Bantay

Bantay, officially the Municipality of Bantay, is a municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the, it has a population of people.

History

Spanish colonization

Foundation

Spanish conquistador Juan de Salcedo first arrived in Ilocos in 1571 and began setting up tribunals that soon became the seat of the municipal government then. Augustinian friars who followed in 1572 built the convent and house of worship that later became the Iglesia Parroquial de San Agustín.
The parish was recognized in 1591, while the town of Bantay was formally founded as a pueblo that was separate from Vigan in 1593. It is one of the thirty-four towns of the Province of Ilocos Sur, as cited in the Maura Law of 1893. The law also served as the legal basis for its being constituted as a separate political subdivision during the American Regime.

Etymology

Bantay got its name from the Ilocano word, to guard, which was to guard the image of Our Lady of Charity in her sanctuary.
The early Spanish settlers made the town beautiful by building the 'tribunal' - otherwise known as the town hall - the church, bell tower, roads and streets by forced labor. The St. Augustine Church was originally constructed by Bantay residents using bamboo and cogon materials to house the miraculous image of Our Lady of Charity. In 1590, a stone structure for the church was commissioned following the good fortune it brought to the people. The Augustinian friars chose St. Augustine de Hippo, the Doctor of Grace, as the Patron Saint and the town fiesta used to be celebrated every 28 August, but because of inclement weather during this month, Most Rev. Alfredo Verzosa caused the transfer of the festivity to May 5 every year.
The original inhabitants of the town have family names with letter "P" taken from the designated listing, as an adopted system of the Spanish rulers in all towns of Ilocos Sur, to easily identify and monitor movement of residents. In a report of the Most Reverend Bishop Domingo de Soria on August 15, 1613, the population of Bantay was 4,000 souls, while at the time, Vigan has only 2,000. This can be explained by the fact that by then, Bantay parish was very extensive as it covered the parishes of Magsingal, Santo Domingo, San Ildefonso, San Vicente, Santa Catalina de Baba, and Santa Catalina de Alexandria as "visitas".
One of the Augustinian friars, Rev. Francisco Lopez, a great Augustinian philologist, with the help of Pedro Bukaneg, the blind genius of the Ilocano tongue who was from this place and author of the epic - "Biag Ni Lam-ang", labored hard to translate the Bellarmine Cathechism originally written by Robert Cardinal Bellarmine. The book was approved at the Bantay Convent in 1616 printed in Malayan Script and Spanish alphabet and was first published in 1621. The Bellarmine Catechism was the first book in Ilocano to be printed and its influence on the morality, culture and language of the entire Ilocos is measurable.
Several battles have spillovers in Bantay, one of which was the Ilocos Revolution led by Diego Silang. Here, this heroic figure resolved to kill the bishop-elect Bernardo Ustariz and all Spanish friars imprisoned by him in Bantay. The prisoners prayed fervently to Our Lady of Charity for their deliverance until a Spanish mestizo nicknamed "Miguel Vicos" treacherously killed Silang on May 28, 1763, with a pistol at his makeshift fort on a place on a hillside referred to as Calle Encuentro. For the Spaniards, the treacherous Vicos was their savior and to his honor a commemorative monument was erected in 1763 which became the epitome of the Town Plaza. It is replaced later by a memorial to Diego Silang towards the end of the 19th century.

Contemporary

Inspired with the common vision that it will strengthen and improve the totality of local governance, Municipal buildings were blessed and inaugurated on December 23, 1999, and May 5, 2003, respectively. Considered as major breakthroughs and milestone feats in the History of Bantay, these massive structures were built to 'reinforce' the Old Building in order to meet the vast administrative demands and service requirements of the public clientele. Sourced from Provincial and Municipal funds, these expansion edifices are the lasting tributes of the municipal and administrators showcasing local accomplishment and a legacy during their incumbency.
;Dur-as Bantay Era
The Municipality holds the distinction of being the first Local Government Unit in Ilocos Sur to use an Electronic Scoreboard in a sporting event ; the first to open hiking trails; and the first municipality in Ilocos Sur to hold a National Shootfest.

Geography

The Municipality of Bantay is bordered by the municipalities of San Vicente, San Ildefonso, Santo Domingo, Magsingal, Santa and the city of Vigan.
It has an average elevation of 100 meters, with a land area of. It is an elevated and hilly municipality but some barangays, especially those near creeks, are prone to flooding during heavy typhoons.
Bantay is situated from the provincial capital Vigan, and from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Bantay is politically subdivided into 34 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Aggay
An-annam
Balaleng
Banaoang
Barangay 1
Barangay 2
Barangay 3
Barangay 4
Barangay 5
Barangay 6
Bulag
Buquig
Cabalanggan
Cabaroan
Cabusligan
Capangdanan
Guimod
Lingsat
Malingeb
Mira
Naguiddayan
Ora
Paing
Puspus
Quimmarayan
Sagneb
Sagpat
San Isidro
San Julian
San Mariano
Sinabaan
Taguiporo
Taleb
Tay-ac
Climate

Flora and fauna

Bantay's reserved forests and farms make it home to a diverse range of plants, animals, and river creatures. Around more than 60 species can be found in Bantay including over 9 mammal, reptile, and amphibian species; 10 bird and fish species; several insects and plants are existing in the farms and wild.
Typical of places all over the Philippines, cattle and water buffalo are domesticated. Herons are often sighted in rice paddies, and beetles and crickets come seasonally. Mudfish, carp, the Abra River eel, and other fish abound in its rivers and creeks, most of which are also seasonal. Monkeys, wild boar, and wild chickens can be seen in the mountains, but not as plentiful as before.
Spanish plum trees abound in the municipality, especially in Barangays Paing and Banaoang. Valuable lumber trees such as mahogany and molave abound in its mountains, especially in Caniao. Bamboo also abound in the municipality, especially the "bayug," "bikal," and "bulo" varieties.

Demographics

In the 2024 census, Bantay had a population of 37,088 people. The population density was.

Religion

About 94% of the total inhabitants are Christians, while the remaining 6% are Muslims or belong to other major religions/sects.
In the total population of Christian Bantayenos, Roman Catholics are 99%. Since it was occupied by Spaniards during the Early Colonial Period.

Language

Since the Ilocano language is the mother tongue of the Ilocanos, most of the Bantayeños especially the Muslims and Indians speak it alongside Tagalog. However, in schools and during Legislative Sessions, they are required to speak English.

Ilocano - 97%
Tagalog - 2%
English - 1%
Economy

Government

Local government

Bantay, belonging to the first congressional district of the province of Ilocos Sur, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Elected officials

For the 2010–2013 term, Samuel C. Parilla was the elected mayor of the town, with Floro Jose P. Peredo, Sr. as the vice mayor. The municipality's Sangguniang Bayan members included William Pre, Roberto Reboroso, William Pacpaco, Ireneo Quintinita, Edilberto Mercurio, Nick Pamuspusan, Arnold Paz, and George Leones. Also in the Sangguniang Bayan were ABC President Gloria Ramirez and Sangguniang Kabataan Federated President Jonalyn Pre.

Position	Name
Congressman	Deogracias Victor B. Savellano
Mayor	Samuel C. Parilla
Vice-Mayor	William Pre
Councilors	Floro P. Peredo
Councilors	Hipolito A. Madriaga
Councilors	Hilario L. Paet
Councilors	Araceli S. Nabor
Councilors	Edilberto P. Mercurio
Councilors	Ireneo P. Quintinita
Councilors	Aniceto P. Ramos
Councilors	Percival J. Vicencio

Tourism

Cultural and historical

;Saint Augustine Parish Church: One of two parishes in the municipality. It serves as the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de La Caridad, the Queen of Ilocandia. The church and bell tower are considered to be two of the oldest structures in the province, as the bell tower was built in 1590 and the church was in the following year. The place, especially the bell tower, is a tourist attraction mostly accessed from Vigan by means of horse-drawn carts called "calesas." The original beauty of the structures are still preserved until today.
;Quirino Bridge: This scenic arch bridge traversing the Abra River is located between two beautiful mountains and is built to honor then-President Elpidio Quirino. It was once partly destroyed by Super Typhoon Feria, hence a different-looking third quarter portion. In December 2007, Chinese engineers and a local construction company started to build a new, 456 meter-long replacement, a stone's throw from the original bridge. It was officially opened by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on December 30, 2009. The old bridge, an iconic symbol of Ilocos Sur, is currently preserved as a tourist attraction, doubling as a backup in case the main bridge is damaged by typhoons. The old bridge was once again damaged during Super Typhoon Egay on July 24, 2023.