Belison, Antique

Belison
Municipality
Map of Antique showing the location of Belison
Belison Location within the Philippines
Coordinates:
Country	Philippines
Region	Western Visayas (Region VI)
Province	Antique
District	Lone district
Founded	March 10, 1961
Barangays	11
Government
• Mayor	Darell B. Dela Flor
• Vice Mayor	Reynaldo Jacaba
Area
• Total	19.78 km2 (7.64 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	12,807
• Density	650/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	5701
Dialing code	36
Income class	5th class
Patron Saint	Our Lady of Candles
Feast Day	February 2

Belison is a fifth class municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 12,807 people. Belison is the smallest (in area and population) and the youngest municipality in the province of Antique.

Geography

The municipality is bounded on the east and south-west by the municipality of Sibalom, on the south by San Jose de Buenavista, on the north by the municipality of Patnongon, and on the west by 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.

• Borocboroc
• Buenavista
• Concepcion
• Delima
• Ipil
• Maradiona
• Mojon
• Poblacion
• Rombang
• Salvacion (Kotkot)
• Sinaja

History

Less than fifty years ago the town of Belison was merely a barangay in the larger municipality of Patnongon, adjacent to the north. Belison barangay leaders and Manila-based Belisongnons as well, 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 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.

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.

Demographics

Population census of Belison
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1990	10,095	—
1995	11,174	+1.92%
2000	11,621	+0.84%
2007	12,467	+0.97%
2010	12,807	+0.98%
Source: National Statistics Office

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.

Municipal Hymn

composer: Sammy Rubido

Belison, ang banwa ko nga pinalangga.
Maragtas kang kasakit kag himaya.
Ang imong mga patag, baybayun, kag suba,
Duyan kang pagla-um
Hakus kang pag palangga.

Belison, ang banwa ko nga dungganun.
Kamal-aman ang kasaysayan mo gindihon.
Ang imong kabataan magatindug ng mapag-un.
Bugay kang Makaako, O, Banwang BELISON.

Koro
Belison, rugya kami, ang imung mga kabataan.
Iririmaw ikaw amun nga amligan.
Magahugpong padulong sa kauswagan.

Saksi ang bukid kang Guinobatan,
Sa nagriligad mo nga kasaysayan.
Dunang-manggad mo, amun nga bantayan.
Sa mga sakun ikaw panghimatyan.

Belison, rugya kami, ang imung mga kabataan.
Iririmaw ikaw amun nga amligan.
Magahugpong padulong sa kauswagan.

Belison, ang banwa ko, ikaw ang amun sarandigan.
Iririmaw ikaw amun nga amligan.
Magahugpong padulong sa kauswagan.

Belisongnon, magahugpong padulong sa KAUSWAGAN...

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.

• Aglipayan or the members of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Parish of Our Lady of Purity & Candles) have a church along Delima Street.
• Roman Catholics, there is the Lady of Candles Parish located along Oliverio Street.
• Seventh-day Adventist Church located along Placer Street.
• Iglesia ni Cristo and Assembly of God have a local, and both located along Candelaria Street.
• Belison Baptist Church located along Rizal Street.
• Born Again Church located in Brgy. Maradiona.
• United Pentecostal Church is located along National Road (Brgy. Poblacion).
• Victory Christian Church is located along Bajalan-Lancara Street.

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information