Gasan, Marinduque
Encyclopedia
Gasan is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Marinduque, Philippines
. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 33,772 people. The municipality is bounded by the provincial capital, Boac
, to the north and east, by Buenavista
to the southeast and by the Tablas Strait
to the south and west. It is the second-oldest municipality in Marinduque, after Boac. Residents of Gasan are called Gaseños.
The Tres Reyes Islands off the coast of Marinduque are under the jurisdiction of Gasan, specifically under the jurisdiction of the municipality's Barangay Pinggan.
, the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Gasan, Marinduque.
In 1945, the combined United States and Allied Philippine Commonwealth forces landed in Gasan, Marinduque. The 5th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was participated in the battle to attacking Japanese forces, during which hundreds of Japanese troops were taken prisoner at the town of Gasan, Marinduque. This became known as the Battle of Marinduque.
In 1957, barrio Banto-anin was renamed as Bukal and barrio Hinubuan was renamed as Antipolo.
s.
All barangays in Gasan are bounded in part by coastline except the mountaineous barangays of Bachao Ilaya, Cabugao, Dawis, Mangiliol, Matandang Gasan, Tabionan, Tapuyan and Tiguion.
This park located in Barangay Uno is where Gasan's cenaculos are played during the Moriones Festival.
Reyes Park in Barangay Dos serves as the Gasan boardwalk. Fairs are conducted in the park, and a wooden footbridge leading to nearby Barangay Dili can be seen (and crossed). The bridge is a landmark of Barangay Dili.
Talao Cave in Barangay Tiguion is a series of twelve caves accessible from three mountain trails that can only be crossed on foot. The caves are located in the midst of a rain forest.
The Tres Reyes Islands in Barangay Pinggan, named after the Three Kings of the Nativity
, are a potential tourist destination. True to its name, the island chain consists of three islands named Gaspar, Melchor and Baltazar and are visible from any point of the Gasan coastline. Reaching the islands takes about 30–45 minutes by boat.
The Araw ng Gasan commemorates the town's founding nearly 400 years ago as a Spanish pueblo by Father Juan Rosado in honor of Saint Bernard of Marinduque.
The Gasang-Gasang Festival celebrates the origins of the name "Gasan". Sponsored by the Gasan Culture and Arts Foundation, or GASCUAF, and held after the Moriones Festival, the festival features a live dance competition where several barangays have competed in the competition held in downtown Gasan. In 2006, however, the festival was held instead at the open-air tiangge area of Barangay Libtangin due to objections from the mayor over the festival being held downtown.
Like all other municipalities in Marinduque, Gasan celebrates the Moriones Festival
during the Holy Week
. A parade of "morions", or Roman soldiers, is conducted in downtown Gasan, as well as the Gasan cenaculo at Guingona Park on Good Friday.
and further on to Metro Manila
. Many roads are paved.
Marinduque Airport
, the island's only airport, is located in Barangay Masiga. Zest Air is the first airline to travel to Marinduque in he year 2008 after four consecutive years closed. In the year 2009 Seair has started travel to Marinduque. More airlines plan to fly to Marinduque by the year 2010 Air Philippines hopefully will start to travel and in the year 2011 Cebu Pacific will follow to travel to Marinduque.
In celebration of the origins of the town's name, the municipality celebrates the Gasang-Gasang Festival every April after the more popular Moriones Festival
.
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...
. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 33,772 people. The municipality is bounded by the provincial capital, Boac
Boac, Marinduque
Boac is one of the two first class municipalities in Marinduque municipality in the province of Marinduque, Philippines...
, to the north and east, by Buenavista
Buenavista, Marinduque
Buenavista is a 5th class municipality in the province of Marinduque, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 19,271 people in 3,868 households.-Barangays:Buenavista is politically subdivided into 15 barangays.* Bagacay...
to the southeast and by the Tablas Strait
Tablas Strait
Tablas Strait is a strait in the Philippines, at . It separates the Mindoro and Panay islands. The approximate depth of the strait is 545 meters. It is known for being the place where the passenger ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with the oil tanker MT Vector killing 4000+ people on December...
to the south and west. It is the second-oldest municipality in Marinduque, after Boac. Residents of Gasan are called Gaseños.
The Tres Reyes Islands off the coast of Marinduque are under the jurisdiction of Gasan, specifically under the jurisdiction of the municipality's Barangay Pinggan.
History
In 1942, during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Gasan, Marinduque.
In 1945, the combined United States and Allied Philippine Commonwealth forces landed in Gasan, Marinduque. The 5th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was participated in the battle to attacking Japanese forces, during which hundreds of Japanese troops were taken prisoner at the town of Gasan, Marinduque. This became known as the Battle of Marinduque.
In 1957, barrio Banto-anin was renamed as Bukal and barrio Hinubuan was renamed as Antipolo.
Barangays
Gasan is politically subdivided into 25 barangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
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All barangays in Gasan are bounded in part by coastline except the mountaineous barangays of Bachao Ilaya, Cabugao, Dawis, Mangiliol, Matandang Gasan, Tabionan, Tapuyan and Tiguion.
Tourism
Gasan is home to some of Marinduque's best-known tourist spots:- Guingona Park
This park located in Barangay Uno is where Gasan's cenaculos are played during the Moriones Festival.
- Reyes Park
Reyes Park in Barangay Dos serves as the Gasan boardwalk. Fairs are conducted in the park, and a wooden footbridge leading to nearby Barangay Dili can be seen (and crossed). The bridge is a landmark of Barangay Dili.
- Talao Cave
Talao Cave in Barangay Tiguion is a series of twelve caves accessible from three mountain trails that can only be crossed on foot. The caves are located in the midst of a rain forest.
- Tres Reyes Islands
The Tres Reyes Islands in Barangay Pinggan, named after the Three Kings of the Nativity
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
, are a potential tourist destination. True to its name, the island chain consists of three islands named Gaspar, Melchor and Baltazar and are visible from any point of the Gasan coastline. Reaching the islands takes about 30–45 minutes by boat.
Religion
- Roman Catholic Church
- Aglipayan Church - which has a strong following in the town
Festivals
There are three main festivals celebrated in Gasan, two of which are unique to the municipality:- Araw ng Gasan
The Araw ng Gasan commemorates the town's founding nearly 400 years ago as a Spanish pueblo by Father Juan Rosado in honor of Saint Bernard of Marinduque.
- Gasang-Gasang Festival
The Gasang-Gasang Festival celebrates the origins of the name "Gasan". Sponsored by the Gasan Culture and Arts Foundation, or GASCUAF, and held after the Moriones Festival, the festival features a live dance competition where several barangays have competed in the competition held in downtown Gasan. In 2006, however, the festival was held instead at the open-air tiangge area of Barangay Libtangin due to objections from the mayor over the festival being held downtown.
- Moriones Festival
Like all other municipalities in Marinduque, Gasan celebrates the Moriones Festival
Moriones Festival
The Moriones is an annual festival held on Holy Week on the island of Marinduque, Philippines. The "Moriones" are men and women in costumes and masks replicating the garb of biblical Roman soldiers as interpreted by local folks...
during the Holy Week
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
. A parade of "morions", or Roman soldiers, is conducted in downtown Gasan, as well as the Gasan cenaculo at Guingona Park on Good Friday.
Barangay landmarks
In a recent tourist campaign known as "Parine na bayâ!", the municipal government promoted individual barangays' products and landmarks in a bid to showcase Gasan as a tourist destination. Some include the following:- Antipolo: Fish products
- Bachao Ibaba and Bachao Ilaya: Wooden handicrafts
- Bacong-Bacong: Watermelons
- Bangbang: Wicker handicrafts
- Banot: Banot Beach Park
- Bognuyan: Fish
- Cabugao: Gemilina plantation
- Dili: Wooden footbridge
- Libtangin: Open-air tiangge
- Mangiliol: Arrowroot
- Masiga: Patis
- Pangi: Butterfly farm
- Pinggan: Tres Reyes Islands
- Tabionan: Tabionan River
- Tapuyan: Nito
- Tiguion: Talao Cave
Transportation
The Marinduque Ring Road passes through Gasan and is known as San Jose Street in downtown Gasan. Tricycles and jeepneys can be used to navigate the town, while jeepneys can also be used to go to other towns. Taxis are available to and from major transportation terminals. Buses also stop in downtown Gasan to go to Lucena CityLucena City
Metro Lucena has an estimated population of 700,000 which is mostly concentrated in the flat south-central portion of Quezon, which includes the cities of Lucena and Tayabas, Sariaya, Candelaria, Lucban & Pagbilao . The people are often characterized as friendly and hardworking...
and further on to Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
. Many roads are paved.
Marinduque Airport
Marinduque Airport
Marinduque Airport is the only airport located on and serving the island province of Marinduque in the Philippines. The airport is located in Barangay Masiga in the town of Gasan, near the border with the provincial capital, Boac...
, the island's only airport, is located in Barangay Masiga. Zest Air is the first airline to travel to Marinduque in he year 2008 after four consecutive years closed. In the year 2009 Seair has started travel to Marinduque. More airlines plan to fly to Marinduque by the year 2010 Air Philippines hopefully will start to travel and in the year 2011 Cebu Pacific will follow to travel to Marinduque.
Name
The origin of the name of Gasan came from the term Gasang or Gasang-Gasang, a type of coral once abundant around the town's shoreline. Legend has it that when the Spaniards discovered the town, they found an old woman near the banks of today's Matandang Gasan River. When asked in Spanish what was the name of the town, she interpreted it as if they were asking about what was the name of the corals growing around the area, with the Spaniards interpreting her answer as the name of the town. Over time, the term Gasang-Gasang was shortened to Gasang before being shortened further to Gasan.In celebration of the origins of the town's name, the municipality celebrates the Gasang-Gasang Festival every April after the more popular Moriones Festival
Moriones Festival
The Moriones is an annual festival held on Holy Week on the island of Marinduque, Philippines. The "Moriones" are men and women in costumes and masks replicating the garb of biblical Roman soldiers as interpreted by local folks...
.
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Marinduque State College Marinduque State College is a public college in the Philippines.-Campus:MSC consists of one main campus located at Boac, and three more branches located at Sta. Cruz, Torrijos and Gasan... - Fisheries |
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