragtas, the Bornean datus upon arrival met with the Ati chieftain Datu Marikudo and his wife Maniwantiwan. They offered the chieftain a salakot as well as a golden necklace, earrings, bracelets and trinkets they wore when they fled Borneo. The gifts also include pearls and fine clothes as a show of respect to the indigenous people. Datu Marikudo responded to the datus' generosity by giving them the lowlands and moving to the mountains with his Ati tribe as the mountains are sacred to them. The legendary arrival of Bornean boats at the shores of Antique is commemorated annually in the Binirayan festival.
The island of Panay was then divided into three : Hantik, Akean and Irong-Irong. Irong-Irong became Iloilo, Akean became the present-day Aklan and Capiz, and Hantik became Antique. Hantik was named for the large black ants found on the island called "hantik-hantik".

Spanish colonial era

During the Spanish colonial period, the coastal province was vulnerable to attacks by Moro raiders. Under the direction of the Spanish friars, a series of watchtowers, like the 'Old Watchtower' in Libertad and Estaca Hill in Bugasong, were built to guard Antique.
In 1790, Antique was converted into a politico-military province with the town of Antique as its first capital. The provincial seat of government was later transferred to Bugasón, and finally to San Jose de Buenavista. By the end of the 1700s, Antique had 9,228 families.

Japanese occupation

In 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army landed in Antique and occupied the province during the Second World War.
During the Japanese Insurgencies and Occupation, the military general headquarters and camp bases of the 6th and 62nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was active from January 3, 1942, to June 30, 1946, and the military general headquarters and camp bases of the 6th Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary was re-activated between October 28, 1944, and June 30, 1946. Additionally, during the implementation of the anti-imperial Japanese military operations on Panay Island between 1942 and 1945 in the Antique province, Filipino military forces aided the local guerrilla resistance against the Imperial Japanese Army.
Between 1944 and 1945, Philippine Commonwealth forces of the 6th Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary and the 6th and 62nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army defeated the Japanese troops and liberated the province. The liberation was achieved with the active support of recognized local guerrillas.

Philippine independence

During the Marcos dictatorship

The beginning months of the 1970s had marked a period of turmoil and change in the Philippines, as well as in Antique. During his bid to be the first Philippine president to be re-elected for a second term, Ferdinand Marcos launched an unprecedented number of foreign debt-funded public works projects. This caused the Philippine economy to take a sudden downwards turn known as the 1969 Philippine balance of payments crisis, which led to a period of economic difficulty and a significant rise of social unrest. With only a year left in his last constitutionally allowed term as president, Ferdinand Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law in September 1972 and thus retained the position for fourteen more years. This period in Philippine history is remembered for the Marcos administration's record of human rights abuses, particularly targeting political opponents, student activists, journalists, religious workers, farmers, and others who fought against the Marcos dictatorship.
One of the significant events of the Philippines's Martial Law era was the Bacong Bridge Massacre, which took place in the town of Culasi, Antique on December 19, 1981. Sometimes also known as the Culasi incident, it involved the Philippine Constabulary killing 5 protester-farmers at the Bacong River bridge in Culasi's Barangay Malacañang. The victims were identified as Leopoldo A. Anos, Aquilino M. Castillo, Fortunato M. Dalisay, Remegildo P. Dalisay, and Joel B. Plaquino, and were later honored at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which recognizes the heroes and martyrs who fought the authoritarian regime.

Contemporary

In 2014, the first ever Philippine rice terraces found outside the Cordilleras was discovered in Antique through satellite and a team of scientists and locals. The heritage site, known as the Antique Rice Terraces of the Panay-Bukidnon people, is believed to be at least 200 years old. In 2017, the province hosted the Palarong Pambansa for the very first time.

Geography

Antique is one of the six provinces comprising Western Visayas or Region VI, and one of the four provinces on the island of Panay.
The province, with a total land area of, is an elongated stretch of land occupying the entire western side of the island. It is bounded by the rugged central mountains of Panay, bordering on the provinces of Aklan in the northeast, Capiz on the east, Iloilo in the southeast and the Sulu Sea on the west. Its westernmost and northernmost point is Semirara Island at, while its eastern tip is approximately. Anini-y is the province's most southerly point at. Resembling a seahorse in shape, it is long and at its widest point.

Physical Features

Antique has rugged and varied land. Nogas Island, Hurao-Hurao Island and Mararison Island have long stretches of white sand beaches that are ideal for shell-hunting. Batbatan Island on the other hand, appeals to scuba divers because of the well-preserved coral reefs.
Mount Madja-as is located in Culasi, is the highest peak on the island of Panay. This mountain is a dormant volcano with lakes and 14 waterfalls. It is said to be the legendary home of Bulalakaw, the supreme god of the ancients, and beckons as a challenge for hikers and trekkers. Mount Nangtud, is the second highest mountain in Antique and Panay island with an elevation of above sea level, located between Antique and Capiz border.
Antique has nine major rivers, the longest is Sibalom River 73 km, followed by Paliwan River 58.2 km, Cangaranan River 57.4 km, Dalanas River 34.6 km, Cairawan River 31.5 km, Ypayo River 29.2 km, Tibiao River 26.4 km, Malandog River 17.8 km and Bacong River 16.2 km.
List of peaks in Antique by elevation.
  • Mount Madja-as
  • Mount Nangtud
  • Mount Baloy
  • Mount Balabag
  • Mount Agbalanti
  • Mount Kigas
  • Mount Igbanig
  • Mount Sipanag
  • Mount Igdalig
  • Mount Tiguran
  • Mount Tigatay
  • Mount Dumara
  • Mount Sansanan
  • Mount Anoy
  • Mount Balabag, Seb.
  • Mount Acotay
  • Mount Tinayunga
  • Mount Tuno
  • Mount Tigancal
  • Mount Tigbararing
  • Mount Tigdagano
  • Mount Manlagbo
  • Mount Aningalan

    River systems

List of rivers in Antique by length.
  • 1.Sibalom River 73 km
  • *Tipulu-an River 33.1 km
  • ** Mao-it River 15.8 km
  • *Maninila River 31.1 km
  • *Cansilayan River 12.5 km
  • 2.Paliwan River 58.2 km
  • *Paningayan River 18.7 km
  • *Bucayan River 14.1 km
  • *Nawili River 12.6 km
  • 3.Cangaranan River 57.4 km
  • *Cadi-an River 25 km
  • **Baloy River 15.4 km
  • 4.Dalanas River, Barbaza 34.6 km
  • *Mali-ao River 26.3 km
  • *Kigas River 16.2 km
  • *Mamara River 11.3 km
  • *Bajay River 10 km
  • *Memero River 6.2 km
  • *Nalusdan River 5.8 km
  • 5.Cairawan River, Laua-an 31.5 km
  • *Cabay-ang River 19.5 km
  • 6.Ypayo River, Patnongon 29.2 km
  • 7.Tibiao River, Tibiao 26.4 km
  • 8.Malandog River, Hamtic 17.8 km
  • 9.Bacong River, Culasi 16.2 km
  • 10.Hamtic River, Hamtic 15.2 km
  • 11.Carit-an River, Patnongon 15.1 km
  • 12.Casay River, Anini-y 14.3 km
  • 13.Asluman River, Hamtic 13.8 km
  • 14.Ipil River, Belison 13.4 km
  • 15.Iba River, Anini-y 13.1 km
  • 16.Bulanao River, Libertad 12.3 km
  • 17.Bacalan River, Sebaste 11.5 km
  • 18.Inyawan River, Libertad 11.4 km
  • 19.Sabang River, Bugasong 11.4 km
  • 20.Panganta River, Culasi 10.6 km
  • 21.Paningayan River, Culasi 10.4 km
  • 22.Binangbang River, Barbaza 10.4 km
  • 23.Bugang River, Pandan 10.3 km
  • 24.Patnongon River, Patnongon 10.2 km
  • 25.San Roque River, Libertad 10.1 km
  • 26.Carit-an River, Sebaste 8.7 km
  • 27.Dao River, Tobias Fornier 8.6 km
  • 28.Ypayo River, Sebaste 8.2 km
  • 29.Linaban River, Hamtic 8.2 km
  • 30.Panukayan River, Pandan 8.2 km
  • 31.Nauring River, Pandan 7.8 km
  • 32.Cala-cala River, Sebaste 7.7 km
  • 33.Bongol River, Culasi 7.6 km
  • 34.Duyong River, Pandan 7.6 km
  • 35.Aureliana River, Patnongon 7.5 km
  • 36.Idio River, Sebaste 7.5 km
  • 37.Burabod River, Pandan 7.3 km
  • 38.Union River, Libertad 7.2 km
  • 39.Carit-an River, Culasi 7.1 km
  • 40.Patria River, Pandan 6.1 km
  • 41.Guija River, Bugasong 5.9 km
  • 42.Aguila River, Sebaste 5.5 km
  • 43.Bitadnon River, Culasi 5.4 km
  • 44.Aras-asan River, Hamtic 5.4 km
  • 45.Igbarawan River, Patnongon 5.2 km
  • 46.Nalupa River, Barbaza 5.1 km
  • 47.San Andres River, Pandan 5.1 km
  • 48.Paz River, Libertad 4.9 km
  • 49.Barusbus River, Libertad 4.9 km
  • 50.Laua-an River, Laua-an 4.6 km
  • 51.Mapatag River, Hamtic 4.6 km
  • 52.Nauhon River, Sebaste 4.2 km
  • 53.Mauno River, Laua-an 3.8 km
  • 54.Banban River, Laua-an 2.4 km
  • 55.Yapo River, Barbaza 2.3 km
  • 56.Intao Creek, Laua-an 2.1 km
  • 57.Bahuyan Creek, Barbaza 1.3 km