Balasan, officially the Municipality of Balasan ( hil, Banwa sang Balasan, tgl, Bayan ng Balasan), is a 4th class
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality ...
in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...
of
Iloilo
Iloilo (), officially the Province of Iloilo ( hil, Kapuoran sang Iloilo; krj, Kapuoran kang Iloilo; tl, Lalawigan ng Iloilo), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 35,064 people.
The business and shopping centre of northern Iloilo, Balasan is a compact town and easy to get around on foot, by bicycle, or by public transport.
Buses arrive at Balasan bus station, a kilometre to the Balasan's town centre, every fifteen minutes. Taking a tricycle is the most convenient way for newcomers to travel around Balasan.
In 1950, the barrio of Zarragoza was transferred from the town of
Batad.
Etymology
Balasan derived its name from "Balas" meaning sand which are still found in abundance along the Banks of Bangon River where the first settlement was founded.
History
Sometime in 1846, Francisco Ariola, son of the datu from Jolo, together with his men, found themselves in the shores of
Carles. He immediately organized the early settlers who later mingled with his men at Punta Bulakawe, a plateau just 330 meters north of the Poblacion (town proper). The settlers extended their clearing up the jungles and virgin lands for development. The Provincial Governor of Capiz commissioned Ariola to facilitate transportation of families recruited from Antique and Aklan. Soon afterwards, more settlers came. The Punta Bulakawe settlement, thus formed was included under the Pueblo de Pilar, Capiz.
It was in 1857 when Don Juan Silverio granted Francisco Ariola permission together with 50 families to go in a boat southeastwards from Barrio Sumagbong Cogon, Nabas, Capiz (Aklan) to the unfamiliar lands in the eastern portions of Panay Island. They soon landed in what was then known to be Punta Bulukawe, Capiz (Punta Badaiang,
Carles). They were granted a full tax exemption for three years if they cultivated the new land.
Towards 1856, as the general clearing progressed, Francisco transferred Bulakawe to the lowland south of the settlement. The se