Pandan, Antique

Pandan
Municipality
Nickname(s): Hidden Jewel of Antique
Map of Antique with Pandan highlighted
Pandan Location within the Philippines
Coordinates:
Country	Philippines
Region	Western Visayas (Region VI)
Province	Antique
District	Lone district
Barangays	34
Government
• Mayor	Jonathan D. Tan
Area
• Total	113.98 km2 (44.01 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	32,494
• Density	290/km2 (740/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
Zip Code	5712
Dialing code	36
Website	www.pandan.gov.ph

Pandan is a fourth class municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. In the 2010 census data, it had a population of 32,494 people. Pandan is also one of the Antique Province's industrialized towns and a major tourist destination for its natural wonders, its cold spring, the Bugang River and white beaches along the Pandan Bay from Barangay Mag-aba to Barangay Duyong.

Barangays

Pandan consists of 34 barangays, of which 15 lie along the coast, 12 are inland, and 7 are upland.

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History

The town was foemally established in 1752 by the Spanish Parishes in the province during the Philippines' colonization by Spain, which started in 1521 and ended with the Spanish–American War in 1899. During World War II, 1942 Japanese occupation of Panay Island saw the harassments and pandemonium in the area. The town was liberated in 1944 as part of the combined Allied forces campaign for the liberation of the Panay Island. In 1945, it was incorporated as a town under the fourth Philippine Republic.

Demographics

Population census of Pandan
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1990	23,894	—
1995	24,978	+0.83%
2000	27,647	+2.20%
2007	29,518	+0.91%
2010	32,494	+3.56%
Source: National Statistics Office

Language

The Philippine dialect generally spoken in the province of Antique is called Kinaray-a (Kee-nah-rye-ah). The people of Pandan—called "Pandananons"—uses a version of Kinaray-a which differs somewhat with that used by most of the other Antique residents. The Pandananon version is more similar to the dialect spoken in Aklan province, which shares a boundary with Pandan. Thus, for example, the English word "No" is "Wara" in Kinaray-a but "Uwa" or "Wa" in Pandananon. E.g. "There is no electricity today" translates into "Wara ti sulo kadya" in Kinaray-a, but "Uwa it iwag kaya" in Pandananon. Pandananons also speak and understand the Hiligaynon language.

Tourism

Tourism in Pandan (as in the province of Antique in general) has been growing steadily over the past ten years, thanks mainly to the town’s proximity to Boracay Island, which during the same period has become one of the world’s popular beach resorts and tourist destinations. Both local and foreign tourists bound originally for Boracay have increasingly added a stop in Pandan before or after visiting Boracay.

The town's major attractions include the Bugang River, which has been nationally awarded several times as “the cleanest inland body of water” in the Philippines; the Malumpati Cold Spring; the Pandan Bay sunset, and white-sand beaches, sandwiched between the Sulu Sea to the west and, in the east, the Central Panay Mountain Range and coconut and other farms.

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 top libraries of its kind in the country. The Dioso Library was built by retired United Nations official Leo Dioso as an ongoing gift to the people and town of Pandan. It 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.

Although privately owned and operated, the Library functions officially as the Municipal Library and Information Center of Pandan. 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. Residents of Pandan can borrow books from the Library for up to three weeks at a time.

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.

In addition to funding provided by the founder, the Library receives financial and in-kind contributions from Pandan's Municipal Government, 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 Motocross 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.

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.

Phaidon Villas and Beach Resort

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. 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.

Bunny's Beach Resort

A Filipino-Australian owned resort with a restaurant and bar, Considered to be one of Pandan, Antique's premier resorts. located at Barangay Mag-aba along a strip of white sand beach from the banks of the Bugang River to the rocky caves of Pari-Pari.

Rosepoint Beach

Located in Brgy. Mag-aba, Pandan Antique, Philippines. Nestled at the edge where the Bugang river meets the Pandan Bay, unwind in a peaceful paradise.

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.

Mag-aba National High School was founded in 1977. At first it was a Barangay High School but upon the term of President Corazon Aquino, all Barangay High Schools were renamed as National High Schools. Mag-aba National High School was relocated to the eastern part of the Barangay Mag-aba in 1992 and it is now the permanent location. Mag-aba National High School earned Academic qualities and participated in contests in the province and the region alongside its fellow schools in Pandan.

Founded in 1947, the PBI (Pandan Bay Institute, Inc.) was formerly run by the Diocese of Antique but is now managed and operated by the Canadian Missionaries (La Mennais 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.

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).

Health services

Pandan has one district hospital, the Justice Calixto Zaldivar memorial Hospital formerly known as 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.

Economy

The people of Pandan mostly covers 75% of agriculture and fishing. The other percentages were made up by professionals, civil servants, workers and Overseas Filipino Workers.

By 2010, in the new administration of Mr. Jonathan D. Tan, the municipality mayor, the town began experiencing tremendous waves of developments in tourism and industry.

Utilities

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.

Power 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.

External links

• Pandan.gov.ph - Official Website of the Municipality of Pandan, Antique, Philippines
• PANDAN.PH - Pandan Antique Philippines
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code