Belison is a 5th class municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 11,621 people in 2,355 households
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Less than fifty years ago the town of Belison was merely a barangay in the larger municipality of Patnongon, adjacent to the north. But the people of barangay Belison understood their potential as an independent community and worked for the establishment of township status for the barangay. Belison barangay leaders and Manila-based Belisongnons as well, mapped out a petition requesting the national government to make Belison a town. The petition was brought to Malacañang on March 10, 1961 and by virtue of Presidential Executive Order No. 421 signed by President Carlos P. Garcia, Belison was declared a municipality - the smallest and the youngest in the Province of Antique. Belison has 11 barangays, each with a duly constituted government unit known as the barangay council headed by the barangay captain. These 11 barangays are Buenavista, Maradiona, Borocboroc, Delima, Ipil, Poblacion, Sinaja, Salvacion, Concepcion, Rombang and Mojon. Poblacion, considered as an urban barangay becomes the seat of the municipal government. The other 10 are considered rural.
Belison, although peaceful now, was not always so. World War II, raging around the globe touched even the simple lives of Belisongnons. Many of the veterans of that war have since passed away but the stories and memories of that time live on in the hearts and minds of the people of this region.
Japanese war submarines and other marine craft found the shores of Belison easy entry points to Panay, and invaded the Western Visayas in that location. People still tell of the fear created by these foreign intruders, and also of the bravery of those who decided to resist, creating rebel strongholds in the mountainous areas above the municipality.
When the Japanese air raids would bomb Belison and the nearby communities, families from all around fled to Guinobatan Cave, high in the hills of barangay Buenavista. And when the American forces came, they too used the smooth sea landing in Belison, bringing relief food supplies to Belisongnons, and troops to attack the Japanese occupying forces. They often used local homes in the area to hide in while planning their strategies for assault against the enemy, and enlisted the help of brave men and women to carry out their plans.
The people of Belison played important roles in the defense of the Western Visayas, and many history books reflect the heroism and valor of the local people at that time. Stories like these highlight the qualities known of Belison people: strong, committed to survival, and interdependent as a community. These characteristics not only helped Belison endure the atrocities of war, but also see it through political, social, and economic ups and downs today.
The Belison municipal seal was created to commemorate the agricultural heritage of the town, in order to preserve the legacy of the original settlers in the region. It depicts three mainstay agricultural activities in which local families for generations have invested their hearts and souls. The rich farm lands of Belison have always provided – in good times and bad – and for this the people of Belison are grateful to God’s blessings.
The top image represents fishing and the bounties of the neighboring sea. The lower left portion is the harvesting of sugar cane, its processing delicious muscovado sugar. The lower right depicts tilling of the lowlands for the planting of rice and other grains and vegetables. All three of these backbone occupations remain important to the town’s livelihood and rural identity.
Surrounding the great triangle are eleven stars – one representing each barangay in the town. The largest star at the bottom is for the Poblacion. Their strength lies in their connectivity to one another, and in their closeness to the traditions of the past.
Belison is politically subdivided into 11 barangays.
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