Antique is a province of the Philippines located in the Western
Visayas region. Its capital is
Jose and is located at the western portion of Panay Island, bordering Aklan, Capiz, and Iloilo to the
east. Antique faces the Sulu Sea to the
was one of the three old sakups (districts) of Panay
before the Spanish colonizers
arrived in the islands.
The Antique was then known as
, which was named after the large red ants
found on the island, called hantik.
History section below.) The Spanish chroniclers, however, recorded
it as "Hantique" in the French manner. Later, the initial "h" was
dropped, and the name officially became "Antique."
believe that the earliest people who settled on the island of
Panay were tribal
Negritos or Ati. Oral history,
related as the legend of Maragtas, states that in 1212, ten Malay datus escaped persecution from Sri-Vishaya, a Hindu-Malay empire that existed
at that time in Borneo and Sumatra.
The old provincial capitol of Antique
in San Jose de Buenavista, now used as a provincial museum
These datus, led by Datu Puti
, sailed with
their families and communities from Borneo northward and landed on
There they met the Negrito chieftain Marikudo
and his wife Maniwangtiwan
. They bought the island from the
chieftain for a golden saduk
(headpiece or helmet), and a golden necklace, given to his wife,
among other gifts. The Negritos then retreated to the mountains,
while the Borneans settled in the lowlands. Today, the landing is
commemorated every year in Antique during the Binirayan festival
of Panay was then
divided into three sakups (districts).
, and Irong-Irong
became the present-day Aklan and Capiz, Irong-Irong became Iloilo, and Hantik
(also called Hamtik or Hamtic) became
Hantik was named for the large red ants
found on the island called
of Hantik was given to Datu Sumakwel
, one of the ten datus, and who,
according to tradition, was the oldest and wisest of them. The
were later governed as a political unit
called the Confederation of
, also under Datu Sumakwel.
Datu Sumakwel founded the town of Malandog
considered to be the first Malay
settlement in the country.
is now a barangay in the present-day
municipality of Hamtic, which was
named after the historic sakup.
the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Antique and occupied the
province during the Second World
In 1945, Philippine Commonwealth forces
together with recognized local guerrillas defeated the Japanese
troops and liberated the province.
is mostly isolated from the rest of the island of Panay by the Cordilleras of the island.
province's borders with its three neighbors lie on the divide of
this mountain range. Antique faces the northern portions of the
Sea to the west. The Semirara
Islands, located between Panay and Mindoro are part of Antique.
The land is rugged and mostly mountainous, cut by many short
streams that come down from the eastern mountains. Therz are two
distinct climatic regions in Antique. The North experiences an even
distribution of rainfall throughout the year. The south is drier as
the high mountains shield the area from the monsoons.
People and culture
Antiqueños are very hospitable people who would go out of their way
to extend assistance to visitors and guests. These seafaring people
share many characteristics with their Panay neighbors. However, the
steep slopes and the rugged, long mountain ranges of Antique have
isolated it from the rest of Panay. Hence, they have developed
their own distinct language called Kinaray-a. This dialect is of
characterized by the predominancy of r’s and schwa sounds spoken
with a lilting gentle intonation.The Catholic Church holds a very
strong influence on Antiqueños. For centuries, the churches were
the physical vanguards of the people. Being a coastal
province, and having been vulnerable to attacks by Moro raiders,
Antique was guarded by a series of watchtowers, like the ‘Old Watchtower’ in
Libertad and Estaca Hill in Bugasong all of which were built under the direction of the
Even today, the Catholic Church remains
influential in both the society and politics of the
province.However, in the mountains, remnants of ancient folk
beliefs persists. Babaylans
priestesses continue to divine the future, heal the sick or conjure
spells. This is an aspect of Antique’s culture that has been
subsumed under the Christian religion.The Antiqueños are noted for
their industry. They are renowned weavers through out the Visayas.
The Bugasong patadyong, a tube cotton fabric of plaid design, is
highly valued because of its fineness of weaving. Piña cloth is
also produced in looms throughout the province. Wine manufactured
from the sap of the coconut is a cottage industry.The rugged and
varied land of Antique offers visitors a variety of outdoor
activities. Diving and beach enthusiasts would have a great time
discovering the unspoiled islets of Antique. Nogas Island,
Hurao-Hurao Island and Malalison Island have long stretches of
white sand beaches and are ideal for shell-hunting. Batbatan Island
on the other hand, appeals to scuba divers because of the
well-preserved coral reefs. Mt. Madia-as, the highest peak on
Panay, is a dormant volcano with lakes and 14 waterfalls. It is
said to be the legendary home of Bulalakaw, the supreme god of the
ancients, and beckons as a challenge for hikers and trekkers.
For the year 1998, production of palay, the primary crop of the
province registered a total of 177,521 metric tons (mt.) or
4,438,025 cavans from 58,847 hectares with an average yield of 3.02
metric tons per hectare. An increase of 8,280 mt. or 16.37 percent
over last years (1997) production was observed because the area
harvested has increased by 9,822 hectares or 5.86 percent. However,
the average yield per hectare decreased by 0.3 mt. per hectare or
As to farm type, the average yield per hectare for irrigated lands
is 3.39 mt., 2.63 mt. for rain fed farms and 1.57 for upland
As it has been for years, our province had enough stock to feed its
population. This year, we have a surplus of 83,756 mt. or 2,093,900
cavans of palay.
Copra, the second major agricultural commodity, registered a total
production of 15,712 mt. in 1998 reflecting a decrease of 965 mt.
(5.78%) as against last years (1997) yield of 16,677 mt.
bulk of copra came from the municipality of Caluya where this
area accounts for 44 percent of the total copra output of the
The area planted with coconuts constitutes about
34 percent of the total area of the province. Caluya, together
with Pandan, account for more than half (53%)
of the total provincial figure in terms of area planted, number of
bearing trees, nuts production and copra yield.
For current year, data on production of other field crops are the
following: corn - 650 metric tons, legumes (moonbeams, peanuts and
other beans) - 1,689 metric tons, muscovado sugar - 2,280 metric
tons, root crops (camote, cassava, ube, etc.) - 3,434 metric tons,
vegetables (leafy, fruit and root) - 870 metric tons, banana -
11,102 metric tons and mango - 1,330 metric tons.
By the end of the year, preliminary data for the Bureau of
Agricultural Statistics (BAS) reported that the total volume of'
fishery products reached 24,299 metric tons. The aquaculture sector
yields the highest production during the inclusion of seaweed's in
Livestock and Poultry
Livestock and poultry raising in the province is through backyard
or commercial system of production. Data from Bureau of
Agricultural Statistics (BAS) revealed that from 1,441,660 heads of
livestock and poultry in 1997, the number rose to 1,547,944 in
1998, an additional 106,284 heads, indicating 7.37 percent growth.
The main reason behind this growth is the increase in poultry
production of almost 7.88 percent.
Forest products include bamboo, rattan, buri, bariw, nito, log,
charcoal, abaca, herbal vines and plants, wild flowers and others.
These forest resources are of undetermined quantity, and are used
as raw materials in construction industry, furniture and
Trade, Commerce, and Industry
Major products shipped out of the province are palay, rice, copra,
muscovado sugar, legumes, fruits & vegetables, livestock, fish
& fish preparations and seaweeds. Manufacture items like native
gifts, toys and housewares found their way in major cities of the
country and abroad. Principal mined products exported include
.Main goods entering the province are
construction materials, dry goods, groceries, canned and bottled
products, fertilizers and others.The capital town of San Jose de
Buenavista is the center of business hub mushroom in the
area. Potential growth areas include the towns of
Culasi, Pandan and Sibalom.
Investment opportunities with bright
prospects in the province are the following:
- Muscovado sugar industry
- Seaweed processing
- Marble processing
- Gemstone and semi-precious stone processing
- Coco oil mill
- Livestock and poultry processing
- Food Processing
- Marine products processing
- Furniture, handicraft, metalcraft
- Fiber extraction/processing/weaving
- High value crop production
- Feed/Feed Milling
Banks and Other Financial Institutions
As of 1998, Antique has a total of eleven (11) rural banks, five
(5) private commercial banks and three (3) government banks: the
Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the
Philippines have branches at San Jose de Buenavista and Pandan,
Antique.There are also fifty-one (51) multi-purpose cooperatives
and four (4) credit cooperatives.
An establishment is an economic unit which engages under a single
ownership or control. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
classifies establishments as manufacturing, trade and service.For
the year 1998, fourteen (14) manufacturing establishments were
reported. Such manufacturing establishments are making
hollowblocks, wood furnitures, steel/wood, packed foods, metal
craft, thresher, soap and sidecar. Service establishments totaled
to 117 and a total of 294 trade establishments.
The mineral resources, metallic and non-metallic that abound in the
province are coal, marble, copper, gold, limestone, silica gemstone
and others. An indication of oil deposit was recently discovered at
Maniguin Island in Culasi.
Antique is subdivided into 18 municipalities
This started in San Jose 34 years ago by the late Gov. Evelio
Javier - a week long festivities of colorful street parades, beach
shows, plaza concerts, beauty contest and trade fair. "Binirayan"
biray or "sailboat
" in Kinaray-a, Antique's
local language), refers to the difficult journey of the 10 datus to
reach Malandog beach, where they befriended the Atis (Aetas
) and eventually started a civilization in
pre-Hispanic times. As above-stated, Antique was mythically founded
by Bornean Malays
in the 12th
century. According to legend, 10 Bornean datus (chieftains) claimed Panay island and
their leader, Datu Sumakwel, founded the settlement in Malandog,
- Vanzi, Sol Jose. “The Many Facets of Antique.” Philippine
Headline News Online. 
- Website of the Provincial Government of Antique
- The Antique Circle USA. 
- Kinaray-a News. 
- Inquirer.net, Antique celebrates pride of place and