MUN. OF DUMANGAS

Mayor: Danilo D. Ocampo
Vice Mayor: Rodolfo D. Golez
Tourism Officer: Saul De Asis

[ brief history ] [ location and accessibility ] [ resource profile ]
[ demographic profile ] [ economic profile ] [ interesting places ]
[ infrastructure and utilities ]

BRIEF HISTORY 

PRE-SPANISH PERIOD. The early beginnings of the town sometime in the days of the Sri-Visayan Empire, a new wave of Malays migrated to the Philippines. The different tribes that composed the group of immigrants dispersed tthroughout the island of Panay and established their own settlements. One tribe settled in the southeastern cost of Panay, in an area strewn with hills and streams. Settler's called their new home "Araut" after the name of their old village, which they had left. 
 

THE SPANISH REGIME, THE DISCOVERY OF ARAUT.  The tranquil life and blissful existence of inhabitants of the village came to an abrupt end one day, in the month of June, 1565. Araut was discovered by a group of Spanish soldiers led by Mateo del Sanz who were foraging for food for Miguel de Legaspi's starving army in Cebu. They found the inhabitants to be noble bearings; in fact they thought the natives were "the nobles people in the old archipelago".

ARAUT BECOMES A TOWN. Mateo del Sanz returned to Cebu loaded with plenty of provisions for the Adelantado. A year later, in 1566, Legaspi sent Capitan Luis de Hoaya to confirm his friendliness and hospitality to the natives. de Hoaya was later appointed town administrator of Araut.

ARAUT WAS THEN MADE A PARISH. In 1569, Fr. Juan de Alva who accompanied Capitan Luis de Hoaya when they first came to Araut, was appointed the first parish priest of Dumangas. Fr. de Alva belonged to the Augustinian Order, which served Dumangas for a very long time.

Dumangas (Araut) is claimed to be the landing place of the Spaniards in Panay, and is also the placewhere the first mass in the island was held. As can be gleaned from the report of Fr. Rada, it was Fr. Juan de Alva who celebrated that first mass; for he was the first Priest to set foot in Araut when he came to the village in 1566. With the help of the new parishioners, he constructed a stone church, which was later acknowledged as the first stone church to be erected in Panay. Unfortunately, pirates burned down this church, together with a newly built convent. On the hill side of barangay Ermita, where Araut was once located now stands a small concrete chapel.

THE TRANSFER OF THE TOWN SITE.  Because of its hilly terrain, proximity to the shore, inadequacy of drinking water supply, and vulnerability to pirate raids, the town site was transferred a few kilometers up north along the Dumangas River in 1606. A wooden cross was planted to mark the new site.  The new location afforded unlimited room for expansion, ease for transportation because of the flat terrain and navigability of the river which was also an excellence source of water supply. It was farther away inland, so the inhabitants felt safer from the pirate attacks and Moro raids.

ARAUT WAS RENAMED DUMANGAS.  Before the transfer of the town site in 1606, people began to call the town Dumangas. As to how it got that name there are at least four stories. One story relates that once a Spaniard asked a native the name of the place and the answer was "DOS MANGAS". Thinking that the Castilian was asking him about the two trees under which he was resting. Another legend points out that Dumangas is a combination of the Visayan word "duro" which means plenty and Spanish word "mangas" for mango sleeves; for there were many mango trees growing in Araut at that time and the long-sleeved clothes commonly word by natives. The probable version, however, was about the verbal report of Legaspi's French officer who mentioned "Sitio du Mangas" as a place where they got replenishments. The Adelantado's chronicler noted the report and the name were duly recorded. It was later shortened to Dumangas. Lastly, according to original accounts in Spanish kept at the University of San Agustin and translated into English by Mr. Jose Deniros, Dumangas means "very warm".

  

LOCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY

Dumangas is at the southeastern part of Panay and lies at 122 degrees 42' 34" longitude, and 10 degrees 39' 22" latitude. Barotac Nuevo bounds it on the North. The South and East is bordered by the Guimaras Strait. And the West by the Municipalities of Pototan and Zarraga.

It is a coastal town about 29 kilometers away from Iloilo City. Land transportation in the municipality is in the form of jeepneys, motorcycles, and private motor vehicles.

Dumangas has two main routes of travel to the City of Iloilo. One is the Dumangas-Iloilo City via Balabago route and the other is the Dumangas-Iloilo City via Barotac Nuevo route. The fare from Dumangas to Iloilo City is P12.00.

  

RESOURCE PROFILE

The Land is Generally arable, suited for wet crops.
Mineral Resources
Sand - for commercial use, in the beds of the river of Jalaur in Brgy. Balabag
Limestone - Abounds at the hills, bays, and anchorage's navigable waterways and fishing banks
  

DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

  

ECONOMIC PROFILE

  

INTERESTING PLACES

Cultural attractions  
 
Stone Church in Barangay Ermita - The first stone church erected in the whole Island of Panay during the Spanish Era and believed to be the place where the first mass was held.
St. Agustin Church (Roman Catholic) - Of Gothic architecture, was the most artistic in the whole Philippines. Built sometime around 1887. 

Events

Pagtaltal sa Brg. Ermita on Holy Fridays 
Flores de Mayo
Dumangas Town Festival
 
Existing Tourism Related Projects 
 
Rehabilitation of St. Agustine Roman Catholic Church) and construction of its Mini Park. 

Proposed Tourism Development Projects  
 
Landscaping of the first stone church
Rehabilitation of the Town Plaza 
  

INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES
 

Roads and Bridges 

          National road- 29.95 kms.  
          Provincial road - 25.01 kms  
          Municipal road - 59.82 kms.  
          Barangay road - 57.27 kms.  
          Total road network - 171.50 kms.  
          The coastal road network from Nalu-oyan - Port to Iloilo City is still underconstruction. 

The Longest Bridge located at barangay Balabag has a length of 135 linear meter. A total of twenty one bridges all passable. 
 
Ports – located at Sitio Nalu-oyan Barangay Sapao. Nalu-oyan Port Complex has a total land area of around 7.0 hectares.  

Post Office – Bureau of Philippine Post Office 

Communication facilities 
 
         Radio/TV - One private owned cable network operated  
         Telegraph Station - RCPI/Bayantel and Bureau of Telecommunications.  
         Telephone Facilities - Operated by the PLDT 
 
Banks 
 
Rural Bank of Dumangas, Inc.

Medical facilities 
 
Hospitals - Dumangas District Hospital 
Clinics - 1 Municipal Health Office and 6 private clinics 
Pharmacies - 5

School 
 
Primary School - 5
Elementary Schools - 24
Secondary / High School - 4 
Colleges - 3
Private kindergarten - 3
 
 

[ brief history ] [ location and accessibility ] [ resource profile ]
[ demographic profile ] [ economic profile ] [ interesting places ]
[ infrastructure and utilities ]