MUN. OF SAN JOAQUIN |
At that time, Panay Island was inhabited by the "Atis" or Negritoes under the rule of King Marikudo and Queen Maniwangtiwang, Datu Puti and his men, instead of subduing chieftain Marikudo and the lowly "Atis", made negotiations of all the lowlands of Panay at the price of one golden hat called "Saduk", a long gold necklace called "Managyad" and various gifts. Said negotiations successfully took place at Imbidayan Rock, Sinogbuhan, San Joaquin, Iloilo, now a historical site. After the transaction was sealed, the "Atis" retired to the mountains and the Malays took complete control of the lowland.
Datu Puti continued his travel and the settlement was left to the able leadership of one of the chieftains, Datu Sumakwel whose wife was Kapinangan. Later Datu Sumakwel divided Panay Island into three districts – Irong-irong, Hamtic and Aklan. Irong-irong was given to Datu Paiburong as his territorial domain. It was Datu Sumakwel who decreed the Code of Kalantiaw and Panay Island lived in peace and prosperity for three hundred years until the Spaniards came.
What freedom our ancestors gained from this "Purchase of Panay" was lost when Magellan discovered the Philippines in 1521. Spanish colonization of the island and gradually under Spanish dominion, devfeloped this settlement into a "Pueblo" that also contributed to a large degree to our town’s cultural heritage. As a legacy from this period, the San Joaquin Roman Catholic Church was finished in 1869 and was a national shrine on September, 1977.
About 700 years later, the Treaty of Paris of 1898 ended the Spanish-American War. As a result, San Joaquin was annexed to the Municipality of Miag-ao in 1904 for purposes of efficient administration under American rule. But the annexation was shortlived because when the late Eliseo J. Sanglap, a native of San Joaquin became the Municipal President (now Municipal Mayor) of Miga-ao by popular vote in 1908, he fought for the return of San Joaquin to her former status. And by virtue of Executive Order No. 21, Series of 1910 issued by the American Military Governor General, San Joaquin became a municipality on December 10, 1910.
A number of tricycles operate within the municipality. Trisikad numbering to 60 is the most common mode of trasportation in the poblacion. The jeepneys and tricycles are busy on market day which is Friday.
The municipality of San Joaquin is sprawling in an area of 23,527 hectares or 235.27 square kilometers bordered by a shoreline of 25 kilometers to its hinterland in barangay Bad-as.
Land Classification Area
Area (sq.km.) | Percent (%) | |
Disposable Lands |
76.16
|
23.27%
|
Classified Forest Lands |
158.11
|
67.63%
|
Unclassified Forest Lands |
9.1%
|
The topography of the municipality of San Joaquin has a rolling terain. Of its 235.27 sq. kms, area, a total of 22o sq. kms. Belong to the 19%-50% slope category. A mountain chain runs to the southwest and along the Iloilo-Antique boundary.
Soil
Types
San Joaquin is 90% hills and mounains. Prospecting had been conducted in the past and possible mineral deposits had been tapped of uncertain quantity. Copper, manganese and silica was found evident in the areas of municipalities of Hamtic and Sibalom.
Quantified Philippine Gemstone Deposits
Location / Type of Gemstone | Quantity (MT) |
Tiolas River | |
Jasper and Green Chert |
|
Green and Blue Schist |
|
Red and Green Chert |
|
Glaucophane Schist |
|
Brgy. To-og | |
Jasper and Green Chert |
|
Green and Blue Schist |
|
Red and Green Chert |
|
Population |
|
Total No. of Households |
|
Population Growth Rate |
|
Doubling Time |
|
Crude Birth Rate |
|
Crude Death Rate |
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No. of Young Dependents |
|
No. of Old Dependents |
|
Average Household Size |
|
No. of School Age Population (5-21) |
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Extent of Malnutrition | |
Pre-Schoolers |
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School Children |
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Labor Force |
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No. of Male in the Labor Force |
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No. of Female in the Labor Force |
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Livestock
One
of the priority concern for development.The municipality plans to establish
a meat processing center/zone on its identified industrial site to provide
intermediary for final processing of meat materials. Livestock production
would prove viable considering the wide area and topography of San Joaquin.
San Joaquin is one of the major livestock producers in the province of
Iloilo. Its livestock product has sufficiently provided the meat requirements
not only of its people but as well as the province and even Metro Manila.
Agricultural
Rice
Remains
to be the major agricultural crop but due to floods, typhoons and drought
in the succeeding years, crop production drastically reduced. Other drops
include coconut, banana, mango and fruits.To provide extension services
to the farmers, there are 5 agricultural extension workers in the municipality.
Except for milling facilities which are provided by mobile "baby" cono
(vehicle mounted), there are no post harvest facilities like warehouses
and solar driers in the municipality. Supply of rice are provided by retailers
with outlets and during lean months sources of supply comes from neighboring
municipalities.
Forestry
The
Department of Environment and Natural Resources reported that the established
area of timberland in San Joaquin is 15,921 hectares or equivalent to 68%
of the total land area of the town. Considering its denuded state, DENR
has implemented reforestation programs like the Integrated Social Forestry
programs in some areas. These areas are classified as CARP areas covering
11 barangays with a total area of 953.06 hectares benefitting 655 participants
and the ISF regular areas covering 20 barangays with a total land area
of 1,866.1997 hectares with beneficiaries of 1,164 participating farmers.
As a whole, the portion of the land area of San Joaquin devoted to ISF
projects of the DENR Provincial Office is 2,819 hectares benefitting 1,819
participating farmers.
Bridges
Post Office - located in the poblacion
Communication Facilities
Telegraph station - the Bureau of Telecommunications (BUTEL) offfice has its own small building located near the municipal building. It has one (1) telegraph operator which operates from 8:00 A. M. to 5:00 P. M. , Monday to Friday. It operates on a wireless two-way radio communication making it possible to have a direct contact with the other municipalities within and outside the country.
Telephone service - the PT&T Corporation has established a public calling station in the poblacion last January 15, 1993 and lately the Bayantel and the Southern Iloilo Telephone Company (SITELCO) have established their own public caling office also in the Poblacion. A number of cellular phones can be found in the municipality.
Medical Facilities
The municiplaity has a ten-bed emergency hospital which is still unoperational. It is located a kilometer away from the town center. A main health center was established in 14-barangay health stations. Each barangay health station is staffed by one (1) midwife and a number of barangay health workers. There are 228 barangay health workers in the municipality.
Schools