New Washington, Aklan
Encyclopedia
New Washington is a municipality in the province of Aklan particularly famous for being the native town of the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, former Archbishop of Manila. Dubbed in recent years as New Washington, The Bountiful, it is home to proactive, prolific and development-oriented people.
, as tribute to the Thomasites
, a group of American teachers who in the early 1900's established a new public education system in the Philippines, taught basic education and trained Filipino teachers with English as medium of instruction. The municipality was formerly called Fonda Lagatik, which was derived from Lagatik River that stretches along some of the municipality's barangays at a length of 9.6 kilometers.
Majority of the New Washingtonians, as the municipality's residents are sometimes called, are of Aklanon origin. Immigration, generally, is due to marriage and employment.
New Washingtonians speak in Aklanon, Hiligaynon, Filipino and English, the former being their primary medium. Aklanon, as a language, is often described as a cross between Bisaya, Hiligaynon and Karay-a making it quite complicated for local and foreign tourists to speak and comprehend. This is not seen as a problem, considering that residents can speak fluent Filipino and English.
The people of New Washington are predominatly Christians, with such movements as Catholic
, Protestant and Nontrinitarian scattered around the town. Religious denominations present in the municipality include Roman Catholic Church
, Philippine Independent Church
, Baptist
Churches, Iglesia ni Cristo
, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses
and Church of the Latter Day Saints, among others.
Although a considerable number is involved in fishing and farming, New Washingtonians have forayed into a diverse array of professions. Majority of them are into marine transportation, education, nursing and business. A few are involved in the fields of medicine, law, public service, etc. Small to medium scale businesses abound in the municipality.
New Washington is politically subdivided into 16 barangay
s, as follows:
To some locals, the barangays are grouped into two (2), namely "eanas" and "baybay". The barangays that belong to Eanas are those involved in rice farming such as Mabilo, Puis, Jalas, Guinbaliwan, Mataphao, Candelaria, Lawa-an and Jugas. Baybay, on the other hand, covers barangays along or near the coastline, consisting of Tambac, Poblacion, Pinamuk-an, Polo, Cawayan, Ochando, Fatima and Dumaguit.
Common among municipalities in the Philippines, the seat of local government and the center of business are situated in Poblacion. It is also in this barangay, specifically at the locally-iconic Municipal Auditorium and Sports Complex, where major events of the town are held.
Topography
New Washington is located at 11.57 degrees latitude and 122.48 degrees longitude. It is bounded by the municipality of Batan in the East, Kalibo in the West and Sibuyan Sea on the North.
As New Washington is surrounded by bodies of water such as Sibuyan Sea and Lagatik River, fishing has been the leading livelihood among the people, alongside rice farming. In connection with the latter, New Washington has the largest area of ricefields among the municipalities in Aklan.
The municipality operates two (2) ports: one in Dumaguit and the other in Poblacion. The port in Dumaguit caters to passenger and commercial boats, while the port in Poblacion is only for the latter. Both ports serve as major trade routes between the province of Aklan and Manila.
Approximately, New Washington is ten (10) minutes away from Kalibo International Airport, fifteen (15) minutes away from the province's capital town of Kalibo and one and a half (1 1/2) hours away from the world-renowned Boracay
Island.
Climate
The third type of climate pre-dominates in the locality, season not pronounced. It is relatively dry from February to July and wet the rest of the year.
Through the years, the town has proven to be a promising spot for tourism what with edifices that have either historical or spiritual significance and locations that can be categorized as havens for leisure and relaxation. Examples include the NHI-recognized commemorative monument of Jaime Cardinal Sin and the Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Poblacion, the Pink Sisters' Convent in Polo, the Sunrise/Sunset Viewing at Tambak Seawall and the Sampaguita Gardens Resort.
Mayor - Atty. Edgar R. Peralta
Vice Mayor - Jean T. Velarde
Sangguniang Bayan Members
1. Jessica R. Panambo
2. Estrella E. Velarde
3. Alberto M. Andrade
4. Ruperto I. Cayetano
5. Rodolfo D. Perucho
6. Celia C. Dela Cruz
7. Junie D. Repiano
8. Jesus B. Quimpo
Restaurants are also present in the municipality. Among the more famous are Oriental Flavors (fine-dining) and Poolside Restaurant at Sampaguita Gardens, the Residence River Restaurant (Seafoods) in Tambak and the unnamed restaurant in the heart of Poblacion, which offers well-loved filipino dishes by the iconic Nanay Puring.
Name
Established on January 15, 1904, the municipality was named after the first president of the United States, George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, as tribute to the Thomasites
Thomasites
The Thomasites is a group of about five hundred pioneer American teachers sent by the U.S. government to the Philippines in August 1901.-Foundation, purpose and etymology:...
, a group of American teachers who in the early 1900's established a new public education system in the Philippines, taught basic education and trained Filipino teachers with English as medium of instruction. The municipality was formerly called Fonda Lagatik, which was derived from Lagatik River that stretches along some of the municipality's barangays at a length of 9.6 kilometers.
Demography
New Washington is the third most populous municipality in Aklan, holding 8% of the province's total population. According to the 2007 census, it is home to 39,656 residents. The number has increased by 16.7% since the year 2000 when the official count was only 33,981.Majority of the New Washingtonians, as the municipality's residents are sometimes called, are of Aklanon origin. Immigration, generally, is due to marriage and employment.
New Washingtonians speak in Aklanon, Hiligaynon, Filipino and English, the former being their primary medium. Aklanon, as a language, is often described as a cross between Bisaya, Hiligaynon and Karay-a making it quite complicated for local and foreign tourists to speak and comprehend. This is not seen as a problem, considering that residents can speak fluent Filipino and English.
The people of New Washington are predominatly Christians, with such movements as 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"...
, Protestant and Nontrinitarian scattered around the town. Religious denominations present in the municipality include Roman Catholic Church
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...
, Philippine Independent Church
Philippine Independent Church
The Philippine Independent Church, The Philippine Independent Church, The Philippine Independent Church, (officially the or the IFI, also known as the Philippine Independent Catholic Church or in Ilocano: Siwawayawaya nga Simbaan ti Filipinas (in in Kinaray-a/Hiligaynon: Simbahan Hilway nga...
, Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Churches, Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo also known as INC, is the largest entirely indigenous Christian religious organization that originated from the Philippines and the largest independent church in Asia. Due to a number of similarities, some Protestant writers describe the INC's doctrines as restorationist in...
, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
and Church of the Latter Day Saints, among others.
Although a considerable number is involved in fishing and farming, New Washingtonians have forayed into a diverse array of professions. Majority of them are into marine transportation, education, nursing and business. A few are involved in the fields of medicine, law, public service, etc. Small to medium scale businesses abound in the municipality.
Geography
BarangaysNew Washington is politically subdivided into 16 barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s, as follows:
|
|
To some locals, the barangays are grouped into two (2), namely "eanas" and "baybay". The barangays that belong to Eanas are those involved in rice farming such as Mabilo, Puis, Jalas, Guinbaliwan, Mataphao, Candelaria, Lawa-an and Jugas. Baybay, on the other hand, covers barangays along or near the coastline, consisting of Tambac, Poblacion, Pinamuk-an, Polo, Cawayan, Ochando, Fatima and Dumaguit.
Common among municipalities in the Philippines, the seat of local government and the center of business are situated in Poblacion. It is also in this barangay, specifically at the locally-iconic Municipal Auditorium and Sports Complex, where major events of the town are held.
Topography
New Washington is located at 11.57 degrees latitude and 122.48 degrees longitude. It is bounded by the municipality of Batan in the East, Kalibo in the West and Sibuyan Sea on the North.
As New Washington is surrounded by bodies of water such as Sibuyan Sea and Lagatik River, fishing has been the leading livelihood among the people, alongside rice farming. In connection with the latter, New Washington has the largest area of ricefields among the municipalities in Aklan.
The municipality operates two (2) ports: one in Dumaguit and the other in Poblacion. The port in Dumaguit caters to passenger and commercial boats, while the port in Poblacion is only for the latter. Both ports serve as major trade routes between the province of Aklan and Manila.
Approximately, New Washington is ten (10) minutes away from Kalibo International Airport, fifteen (15) minutes away from the province's capital town of Kalibo and one and a half (1 1/2) hours away from the world-renowned Boracay
Boracay
Boracay is an island of the Philippines located approximately south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards numerous times. Boracay was awarded in the "Travelers' Choice...
Island.
Climate
The third type of climate pre-dominates in the locality, season not pronounced. It is relatively dry from February to July and wet the rest of the year.
Economy
With its coastline location and vast ricefields, the chief industries in New Washington are fishing and rice farming.Through the years, the town has proven to be a promising spot for tourism what with edifices that have either historical or spiritual significance and locations that can be categorized as havens for leisure and relaxation. Examples include the NHI-recognized commemorative monument of Jaime Cardinal Sin and the Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Poblacion, the Pink Sisters' Convent in Polo, the Sunrise/Sunset Viewing at Tambak Seawall and the Sampaguita Gardens Resort.
Education
All the barangays have either an elementary or primary school. There are four secondary schools, namely: New Washington National Comprehensive High School and Montfort Technical Institute (MTI) in Poblacion, Candelaria National High School in Candelaria and Ochando National High School in Ochando. Tertiary education is centered at Aklan State University - College of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, which is located in Poblacion. Vocational courses are also offered at MTI. Some families send their children to schools in Kalibo, Capiz, Iloilo and Manila, among others.Cultural and Historical Significance
New Washington observes two (2) annual fiestas as a town. One is a patronal fiesta in honor of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, which is held on the second Saturday of October and the other is a civic fiesta commemorating the heroes of Pacto De Sangre, which is held from March 1 to 3. The Pacto De Sangre, or blood compact, took place in the then Sitio Kuntang (now Barangay Ochando) on March 3, 1897. It was participated in by New Washingtonians of the past as a show of support to the Filipinos' revolution against the Spaniards. A commemorative marker was put up in the area where the event took place in Barangay Ochando. While the patronal fiesta is characterized by pious reflection, the civic fiesta involves three (3) days of merry-making.Local Government
As of October 2010, the municipal officials are as follows:Mayor - Atty. Edgar R. Peralta
Vice Mayor - Jean T. Velarde
Sangguniang Bayan Members
1. Jessica R. Panambo
2. Estrella E. Velarde
3. Alberto M. Andrade
4. Ruperto I. Cayetano
5. Rodolfo D. Perucho
6. Celia C. Dela Cruz
7. Junie D. Repiano
8. Jesus B. Quimpo
Leisure
The municipality has an abundance of beach resorts located near the shores from Mabilo to Dumaguit. The past decade saw an influx of inland resorts, which became a hit among Aklanon tourists. The inland resorts in the town are mostly in Poblacion, examples of which are Sampaguita Gardens Resort, Maria Mercedes Resort and Frogs Hollow Resort. For free means of leisure and entertainment, residents go to the town plaza, which houses the Jaime Cardinal L. Sin Park, the Rizal Park, the Municipal Children's Park and the Municipal Auditorium and Sports Complex.Restaurants are also present in the municipality. Among the more famous are Oriental Flavors (fine-dining) and Poolside Restaurant at Sampaguita Gardens, the Residence River Restaurant (Seafoods) in Tambak and the unnamed restaurant in the heart of Poblacion, which offers well-loved filipino dishes by the iconic Nanay Puring.