Prelature of Batanes-Babuyanes
Encyclopedia
The Prelature of Batanes is a prelature of the Roman Catholic Church
in the Philippines
and was created on November 30, 1950, comprising the civil province of Batanes
and the Babuyan Islands
group which belongs to the province of Cagayan
. Its titular patron is Santo Domingo de Guzman whose feast the prelature celebrates on August 8.
The Territorial Prelature of Batanes (in ) is a home of the Catholic Church suffragan of Archdiocese of Tuguegarao
. In 2004 there were 15,505 baptized about 16,476 inhabitants. It is currently ruled by the Bishop Camilo Diaz Gregorio.
The Cathedral of Santo Domingo de Guzman, Basco is the seat of the prelate that can be found in Basco, Batanes
.
The territory is divided into six parishes.
. On 29 June 1951 it became part of the ecclesiastical province of Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia
. On 21 September 1974 became suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao
. On 6 February 2002 took its present name.
The island of Batanes is in the northernmost waters of the Philippine archipelago. It actually lies nearer Taiwan
than the Philippine mainland, being only 222 kilometers from the tip of Taiwan, and 224 kilometers from Claveria
, a town at the north of Cagayan province. It is also nearer Taipei
than Manila
.
The province of Batanes is composed of 10 small islands, the total of which makes it the smallest province of the Philippines
in terms of area and population. To the south of Batanes, across the Balintang Channel
are the islands that compose the Babuyan Islands group which politically falls under the jurisdiction of the province of Cagayan.
Directly south of the Babuyan Islands group is the Babuyan Channel which separates the islands from the northern stretch of Cagayan Province. Its five larger islands are Camiguin
, Calayan, Babuyan, Fuga and Dalupiri.
During the early years of the Spanish
occupation Batanes was completely ignored and enjoyed complete freedom from colonial rule. In 1685 Dominican order
missionaries arrived and undertook evangelization
as well as colonization of the Ibatans, the natives of the place. A century later General Jose Basco explored the area in search of tobacco
-growing regions. It is in his honor that Basco
, the capital town of Batanes is named.
Towards the end of the Spanish era Batanes was made a part of Cagayan. But during the American
regime it again became a separate political unit. During the Pacific war Batanes, because of its geographical location, was among the first areas of the Philippines to be occupied by Japan
.
When the prelature was created it was separated from the Diocese of Tuguegarao and made a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Manila. But when the Diocese of Tuguegarao was elevated to an archdiocese on September 21, 1974, the Prelature of Batanes-Babuyanes was made a suffragan of this ecclesiastical province.
The Dominicans having been the only missionaries in the area for a considerable length of time, it seemed just right that its first prelate be a Dominican too. And this came about in the person of Monsignor Peregrin de la Fuente, who served from 1950 until he died in 1966. His successor, Right Reverend Monsignor Mario L. Baltazar, another Dominican, was installed Prelate Ordinary on January 7, 1967 and has remained until 1995.
The land area covered by the Prelature of Batanes-Babuyanes is 71,784 square kilometers with a population of 23,995 of which 93 per cent are catholic
s. There were 54 persons per square kilometer in Batanes when the national average was 122 in the seventies. English
spoken by 65 per cent of the population, Pilipino by 55 per cent, Spanish
by 5 per cent, but Ilocano
is the most prevalent dialect.
Among the prelature's Catholic institutions are 1 college, 2 high schools, 1 kindergarten school, 1 orphanage and 1 dormitory. There are 7 parishes run by 7 priests with the help of 4 religious sisters.
Because of frequent typhoons that batter the islands, only small-scale farming and fishing are possible. Root crops, vegetables and fruit trees are common, supplemented by hog and poultry raising.
Batanes is completely rural, having been completely bypassed by the upheavals of urbanization. Whether boon or bane, only the inhabitants of Batanes would know.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and was created on November 30, 1950, comprising the civil province of Batanes
Batanes
The Province of Batanes , also called the Batanes Islands, is a Philippine province comprising ten islands that are located in the Luzon Strait between the islands of Luzon and Taiwan...
and the Babuyan Islands
Babuyan Islands
The Babuyan Islands form an archipelago located in the Luzon Strait north of Luzon island in the Philippines. It is separated from Luzon by the Babuyan Channel and from the Batanes Islands to its north by the Balintang Channel....
group which belongs to the province of Cagayan
Cagayan
Cagayan , the "Land of Smiling Beauty", is a province of the Philippines in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Tuguegarao City and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also includes the Babuyan Islands to the north. The province borders Ilocos Norte...
. Its titular patron is Santo Domingo de Guzman whose feast the prelature celebrates on August 8.
The Territorial Prelature of Batanes (in ) is a home of the Catholic Church suffragan of Archdiocese of Tuguegarao
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. Tuguegarao is a river delta city that became the seat of the Archdiocese in the Province of Cagayan, on the island of Luzon....
. In 2004 there were 15,505 baptized about 16,476 inhabitants. It is currently ruled by the Bishop Camilo Diaz Gregorio.
Territory
The diocese includes the Philippine province of Batanes province and the municipality of Calayan in Cagayan Province.The Cathedral of Santo Domingo de Guzman, Basco is the seat of the prelate that can be found in Basco, Batanes
Basco, Batanes
Basco is a 5th class municipality in the Batanes Province, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Batanes...
.
The territory is divided into six parishes.
History
The Territorial Prelature of Batanes Islands and Babuyan was erected 30 November 1950, gaining territory from the diocese of Tuguegarao (erected). It was originally a suffragan of Archdiocese of ManilaRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila or Archdiocese of Manila is a particular Church or Diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. It is also considered as the primatial see of the country, currently headed by the Archbishop of Manila and it enjoys primacy over the other dioceses in...
. On 29 June 1951 it became part of the ecclesiastical province of Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia
-Introduction:The Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. It covers the province of Ilocos Sur, on the island of Luzon. The see of the archdiocese is the city of Vigan....
. On 21 September 1974 became suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. Tuguegarao is a river delta city that became the seat of the Archdiocese in the Province of Cagayan, on the island of Luzon....
. On 6 February 2002 took its present name.
The island of Batanes is in the northernmost waters of the Philippine archipelago. It actually lies nearer Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
than the Philippine mainland, being only 222 kilometers from the tip of Taiwan, and 224 kilometers from Claveria
Claveria, Cagayan
Claveria is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 30,275 people in 5,767 households....
, a town at the north of Cagayan province. It is also nearer Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
than Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
The province of Batanes is composed of 10 small islands, the total of which makes it the smallest province of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in terms of area and population. To the south of Batanes, across the Balintang Channel
Balintang Channel
The Balintang Channel is the small waterway that separates the Batanes and Babuyan Islands, both of which belong to the Philippines, in the Luzon Strait....
are the islands that compose the Babuyan Islands group which politically falls under the jurisdiction of the province of Cagayan.
Directly south of the Babuyan Islands group is the Babuyan Channel which separates the islands from the northern stretch of Cagayan Province. Its five larger islands are Camiguin
Camiguin
Camiguin is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. It is the second-smallest province both in population and land area after Batanes...
, Calayan, Babuyan, Fuga and Dalupiri.
During the early years of the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
occupation Batanes was completely ignored and enjoyed complete freedom from colonial rule. In 1685 Dominican order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
missionaries arrived and undertook evangelization
Evangelization
Evangelization is that process in the Christian religion which seeks to spread the Gospel and the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world. It can be defined as so:-The birth of Christian evangelization:...
as well as colonization of the Ibatans, the natives of the place. A century later General Jose Basco explored the area in search of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
-growing regions. It is in his honor that Basco
Basco, Batanes
Basco is a 5th class municipality in the Batanes Province, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Batanes...
, the capital town of Batanes is named.
Towards the end of the Spanish era Batanes was made a part of Cagayan. But during the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
regime it again became a separate political unit. During the Pacific war Batanes, because of its geographical location, was among the first areas of the Philippines to be occupied by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
When the prelature was created it was separated from the Diocese of Tuguegarao and made a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Manila. But when the Diocese of Tuguegarao was elevated to an archdiocese on September 21, 1974, the Prelature of Batanes-Babuyanes was made a suffragan of this ecclesiastical province.
The Dominicans having been the only missionaries in the area for a considerable length of time, it seemed just right that its first prelate be a Dominican too. And this came about in the person of Monsignor Peregrin de la Fuente, who served from 1950 until he died in 1966. His successor, Right Reverend Monsignor Mario L. Baltazar, another Dominican, was installed Prelate Ordinary on January 7, 1967 and has remained until 1995.
The land area covered by the Prelature of Batanes-Babuyanes is 71,784 square kilometers with a population of 23,995 of which 93 per cent are catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s. There were 54 persons per square kilometer in Batanes when the national average was 122 in the seventies. English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
spoken by 65 per cent of the population, Pilipino by 55 per cent, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
by 5 per cent, but Ilocano
Ilokano language
Ilokano or Ilocano is the third most-spoken language of the Republic of the Philippines....
is the most prevalent dialect.
Among the prelature's Catholic institutions are 1 college, 2 high schools, 1 kindergarten school, 1 orphanage and 1 dormitory. There are 7 parishes run by 7 priests with the help of 4 religious sisters.
Because of frequent typhoons that batter the islands, only small-scale farming and fishing are possible. Root crops, vegetables and fruit trees are common, supplemented by hog and poultry raising.
Batanes is completely rural, having been completely bypassed by the upheavals of urbanization. Whether boon or bane, only the inhabitants of Batanes would know.
Ordinaries
- Peregrin de la Fuente Nesta, OP † (2 July 1951 - 14 May 1966 died)
- Mario L. Baltazar, OP (18 November 1966 - 1995 Resigned)
- Paala Jose Salazar, OP † (25 April 1996 - 23 November 2002 Resigned)
- Camilo Diaz Gregorio, from 13 September 2003