Pandan, Antique
Encyclopedia
Pandan is one of the 18 towns making up the Philippine province of Antique. With an estimated 2010 population of nearly 34,000 (as projected by the National Statistics Office based on the 2007 census), Pandan consists of 34 barangays (villages), of which 15 lie along the coast, 12 are inland, and 7 are upland, as follows:
* Bagumbayan
* Baybay
* Botbot
* Dionela
* Dumrog
* Duyong
* Idiacacan
* Jinalinan
* Mag-aba
* Nauring
* Patria
* San Andres
* Sta. Fe
* Tingib
* Zaldivar
Inland Barangays
* Buang
* Cabugao
* Candari
* Carmen
* Centro Norte
* Centro Sur
* Fragante
* Guia
* Luhod Bayang
* Sta. Cruz
* Sto. Rosario
* Talisay
Upland Barangays
* Aracay
* Badiangan
* Maadios
* Napuid
* Perfecta
* San Joaquin
* Sta. Ana
Those who regard the above account as more myth than fact believe that the town's name more probably came from "Pandanus", a genus of monocot plants that together are termed pandans, or "Pandanus amaryllifolius", a plant which yields the pandan leaf used widely in Southeast Asian cuisine.
Bugang River has been given the “Gawad Pangulo sa Kapiligiran” (Presidential Environmental Award) as the cleanest river in the Philippines. It had previously been ranked No. 1 multiple times among the "cleanest inland bodies of water" in the Western Visayas region.
The river is supported by several springs, one of which is the major source of the municipality’s water supply. Moreover, the same river serves as the municipality’s tourist resort whose cool and fresh water provides a soothing and relaxing sensation to many local excursionist and tourists.
Malumpati Health Spring and Tourist Resort
Malumpati is a natural haven for peace, swimming and relaxation or even solitude for the Pandananons. Used as a place to beat the summer heat, it is also an ideal hide-away from the hustle and bustle of a busy life. It is a natural swimming pool 20 meters width, 40 meters in length and about 3 to 4 meters deep at the center, crystal-clear water and free flowing from upstream to the shallow end, going down the famous Bugang River. It is a natural pool fed with cool and clear water from the different natural springs of the river. The resort is bounded by lush green vegetation, nature trippers will surely enjoy.
Leocadio Alonsagay Dioso Memorial Public Library
Since 2004 Pandan has been home to a library that, according to the National Library of the Philippines, is among the best in the entire country. The Dioso Library was built by retired United Nations official Leo Dioso, who operates it with his wife Chiqui from the United States, assisted by a local staff of five headed by a Director (a position currently occupied by one-time Pandan Mayor Arthur R. Dionela). The library is named in honor of the founder's late father, Leocadio A. Dioso, whose long career included service as Justice of the Peace, Presidential legal adviser, and Philippine diplomat. Following retirement from the Department of Foreign Affairs, he had settled with his wife in the late 1970s in the United States, where he died in 1996.
Housed in a two-story building on 1,700 sq. meters of land in the town center, the Library has a separate Main Collection Hall, Reading & Reference Room, Computer Room, Children's Room, a "United Nations Corner", and an external stage area for public presentations. It offers all visitors free entry to the building and grounds, and free use of or access to computers and the Internet, plus more than 20,000 volumes of (a) fiction, nonfiction, and self-help/how-to books in English, Filipino, and a few other languages, for both children and adults; (b) encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, and other reference materials; (c)audiobooks; (d) popular movies and documentaries on DVDs and videotapes; (e) Philippine newspapers, and (f) a large selection of international magazines.
The Library holds regular storytelling, puppet shows, and read-aloud programs to promote reading among children, as well as free movie shows for the general public. In addition, the Library organizes other programs that promote education, culture, and the arts, either directly or in cooperation with local groups.
Although privately-owned & operated, the Library functions officially as the municipal public library of Pandan. Its full-time local staff are supported by around 100 active and retired schoolteachers, day care workers, and other local professionals who volunteer their services as storytellers and puppeteers. They received special training — organized by the Dioso Library in cooperation with the National Library of the Philippines — on how to entertain and promote reading among children through storytelling programs and puppet shows.
In addition to funding provided by the founder, the Library receives financial and in-kind contributions from the municipal and provincial governments, as well as from private individuals and institutions in the Philippines and other countries, particularly the United States of America.
Annual festival
Pandan's popular town fiesta, known as the Tugbong Festival, is held in honor of St. Vincent Ferrer, its patron saint. The Festival runs from the 21st to the 25th of April and includes, among other events: The Agro-Industrial Fair; The Sports Tournament; The Dalmacio Marathon; The Motorcross Invitational Competition; The Dasigay Bugsay Boat Rowing Competition; The Search for Miss Teen Pandan Beauty Pageant; The Ati-Atihan, Mardi-Gras and Float Competitions; and The PBI Annual Alumni Homecoming.
Other tourist attractions
Vera Mar Retreat House and Tourist Resort
At the end of Mag-aba barangay road, on the way to Barangay Tingib, stands a dream of a place: the Vera Mar Retreat House and Tourist Resort.
It is also a place where one can go down to the bowels of the earth and see the beautiful caves.
One can also dive down the deep sea and admire the beautiful gardens inhabited by the multicolored fishes and coral formations.
Phaidon Villas and Beach Resort
This establishment is a joint venture of Filipino and Austrian investors to promote Pandan eco-tourism. PHAIDON is a Greek word meaning “the soul and roots of every life” and it is also an acronym for Philippine–Austrian Investment Duyong Offenberger – Network.
A white sand beach resort located in Barangay Tingib and a part of Duyong Golden Beach. The resort has a picnic ground and beach volleyball area which is open to the public but with entrance fee.
Duyong Golden Beach
A long stretch of white sand beach from where one could see the panorama of the Duyong Mountain Ranges on the east, the spectacular view of Batbatan Island and the beautiful golden rays of the setting sun on the west.
A part of Duyong Golden Beach is where Phaidon Villas and Resort, a white sand beach resort, is located.
A quiet, wonderful rainforest of the Northwest Panay Peninsula could be viewed at the background of the resort.
Bunny's Beach Resort
A Filipino-Australian Owned resort- Composed of Three Comfortable Rooms and a Restaurant with a Bar, Located at Barangay Mag-aba. A very Good and Comfortable Resort where tourist can feel the natural breeze and a Touch of the Rural Filipino Society.
Experience in Bunny's Beach Resort
A Strip of White sands from the Banks of the Bugang River to the Rocky Caves of Pari-Pari, Bunny's Beach Resort is located at Mag-aba, Pandan, Antique.
A Part of pandan, where only tourist can found Low Tide Reefs beyond the shores of Mag-aba and is very good during Diving Tours or Snorkelling.
A Peaceful and a Simple Trip to Rural Side of The Philippines.
Secondary education is provided by two private schools (the Pandan Bay Institute (PBI) and the Jinalinan Academy) and four public schools (the Pandan National Vocational High School (PNVHS), and the Patria, Mag-aba, and Sta. Ana National High Schools). These six schools have a combined 58 classrooms.
Founded in 1947, the PBI was formerly run by the Diocese of Antique but is now managed and operated by the Canadian Missionaries (La Menanais Brother) . The Jinalinan Academy is operated by the Seventh Day Adventists. Located in the town proper, the PNVHS was founded in 1997 and had its first graduates at the end of the 2000-2001 school year. Originally barangay high schools, the schools in Patria and Mag-aba were later converted into national schools. Sta. Ana National High School is located in the hinterland.
On a limited basis, tertiary education is provided by the Jinalinan Academy (which offers a one-year Health Aide course) and by the PBI (which offers two-year Computer Science and Computer Secretarial courses). These courses do not yet fully meet the tertiary education needs of the community in terms of capacity and facilities. However, they have otherwise been found helpful by the town's poor students, who cannot afford to attend similar courses offered by better-equipped colleges elsewhere, such as those in Kalibo (Aklan) or Iloilo City.
There is a private Lying-In-Clinic (Tugon Medical Clinic) which is located at the town center. It has a 10-bed capacity and is manned by one physician, five nurses, one midwife, one dentist, two pharmacists and one medical technologist.
The Municipal Health Office is manned by one Municipal Health Officer (MHO), two Public Health Nurses (PHN), ten Rural Health Midwives (RHM), one Rural Sanitary Inspector (RSI), four casuals, and one janitor. Each RHM has her own catchment area which is composed of 3-4 barangays. One RHM is based at the Main Health Center. Out of nine Barangay Health Stations (BHS), only three have permanent buildings and these need repair. Midwives with no permanent BHS occupy the Barangay Hall. Despite these difficulties, the health personnel deliver health services regularly to their constituents.
The programs and services implemented by the Municipal Health Office are: National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP); Health and Sanitation; Maternal and Child Health Care (MCHC); Nutrition; Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI); Control of Diarrheal Disease; Leprosy Control, and Family Planning. These programs and services are implemented throughout the municipality through the efforts of the Rural Health Personnel with the help of the Barangay Health Workers (BHW), Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) and trained hilots in their respective barangays.
A Level III Water Works System operated and maintained by the Pandan Water District supplies 20 barangays in the municipality. The system was built through a joint undertaking of the Japan Asian Friendship Society and the Local Government of Pandan. The system basically draws water from a spring located in Malumpati and pumps it to a reservoir located in Sto. Rosario. It then distributes water by gravity to its concessionaires. It is currently capable of supplying 540,000 liters per day, mainly for domestic consumption (currently involving 1,132 users).
Other barangays not covered by the Pandan Water District get their water through gravity-type spring development projects, involving the installation of communal faucets at strategic locations within each barangay.
Level I systems exist in areas where other sources are not available. Prior to the operation of the Level III system, Level I systems were popularly used by most of the households in the municipality. At present, these are still maintained as a back-up source of water supply.
Power is necessary for the development of a locality. The Aklan Electric Cooperative (AKELCO) supplies electricity to the municipality. AKELCO sourced its power from the National Power Corporation. Electricity had already reached almost majority of the barangays in the municipality except those, which are located in the hinterlands. One barangay in the hinterland obtains its electricity from a mini-hydro power plant.
In Pandan, the total percentage of household served is 33.31% in the rural area while 86.13% is being served in the urban area. Even though some households can already be reached by electric supply, they choose not to get connected due mainly to its high cost. They rely instead on other means for lighting, cooking and other purposes.
Although the government with the partnership of the AKELCO is currently implementing its electrification program in the barangays, delays in the implementation can be expected because of the high cost of transmission lines and other facilities needed. There is also a low demand in electric connection because some households are not capable of paying installation expenses as well as the monthly bills.
Power outages and fluctuation can be frequently experienced in Pandan which usually occur during weather disturbances. Old and insufficient facilities are also one of the causes.
AKELCO gets its supply of power from NAPOCOR through a 69 KV transmission line traversing the Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan area. When power from this line is cut-off due to maintenance or weather disturbances, Pandan experiences a power outage.
Barangays
Coastal Barangays* Bagumbayan
* Baybay
* Botbot
* Dionela
* Dumrog
* Duyong
* Idiacacan
* Jinalinan
* Mag-aba
* Nauring
* Patria
* San Andres
* Sta. Fe
* Tingib
* Zaldivar
Inland Barangays
* Buang
* Cabugao
* Candari
* Carmen
* Centro Norte
* Centro Sur
* Fragante
* Guia
* Luhod Bayang
* Sta. Cruz
* Sto. Rosario
* Talisay
Upland Barangays
* Aracay
* Badiangan
* Maadios
* Napuid
* Perfecta
* San Joaquin
* Sta. Ana
Source of name
According to a story whose source is unknown but which is widely accepted in the area, the town's name is a combination of the Spanish word "pan" (bread), and the Visayan demonstrative pronoun "dan" (that). Supposedly, when Spanish explorers first met the area's natives and asked them if they had any food, one native said "Dan", pointing to a basket containing some "kamotes" (sweet potatoes). Mistaking the kamotes at first glance for bread, one Spaniard happily exclaimed "Pan!"Those who regard the above account as more myth than fact believe that the town's name more probably came from "Pandanus", a genus of monocot plants that together are termed pandans, or "Pandanus amaryllifolius", a plant which yields the pandan leaf used widely in Southeast Asian cuisine.
Notable attractions
Bugang RiverBugang River has been given the “Gawad Pangulo sa Kapiligiran” (Presidential Environmental Award) as the cleanest river in the Philippines. It had previously been ranked No. 1 multiple times among the "cleanest inland bodies of water" in the Western Visayas region.
The river is supported by several springs, one of which is the major source of the municipality’s water supply. Moreover, the same river serves as the municipality’s tourist resort whose cool and fresh water provides a soothing and relaxing sensation to many local excursionist and tourists.
Malumpati Health Spring and Tourist Resort
Malumpati is a natural haven for peace, swimming and relaxation or even solitude for the Pandananons. Used as a place to beat the summer heat, it is also an ideal hide-away from the hustle and bustle of a busy life. It is a natural swimming pool 20 meters width, 40 meters in length and about 3 to 4 meters deep at the center, crystal-clear water and free flowing from upstream to the shallow end, going down the famous Bugang River. It is a natural pool fed with cool and clear water from the different natural springs of the river. The resort is bounded by lush green vegetation, nature trippers will surely enjoy.
Leocadio Alonsagay Dioso Memorial Public Library
Since 2004 Pandan has been home to a library that, according to the National Library of the Philippines, is among the best in the entire country. The Dioso Library was built by retired United Nations official Leo Dioso, who operates it with his wife Chiqui from the United States, assisted by a local staff of five headed by a Director (a position currently occupied by one-time Pandan Mayor Arthur R. Dionela). The library is named in honor of the founder's late father, Leocadio A. Dioso, whose long career included service as Justice of the Peace, Presidential legal adviser, and Philippine diplomat. Following retirement from the Department of Foreign Affairs, he had settled with his wife in the late 1970s in the United States, where he died in 1996.
Housed in a two-story building on 1,700 sq. meters of land in the town center, the Library has a separate Main Collection Hall, Reading & Reference Room, Computer Room, Children's Room, a "United Nations Corner", and an external stage area for public presentations. It offers all visitors free entry to the building and grounds, and free use of or access to computers and the Internet, plus more than 20,000 volumes of (a) fiction, nonfiction, and self-help/how-to books in English, Filipino, and a few other languages, for both children and adults; (b) encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, and other reference materials; (c)audiobooks; (d) popular movies and documentaries on DVDs and videotapes; (e) Philippine newspapers, and (f) a large selection of international magazines.
The Library holds regular storytelling, puppet shows, and read-aloud programs to promote reading among children, as well as free movie shows for the general public. In addition, the Library organizes other programs that promote education, culture, and the arts, either directly or in cooperation with local groups.
Although privately-owned & operated, the Library functions officially as the municipal public library of Pandan. Its full-time local staff are supported by around 100 active and retired schoolteachers, day care workers, and other local professionals who volunteer their services as storytellers and puppeteers. They received special training — organized by the Dioso Library in cooperation with the National Library of the Philippines — on how to entertain and promote reading among children through storytelling programs and puppet shows.
In addition to funding provided by the founder, the Library receives financial and in-kind contributions from the municipal and provincial governments, as well as from private individuals and institutions in the Philippines and other countries, particularly the United States of America.
Annual festival
Pandan's popular town fiesta, known as the Tugbong Festival, is held in honor of St. Vincent Ferrer, its patron saint. The Festival runs from the 21st to the 25th of April and includes, among other events: The Agro-Industrial Fair; The Sports Tournament; The Dalmacio Marathon; The Motorcross Invitational Competition; The Dasigay Bugsay Boat Rowing Competition; The Search for Miss Teen Pandan Beauty Pageant; The Ati-Atihan, Mardi-Gras and Float Competitions; and The PBI Annual Alumni Homecoming.
Other tourist attractions
Vera Mar Retreat House and Tourist Resort
At the end of Mag-aba barangay road, on the way to Barangay Tingib, stands a dream of a place: the Vera Mar Retreat House and Tourist Resort.
It is also a place where one can go down to the bowels of the earth and see the beautiful caves.
One can also dive down the deep sea and admire the beautiful gardens inhabited by the multicolored fishes and coral formations.
Phaidon Villas and Beach Resort
This establishment is a joint venture of Filipino and Austrian investors to promote Pandan eco-tourism. PHAIDON is a Greek word meaning “the soul and roots of every life” and it is also an acronym for Philippine–Austrian Investment Duyong Offenberger – Network.
A white sand beach resort located in Barangay Tingib and a part of Duyong Golden Beach. The resort has a picnic ground and beach volleyball area which is open to the public but with entrance fee.
Duyong Golden Beach
A long stretch of white sand beach from where one could see the panorama of the Duyong Mountain Ranges on the east, the spectacular view of Batbatan Island and the beautiful golden rays of the setting sun on the west.
A part of Duyong Golden Beach is where Phaidon Villas and Resort, a white sand beach resort, is located.
A quiet, wonderful rainforest of the Northwest Panay Peninsula could be viewed at the background of the resort.
Bunny's Beach Resort
A Filipino-Australian Owned resort- Composed of Three Comfortable Rooms and a Restaurant with a Bar, Located at Barangay Mag-aba. A very Good and Comfortable Resort where tourist can feel the natural breeze and a Touch of the Rural Filipino Society.
Experience in Bunny's Beach Resort
A Strip of White sands from the Banks of the Bugang River to the Rocky Caves of Pari-Pari, Bunny's Beach Resort is located at Mag-aba, Pandan, Antique.
A Part of pandan, where only tourist can found Low Tide Reefs beyond the shores of Mag-aba and is very good during Diving Tours or Snorkelling.
A Peaceful and a Simple Trip to Rural Side of The Philippines.
Education Facilities
Acting under the Department of Education (DEPED), the Pandan School District oversees the implementation of the programs and thrusts of the department. It is currently undergoing changes in order to achieve its goal: "Quality Education and Education For All". The district is composed of 33 schools -- 10 mono-grade elementary schools; 5 multi-grade elementary schools, and 18 primary schools -- with a total of 200 classrooms.Secondary education is provided by two private schools (the Pandan Bay Institute (PBI) and the Jinalinan Academy) and four public schools (the Pandan National Vocational High School (PNVHS), and the Patria, Mag-aba, and Sta. Ana National High Schools). These six schools have a combined 58 classrooms.
Founded in 1947, the PBI was formerly run by the Diocese of Antique but is now managed and operated by the Canadian Missionaries (La Menanais Brother) . The Jinalinan Academy is operated by the Seventh Day Adventists. Located in the town proper, the PNVHS was founded in 1997 and had its first graduates at the end of the 2000-2001 school year. Originally barangay high schools, the schools in Patria and Mag-aba were later converted into national schools. Sta. Ana National High School is located in the hinterland.
On a limited basis, tertiary education is provided by the Jinalinan Academy (which offers a one-year Health Aide course) and by the PBI (which offers two-year Computer Science and Computer Secretarial courses). These courses do not yet fully meet the tertiary education needs of the community in terms of capacity and facilities. However, they have otherwise been found helpful by the town's poor students, who cannot afford to attend similar courses offered by better-equipped colleges elsewhere, such as those in Kalibo (Aklan) or Iloilo City.
Health Services
Pandan has one District Hospital, the Gov. Leandro Locsin Fullon General Hospital, with a 25-bed capacity located at Brgy. Bagumbayan, one kilometer away from the town center. It is manned by a chief of hospital, two resident physicians, eight nurses, one midwife, one dentist, one pharmacist, one medical technologist, and one nutritionist. Attached to the hospital is the Alexander Liberman Memorial Surgical Pavilion.There is a private Lying-In-Clinic (Tugon Medical Clinic) which is located at the town center. It has a 10-bed capacity and is manned by one physician, five nurses, one midwife, one dentist, two pharmacists and one medical technologist.
The Municipal Health Office is manned by one Municipal Health Officer (MHO), two Public Health Nurses (PHN), ten Rural Health Midwives (RHM), one Rural Sanitary Inspector (RSI), four casuals, and one janitor. Each RHM has her own catchment area which is composed of 3-4 barangays. One RHM is based at the Main Health Center. Out of nine Barangay Health Stations (BHS), only three have permanent buildings and these need repair. Midwives with no permanent BHS occupy the Barangay Hall. Despite these difficulties, the health personnel deliver health services regularly to their constituents.
The programs and services implemented by the Municipal Health Office are: National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP); Health and Sanitation; Maternal and Child Health Care (MCHC); Nutrition; Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI); Control of Diarrheal Disease; Leprosy Control, and Family Planning. These programs and services are implemented throughout the municipality through the efforts of the Rural Health Personnel with the help of the Barangay Health Workers (BHW), Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) and trained hilots in their respective barangays.
Water Supply
Pandan has a sufficient supply of water in general. It also has good sources of potable water that may not require chemical treatment. The water supply operates at three levels -- the individual faucet system (Level III); the communal faucet system (Level II) and the point source system (level I) -- which are in the form of wells and springs common in the rural areas.A Level III Water Works System operated and maintained by the Pandan Water District supplies 20 barangays in the municipality. The system was built through a joint undertaking of the Japan Asian Friendship Society and the Local Government of Pandan. The system basically draws water from a spring located in Malumpati and pumps it to a reservoir located in Sto. Rosario. It then distributes water by gravity to its concessionaires. It is currently capable of supplying 540,000 liters per day, mainly for domestic consumption (currently involving 1,132 users).
Other barangays not covered by the Pandan Water District get their water through gravity-type spring development projects, involving the installation of communal faucets at strategic locations within each barangay.
Level I systems exist in areas where other sources are not available. Prior to the operation of the Level III system, Level I systems were popularly used by most of the households in the municipality. At present, these are still maintained as a back-up source of water supply.
Utilities
POWER SUPPLYPower is necessary for the development of a locality. The Aklan Electric Cooperative (AKELCO) supplies electricity to the municipality. AKELCO sourced its power from the National Power Corporation. Electricity had already reached almost majority of the barangays in the municipality except those, which are located in the hinterlands. One barangay in the hinterland obtains its electricity from a mini-hydro power plant.
In Pandan, the total percentage of household served is 33.31% in the rural area while 86.13% is being served in the urban area. Even though some households can already be reached by electric supply, they choose not to get connected due mainly to its high cost. They rely instead on other means for lighting, cooking and other purposes.
Although the government with the partnership of the AKELCO is currently implementing its electrification program in the barangays, delays in the implementation can be expected because of the high cost of transmission lines and other facilities needed. There is also a low demand in electric connection because some households are not capable of paying installation expenses as well as the monthly bills.
Power outages and fluctuation can be frequently experienced in Pandan which usually occur during weather disturbances. Old and insufficient facilities are also one of the causes.
AKELCO gets its supply of power from NAPOCOR through a 69 KV transmission line traversing the Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan area. When power from this line is cut-off due to maintenance or weather disturbances, Pandan experiences a power outage.