Antique is one of the provinces in the island of Panay. Often overlooked compared to neighboring Aklan and Iloilo provinces, I took the opportunity to spend my weekend here, despite the expensive flight to province’s main airport and some pandemic restrictions. I felt like I need to visit the airports around our country so I did. I never thought that this rustic province has ongoing construction of new airport buildings, new capitol building and array of nature spots waiting to be explored.
Western Visayas (Hiligaynon: Kabisay-an Nakatundan; Tagalog: Kanlurang Kabisayaan or Kanlurang Visayas) is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. It consists of six provinces (Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental) and two highly urbanized cities (Bacolod and Iloilo City). The regional center is Iloilo City. The region is dominated by the native speakers of four Visayan languages: Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a, Aklanon and Capiznon. It is the second most populous region in the Visayas after Central Visayas.
Antique, officially the Province of Antique (Kinaray-a: Kapuoran kang Antique; Hiligaynon: Kapuoran sang Antique; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Antique), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is San Jose de Buenavista, the most populous town in Antique. The province is situated in the western section of Panay Island and borders Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo to the east, while facing the Sulu Sea to the west. The province is home to the indigenous Iraynun-Bukidnon, speakers of a dialect of the Kinaray-a language, who have crafted the only rice terrace clusters in the Visayas through indigenous knowledge and sheer vernacular capabilities. Antique was one of the three sakups (districts) of Panay before Spanish colonizers arrived on the islands. The province was known at that time as Hantík, the local name for the large black ants found on the island. The Spanish chroniclers, influenced by the French, recorded the region’s name as Hantique with the (silent ‘h’), but this was only adopted in areas near Malandog River in present Hamtic town which then became the provincial capital (shortly before Bugason and San Jose). The province bearing its former capital’s name is spelled and pronounced as “Antique” (än-ti-ké), without ‘h’ and pronounced in (Kinaray-a) dialectic way.
A rustric and underrated province with natural scenic spots and heritage churches, in this post, I’ll show the tourist destinations I visited in Antique over the weekend, my 68th province so far. I’ll post here in my #project81 the articles related to each province. Presenting my sightseeing itinerary below with Antique Airport (Evelio B. Javier Airport EUQ) as my entry and Caticlan Airport (Godofredo P. Ramos Airport MPH) as exit point:
My Antique Travel Map doing northward route from Antique airport in San Jose de Buenavista. Note that I stayed for a night at San Jose de Buenavista, as it has a terminal where jeepneys are bound to different municipalities. From San Jose de Buenavista to Anini-y, I rode a jeepney from Robinsons Place Antique and went back to my inn via Ceres bus along the highway.
ANTIQUE PROVINCE HIGHLIGHTS:
San Jose de Buenavista 📍Evelio B. Javier Freedom Park 📍Old Capitol Building 📍St. Joseph Cathedral 📍Balay nga Bato 📍Antique Provincial Capitol 📍San Jose Municipal Hall 📍Produkto Antiqueño where you can buy botong botong and other delicacies
Anini-y 📍San Juan Nepomuceno Parish Church or Anini-y Church, marked as Important Cultural Property 📍Anini-y Municipal Hall 📍Anini-y Plaza
Tibiao 📍Calawag Mountain Resort for Kawa Hot Bath of your choice 📍Museo de Tibiao 📍Tibiao Municipal Hall 📍St. Nicholas de Tolentino Parish Church 📍Tibiao Town Plaza
Culasi 📍Mararison Island 📍Culasi Municipal Hall 📍The Seawall of Culasi 📍St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church
Four municipalities have been visited, where you can see a glimpse of locals’ daily life. Antique is subdivided into 18 municipalities. The capital town of San Jose de Buenavista is the center of business in the province while Culasi is the center of the North.
Evelio B. Javier Airport (Kinaray-a: Hurugpaan kang Evelio B. Javier, Hiligaynon: Hulugpaan sang Evelio B. Javier, Filipino: Paliparang Evelio B. Javier) (IATA: EUQ, ICAO: RPVS), also known as San Jose Airport, and officially as Antique Airport is the only airport in the province of Antique in the Philippines. The airport is located in the provincial capital San Jose de Buenavista, and is classified as a Class 2 principal (minor domestic) airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, a body of the Department of Transportation that is responsible for the operations of not only this airport but also of all other airports in the Philippines except the major international airports.San Jose de Buenavista, officially the Municipality of San Jose de Buenavista, (Kinaray-a: Banwa kang San Jose de Buenavista; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang San Jose de Buenavista), is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Antique, Philippines. It the most populous municipality in the province of Antique. It is often referred to by locals as simply San Jose.The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose de Antique (Lat: Dioecesis Sancti Iosephi de Antiquonia) is a diocese of the Roman Rite of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church whose cathedral is in the city of San Jose de Buenavista, Antique in the Philippines.CASA GELLA-AZURIN Balay Nga Bato Gobierno cor. Marina Sts., San Jose de Buenavista, Antique Built in the 1800s by Julio Roman Vital & wife Rosa Gania Vital (folk accounts point to around 1860-1865), the grand house stood out on its location in Calle Gobierno in San Jose, Antique. It was later inherited by Felix Vital who lived there with his wife Amparo Frafiello. After being widowed, Amparo Vital lived in the grand house until she gave it as payment in the 1920s to Dr. Raymundo Azurin, the family physician of the Vitals. Dr. Raymundo Azurin lived in the house with his wife Consuelo Gella, daughter of Antique Governor Vicente Gella. Captured by the Japanese during the occupation, the mansion was used as a hospital by the occupying Japanese forces. It was later returned to the descendants after the liberation. In the late 20th century, the landmark was locally popular as it housed a restaurant run by the owners. As the new millennium entered, its structural integrity was steadily in decline and there were various calls to restore the mansion to its former glory. Through the initiative of Senator Loren Legarda the landmark heritage house was restored with the help of the National Historical Commission after the Azurins went into a 30 year usufruct agreement with the Antique Provincial Government. Research by Cesar Ramales
KARAY-A HABLON MASK infront of Antique Provincial Tourism Office The Karay-a, are an ethnolinguistic group who inhabited the islands of Panay and Palawan, mostly in the province of Antique. The name of this group was derived from the word iraya, which means “upstream”. Karay-a people speak the Karay-a language, also known as Kinaray-a. Patadyong weaving is done by interlacing the different colors of threads through a wooden handloom locally called tiral or habulan. “Hablon” taken from the Hiligaynon word “Habol” meaning “to weave” refers to both the process of making the fabric and the end product. It is traditionally made of locally-made fibers such as piña, abaca, and cotton. Weaving is an age-old tradition that once brought fame and fortune to the weavers of Panay Island, such as weavers in Bugasong and Tibiao municipalities.
Anini-y, officially the Municipality of Anini-y (Kinaray-a: Banwa kang Anini-y; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Anini-y; Tagalog: Bayan ng Anini-y), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. It is the southernmost municipality in the province as well as in Panay island.
Anini-y church or the Parish of St. John of Nepomuceno is the only preserved church in the Antique, originally built by the Augustinians Friars. The church is generally made of corals and stones collected in the immediate area. Close to the original church, the present coral structure on the other hand is 48m x 12.5m and was built in 1845. In 1879, Fr. Jeronimo V. Aquerin completed the present complex.Tibiao, officially the Municipality of Tibiao (Kinaray-a: Banwa kang Tibiao; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Tibiao; Tagalog: Bayan ng Tibiao), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. Tibiao is dubbed the Adventure Capital of Antique. It offers various adventure activities such as trekking to Bugtong Bato Falls, kayaking and river tubing in Tibiao River, and cultural immersion tour to Antique Rice Terraces.
From Culasi, I went back to Tibiao to stay overnight at Calawag Mountain Resort, famous for their kawa hot bath and other river activities.
Kawa Hot Bath is an activity you cannot miss when in Tibiao, Antique. The kawa (cauldron) that are used as hot tubs were previously used in sugar (muscovado) making. It easily became a big hit and now almost all resorts along Tibiao river offer it. You can choose your flavor: salt, milk, beer, coffee, wine. A relaxing experience indeed.😌🧘🛀 Kawa Coffee Bath☕🛀😁
Culasi, officially the Municipality of Culasi (Kinaray-a: Banwa kang Culasi; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Culasi; Tagalog: Bayan ng Culasi), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. The municipality of Culasi is known as the home of majestic Mount Madja-as, the highest peak in Panay. Mararison, also known as Malalison by travelers, is a small island beach destination and a barangay in Culasi in the Antique Province, on the island of Panay in the Philippines.
I initiallz planned to have a day trip at Mararison island but Culasi Tourism Office informed me ahead that tourism activities were currently suspended that time so I opt to roam around town center instead.
ANTIQUE’s sugarcane candy Botong botong is Antique’s version of tira-tira or toffee (from Kinaray word botong meaning “to pull”). One has to bend and pull on a slightly melted muscovado goo until it becomes whitish in color. Twist to perfection and it’s done.
ANTIQUE’s peanut brittle Bandi is Antique’s version of peanut brittle. The caramelized muscovado is mixed with unflavored toasted peanuts until it hardens.
Antique’s products can be bought here at Produkto Antiqueño located at Calle Uno de Mayo (across San Jose Jeepney Terminal), San Jose de Buenavista, Antique.
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