Banton, Romblon

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Banton is a 5th class municipality in the province of Romblon, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 6,769 people in 1,478 households.

The original name of the island was Batoon, the most rugged, stony and rocky island in the country. It was changed by the Spaniards to Banton. Another theory suggested that the name was derived from the local name of the stone fish – Bantoy.

The Bantoanon community is the oldest one in the province. It was the earliest to have been mentioned by authorities like the writer of the “Voyages to Luzon in 1570” and by Miguel de Loarca in his Relacion de las Islas Filipinas where Banton was first mentioned in Spanish accounts. Loarca cited Banton’s 1582 population placed at 200.

[edit] Geography

Banton is composed of the main island of Banton and the uninhabited islands of Bantoncillo, and the Dos Hermanas Islands (Two Sisters), composed of Carlota and Isabela.

Banton is politically subdivided into 17 barangays.

Balogo Banice Hambi-an Lagang Libtong Mainit Nabalay Nasunogan Poblacion

Sibay Tan-Ag Toctoc Togbongan Togong Tungonan Tumalum Yabawon

[edit] History

• One hundred years after the discovery of the Philippines in March 15, 1521, Banton became a pueblo or municipality in 1622.
• From 1907-1918 Banton was a barrio of the Romblon municipality.
• Banton municipality was restored in 1918 with a new name-Jones, which included Simara (Corcuera). The first appointed President of Jones was Atanacio Faminiano of Corcuera, who served for one year, (1918-1919), but was elected in his own right in 1922.
• Romblon Governor Manuel T. Alvero, (1928-34), who was from Capiz, worked for Corcuera and even Magdiwang to become independent municipality. He was Jones’ first Justice of the Peace. He married a Bantoanon lady named Gloria de Leon and attained various high governmental positions later.
• The so-called District of Romblon, which became a part of Capiz since 1918, was transformed by a Royal Decree of August 19, 1853 into an independent province with the status of Commandancia Politico-Militar.
• In the long list of Romblon’s Commamdantes, who were appointed by the Governor General, Juan Fernandez Teran is the most remembered. Because of his no nonsense stricty enforcement of Christianization, the Mangyans in Romblon, who strongly resisted such act, left and settled instead in Mindoro.
• Banton was organized earlier than the other towns in the province. It was the earliest to have been mentioned by authorities like the writer of the "Voyage to Luzon in 1570" and by Miguel de Loarca in his Relacion de las Islas Filipinas.
• The original name of the island municipality was Batoon, the most rugged, stony rocky island in the whole Philippines. The name Banton was improvement by the Spaniards.
• Through the efforts of Congressman Leonardo Festin the name was changed to Jones in 1918, in honor of William Atkins Jones, author of Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916. Romblon, which had been demoted earlier to a sub-province of Capiz for lack of financial resources, was also restored to a provincial status under the said act.
• Congressman Dr. Jose de Moreno worked for the restoration of the old name Banton in 1959, by popular demand of the people.
• The old Banton village was built on the slope of Bakoko hill, about two kilometers southwest of the present Banton town. Many settlements, in fact, were accordingly located away from the seashore for security reasons, especially from sea pirates. These sneaky traders were repulsed by the avalanche of stones and rocks down the hill hurled by peaceful people pushed to the walls.
• The old village was transferred to its present location, in the 18th century when a stone church and strong cotta were constructed.
• Many pioneer Bantoanons had to go to Simanra and Sibale to farm when Banton soil became very thin for cultivating camote, ubi, gabi, and other yams; raising fruit trees, some abaca and coconuts. Rice and corn were imported from Panay. That led them to discover Tablas along the way. The big island was much better than either Simara or Sibale.
• Dionisio Fetalvero, who was Mayor of Banton for two terms, blazed the traill for commerce and trade between Banton and the Lucian cities, opening a new window of opportunity for economic progress for the islander since the 1930’s.
• Two Bantoanon frontiersmen leaders, Jose Barrios and Francisco Salvador, realizing the great difficulties of eking out a living in Banton, decided to make a settlement on Tablas island, which became known later as Odiongan, which has turned out the most progressive town in Romblon.
• In the search for greener pasture, the Bantoanon pioneers initially farmed in Simara which was nearest Banton, settling in Colon-Colon and San Jose, then in Sibale, before discovering Tablas.
• They also tried to establish settlements on the coast of Southern Luzon-Macalelon, Mulanay and Bondoc Peninsula.
• The Bantoanons’ unquenchable thirst for expansion was not daunted even by the grim malaria scourage gripping Mindoro then. After the Americans had minimized the malady, countless Bantoanons took off good. Fabella in his book mentions many places: Naujan, Pola, Pinamalayan, Rancho, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, and Mansalay as the receiving frontiers. He also cites the Visayas, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Zamboanga, Surigao and Davao. And also USA-San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., Toronto in Canada.
• Banton was organized as pueblo or a municipality headed by a governadorcillo elected directly by the people. He was also the town’s Justice of the Peace.
• Theoretically, the pueblo was a self-governing community, but actually the Spanish curate was highest authority. The Cura was the only Spaniard in town and the people naturally looked upon him as the representative of the King of Spain in that region.
• During the last 250 years of Spanish occupation in the Philippines, Muslim piracy as the worst calamity to take place.
• The piratical raids had been going on in Banton long before some left their home and founded the Odiongan in 1810 and in 1840. Before the close of 1810, the pirates started attacks on Odiongan.
• It was because of these frequent raids on Banton, Romblon, and other towns in the province that impelled the Recollect authorities to ask for coming to Romblon province of that great fighter Agustin de San Pedro, better known as "el padre capitan"
• The great recollect father started his work with the construction of the defense of the provincial capital after which he came to Banton, repaired and reconstructed the cotta which still stands to this day, perhaps better than any cotta in this country. After the completion of that bulwark, the Muslims attacks on Banton were repulsed with great losses on the part of the pirates and they did not come again.

[edit] External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• Banton, Romblon Official Website