Banton-Island

One hundred

From 1907-1918 Banton was a barrio of the Romblon municipality,

Banton municipality was restored in 1918 with a new name-Jones,

Romblon Governor Manuel T. Alvero, (1928-34), who was from Capiz,

The so-called District of Romblon, which became a part of Capiz

In the long list of Romblon’s Commamdantes, who were

"Panahon pa’t kato ni Teran," (Those were the days

Banton was organized earlier than the other towns in the province.

The original name of the island municipality was Batoon, the most

Through the efforts of Congressman Leonardo Festin the name was

Congressman Dr. Jose de Moreno worked for the restoration of the

Before the coming of Europeans to the Philippines, there were very

Fabella quotes Mateo Menez as saying "The old Banton village

The old village was transferred to its present location, (Year

Fabella cites theories origins of the Banton people: a)

Fabella says, " Their individual dialects developed into the

The pueblo or present municipality of Banton, known as Jones then,

Many pioneer Bantoanons had to go to Simanra and Sibale to farm

Dionisio Fetalvero, who was Mayor of Banton for two terms, blazed

Two Bantoanon frontiersmen leaders, Jose Barrios and Francisco

In the search for greener pasture, the Bantoanon pioneers

They also tried to establish settlements on the coast of Southern

The Bantoanons’ unquenchable thirst for expansion was not

In the early years of Spanish rule, Romblon was a district under

The alcaldia included the whole island of Panay, Guimaras, Negros

Banton was organized as pueblo or a municipality headed

Fabella says that local custom like Juan de Plasencia’s Las

Theoretically, the pueblo was a self-governing community, but

During the last 250 years of Spanish occupation in the

The piratical raids had been going on in Banton long before some

It was because of these frequent raids on Banton, Romblon, and

The great recollect father started his work with the construction

Fabella says according to Menez the year 1870 is probably the last

Several years before the Revolution of 1896, tulisans from

Fabella cites, especially the enthusiasm of the Bantoanons for the

Fabella says the best proof of the Bantoanons’ fervor for the

Great Tang Ambi, you have missed a lot: The Diamond (75^th)

The 50^th Foundation Anniversary of Banton High School,

And many other assorted publications, foremost of which are the

He also cites the late Ildefonso F. Musico’s (fondly Manong

Several years before the revolution, Banton must have been an

The coming of two American teachers (Mr. Benning and Mr. Blackley (Note: The materials for this essay have been largely 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.

rugged, stony rocky island in the whole Philippines. The name Banton was improvement by the Spaniards. 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. old name Banton in 1959, by popular demand of the people. few settlements that may be classified as towns as we know them today, except Maynilad (Manila), Zubu (Cebu), and few others not well known; perhaps a part of Irong-Irong (Iloilo), later called Arevalo. Miguel Lopez de Legaspi might have given it that name, Fabella says. 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. 2000), in the 18^th century when a stone church and strong cotta were constructed. "Bantoanons were generally refugees from the dockyards of Marinduque where laborers from many parts of the country had been gathered for the purpose of cutting timber for the construction of galleons used by traders between Acapulco and Manila; b) Another theory cited that a good number of them came from a settlement in Northern Mindanao called Banton. May refugees from Marinduque had come from such places as Negros, Bohol, Leyte, Panay, Bicolandia and Mindanao, and perhaps the bigger number of them were from that region called Banton." Bantoanon (Asi) language we know today." It is still evolving and flowering into a new, sometimes amazing, blossom, as it receives cross-pollinations with other tongues. (Ex: Oy, bakit asi ra, kag uno kamo ni-arrive?" (1918-1959), had jurisdiction over the islets of Banton, Bantoncillo or Gakut, the Puyo at Suyukan, and the Dos Hermanas (sisters) Isabela and Carlota. 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. (Naku ha, mahilig na rin sila sa imported, then. Oy, pangintremis only.) That led them to discover Tablas along the way. The big island was much better than either Simara or Sibale. (Hay, muyate, may pagka-Magellan talaga sinra it kato. No wonder! We got their genes, their beautiful and daring descendants. All over the world, ara!) 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. The rest history. 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. initially farmed in Simara which was nearest Banton, settling in Colon-Colon and San Jose, then in Sibale, before discovering Tablas. Luzon-Macalelon, Mulanay and Bondoc Peninsula. daunted even by the grim malaria scourage gripping Mindoro then. After the Americans had minimized the malady, countless Bantoanons took off good. Fabella 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. (If Tang Ambi Fabella were to talk among us today, he would chuckle in awesome amazement at his utterly outgrown list. (Tang Ambi, you can rest in peace really.) Will somebody, please continue the catalogue during this computer age. the control of the Alkade Mayor Arevalo, now Iloilo City. Occidental and the Romblon archipelago. The Calamines island were also a part of that alcaldia. by a governadorcillo elected directly by the people. He was also the town’s Justice of the Peace. Custombres de Tagalog written at Nagcarlang, Laguna in 1589 was used as a code of laws. 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. Philippines, Muslim piracy as the worst calamity to take place, writes Mateo Menez, Fabella, cites in his book. left their home and founded the Odiongan in 1810 and in 1840. Before the close of 1810, the pirates started attacks on Odiongan. 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" 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. (A good idea material for a short story. Anyone?) year of piracy because in that year there were already so many warships in the Philippines. That could be true for groups, but individual pirates would still attempt some raids after 1870, specially isolated regions of small islands like Banton, Simara and Sibale, Fabella says. southern Luzon attacked Banton. Fabella cites a certain old Cenon Ferranco as the source of the story. Accordingly, waking at 3:30 AM after a four hours’ good night sleep for an old man Olong Cenon went out of his simple house still squeezing his eyes against the early cold morning air, to verify somebody shouting, "tulisan! tulisan! tulisan!" The a man approached him whom he asked, " Inggua baga it tulisan?" Are there tulisans? "Ako ay tulisan.",came the man’s sharp answer. Olong Cenon flew quiveringly, straight swift as an arrow to its target - the confines of his house. Olong Cenon strongly suspected that the tulisans were Batangueños or Tayabasnons, from the way they talked and gesticulated. "Golden Anniversary Celebration" of Banton’s founding as a municipality in 1968. He regrets, however, that Banton was already a pueblo in 1622, a seeming historical lapse in the Bantoanons’ sense of history. (Oh, that Tang Ambi were still around in 1998 when the Golden Anniversary of the Banton High School he founded was held!) event was the putting up of a souvenir magazine, the "Buyawang Ani" edited by James F. Fabicon, Lito M. Faigao, and Valentin F. Faigao. He says many of the opinion that the "Buyawang Ani" magazine was the best attempt yet (then) of the Bantoanons group of journalism (Fabella then had a prophetic sense of the future when another important event takes place in the near future, a better "Buyawang Ani" might be produced, but when shall it come? Jubilee Celebration (1993) Magazine (1918-1993). Its editorial Board was chaired by Vicente F. Ferriol with the following members: Dr. Salustiano Faigao, Romulo Faz, Sr., Norberto Fabra, Virginia Fesariton, Evangelista Fabro, Teddy Famini, Ismael Fabicon, Eutiquio Famatigan, Rinzi Fadrilan and Manuelito Festin. Mario P. Fetalino was its Consultant. forerunner of the BNHS. Its Editorial Staff was composed by: Lyndon F. Fadri, Editor and Chairman; Contributors: Maximo P. Fabella, Romulo Faz, Sr., Ish Fabicon, Mary Anne Fabella Cortez, Vingco Festin Fesariton, Nonelon Ferriol, Jane Malou Famadico, Segreda Shiela Ferrera, Sevilla F. Santos, Rogelio F. Fababeir, Blanquita Falsado, Jose A. Fonte ( Now Vice-Governor), Abraham F. Fabicon, Abner F. Faminiano, Imelda F. Fietas. yearly Biniray magazines, and a host of Balik-Barrio magazines. Fonsong to us) succinct editorial: "Fifty years of Banton is fifty years of industry, perseverance and patience. Physically limited in area, she had to squeeze every drop of life from each square inch of her tillable ground. Geographically isolated from the rest of the world, she too behaved like a real island. With all the odds against her economic development, she had to bear her miseries like waiting for good times to come, but the rules in the books with her. Long ago she learned the fable of the industrious ant. She knew the effects of water persistently dripping on stone. She is impressed by the story of Job. (An ageless piece, Manong Fonsong!, that.) now, it still rings true on the threshold of a new millennium. important town because commercial steamboats used to drop at Banton twice a month for cargoes or passengers. (Amen to that, I saw one in the 1930’s when I was still in grade school). – from Mr. Pedro Faigao’s autobiography), who stayed at Banton for three years made the Bantoanons realize the difference between Spanish and American education policies and system. Americans insisted that Pinoys must learn English and pupils had to be brought to town to attend school. And pupils liked to come to school because teachers were very kind to them. They gave their pupils candies, pencils, paper, and notebooks also. They were not given corporal punishment, unlike under the brutal Spanish teachers. The American established the first second and third grades in Banton, producing the first graduates ever in Grade IV in 1909 in the island, who received certificates under Mateo Menez. Intermediate school was in Romblon island (You can imagine now how tremendously difficult it was for our Bantoanon ancestors to get an education.) sourced from the book, "The Romblon Archipelago" by Prof. Gabriel F. Fabella Sr., President Emeritus, Philippine Historical Association; Head, U.P. Dept. of History, 1958-1960, among others, who widely cites Chronicler Mateo Menez in his book.)

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Poblacion is the latest barangay established in the island and comprises the town proper itself. It is the seat of the municipal government thus it houses the basic public facilities and infrastructures. Over the years the Poblacion has steadily grown from a very rural village into a semi urbanized community. From cogon and nipa thatched houses in the sixties now you see concrete dwellings, complete with modern—day amenities.

Among the mores significant developments that occurred in the poblacion in the recent years are: The electrification of the town, the improvement of its port facilities and improvement of its public theater and basketball court into becoming one of the province best covered courts to date. Added to these are construction of the new municipal hall, the rehabilitation of the muralla, the erection of the rest house at the cota which used to be the offices of the Banton post office, the conversion of the campanario into a museum and the development of the a park in Hipit. The newest addition is the installation of a repeater facility at Punta Matagar to enhance access to cell phone signals from cell sites in Calatrava and other neighboring towns of the province and Marinduque as well. Now the town is connected to the rest of the world through cell phone and cable tv.

The poblacion is the showcase of our being the cleanest and greenest town not only in the province but in the region as well. The people have fully internalized cleanliness and orderliness as essential elements of their lives. A visitor in the Poblacion need not worry where to stay as the people would voluntarily offer their homes, as a gesture of Bantoanons hospitality. Every guest is pampered with the amenities the host families can provide including tour guide services to the famous “Guyangan caves” from which were found wooden coffins containing the skeletons of our ancestor and the “ikat” fabric considered the oldest cloth in Southeast Asia. [Article by yagting.com]

Banton Chatolic Church

Banton Centuries-old Bell

Banton Island, Romblon Philippines [MAP]

Banton-Island Artifacts

Telang Banton-Island

Banton Island History

Banton A Paradise Island, Philippines

Barangay Poblacion, Banton

Cambunga Beach

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