Belison

Belison
Municipality
Municipality of Belison

Map of Antique with Belison highlighted
Belison
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°50′N 121°58′E / 10.83°N 121.97°E / 10.83; 121.97Coordinates: 10°50′N 121°58′E / 10.83°N 121.97°E / 10.83; 121.97
Country  Philippines
Region Western Visayas (Region VI)
Province Antique
District Lone district
Founded March 10, 1961
Barangays 11 (see Barangays)
Government [1]
 • Type Sangguniang Bayan
 • Mayor Darell B. Dela Flor
 • Vice Mayor Reynaldo Jacaba
 • Electorate 8,564 voters (2016)
Area [2]
 • Total 19.78 km2 (7.64 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)[3]
 • Total 13,539
 • Density 680/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Belisongnon
Time zone UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code 5701
PSGC 060603000
IDD : area code  +63 (0)36
Climate type Tropical climate
Income class 5th municipal income class
Revenue (₱) 47,414,092.02 (2016)
Native languages Kinaray-a language
Tagalog
Feast date February 2
Patron saint Our Lady of Candles (Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria)
Website elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/belison-antique/

Belison, officially the Municipality of Belison, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 13,539 people.[3]

Belison is the smallest (in area and population)[4] and the youngest municipality in the province of Antique.[5]

History

Belison was merely a barangay in the larger municipality of Patnongon, adjacent to the north. Belison barangay leaders and Manila-based Belisongnons (Belisong natives) mapped out a petition requesting the national government to make Belison an independent town. The petition was brought to Malacañan Palace on March 10, 1961, and through Presidential Executive Order No. 421 signed by President Carlos P. Garcia,[5] Belison was declared a municipality - the smallest and the youngest in the Province of Antique.

During World War II, 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.

Geography

Belison is located at 10°50′N 121°58′E / 10.83°N 121.97°E / 10.83; 121.97. It is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the provincial capital, San Jose de Buenavista.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 19.78 square kilometres (7.64 sq mi) [2] constituting 0.72% of the 2,729.17-square-kilometre- (1,053.74 sq mi) total area of Antique.

The municipality is bounded on the east by San Remigio, southeast by Sibalom, south by San Jose de Buenavista, north by Patnongon, and west by the Cuyo East Pass.

Barangays

Belison is politically subdivided into 11 barangays, each with a duly constituted government unit known as the barangay council headed by the barangay captain. The Poblacion, seat of the municipal government, is an urban barangay. The other 10 are considered rural.

PSGC Barangay Population ±% p.a.
2015[3] 2010[6]
060603001 Borocboroc 9.3% 1,261 1,173 ▴ 1.39%
060603002 Buenavista 3.7% 504 449 ▴ 2.22%
060603003 Concepcion 9.3% 1,263 1,165 ▴ 1.55%
060603004 Delima 5.8% 790 751 ▴ 0.97%
060603005 Ipil 5.5% 744 689 ▴ 1.47%
060603006 Maradiona 11.9% 1,613 1,539 ▴ 0.90%
060603007 Mojon 3.4% 461 410 ▴ 2.26%
060603008 Poblacion 33.3% 4,503 4,479 ▴ 0.10%
060603009 Rombang 7.5% 1,016 834 ▴ 3.83%
060603010 Salvacion 3.7% 497 464 ▴ 1.32%
060603011 Sinaja 6.6% 887 854 ▴ 0.72%
Total 13,539 12,807 ▴ 1.06%

Demographics

Population census of Belison
YearPop.±% p.a.
1970 7,189—    
1975 7,627+1.19%
1980 8,626+2.49%
1990 10,095+1.59%
1995 11,174+1.92%
2000 11,621+0.84%
2007 12,467+0.97%
2010 12,807+0.98%
2015 13,539+1.06%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[3] [6] [7] [8]

In the 2015 census, Belison had a population of 13,539.[3] The population density was 680 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,800/sq mi).


Economy

Agriculture continues to be the heartbeat of the town. More than half of its land is riceland, while the rest are planted to corn, coconut, sugar cane and other production like vegetables and peanuts.

Municipal seal

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:

  • The top image represents fishing and the bounties of the neighboring sea.
  • The lower left portion is the harvesting of sugar cane, its processing muscovado sugar.
  • The lower right depicts tilling of the lowlands for the planting of rice and other grains and vegetables.

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.

Churches

Nine (9) of the leading Christian religious dominations in the Philippines established their presence in the town. Most Belisongnons (people of Belison) are of Aglipayan ancestry.

References

  1. ↑ "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Province: Antique". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Census of Population (2015). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. ↑ "Province: Antique". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Executive Order No. 421, s. 1961: Creating the Municipality of Belison in the Province of Antique". Gov.ph. Manila: Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. March 10, 1961. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  6. 1 2 Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  7. ↑ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  8. ↑ "Province of Antique". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
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