Jordan ([hɔ̝ɾdɐn]), officially the Municipality of Jordan (Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Jordan; Tagalog: Bayan ng Jordan), is a 3rd class municipality and capital of the province of Guimaras, Philippines. The name itself should not to be confused with the country of Jordan, which had its capital at Amman. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 39,566 people, making it the third largest settlement in the province.[3]
Natago Beach, a sandbar beach that connects two small islands
With a wharf closest to Iloilo City and a central location, Jordan is also the commercial center of the island.[5]
Jordan is bounded by the three municipalities of the province, Buenavista to the north, San Lorenzo to the east, and Sibunag to the south. Before founding of the five towns, the whole island of Guimaras was called "Himal-us". Across the Iloilo Strait from Jordan is Iloilo City on the island of Panay.
The name of the town used to be Nagaba but was changed in 1902 to Jordan.[6] The name Jordán, the Spanish name for the Jordan River, was chosen by the residents in honor of John the Baptist, their patron saint.[5] According to local folklore, he saved the inhabitants from slaughter during the Moro raid in the Spanish era.[citation needed]
In 1918, the municipality was formed when it separated from Buenavista, with Valeriano Villanueva as the first appointed Presidente Municipal. After elections in 1919, Hugo Chávez became the next mayor, followed by Licerio Segovia (1921-1923), Alberto Gonzaga (1923-1925), Feliz Ronzales (1925-1928), Hilario Nava (1929-1932), again Hugo Chávez (1932-1938), and Leodegario Galarpe (1939-1941).[5]
Nueva Valencia was established as a separate municipality in 1941. In July 1995 San Lorenzo and Sibunag were created, leaving Jordan with only 14 barangays. Before these two towns was created, Jordan was composed of 33 barangays.
In the 19th Congress of the Philippines, house bills were filed by various representatives which seeks Jordan including other capital towns of provinces with no current component cities, independent component cities or highly urbanized cities to automatically convert into cities.[7][8][9]
In the 2020 census, the population of Jordan, Guimaras, was 39,566 people,[3] with a density of 310 inhabitants per square kilometre or 800 inhabitants per square mile.
In the 2000 census, in an area of 126 km2., it had a population of 28,745 people in 5,397 households, and in 2007, 32,525 people.[15] In the 2010 census, its population had increased to 34,791 persons.
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Philippines
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Province of Guimaras