History of Santa Barbara, Philippines (PDF)

  **Santa Barbara**, officially the **Municipality of Santa Barbara** ([Hiligaynon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiligaynon_language): *Banwa sang Santa Barbara*, [Tagalog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagalog_language): *Bayan ng Santa Barbara*), is a 2nd class [municipality](https://en.wikipedi...

  **Santa Barbara**, officially the **Municipality of Santa Barbara** ([Hiligaynon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiligaynon_language): *Banwa sang Santa Barbara*, [Tagalog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagalog_language): *Bayan ng Santa Barbara*), is a 2nd class [municipality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipality_of_the_Philippines) in the [province](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Province) of [Iloilo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iloilo), [Philippines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines). According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 67,630 people.[^\[3\]^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-PSA20%E2%80%9306-3) Santa Barbara is a part of the [Metro Iloilo--Guimaras](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Iloilo%E2%80%93Guimaras) area, centered on [Iloilo City](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iloilo_City). **History** \[(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo&action=edit&section=1)\] General Martin Delgado Monument The Augustinian Archives, Vol. 17--18, which recorded the missionary achievements of the [Augustinian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustinians) missionaries, mentions that in 1617 the missionaries ministered a community then known as Catmon, a name derived from a fruit tree which was an imposing landmark, which sat on a rich and fertile plain traversed by the Salug (now Tigum) and Aganan rivers, producing rice, corn, sugar, mongo and tobacco. Then Catmon was only a "Visita Catmon" of Jaro vicariate. In 1760, Catmon was established as an independent parish, whose [patron saint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patron_saint) was [Santa Barbara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Barbara) and the settlement became a "pueblo" named after her. Its total population at the time was 15,094. In 1845, its population was 19,719 and it covered an area which are now the Municipalities of [Maasin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasin), Janiuay, Cabatuan, Alimodian, [San Miguel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Miguel,_Iloilo), Zarraga, [New Lucena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Lucena) and parts of [Leganes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leganes,_Iloilo) and [Pavia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavia,_Iloilo). When the [Philippine Revolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Revolution) broke out on [Luzon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luzon) in 1896, it did not spread immediately to Iloilo. The Spanish authorities thought that they could keep the Ilonggos loyal to Spain. Governador--General Basilio Agustin organized the Volunteer Militia in Iloilo to enlist Ilonggos to fight the [Tagalog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagalog_people) rebels. Being a "mestizo" and having occupied the highest office in his town, [Martin Teofilo Delgado](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Teofilo_Delgado) was appointed commander of the "voluntaries" in Santa Barbara. Unknown to the Spaniards, however, Delgado had already become a "revolucionario". On October 28, 1898, he publicly declared himself for the Revolution and seized the municipal building. The [Revolutionary Government of the Visayas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_State_of_the_Visayas) was organized and on November 17, 1898, was formally inaugurated at the town plaza of Santa Barbara. A large crowd hailing from many places across Iloilo gathered for the historic occasion. The [Philippine flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_flag) was raised for the first time outside of Luzon. The officials of the Revolutionary Government were Roque Lopez, president; Vicente Franco, vice president and secretary of the interior; Venancio Concepcion, secretary of finance; Ramon Avanceňa, secretary of state; Jovito Yusay, secretary of justice; Julio Hernandez, secretary of war; Fernando Salas, secretary general. General Martin T. Delgado was chosen General --in-Chief of the Revolutionary Forces. Santa Barbara became the headquarters of the Revolutionary Forces and from here, Gen. Delgado launched the campaign to liberate the whole province which culminated in the surrender of Iloilo City by Governor-General de los Rios on December 24, 1898. The victory against Spain was short-lived as the [Philippine--American War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War) followed. Gen. Delgado led the same army against Americans from 1899 to 1901. Delgado was forced to surrender on February 2, 1901. Upon the establishment of the civil government, Martin Delgado was appointed as the first provincial Governor of Iloilo and was elected to the same position in the first elections held in 1903. Santa Barbara became a town under American regime and was incorporated into a municipality by the [Commonwealth Government](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_the_Philippines). The town soon began to progress. In 1948, [Barangay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barangay) Tuburan-Solbud was transferred to Zarraga, [Iloilo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iloilo).[^\[5\]^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-5) Towards the end of the last term allowed to him by the Philippine Constitution,[Ferdinand Marcos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Marcos) placed the Philippines under [martial law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_law_under_Ferdinand_Marcos) in 1972.[^\[6\]^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-Mackerras_2003-6) This marked the beginning of a 14-year period of one-man rule, historically remembered for [its human rights abuses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_abuses_of_the_Marcos_dictatorship)^[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-McCoy199909202-7)[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-Abinales&Amoroso20052-8)[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-9)^ One of the prominent torture-related deaths during this period was that of 2lt [Pablo G. Fernandez](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Fernandez_(soldier_activist)), who objected to martial law, and as a result was caught, detained, and summarily executed at an unspecified \"military camp in Santa Barbara\"[^\[10\]^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-BantayogProfilePabloFernandez-10) Booming developments in Santa Barbara began after the opening of the [Iloilo International Airport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iloilo_International_Airport) in Cabatuan in 2007, as Santa Barbara serves as a thoroughfare to Iloilo City. Developers, including Megaworld\'s Global-Estate Resorts, were drawn to Santa Barbara and invested in a [mixed-use development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed-use_development) near the airport. Santa Barbara is also poised to become a hub for provincial and regional government offices, as the [Iloilo Provincial Government](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iloilo_Provincial_Capitol) is gradually relocating government offices from Iloilo City to their new site in Santa Barbara, aiming to alleviate congestion in the city.^[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-11)[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-12)^ Geography --------- \[(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo&action=edit&section=2)\] Santa Barbara has a land area of 13,196 hectares (32,610 acres), ranks 29th as to size among the 42 municipalities of the province and occupies 1.5% of all lands in the Province of Iloilo. Almost 100% of Santa Barbara\'s land is cultivated and alienable or disposable.[^\[13\]^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-general-13) It is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from [Iloilo City](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iloilo_City). The topography of Santa Barbara varies from slightly rolling hills to almost flat or gradually inclined plains, sliced by Tigum River at its centremost, which flows from the north-west to the southeast and the Aganan River in the southern section. ### Land Use \[(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo&action=edit&section=3)\] Basically, Santa Barbara is an agricultural town with 84.75% or 6,568.19 hectares (16,230.4 acres) devoted to agriculture. The rolling hills, amounting to 155.99 hectares (385.5 acres), are unsuitable to farming and are utilized as pasture and open grassland. The built-up areas within the poblacion and the barangay areas total 678.98 hectares (1,677.8 acres) or 8.761%. Also included in this category are the areas utilized for commercial, institutional purposes, parks and open space. Agro-industrial area is 101.928 has. or 1.315%, industrial area is.069 % or 5.330 has., utilities or roads comprise 150.853 has. or 1.946%. The area for the cemeteries is 4.720 has. or.061 % and bodies of water is 1.084% or 84 hectares.[^\[13\]^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo#cite_note-general-13) **Landmarks** \[[](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo&action=edit&section=10)\] Santa Barbara ChurchSanta Barbara ConventGeneral Martin Teofilo Delgado StatuIloilo Golf Course and Country Club [**[Roman Catholic Church and Convent]**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara_Church,_Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo) **Migration from Santa Barbara to Mindanao** \[[](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Barbara,_Iloilo&action=edit&section=6)\] Migration occurred in the 20th century to [[Mindanao]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindanao) in the 1940s under [[Manuel Roxas]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Roxas) who was from [[Panay]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panay). Thousands migrated throughout the 1940s and 1950s as part of a resettlement movement sponsored by the government.