Jump to content

Balasan

Coordinates: 11°28′22″N 123°05′16″E / 11.4728°N 123.0878°E / 11.4728; 123.0878
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by InternetArchiveBot (talk | contribs) at 02:25, 14 July 2017 (Rescuing 1 sources and tagging 0 as dead. #IABot (v1.4)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Balasan
Municipality
Map of Iloilo with Balasan highlighted
Map of Iloilo with Balasan highlighted
Balasan is located in Philippines
Balasan
Balasan
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 11°28′22″N 123°05′16″E / 11.4728°N 123.0878°E / 11.4728; 123.0878
CountryPhilippines
RegionWestern Visayas (Region VI)
ProvinceIloilo
Legislative district5th district of Iloilo
Barangays23
Government
[1]
 • MayorManuel Ganzon
Area
 [2]
 • Total
54.27 km2 (20.95 sq mi)
Population
 (2020 census)[3]
 • Total
35,064
 • Density650/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
5018
IDD : area code +63 (0)33
Websitewww.balasan.gov.ph Edit this at Wikidata

Balasan is a fourth class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 35,064 people.[3]

Balasan is in northeast Iloilo, 129 kilometres (80 mi) from the provincial capital, Iloilo City, and 58 kilometres (36 mi) from Roxas City, with a regular bus service from these 2 cities.

Buses arrive at Balasan bus station, a kilometre to the Balasan's town centre, every fifteen minutes. Taking a tricycle is the most convenient way for newcomers to travel around Balasan.

The business and shopping centre of northern Iloilo, Balasan is a compact town and easy to get around on foot, by bicycle, or by public transport. It is home to Ritz School of Integrated Studies, a co-educational Montessori & elementary school and English institute for Korean students.

In 1950, the barrio of Zarragoza was transferred from the town of Batad.[4]

History

It was in 1857 when Don Juan Silverio granted Francisco Arreola permission together with 50 families to go in a boat southeastwards from Barrio Sumagbong Cogon, Nabas, Capi (Aklan) to the unfamiliar lands in the eastern portions of Panay Island. They soon landed in what was then known to be Punta Bulukawe, Capiz (Punta Badaiang, Carles). They were granted a full tax exemption for three years if they cultivated the new land.

After making a settlement, Francisco Arreola quickly appointed an exploration team to survey the new land further south. The team was led by Vicente Navales-the existing perpetual index of the leaders of Balasan started with the first teniente del barrio absolute, Vicente Navales in 1852. They immediately set forth southeastward to a river where they rested for the night. The morning was when the river got its name when the first man to awaken called out: ‘Bangon!’ which meant ‘Arise!’ The land after the river was a beautiful grassland full of sparrows – probably the Paser montanus (maya bongol), Lochura malacca (maya pula), or the Padda oryzivora (maya costa) which was from which the place got its name, Maya. They went further off to such places which are now known as Barangay Bulac, Batad, and Lanubo (Estancia). After being gone for quite some time, the folks in the settlement began to worry so a search party was formed to bring them back. They met with the former party in a place which was from then on known to be Tabuan (a place where people meet).

The accounts of Vicente Navales made some of the folks decide to make a sister-settlement in Maya. The place did prove promising and it expanded northeastward to a place with a river which was very ideal as a channel for sea trade and source of industrial sand (baras). The place was from then until such a time was known as Barasan. It eventually expanded and soon such area which was once the extension of the maya settlement became known until now as Mamhut.

The records show that Barasan became large enough that it even covered the areas which now are separate districts such as Carles, Estancia, and Batad.

The writings of Douglas Malunda tell about a treasure that the settlers of Arreola stored in one wooden chest to make it easier to protect from thieves from both land and sea. It was said such chest of silver, gold and pearls was buried in a dried well somewhere in Balasan with only a large tree to mark its location. The most accurate knowledge of its location was known by Arreola’s only son who unfortunately became one of the casualties of a cholera epidemic. With his death, the knowledge of the location of the treasure vanished. As yet, the treasure awaits its very fortunate hunter.

Barangays

Balasan is politically subdivided into 23 barangays. [2]

2

Demographics

Population census of Balasan
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 3,223—    
1918 22,214+13.73%
1939 12,840−2.58%
1948 15,490+2.11%
1960 10,967−2.84%
1970 13,490+2.09%
1975 15,588+2.94%
1980 17,979+2.89%
1990 22,013+2.05%
1995 22,949+0.78%
2000 25,474+2.26%
2007 27,384+1.00%
2010 29,724+3.03%
2015 33,088+2.06%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[5][6][7][8]

In the 2020 census, the population of Balasan, Iloilo, was 35,064 people,[3] with a density of 650 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,700 inhabitants per square mile.

Hospitals & Medical Centre

The town has two hospitals: Jesus M Colmenares District Hospital (government-owned, bed capacity 283) and Loida Sterner Hospital Facility (privately owned by a foundation, bed capacity about 100), and a medical centre: Medicus.

References

  1. ^ "Municipalities". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b "Province: Iloilo". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Census of Population (2020). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  4. ^ "An act to transfer a certain barrio from the territorial jurisdiction of the municipality of Batad, province of Iloilo to the municipality of Balasan, same province". LawPH.com. Retrieved 2011-04-09.
  5. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  6. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VI (Western Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. 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. National Statistics Office.
  8. ^ "Province of Iloilo". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Balasan.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Balasan&oldid=790491334"