People and Culture

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Created on Wednesday, 23 March 2011 15:02

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Antiqueños are very hospitable people who would go out of their way to extend assistance to visitors and guests. These seafaring people share many characteristics with their Panay neighbors.

However, the steep slopes and the rugged, long mountain ranges of Antique have isolated it from the rest of Panay. Hence, they have developed their own distinct language called Kinaray-a. This dialect is of Austronesian origins characterized by the predominancy of r’s and schwa sounds spoken with a lilting gentle intonation.

The Catholic Church holds a very strong influence on Antiqueños. For centuries, the churches were the physical vanguards of the people. Being a coastal province, and having been vulnerable to attacks by Moro raiders, Antique was guarded by a series of watchtowers, like the ‘Old Watchtower’ in Libertad and Estaca Hill in Bugasong all of which were built under the direction of the Spanish friars. Even today, the Catholic Church remains influential in both the society and politics of the province. However, in the mountains, remnants of ancient folk beliefs persists. Babaylans or native priestesses continue to divine the future, heal the sick or conjure spells. This is an aspect of Antique’s culture that has been subsumed under the Christian religion.

The Antiqueños are noted for their industry. They are renowned weavers through out the Visayas. The Bugasong patadyong, a tube cotton fabric of plaid design, is highly valued because of its fineness of weaving. Piña cloth is also produced in looms throughout the province. Wine manufactured from the sap of the coconut is a cottage industry.

The rugged and varied land of Antique offers visitors a variety of outdoor activities. Diving and beach enthusiasts would have a great time discovering the unspoiled islets of Antique. Nogas Island, Hurao-Hurao Island and Mararison Island have long stretches of white sand beaches and are ideal for shell-hunting. Batbatan Island on the other hand, appeals to scuba divers because of the well-preserved coral reefs. Mt. Madia-as, the highest peak on Panay, 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.

Binirayan Festival

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Created on Wednesday, 23 March 2011 13:35

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The Binirayan festival ("Binirayan" literally means "where they sailed to")is an event celebrated in the province of Antique in the Philippines. The festival was conceived by Governor Evelio B. Javier in 1974 and was recently revived in 1998. It is celebrated every year in the month of April with highlights on April 27 to 29. The Binirayan Festival commemorates the legend of the arrival of the ten Bornean datus on the island of Aninipay now known as Panay.

Annualy Celebrated, Featuring various activities like Modernistic Vision on Malayan Reenactment of Ten Datus, Pasundayag, Bugal Kang Antique, Lin-ay Kang Antique Pageant and the revelry theatrical old form like Biray, Ati-atihan, Mardigra and Street Dancing. These infuse tourist and visitor to stay and live in Antique.

Elected Officials (2010)

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Created on Wednesday, 23 March 2011 13:17

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Congressman: Paolo Javier
Governor: Exequiel Javier
Vice Governor:

SP North:

SP South:

1. .

Province of Antique - Profile

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Created on Wednesday, 23 March 2011 12:50

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Land Area : 2,522 sq. km (2004)
No. of Barangays: 881 (December  2006)
No. of Municipalities: 18 (December 2006)
Total Population: 515,265 (As of August 1, 2007 census)
Population Growth Rate: 1.89% (1995-2000)
Income Class: Second (Effective January 28, 2002)
Consumer Price Index (2000=100): 143.6 (2006)
Inflation Rate: 4.0 (2006)
Average Family Income: 94,917 (2000)
Average Family Expenditure: 83,246 (2000)
No. of Elementary Schools:
- Public:   474 (SY 2004-2005)
- Private:  7 (SY 2004-2005)
No. of Secondary Schools:
- Public :  49 (SY 2004-2005)
- Private:  12 (SY 2004-2005)
No. of Higher Education Institutions: 7 (SY 2004-2005)
No. of Licensed Hospitals: 11 (2004)
Telephone Loads: 3,716 (2005)
Telephone Density: 0.7 per 100 population  (2005)
No. of AM Broadcast Stations: 1 (2003)
No. of FM Broadcast Stations: 4 (2003)
No. of Motor Vehicles Registered: 13,621 (2005)
No. of Establishments (2005)
Number of Firms Registered: 672
Investments: PhP171.7 million

Antique is one of the six provinces comprising the island of Panay in Western Visayas. It can be reached by land from Aklan, Iloilo or Capiz. From Iloilo, one could take a Seventy-Six Express, Ceres Liner or any of the smaller buses that ply the San Jose Antique route. Both bus companies have direct trips to Libertad and Kalibo. From Iloilo City, San Jose de Buenavista, the capital center of Antique, is almost two and a half hours ride via passenger bus.  From Kalibo, Antique could be reached through its northern backdoor in Pandan.

Antique has rich mineral deposits. Its mountains yield coal, silica, copper, marble, and clay. Semi-precious stones such as turquoise, amethyst, opal, jade, agate and jasper are scattered along the Sibalom and Tipuloan Rivers. The municipalities of Libertad and Pandan have reserves of 4.131 billion metric tons of good quality marble. Coal is mined in the island-barangay of Semirara operated and managed by the Semirara Coal Corporation.

History: Evelio B. Javier

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Created on Wednesday, 23 March 2011 13:31

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Evelio Bellaflor Javier was a civil servant and an oppositionist during the authoritarian regime of President Ferdinand Marcos. He was born on October 14, 1942 in Barangay Lanag (now Barangay Evelio Javier), Hamtic, Antique. His parents are Everardo Autajay Javier and Feliza Bellaflor. He finished his elementary school at San Jose Elementary School (now Delegate Angel Salazar Jr. Memorial School) in San Jose, Antique. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Government and his Bachelor of Laws in Ateneo Law School. He has passed the bar examination and is a member of the law school’s Fraternal Order of Utopia. He married Preciousa Bello Lotilla of Sibalom, Antique; and they had two sons, Francis Gideon Everardo and David.

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History: Antique Becomes a Province

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Created on Wednesday, 23 March 2011 13:15

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The name of the province is derived from Hamtic, the first village founded as a parish by the Augustinians on this part of the island in 1581. The old Hispanized spelling was Hantique. Pronounced with the Spanish h mute and the que stressed, it became Antique. It is bounded on the north and northeast by Aklan, on the central part by Capiz, and on the southeast by Iloilo. It lies on the eastern shore of the Cuyo East Pass, actually an arm of the South China Sea.

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