Banate, Iloilo
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Banate is a coastal town in the northern part of the Province of Iloilo, Region VI (Western Visayas), Philippines. It is primarily a fishing and agricultural town which has a population of 27,263 inhabitants in 5,279 households according to the census of 2000. It is well known for ginamos (Shrimp paste), crabs and the fresh fish which local entrepreneurs take to and sell in the capital of the province, in many of the non-coastal towns, and even in Manila. The town has a port for boats that transport passengers and local products, like rice, mangoes, and sugarcane to the island of Negroes.
Barangays
Banate is politically subdivided into 18 barangays.
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History of Banate
The town of Banate has no historical records prior to 1765. The earliest account about the town's history was when Andres Maningo became its first Teniente del Barrio (barrio captain). That time Banate was only a barrio of Barotac Nuevo. Historians referred to the place as “visita” because it was visited every now and then by prominent Barotac Nuevo residents for its beautiful, sandy and wide-stretched beaches. The history of the Catholic parishes in Iloilo also says that the word "visita" was used to refer to Banate during the earlier period because of the absence of an independent and organized parish, and a resident parish priest in that village. It was only occasionally visited by the parish priest of Barotac Nuevo who would every now and then celebrate Mass for the faithful there.
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The town’s name is commonly attributed to the presence of many Bangate trees in the area when the Spaniards came. According to a legend, when the Spaniards arrived, all the inhabitants of Banate fled away for safety. An old man, however, failed to escape because he was of advanced age and was already so weak. It was raining then. So, the old man took shelter under the Bangate tree where a Spanish officer found him later on. The white man asked the native; ‘Come se llama esto pueblo?“, The old man, uncertain as to what to say, merely said “Bangate” because he thought that the Spaniard was asking him about the name of the tree. Unable to understand clearly what the old man mumbled, the Spaniard thought the native had said "Banate". While such legend sounds too absurd to be true, it is the only explanation often given by people when asked why their town is called Banate. Indeed, Bangate trees still abound within the territorial limits of the municipality until now.
There is no extant document or act of legislation recording the date of the formal recognition and establishment of Banate as a municipality. It was, however, with the appointment of Felix Babiera as the first Governadorcillo in 1837 that Banate had been referred to as a town. Included within the territorial jurisdiction of the town of Banate were Barotac Viejo and Anilao. The original site of the Poblacion of Banate was in what is now known as Bularan. The small Church there, around which the town grew, was then situated near the shore. Nearby towards the North was the town cemetery. For the market place, nipa and bamboo shacks were constructed near the area where the first Church used to be. During the later part of the 1800's the present Roman Catholic stone Church was constructed in the adjacent barangay which subsequently became the Poblacion or the capital of the town.
Civil Heads of Government
Gobernadorcillos of Banate since 1837
- Felix Babiera (1837)
- Alfonso Arroyo
- Eustaquio Fuentes
- Apolinario Juanico
- Ricardo Baban
- Apolinario Arroyo
- Mariano Fuentes
- Nepomuceno Fuentes
- Mateo Baban
- Martin Balderas
- Julian Bactung
- Sotero Fuentes (1898)
- Feliciano Espinosa
- Ciriaco Fuentes (1898-1900)
(There was no agreement among sources as to who was the last Gobernadorcillo of Banate. Some say, the last Gobernadorcillo was Feliciano Espinosa. Others would say that it was Ciriaco Fuentes who was known to the inhabitants as Capitan Takong. However, no extant official records has been found so far to support these claims since the municipal archives was burnt by the Japanese soldiers during their occupation of the town in World War II.)
Presidents Elected for Banate during the American Regime
When the Revolution for Independence broke out in 1898, Hon. Ciriaco Fuentes became the first local President. Shortly after, the town became part of the United States territory (1900) when the American soldiers arrived under the command of Commander Brunnel to establish the American Regime. The local political leaders of the town during the American Regime were the following:
- Eugenio Badilla (1901-1903)
- Mauricio Tupas (1903-1905)
- Florencio Villaluz (1905 – 1907)
- Victorio Vargas (1907 – 1909)
- Juanito Balleza (1910 - 1912)
(Barotac Viejo serated from Banate on January 1, 1918 through the Executive Order No. 84 of the American Governor General. At that period, the majority of the town officials were predominantly Barotacnons. As a consequence, there came about a succession of appointed Presidents for Banate until the time of the next election.)
- Alejandro Baban (acting/appointed-1918)
- Felix Tarrosa (acting/appointed- 1918)
- Elpidio Padilla (1918 – 1920)
- Fernando Banaria1(1921 – 1923)
- Elpidio Baylen (1924 – 1926)
- Paulo Badilla (1927 – 1929)
- Fortunato Perez (1930 – 1932)
Mayors of Banate during the U.S. Commonwealth Government.
- Manuel Bacabac (1933 – 1935)
- Benjamin Buyco (1936 – 1939)
(Anilao separated from Banate during the term of Benjamin Buyco, who also became the first Mayor of Anilao.)
- Paulo Badilla (1939 – 1940)
Mayors of Banate during the Japanese Occupation and After the Liberation
- Exequiel Palec (1941)
- Simeon Balladares (1941-liberation)
- Exequiel Palec (liberation – 1947)
(During the outbreak of World War II, the Provincial Governor of Iloilo, Tomas Confesor, appointed Simeon Balladares as Mayor. Consequently, Exequiel Palec was impeded to govern. However, he resumed his office as Mayor after the War.)
Mayors of Banate during the Time of the Republic
- Exequiel Palec (1948 – 1951
- Jose Babayo (1952 – 1955)
- Nicolas Tarrosa (1955 – 1959)
- Exequiel Palec (1959 – 1963)
- Marcelino Bacabac (1964 – 1967)
- Antonio T. Seyan (1968-1982)
- Leonardo A. Cabangal (1982-1986)
- Jonathan V. Sanico (appointed by Her Excellency Corazon C. Aquino on November 6, 1986)
- Jonathan V. Sanico (1988-1992)
- Mayor Vicente V. Bacos (1992-2001)
- Carlos O. Cabangal, Jr. (2001-
Statistical Information
Population
Banate has a land area of 11,886 hectares. It is a beautiful coastal town which is about as big as Iloilo City and is 50 kilometers away from the Capital of the Province of Iloilo. The town is characterized by hectares and hectares of land planted with rice, sugarcane, vegetables, beans, coconut and bananas. Banate is composed of 18 barangays, seven (7) of which are along the shorelines (coastal) and the rest are in the uplands. According to the latest National Census Count (1995), Banate has a total population of 25,597 (this includes barangay Fuentes).
The 1995 National Census on Population and Housing shows that Banate has a total population of 24,976 excluding those residing in Barangay Fuentes (a contested Barangay between Banate and Anilao). However, if Barangay Fuentes is included, the total population would be 25,597. Banate has average annual population growth rate of 1.21% based on the population change within the years 1990–1995.
Municipal Income
Being a very versatile town with livelihood income both coming from the sea and the farmlands, the Municipality of Banate has generated actual income from calendar year 1995 to calendar year 1999 reaching up to P82,167,999.30. The increase of the town's income was mainly due to the increase in revenue allotment, tax, and operating revenue of the municipality. It could be observed that Banate is increasingly growing in commerce and industry.
Household
The 1995 Census of Population and Housing (which includes Barangay Fuentes) recorded a total of 4,761 households with an average household size of 6 person per household for the urban area, and 5 persons per household for the rural area. The urban area, comprising Poblacion, Barangay Alacaygan, Barangay Bularan, Barangay Carmelo, Barangay Talokgangan and Barangay Zona Sur, has a total household of 1653. The 12 rural barangays have a total of 2,908 households with Barangay San Salvador having the highest number households (480).
The 12 barangays belonging to the rural area has a population of 15,772 or about 62% of the total population of Banate. Of the 12 barangays, Barangay San Salvador has the highest population (2,380 or 9.31%, while Barangay Fuentes, (a disputed barangay between the Municipality of Banate and the Municipality of Anilao) has the least population of only 621 persons or 4% of the rural population, since some residents have considered themselves residents of Anilao.
Population Projection
With the annual growth rate of 1.21, from a population of 26,858 for CY 1999 and 28,182 by year 2003, within the 5 – year period, Banate will have a population increase of 1,324. By year 2010, the population is expected to number about 30,656. This projection was based primarily on the 1995 Census Population and Housing results including Barangay Fuentes using the geometric growth of the municipality and did not consider fertility, mortality and migration trends.
Population Density
Banate has an A & D area of 5,240.849 and a population of 25,597 as of CY 1995. The municipal gross density is 5 persons per hectares. Urban Density is 16 persons per hectare, of which Barangay Bularan is the highest having a density of 157 persons per hectares. In the rural area, population density is 3 persons per hectares. As projected, within the twelve (12) year period (1999 - 2010), the municipal gross population density will increase to 6 persons per hectare from 5 persons per hectare in CY 1995.
Age-sex Distribution
Of the 25,597 (as of CY 1995), the male population has numbered 12,949 or 50.59% with those in the age bracket of 5 – 9 years old having the highest population (1,743 or 13%. The age bracket with the lowest percentage are those with the age ranging from 85 years old and above (30 or 0.23 %).On the other hand, female population has reached to 12,648 or 49.41% with those in the age range of 5 – 9 years old having the highest number (1,649 or 13%). The female residents with age range of 85 and above number 48 or 0.38%. The date of the census of CY 1995 shows that the ration of male and female residents is 102:100.
Religion
Based on the 1990 record, the majority of the Banatenhon’s are Roman Catholics (16,338 or 70%); the next religious denomination with the second highest number of adherence are the Aglipayans or the members of the Philippine Independent Church (5, 057 or 22%); there are 750 Protestants who comprise 3% of the population; Iglesia ni Kristo has 203 churchgoers or 1% of the population; and members of other religious sects like United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventist, Muslims, etc. number 1,012 or 4% of the local population.
Statistics on Marriage
A greater percentage of the population 10 year’s old and over are single (49.32 %) than married (45.75 %). About 3.73 % are widowed; 0.37 % are separated; and 0.82 % are common law partners and unknown. The number of unmarried persons is higher among the adult males (4,840) as compared with those who are married (4,174). Among adult females the proportion of married persons is higher (4,253 or 23.09 %) than those who are unmarried(4,245 or 23.05%).
Language Distribution
Majority of the people living in Banate speaks Hiligaynon or 99.54 % and 0.46 % of the population speaks other dialects like Cebuano. Aklanon, Chavacano, etc. English and Talalog is commonly understood and spoken, and are also use in school, business and government day to day transactions.
Economic Dependency Ratio
As of Census Year 1995, a total of 10,711 persons with ages below 15 and over 64 years old are considered dependents; 14,625 belong to the working population with ages 15-65 years old. Hence, there are 7 dependents out of 10 working persons.
Labor Force
As of 1990 the labor force numbered 13,643 persons or 57% of the total population. Of these, there are 6,747 or 49.45% male and 6,896 or 50.55% female ranging the age 15 years old and above. Of the 13,643, 7,886 have stable employment. 5,239 of these are male and 2,647 are female.
Labor Force Projection
Population projection shows that from 1995 to the year 2010, the population growth rate is 1.21%. This means an additional potential work force for the municipality, which when properly exploited will generate a maximum income to the town of Banate. The labor force within the twelve (12) year period (1199 – 2010) will reach to 18,683 and 11,527 of these, will be economically active labor force (15 years old and over).
Reference
(Cf. Mervin Escriba, History of Banate in The Official Website of the Municipality of Banate: History Section.) [1]
External links
- Official Website of the Municipality of Banate, Iloilo, Philippines
- Philippine Standard Geographic Code
- 2000 Philippine Census Information
 Province of Iloilo | |
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Iloilo City (capital and largest city) | |
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| Component city | |
| Highly urbanized city |
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