Bantayan Island
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Bantayan Island is an island located in the Visayan Sea,
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. It is situated to the west of the northern end of
Cebu Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
, across the Tañon Strait. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of . The island is administratively divided into three
municipalities 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' ...
: * Bantayan (the largest municipality, covering the central part) * Madridejos (covering the northern portion) * Santa Fe (center of tourism in Bantayan Island, covering the southeastern portion) The island area is . The island is mostly covered with coconut trees; the elevation is mostly below , with only one taller hill, at , in barangay Atop-atop.


Geography


Island group

Bantayan is the main and largest island of the Bantayan island group that lies close to the geographical center of the Philippine archipelago. The island group includes numerous smaller islands (some uninhabited or uninhabitable), mostly around the southwest corner of the island. About 20 of these islets stretch for about southwest from Bantayan municipality port area, with some nearer ones being accessible on foot from the main island at low tide. The islands are beside the busy shipping lanes for ships and ferries coming from
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...
or
Cebu City Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu, is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 964,169 people, making ...
on their way to
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
. The islands are all small and green and low, virtually indistinguishable one from another. Some of the more notable are: * (or Botigues, Batquis) * * Islands (Daku and Diot) * * (or Jicantangan, Jilantagaan, Cabalauan) * (or Silion, Pulo Diyot ('little island') * (or Hilotongan, Lutungan) * * (or Mambacayao Daku) * (or Maamboc, Moamboc, Kangka Abong, Cangcabong) * (or Pintagan) * (or Banitugan) * (or Polopolo) * (or Sagasa, Tagasa) * * (or Mambacayao Diot) In addition, Guintacan Island (or Kinatarkan, Batbatan) to the northeast is part of Santa Fe municipality although it is not part of the Bantayan islands group archipelago. Juan de Medina (1630)"> Hilantagaan Island, Santa Fe seen from the south.jpg, alt=Long low green island, about 3.9 km (2 mi) distant. Two beaches can be made out., Hilantagaan Island seen from the Santa Fe–Hagnaya ferry (S) Hilantagaan Dyot island Bantayan seen from W.jpg, alt=Small low green island in blue sea, at about two km. One beach can be made out., Hilantagaan Dyot, brgy Hilantagaan, Santa Fe, seen from W. Sunset over Hilotangan.JPG, alt=Small low green island in blue sea, at about two km. Sun is setting directly behind island. In the foreground the tide has gone out. Several beachcombers are walking, several boats are beached., Sunset over Hilutungan, seen from E. Polo polo island off Patao, Bantayan.JPG, alt=Small low green island in blue sea, at about 600 m, with several palm trees on top. To right prows of four bangkas – local boats for fishing or diving., Patao island (''or'' Polopolo) off Patao, Bantayan


Demographics


Language

The
Bantayanon language The Bantayanon language is the regional language of the Bantayan islands in the Philippines. It is a part of the Bisayan language family and is closely related to Waray and Hiligaynon. There are three dialects of Bantayanon, based in the three ...
is mostly a mixture of different neighbouring
Visayan languages The Bisayan languages or Visayan languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages spoken in the Philippines. They are most closely related to Tagalog and the Bikol languages, all of which are part of the Central Philippine languages. Mo ...
: The principally native Cebuano (from
Cebu Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
and Eastern Negros) and Hiligaynon (from Western Negros and
Iloilo Iloilo ( ; ), officially the Province of Iloilo (; ; ; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Iloilo City, the regional center of Western Visayas and politically independen ...
), Boholano (from
Bohol Bohol (), officially the Province of Bohol (; ), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It is home to Bohola ...
), Masbateño (from
Masbate Masbate, officially the Province of Masbate (Masbateño language, Masbateño: ''Probinsya san Masbate''; ), is an island Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located near the midsection of the nation's archipelago. Its provi ...
) and Waray-Waray (from
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...
and
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
). However it has its own words such as "''kakyop''" (yesterday), "''sara''" (today) and "''buwas''" (tomorrow).


Climate

The climate is typically equatorial – temperature range over the year is less than three degrees Celsius ( deg F), and annual rainfall exceeds . January to April inclusive are less wet than the other months. This supports at least two rice crops per year. The climate in Bantayan falls within Coronas climate type IV, characterised by not very pronounced maximum rainfall with a short dry season from one to three months and a wet season of nine to ten months. The dry season starts in February and lasts through April sometimes extending to midMay. Bantayan has a tropical climate. Most months of the year are marked by significant rainfall. The short dry season has little impact. This location is classified as Am (
Tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...
) by Köppen–Geiger climate classification system.


Geology

Like most of Cebu province, the lithology of the island consists of two unit types: As a consequence of the geology, water supplies are hard.


National protected areas

Bantayan and its surrounding islands have been included in several pieces of legislation giving protected status.


Wilderness area

In 1981 President Marcos signed proclamation no. 2151 giving certain parts of the country protected status. This included Bantayan Island with the status of a "Wilderness Area", although its physical extent was undefined, albeit the proclamation described all the areas named as "containing an aggregate area of , more or less". Eleven years later the Philippine Congress passed Republic Act 7586 – the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, managed by the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR; ) is the Executive Departments of the Philippines, executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the conservation, management, development, and proper use of the cou ...
(DENR) – which reaffirmed the protected status. However it too did not specify the extent of Bantayan Island Wilderness Area (BIWA), which is therefore taken to include the whole island group, more than . After 2013's Typhoon Yolanda, there has naturally been a need and desire for reconstruction, however one major problem is that because of the designation, there is little land titling, and international relief organizations (and others) are reluctant to fund construction on land where title does not exist. the start of initiatives to define the area, and to devise a general plan for its management (BIWA-GMP). That plan recommends retaining only as strictly protected wildlife reserves, or % of the original BIWA, and allowing multi-use zoning of . From that has arisen a more concrete proposal regarding reclassification. the plan is to be recommended to Congress.


Tourist zone and marine reserve

Presidential proclamation no. 1801 of 1978 established Tourist zones and marine reserves, and placed the island of Hilutungan within its scope.


Protected seascape

The Tañon Strait protected seascape was established by President Ramos under proclamation no. 1234 of 1998. This includes more than of the eastern shoreline of Bantayan island. , 17 years after its declaration, the first summit on the Tañon Strait protected seascape is to be held.


Agriculture

The dominant uncultivated vegetation is ipil-ipil (''Leucaena leucocephala''). Cultivated crops include coconut, cassava, banana, sugarcane, corn and mango. The principal cash crops are:


Fauna

The common wolf snake can occasionally be found on the island. The following list shows birds whose presence has been verified: * Eastern reef-egret (Pacific reef-egret) - ''Egretta sacra'' * Chinese egret - ''Egretta eulophotes'' * Little heron (striated heron) - ''Butorides striata'' * Grey plover - ''Pluvialis squatarola'' * Greater sand-plover - ''Charadrius leschenaultii'' *
Eurasian whimbrel The Eurasian or common whimbrel (''Numenius phaeopus''), also known as the white-rumped whimbrel in North America, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic Pal ...
- ''Numenius phaeopus'' * Ruddy turnstone - ''Arenaria interpres'' * Godwit sp - ''Limosa sp'' *
Lesser frigatebird The lesser frigatebird (''Fregata ariel'') is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. At around 75 cm (30 in) in length, it is the smallest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters across the Indian ...
- ''Fregata ariel'' * Pied harrier - ''Circus melanoleucos'' * Black-chinned fruit dove - ''Ptilinopus leclancheri'' * Philippine collared dove - ''Streptopelia dusumieri'' * Island swiftlet - ''Collocalia vanikorensis'' * White-collared kingfisher - ''Halcyon chloris'' In a survey conducted on Carnaza Island on July 16–20, 1990, a total of 18 species of birds representing 7 orders and 15 families were identified and reported. The most common species observed were Glossy Swiftlets (''Collocalia esculenta''), White-collared Kingfishers (''Halcyon chloris''), Pied Trillers (''Lalage nigra''), Black-naped Orioles (''Oriolus chinensis''), Philippine mapgie robins (''Copsychus saularis''), Malaysia fantails (''Rhipidura javanica''), White-breasted Woodswallows (''Artamus leucorhynchus''), glossy starlings (''Aplonis panayensis''), yellow-breasted sunbirds (''Nectarinia jugularis'') and Eurasian tree sparrows (''Passer montanus''). For the rest of the species either only one or two individuals were seen or only either calls were heard. The islanders revealed that the Tabon bird (''Megapodius freycinet'') used to be numerous in Carnaza Island. Also listed on the survey are the orders
Cephalopoda A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda ( Greek plural , ; "head-feet") such as a squid, octopus, cuttlefish, or nautilus. These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, ...
,
Gastropoda Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...
and Pelecypoda. Two genera of Cephalopods were identified, namely; Sepia and Sepioteuthis. A total of 36 species belonging to 19 families of gastropods have been listed. However, further study is needed to get a complete listing of the gastropods in the area.


The sea

The coast of Bantayan and its islands mostly alternates between mangal and palm trees. Because of the shallow slope on the shelf, the intertidal area can be quite extended, leading to rocky and muddy shallows at low tide. This means that places with a sandy shore – a beach – are infrequent. Good beaches can be found in the southeast around Santa Fe, and in the northwest at Patao and Madridejos. Even these though are not cleaned, and depending on the currents there can be considerable amounts of flotsam and jetsam on the beach and in the sea.


Coral

Of the approximately 500 varieties of
coral Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the subphylum Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important Coral ...
known worldwide, about 400 are found in the Philippines. However their future is seriously threatened – mainly due to destructive fishing techniques, such as
blast fishing Blast fishing, fish bombing, dynamite fishing or grenade fishing is a destructive fishing practice using explosives to stun or kill schools of fish for easy collection. This often illegal practice is extremely destructive to the surrounding eco ...
and
cyanide fishing Cyanide fishing is a specific method of collecting live fish, mainly for use in aquariums, which involves spraying a sodium cyanide mixture into a habitat in order to incapacitate the fish there. This practice affects not only the target populati ...
, which indiscriminately destroy much of the ecosystem, including the
coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in group ...
s. In addition, global warming and ocean acidification also contribute significantly to worldwide loss. Globally coral sees 50%–70% threatened or lost; southeast Asian coral reefs are in even worse condition, and it is estimated in the Philippines the figure under threat is greater than 90%, with less than 1% in good condition. Until now proper compliance of international laws has been poor, although it is starting to be taken seriously. Meanwhile, other efforts are under way in Bantayan to accelerate the regrowth, using coral farms.


Starfish

There are many
starfish Starfish or sea stars are Star polygon, star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class (biology), class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to brittle star, ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to ...
to be seen in the intertidal area. Their detrivorous diet helps keep the water clean. Further out though, the
crown-of-thorns starfish The crown-of-thorns starfish (frequently abbreviated to COTS), ''Acanthaster planci'', is a large starfish that preys upon hard, or stony, coral polyps (Scleractinia). The crown-of-thorns starfish receives its name from venomous thornlike spines ...
is a considerable threat to the coral reef, because of its voracious hunger for the coral.


Mangal

Mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...
s are salt-tolerant, woody, seed-bearing plants that are found in tropical and subtropical areas where they are subject to periodic tidal inundation. The Philippines has over 40 species of mangroves and is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world as there are only about 70 species of mangroves worldwide. The mangrove ecosystem is a very diverse one and is home to many birds, fish, mammals, crustaceans and other animals. Mangroves provide an important nursery for fish, shellfish and other organisms. It is estimated that each hectare of mangrove can provide food for 1,000 kg of marine organisms (). With this abundance of food for fish present in the mangroves, each hectare of mangal yields 283.5 metric tons of fish per year (). Mangroves also provide other important functions such as preventing soil erosion and protecting shoreline from typhoons and strong waves. Mangroves provide many other products and services such as medicines, alcohol, housing materials and are an area for research and tourism. However even with all of these known benefits the state of mangroves within the Philippines is very dim. In the early 1900s there were approximately of mangroves but today there are only about . Many of the mangrove areas were destroyed to make way for fishponds and reclamation areas. They were used indiscriminately for housing – both building materials and reclamation – and were disturbed by siltation and pollution. Now that the true benefit of these ecosystems is known there is protection and rehabilitation of these important ecosystems. It is now illegal to cut down mangroves for any purpose and local governments and community organizations have taken active roles in planting and managing mangrove plantations. There is hope that in the future mangroves will return to the healthy status that they once held.


History


Early origins

There are almost no physical records nor evidence to indicate when the first people came to Bantayan, nor their places of origin. Some believe they can be traced back to
Panay Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and a total population of 4,542,926, as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City of Il ...
, others believe that the bulk of them were of Cebuano origin, and still others say they came from
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...
and
Bohol Bohol (), officially the Province of Bohol (; ), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It is home to Bohola ...
. Connections between Bantayan and other places can be deduced from the mixed dialects spoken by the people, and their ancient culture such as clothweaving, dance, and architecture. In addition certain old-established Hispanic family names are associated with certain locations: :* Panay :** :* Cebu :** :* Leyte :** :* Bohol :** :* Paraguay :** There is little documentary evidence of life and culture before the arrival of the Spanish ''
conquistador Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (; ; ) were Spanish Empire, Spanish and Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colonizers who explored, traded with and colonized parts of the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia during the Age of Discovery. Sailing ...
es''. What we know of them is gathered from handed-down accounts and
folklore Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...
. The early people were said to be timid. They did not travel and knew little of places away from their homes. They wore little clothing because the climate did not need it. The abundance of fish, wild game, wild fruits and tuber, such as ''ba-ay'', ''hagmang'', ''bailacog'', and ''kiot'', made the people do little more than make clearings on which to plant corn, camote (sweet potato) and other vegetables. Large and small trees grew and spread, shading the ground all year round with their heavy foliage. Vines and creepers climbed the trees hanging from bough to bough; cultivation of open land was difficult.


The Spanish period


Early years

During the period 1565–1898 the Philippines was a Spanish colony, part of the
Spanish East Indies The Spanish East Indies were the colonies of the Spanish Empire in Asia-Pacific, Asia and Oceania from 1565 to 1901, governed through the Captaincy General of the Philippines, captaincy general in Manila for the Monarchy of Spain, Spanish Crown, i ...
. The parish church was established in 1580 – as an ''
encomienda The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish Labour (human activity), labour system that rewarded Conquistador, conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. In theory, the conquerors provided the labourers with benefits, including mil ...
'' of the heir of Don Pedro de Gamboa. Writing in 1582, Miguel de Loarca stated: He also wrote: Writing in 1588,
Domingo de Salazar Domingo de Salazar (1512 – December 4, 1594) was a Catholic Dominican prelate who served as the first Bishop of Manila (1579–1594), ''(in Latin)''Fray Juan de Medina noted: He goes on to say: "This island has a village called , which it is said was the source of all the Bisayan Indians who have peopled these shores, and whose language resembles that of Hilingigay."


Derivation of name

During the time of 22nd
Governor-General Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera, the
Visayans Visayans ( Cebuano: ''mga Bisayà'' ) are a Philippine ethnolinguistic family group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, to the southernmost islands south of Luzon, and to a significant portion of Mindanao. They are composed of numerous d ...
were continually harassed by
Moro pirates The Sulu Sea, Sulu and Celebes Seas, a semi-enclosed sea area and porous region that covers an area of space around 1 million square kilometres, have been subject to illegal maritime activities since the pre-colonial era and continue to pose ...
who came on raids to capture slaves. Consequently, tall stone walls and watchtowers were built in different parts of the archipelago, for refuge and protection from Moro aggression. Popular folklore says that these watchtowers were known locally as "''Bantayan sa Hari''", meaning "Watchtowers of the King", and they served as lookout towers for incoming
vinta The vinta is a traditional outrigger boat from the Philippine island of Mindanao. The boats are made by Sama-Bajau, Tausug and Yakan peoples living in the Sulu Archipelago, Zamboanga peninsula, and southern Mindanao. It is also made by t ...
s (Moro pirate vessels). In the course of their vigil, it became common to say, ''"Bantayan! Bantayan!"'', meaning, "Keep watch! Keep watch!", and that was how this island-group got its name. However Madridejos history scholar Eng'r. Brient Mangubat who has studied Bantayan Island History and the Lawis Old Fort foundation in Madridejos claimed that the origin of the Island's name Bantayan has nothing to do with the Muslim raiders. According to him the Island got its name Bantayan way back in the year 1574, when the Island's northern side (LAWIS), was used as a "Lookout post" to monitor the Visayan Sea against Chinese attacks. The residents of Bantayan Island decided to do this precautionary act as Manila, the country's capital city was under attack by the forces led by Limahong. The Island's name (Bantayan) was already in use 25 years earlier, before the (first) Muslim raid took place on Bantayan Island in year 1600. In all there were 18 watchtowers built on the Bantayan islands. Most have not survived, although relics can be seen to this day. That at Madridejos is in fair condition, that at Santa Fe less so. There is a particularly fine example on Doong island Construction of watchtowers was not limited to Bantayan. Watchtowers were built in many locations in Cebu vulnerable to Moro raids, as well as in other parts of the
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; Filipino language, Filipino: ''Kabisayaan'' ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, a ...
, such as Southern
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...
, Northern
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
and
Bohol Bohol (), officially the Province of Bohol (; ), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It is home to Bohola ...
. In his "''Statement of the Annual Incomes and Sources of Profit of His Majesty in These Philipinas Islands''" for the year 1608, Pedro de Caldierva de Mariaca declares the ''tributes'' (tax) from Bantayan and Bohol combined amount to 2400 gold pesos.


Industry

Don José Basco y Vargas was Governor-General of the Philippines from July 1778 until September 1787. During his period in office, he pioneered many projects for the encouragement of agriculture and industries. However many small industries in the islands were completely abandoned because the people were forced to work on building roads, public buildings and churches. Those enforcing were called ''politas''. The abundance of fish, favourable climate and virgin soil then greatly determined the occupation of the people. These geographical factors became strong stimuli for the people to be fishermen, farmers and sailors. Much later, the small clearings were expanded to fields. The old Spanish roads connecting Santa Fe, Bantayan, and Madridejos were constructed chiefly through the services of labour and partly supported by the tribute funds.


Religion

When the Spaniards came to Bantayan, the people already had some form of religious convictions and worship, such as
animism Animism (from meaning 'breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork, and in ...
,
shamanism Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into ...
,
evocation Evocation is the act of evoking, calling upon, or summoning a Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit, demon, deity or other supernatural agents, in the Western mystery tradition. Conjuration also refers to a summoning, often by the use of a magic ...
and magic. They easily conceived the idea of evil spirits, good spirits, witches and ghosts. In order to please these imaginary creatures people often resorted to charms, vows, sacrifices and self-harm. It was a common belief among the illiterate people of the past that cholera and other fatal diseases were caused by poison which an evil spirit had put into the wells and that the people could be saved from the dreaded disease only by chanting prayer and holding processions. The cooperation between the church and the state did not last very long. Quarrels between the church and the state ensued. There was struggle for political power, from the Governor-General down to the alcalde mayors on one hand and from the archbishop to the friars on the other. Because of this, projects for improvements were all paralysed.


The American period

On January 4, 1899, following the defeat of Spain in the
Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...
, a new government was born to the Philippines. With instructions from President McKinley, General Otis, who commanded the US Army in the Philippines, declared that the American sovereignty must be recognized without condition. This was the beginning of the American period. This island-group did not take any active part in the revolution against Spain or America. However, after the Filipino–American War, a reactionary group was organized, headed by Patorete of Santa Fe, then still a barrio of Bantayan. Their announced purpose was to resist the invaders, but the armed goons carried a campaign of terror burning the northern part of Santa Fe, plundering and forcing ' and to join them. This resulted in great fear and tension among the inhabitants. The condition of the barrios, after the overthrow and immediately preceding the arrival of the Americans, in general, was very far from satisfactory. Sanitation was entirely a stranger; barrio life was dreadful. There were few signs of improvement among the people since their primitive ancestors. The subdivision of the province of Cebu was developed utilizing the method introduced by Spain. A new provincial law had been enacted in 1895 and necessary appointments were then made. At that time, Bantayan was already organized as ''pueblo''. Santa Fe was organized as such in 1911 and Madridejos in 1917. These ''pueblos'' were given a new corporate form under the Municipal Council chosen by a limited native electorate. For the local head of the administration, the title ''Presidente'' took the place of the former ''
Gobernadorcillo The (, literally "little governor") was a municipal judge or governor in the Captaincy General of the Philippines, Philippines during the History of the Philippines (1565–1898), Spanish colonial period, who carried out in a town the combined ...
'' or ''Capitan'' Committed to the task of administering the newly organized municipal governments were the first ''presidentes'' of the three towns comprising the island-group namely: for Bantayan, for Madridejos and Casimiro Batiancila for Santa Fe. Political parties were formally organized since the early days of the American regime. Partido Liberal came towards the end of 1900. Pascual Poblete founded the Partido Independista in 1902. During the administration of Governor-General Luke E. Wright (1904–1906), the public road policy was inaugurated. Little by little the stage trails were changed to roads of more durable construction. Late in 1913 the construction of Santa Fe—Bantayan road began and in 1918 the Bantayan—Madridejos road followed; both were completed in 1924. Then and now, fishing and farming were important industries of the people, but from the year 1903 to 1925, weaving of
piña Piña ( ) is a traditional Philippine fiber made from the leaves of the pineapple plant. Pineapples are indigenous to South America but have been widely cultivated in the Philippines since the 17th century, and used for weaving lustrous lace- ...
cloth and the gathering of '' maguey'' fibre were very lucrative pursuits of the people. Over the years demand for these products weakened and died out. At about the same, hand embroidery termed as "spare time industry" came in. A good number of women adopted it and were actively engaged in it for some years. The local output was quite significant. In 1923, because of weak and unsettled market conditions, particularly in Manila, the business gradually disappeared.


Independent Philippines

Gregorio Zaide described the Philippine national characteristic as "pliant, like bamboo, bending in the wind without breaking". This might explain the war-time actions of the then mayor Isidro Escario, who had himself rowed out to meet a fleet of Japanese warships where he treated with them: Bantayan was not invaded and the war basically passed it by.


Economy


Commerce

Bantayan islands are considered Cebu's fishing ground from where boatloads of fish – '' guinamos'' (salted fish) and ''buwad'' (dried fish) – are transported daily to Cebu and
Negros Negros (, , ) is the fourth largest and third most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of . The coastal zone of the southern part of Negros is identified as a site of highest marine biodiversity importance in the Coral Tr ...
for consumption and further distribution to as far as Manila and Mindanao. Equally important is the thriving poultry industry with hundreds of thousands of chicken eggs produced daily. Years ago, poultry raising was mainly a backyard affair. Today it has grown into a large scale and highly specialized industry. Big poultry farms are located near the national and feeder roads. Over one million chickens are kept in yards and specially constructed barns with more than half a million eggs gathered every day. These eggs are exported to Cebu, Manila, and Mindanao and other towns and cities in the Visayas. This industry, along with
copra Copra (from ; ; ; ) is the dried, white flesh of the coconut from which coconut oil is extracted. Traditionally, the coconuts are sun-dried, especially for export, before the oil, also known as copra oil, is pressed out. The oil extracted ...
making,
tubâ Tubâ () is a traditional Filipino cuisine, Filipino palm wine made from the naturally fermented sap of various species of palm trees. During the Spanish Empire, Spanish colonial period, tubâ was introduced to Guam, the Marianas, and Mexico vi ...
gathering and fishing, has helped Bantayan solve its unemployment problem.


Transport

The island can be reached via ferry services from Hagnaya (San Remigio) to Santa Fe, and from Estancia, Iloilo and Sagay to Bantayan municipal port. Bantayan Airport handles infrequent flights from chartered planes usually arriving from
Mactan–Cebu International Airport Mactan–Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is the main international airport serving Metro Cebu and is the main gateway to the Central Visayas region in the Philippines. Located on a site in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan island, it is the secon ...
. Goods are shipped through Bantayan municipal port. There is also a small dock in Baigad capable of handling small pumpboats. However it is in a very poor state of repair, and has not handled any vessel since 2007. There are three lightstations around the islands:


Society


Health care

In view of the relatively high population of the island, and its growing popularity as a tourist spot, a bill has already been presented in Congress for the establishment of a 100bed tertiarylevel hospital. The nearest available tertiary care is in Cebu City, four hours travel by land and sea. The level1 facility available in Bogo takes at least hours travel.


Education

The first school in Bantayan, called the "Gabaldon School", opened in 1915. Public high schools on Bantayan are located in the municipalities of Bantayan, Santa Fe and Madridejos as well as on Doong island. There are also private high schools and tertiary colleges such as Bantayan Southern Institute and Salazar College. St Paul Academy (SPA) is a private high school in Bantayan municipality.


Sport

As is common through the Philippines, 'sport' is synonymous with
cockfighting Cockfighting is a blood sport involving domesticated roosters as the combatants. The first documented use of the word gamecock, denoting use of the cock as to a "game", a sport, pastime or entertainment, was recorded in 1634, after the term ...
. It is an unusual sport in that the winner dies as well as the loser. Large sums are bet on the outcome of a fight, which usually lasts little more than one minute. There are several sports centers ( cockpits) on the island. Smaller
purok A ''purok'' () is an informal division within a barangay in the Philippines. While not officially considered a local government unit (LGU), a ''purok'' often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay. ''Pur ...
s just have an open-air arena.


Notable events

* 1580 – The Augustinians established the Parish of Bantayan as a convent under the patronage of ''La Asuncion de Nuestra Señora'' (The Ascension of Our Lady), a mission-station of the friars in the Visayas and thus the first parish in Cebu province and one of the few parishes still in existence outside Mexico which were once a part of the Archdiocese of Mexico. * 1603 – The Augustinians relinquished the administration of the church to the secular clergy. During the time of Bishop Pedro de Arce, Daan Bantayan (also Daanbantayan) and the nearby villages located in northern Cebu were placed under the administration of the parish, followed by the island of Maripipi. * 1628 – The biggest Moro attack took place when a fleet of vintas attacked, killing or abducting more than 800 natives mostly from the village of Hilingigay, now barangay Suba, and burning down the church. Juan de Medina wrote that the priest and a few Spanish residents tried to defend but had to run and hide after running out of ammunition. * 1754 – Moro raid left the church and community in ashes. * 1778 – The old Spanish roads linking Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos were constructed through forced labour. * 1790–1796 – Severe famine after crop failure. Not even a grain of corn could be had but the people subsisted upon '' amorseko'' (crab grass) which continuously grew on the walls of their nipa huts. * 1860 – The first ''casa real'' was constructed (now Municipal Hall). * 1864 – Following the Education Decree of 1863, the first Spanish school (for boys) was established under the direct supervision of the
curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' () of souls of a parish. In this sense, ''curate'' means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy who are as ...
where religious instruction was instilled. * 1880–1890 – Smallpox epidemic devastated the island. * 1894 – The entire barrio of Ticad was razed to the ground by fire. Only the stumps of the posts could be seen above the ground. * 1902–1903 –
Cholera epidemic Seven cholera pandemics have occurred in the past 200 years, with the first pandemic originating in India in 1817. The seventh cholera pandemic is officially a current pandemic and has been ongoing since 1961, according to a World Health Organi ...
. * 1905 – Typhoon. * 1905 – First local election in Bantayan. Gregorio Escario, who had been appointed as first "Presidente", now won the election by a small margin over his rival. * 1906 – The first bicycle came to Bantayan, owned by Leon Villacrusis. It was imported from Manila. The first bicycle imported from Japan was owned by Dr. Mabugat. * 1908 – Smallpox epidemic, eventually controlled by complete vaccination. * 1910 – The first motorized boat, MV Carmela, was owned by Yap Tico. It served the Bantayan–Cebu route. It also brought merchandise to and from Bantayan until it was destroyed by the typhoon of 1912. * 1912 – Typhoon, which took hundreds of lives in addition to work animals and agricultural crops that were destroyed. * 1913 – Construction of the present Bantayan–Santa Fe road began. * 1915 – As a result of Public Act 1801, the main building of Bantayan Central School was built. * 1918 – Construction of the Bantayan–Madridejos road began. * 1923 – The first car came to Bantayan island – a second-hand Dodge owned by Kapitan Casimiro Batiancila of Santa Fe. * 1924 – The whole road construction project linking Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos ended. * 1927 – Bantayan Postal Office was opened within the municipal building. * 1930 – Cholera epidemic. * 1935 – Beer was first distributed in Bantayan. * 1961 – Oil explorers came to Bantayan to dig the first oil well somewhere within Patao and Kabac. * 1968 – A storm washed away the historic watchtower in Baluarte, Suba. * 1968 – A fire that started in San Pedro Bakery gutted 17 houses and claimed the life of one person. * 1973 – Fire broke out which destroyed almost the whole section of Suba, razed the entire public market and rendered more than 700 families homeless. * 1978 –Death of Isidro R. Escario, who had been mayor of Bantayan since 1937 apart from the war. His funeral procession and wake drew thousands: people were seen queueing one kilometer away from the wake. * 1981 – Presidential decree nominates Bantayan as a National Protected Area: Wilderness area. * 1997 – Death of Antonio Ilustrisimo (born Bantayan 1904). He was a Master of Kali Ilustrisimo – his own development of the
eskrima Arnis, also known as kali or eskrima/escrima, is the national martial art of the Philippines. These three terms are, sometimes, interchangeable in referring to traditional martial arts of the Philippines ("Filipino Martial Arts", or FMA), whi ...
he learned from his father. * 1999 – Overloaded ferry MV Asia South Korea en route Cebu–
Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region of the Philippines, located on the southeastern coast of th ...
strikes submerged rocks about west of Bantayan island and sinks in heavy seas with loss of 56 lives. * 2010 – Lipayran island hit by tornado – 15 shanties destroyed and seven damaged. * 2013 – Class5 Super
Typhoon Haiyan Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was an extremely powerful and catastrophic tropical cyclone that is among List of the most intense tropical cyclones, the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. Upon ...
, within Philippines known as ''Yolanda'', caused considerable damage to the entire island, but with relatively little loss of life.


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * . and * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{Protected areas in Central Visayas Islands of Bantayan Beaches of the Philippines Tourist attractions in Cebu Wilderness areas of the Philippines