Gasan, Marinduque
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| Location | |
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| Government | |
| Region | MIMARO (Region IV-B) |
| Province | Marinduque |
| District | Lone District of Marinduque |
| Barangays | 25 |
| Income Class: | 4th class; partially urban |
| Founded | 1609 |
| Mayor | Rolando O. Tolentino |
| Official Website | elgu2.ncc.gov.ph/gasan |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Area | 119.3 km² |
| Population | 29,799 249.8/km² |
| Coordinates | 13° 19' 1.2" N, 121° 50' 60" E |
Gasan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Marinduque, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 29,799 people in 5,943 households. The municipality is bounded by the provincial capital, Boac, to the north and east, by Buenavista to the southeast and by the Tablas Strait to the south and west. It is the second-oldest municipality in Marinduque, after Boac. Residents of Gasan are called Gaseños.
The Tres Reyes Islands off the coast of Marinduque are under the jurisdiction of Gasan, specifically under the jurisdiction of the municipality's Barangay Pinggan.
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[edit] Barangays
Gasan is politically subdivided into 25 barangays.
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All barangays in Gasan are bounded in part by coastline except the mountaineous barangays of Bachao Ilaya, Cabugao, Dawis, Mangiliol, Matandang Gasan, Tabionan, Tapuyan and Tiguion.
[edit] Tourism
Gasan is home to some of Marinduque's best-known tourist spots:
- Guingona Park
This park located in Barangay Uno is where Gasan's cenaculos are played during the Moriones Festival.
- Reyes Park
Reyes Park in Barangay Dos serves as the Gasan boardwalk. Fairs are conducted in the park, and a wooden footbridge leading to nearby Barangay Dili can be seen (and crossed). The bridge is a landmark of Barangay Dili.
- Talao Cave
Talao Cave in Barangay Tiguion is a a series of twelve caves accessible from three mountain trails that can only be crossed on foot. The caves are located in the midst of a rain forest.
- Tres Reyes Islands
The Tres Reyes Islands in Barangay Pinggan, named after the Three Kings of the Nativity, are a potential tourist destination. True to its name, the island chain consists of three islands named Gaspar, Melchor and Baltazar and are visible from any point of the Gasan coastline. Reaching the islands takes about 30-45 minutes by boat.
[edit] Festivals
There are three main festivals celebrated in Gasan, two of which are unique to the municipality:
- Araw ng Gasan
The Araw ng Gasan commemorates the town's founding nearly 400 years ago as a Spanish pueblo by Father Juan Rosado in honor of Saint Bernard of Marinduque.
- Gasang-Gasang Festival
The Gasang-Gasang Festival celebrates the origins of the name "Gasan". Sponsored by the Gasan Culture and Arts Foundation, or GASCUAF, and held after the Moriones Festival, the festival features a live dance competition where several barangays have competed in the competition held in downtown Gasan. In 2006, however, the festival was held instead at the open-air tiangge area of Barangay Libtangin due to objections from the mayor over the festival being held downtown.
- Moriones Festival
Like all other municipalities in Marinduque, Gasan celebrates the Moriones Festival during the Holy Week. A parade of "morions", or Roman soldiers, is conducted in downtown Gasan, as well as the Gasan cenaculo at Guingona Park on Good Friday.
[edit] Barangay landmarks
In a recent tourist campaign known as "Parine na bayâ!", the municipal government promoted individual barangays' products and landmarks in a bid to showcase Gasan as a tourist destination. Some include the following:
- Antipolo: Fish products
- Bachao Ibaba and Bachao Ilaya: Wooden handicrafts
- Bacong-Bacong: Watermelons
- Bangbang: Wicker handicrafts
- Banot: Banot Beach Park
- Bognuyan: Fish
- Cabugao: Gemilina plantation
- Dili: Wooden footbridge
- Libtangin: Open-air tiangge
- Mangiliol: Arrowroot
- Masiga: Patis
- Tabionan: Tabionan River
- Tapuyan: Nito
- Tiguion: Talao Cave
[edit] Transportation
The Marinduque Ring Road passes through Gasan and is known as San Jose Street in downtown Gasan. Tricycles and jeepneys can be used to navigate the town, while jeepneys can also be used to go to other towns. Taxis are available to and from major transportation terminals. Buses also stop in downtown Gasan to go to Lucena City and further on to Metro Manila. Many roads are paved.
Marinduque Airport, the island's only airport, is located in Barangay Masiga. However, commercial flights ended in early 2006 and at present, no commercial flights serve the airport. Light private aircraft can also utilize the airport's facilities.
[edit] Name
The origin of the name of Gasan came from the term Gasang or Gasang-Gasang, a type of coral once abundant around the town's shoreline. Legend has it that when the Spaniards discovered the town, they found an old woman near the banks of today's Matandang Gasan River. When asked in Spanish what was the name of the town, she interpreted it as if they were asking about what was the name of the corals growing around the area, with the Spaniards interpreting her answer as the name of the town. Over time, the term Gasang-Gasang was shortened to Gasang before being shortened further to Gasan.
In celebration of the origins of the town's name, the municipality celebrates the Gasang-Gasang Festival every April after the more popular Moriones Festival.
