ANTIQUE TRAVEL GUIDE

Anini-y Church Ati-atihan Antique Sailing in Antique Malumpati Health Spring White Water Kayaking

ANTIQUE PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES Marble Central Of Panay BRIEF DESCRIPTION Antique is one of the provinces comprising the island of Panay in Western Visayas. It has a total land area of approximately 2,522 sq. km. It is bounded on the north and northeast by Aklan, on the east by Capiz, and on the southwest by Iloilo. On the west is the Cuyo East Pass of the Sulu Sea, part of the vast China Sea. Eighteen municipalities make up the province: fourteen along the coast, three inland, and one on six islets. Coastal towns are Anini-y, Tobias Fornier, Hamtic, San Jose de Buenavista, Belison, Patnongon, Bugasong, Laua-an, Barbaza, Tibiao, Culasi, Sebaste, Pandan, and Libertad. The inland towns are Sibalom, San Remigio, and Valderrama. HISTORY Historians have it that 10 Bornean datus headed by Datu Puti, along with their followers, left Borneo to escape persecution by the rajah of the House of Sri-Vijaya and landed in the island of Panay, then ruled by the Ati king, Marikudo. After some haggling, they succeeded in buying the island from the Ati chieftain for one gold sadok and a gold necklace for his wife. This enabled one of the datus, Datu Sumakwel, to establish a permanent settlement in what is now Malandog in the municipality of Hamtic - the name was taken after a specie of a large ant called hantic-hantic, which abounds in the place. Eventually, the settlers occupied the coastal parts of the island while the natives took to the hinterlands. The datus sliced the island into political units, called sakop, namely Hantic (Antique), Aklan, and Irong-Irong (Iloilo). Datu Puti, Bangkaya, and Paiburong headed these sakops but the entire island continued to be called Hantic under the supreme command of Datu Sumakwel. Antique was later on officially recognized as a separate political and military province with Antique (San Jose) as the capital town. The institution of American authority over the island and the restoration of peace and order in Panay led to the formation of a civil government on April 13, 1901. During the Japanese occupation, Mt. Baloy (elevation 2,080m), which straddles part of Antique, was the headquarters of the 6th Military District under Col. Macario Peralta. The other two peaks of Panay, Mt. Madia-as (elevation 1,117m) and Mt. Nangtud (elevation 1,900m), are found in the province of Antique. GEOGRAPHY Profiled like a seahorse, Antique is an oversized serrated hemline on the western border of the three-cornered scarf-like land mass that is Panay. It lies between the China Sea to the west and a tall mountain range, 155 kilometers long and 33 kilometers at its widest, to the east, separating it from the rest of Panay. POLITICAL SUBDIVISION The province is composed of 18 municipalities, 3 of which are inland, 14 coastal and 1 island municipality. Antique was classified as a 2nd class province as of January, 2002. POPULATION Per 2000 NCSO Survey, population is placed at 472,822 of which 50.57% are males and 49.43% females. LANGUAGE/DIALECT Antiqueños speak Hiniray-a with Indo-Malayan origin. English is widely spoken and understood. CLIMATE Antique has a pleasant tropical climate. INDUSTRIES Major products shipped out of the province are palay, rice, copra, muscovado sugar, legumes, fruits and vegetables, livestock, fish and fish preparations, and seaweeds. Manufactured items like native gifts, toys, and housewares have found their way in major cities of the country and abroad. Principal mined products exported include coal, marble, silica, copper, and gemstone. How to Get There By Air Asian Spirit offers direct flights from Manila to San Jose, Antique every Monday. Wednesday, and Friday. By Land Antique is accessible by land transport to and from Iloilo, Aklan, and Capiz. San Jose, the capital town, is a 1 ½ hour drive from Iloilo City. Tricycles are numerous in town. Buses and jeepneys provide service for intertown travel. Car rental services are available with rates depending on the type of vehicle used and distance traveled. By Sea By boat, Antique is 16 hours from Manila. It leaves Manila to Lipata Port, Culasi, Antique every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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