Oton
Municipality in Iloilo, Philippines
title: "Oton" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["municipalities-of-iloilo", "former-provincial-capitals-of-the-philippines", "populated-places-established-in-1566", "1566-establishments-in-the-philippines"] description: "Municipality in Iloilo, Philippines" topic_path: "geography/philippines" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oton" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Municipality in Iloilo, Philippines ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | |
| image_skyline | Iloilo City, Oton, Guimaras from air view from west (Iloilo; 04-03-2024).jpg |
| image_caption | Aerial view of Oton |
| image_flag | Flag of Oton, Iloilo.png |
| flag_size | 120x80px |
| image_seal | Oton Iloilo.png |
| seal_size | 100x80px |
| image_map | |
| map_caption | |
| mapframe | yes |
| pushpin_map | Philippines |
| pushpin_label_position | left |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location within the |
| coordinates | |
| settlement_type | |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Philippines |
| subdivision_type1 | Region |
| subdivision_name1 | |
| subdivision_type2 | Province |
| subdivision_name2 | |
| official_name | |
| etymology | |
| named_for | |
| other_name | Ogtong |
| nickname | Second oldest Spanish settlement in the Philippines |
| motto | Ang pamatasan labaw sa bulawan |
| anthem | Oton Municipal Hymn |
| subdivision_type3 | District |
| subdivision_name3 | |
| established_title1 | Founded |
| established_date1 | 1566 |
| established_title2 | Formal town establishment |
| established_date2 | May 3, 1572 |
| parts_type | Barangays |
| parts_style | para |
| p1 | (see Barangays) |
| leader_title | Mayor |
| leader_name | Sofronio L. Fusin, Jr. (Nacionalista) |
| leader_title1 | Vice Mayor |
| leader_name1 | Jose Neil P. Olivares |
| leader_title2 | Representative |
| leader_name2 | Janette L. Garin (Lakas) |
| leader_title3 | Municipal Council |
| leader_name3 | {{PH Town Council |
| 1 | |
| 2 | Annie Rose D. Paro |
| 3 | Dennis Q. Geroche |
| 4 | Jimmy R. Olivares |
| 5 | Dell C. Hosillos |
| 6 | Miguel Evaristo L. Flores, Jr. |
| 7 | Ma. Lorna T. Geonigo |
| 8 | Josephus Ambrosius Renatus T. Escanlar |
| 9 | Rodolfo Z. Alconga, Jr. |
| leader_title4 | Electorate |
| leader_name4 | voters ([electorate_point_in_time}} |
| government_type | |
| government_footnotes | |
| elevation_m | |
| elevation_max_m | 147 |
| elevation_min_m | 0 |
| elevation_footnotes | |
| area_footnotes | |
| area_total_km2 | |
| population_footnotes | |
| population_total | |
| population_as_of | |
| population_density_km2 | auto |
| population_blank1_title | Households |
| population_blank1 | |
| population_demonym | Ogtonganon |
| timezone | PST |
| utc_offset | +8 |
| postal_code_type | ZIP code |
| postal_code | |
| postal2_code_type | |
| postal2_code | |
| area_code_type | |
| area_code | |
| website | |
| demographics_type1 | Economy |
| demographics1_title1 | |
| demographics1_info1 | |
| demographics1_title2 | Poverty incidence |
| demographics1_info2 | % () |
| demographics1_title3 | Revenue |
| demographics1_info3 | |
| demographics1_title4 | Revenue rank |
| demographics1_title5 | Assets |
| demographics1_info5 | |
| demographics1_title6 | Assets rank |
| demographics1_title7 | IRA |
| demographics1_title8 | IRA rank |
| demographics1_title9 | Expenditure |
| demographics1_info9 | |
| demographics1_title10 | Liabilities |
| demographics1_info10 | |
| demographics_type2 | Service provider |
| demographics2_title1 | Electricity |
| demographics2_info1 | |
| demographics2_title2 | Water |
| demographics2_title3 | Telecommunications |
| demographics2_title4 | Cable TV |
| blank_name_sec1 | |
| blank_info_sec1 | |
| blank1_name_sec1 | Native languages |
| blank1_info_sec1 | |
| blank2_name_sec1 | Crime index |
| blank1_name_sec2 | Major religions |
| blank2_name_sec2 | Feast date |
| blank3_name_sec2 | Catholic diocese |
| blank4_name_sec2 | Patron saint |
| :: |
::callout[type=note] the municipality in the Philippines ::
| name =
| image_skyline = Iloilo City, Oton, Guimaras from air view from west (Iloilo; 04-03-2024).jpg
| image_caption = Aerial view of Oton
| image_flag = Flag of Oton, Iloilo.png
| flag_size = 120x80px
| image_seal = Oton Iloilo.png
| seal_size = 100x80px
| image_map =
| map_caption =
| mapframe = yes
| pushpin_map = Philippines
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the
| coordinates =
| settlement_type =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Philippines
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 =
| subdivision_type2 = Province
| subdivision_name2 =
| official_name =
| etymology =
| named_for =
| native_name =
| other_name = Ogtong
| nickname = Second oldest Spanish settlement in the Philippines
| motto = Ang pamatasan labaw sa bulawan
| anthem = Oton Municipal Hymn
| subdivision_type3 = District
| subdivision_name3 =
| established_title1 = Founded
| established_date1 = 1566
| established_title2 = Formal town establishment
| established_date2 = May 3, 1572
| parts_type = Barangays
| parts_style = para
| p1 = (see Barangays)
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Sofronio L. Fusin, Jr. (Nacionalista)
| leader_title1 = Vice Mayor
| leader_name1 = Jose Neil P. Olivares
(Nacionalista)
| leader_title2 = Representative
| leader_name2 = Janette L. Garin (Lakas)
| leader_title3 = Municipal Council
| leader_name3 = {{PH Town Council
| 1 =
| 2=Annie Rose D. Paro
| 3=Dennis Q. Geroche
| 4=Jimmy R. Olivares
| 5=Dell C. Hosillos
| 6=Miguel Evaristo L. Flores, Jr.
| 7=Ma. Lorna T. Geonigo
| 8=Josephus Ambrosius Renatus T. Escanlar
| 9=Rodolfo Z. Alconga, Jr.
| leader_title4 = Electorate
| leader_name4 = voters (electorate_point_in_time}}|)
| government_type =
| government_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_max_m = 147
| elevation_min_m = 0
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_rank =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_max_footnotes =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 =
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| population_total =
| population_as_of =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_blank1_title = Households
| population_blank1 =
| population_blank2_title =
| population_blank2 =
| population_demonym = Ogtonganon
| population_rank =
| population_note =
| timezone = PST
| utc_offset = +8
| postal_code_type = ZIP code
| postal_code =
| postal2_code_type =
| postal2_code =
| area_code_type =
| area_code =
| website =
| demographics_type1 = Economy
| demographics1_title1 =
| demographics1_info1 =
| demographics1_title2 = Poverty incidence
| demographics1_info2 = % ()
| demographics1_title3 = Revenue
| demographics1_info3 =
| demographics1_title4 = Revenue rank
| demographics1_info4 =
| demographics1_title5 = Assets
| demographics1_info5 =
| demographics1_title6 = Assets rank
| demographics1_info6 =
| demographics1_title7 = IRA
| demographics1_info7 =
| demographics1_title8 = IRA rank
| demographics1_info8 =
| demographics1_title9 = Expenditure
| demographics1_info9 =
| demographics1_title10 = Liabilities
| demographics1_info10 =
| demographics_type2 = Service provider
| demographics2_title1 = Electricity
| demographics2_info1 =
| demographics2_title2 = Water
| demographics2_info2 =
| demographics2_title3 = Telecommunications
| demographics2_info3 =
| demographics2_title4 = Cable TV
| demographics2_info4 =
| demographics2_title5 =
| demographics2_info5 =
| demographics2_title6 =
| demographics2_info6 =
| demographics2_title7 =
| demographics2_info7 =
| demographics2_title8 =
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| demographics2_title9 =
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| demographics2_title10 =
| demographics2_info10 =
| blank_name_sec1 =
| blank_info_sec1 =
| blank1_name_sec1 = Native languages
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank2_name_sec1 = Crime index
| blank2_info_sec1 =
| blank3_name_sec1 =
| blank3_info_sec1 =
| blank4_name_sec1 =
| blank4_info_sec1 =
| blank5_name_sec1 =
| blank5_info_sec1 =
| blank6_name_sec1 =
| blank6_info_sec1 =
| blank7_name_sec1 =
| blank7_info_sec1 =
| blank1_name_sec2 = Major religions
| blank1_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 = Feast date
| blank2_info_sec2 =
| blank3_name_sec2 = Catholic diocese
| blank3_info_sec2 =
| blank4_name_sec2 = Patron saint
| blank4_info_sec2 =
| blank5_name_sec2 =
| blank5_info_sec2 =
| blank6_name_sec2 =
| blank6_info_sec2 =
| blank7_name_sec2 =
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| short_description =
| footnotes =
Oton, officially the Municipality of Oton (; , , ), is a municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people, making it as the most populous town in the province and the entire Panay island. Oton is 11 km west of Iloilo City and is part of the Metro Iloilo–Guimaras area.
The town is the second oldest Spanish settlement in the Philippines after Cebu. It was founded in 1572 and later became the capital of the islands of Panay, Guimaras, Negros, Tablas, Sibuyan, and Romblon.
History
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Oton_(Iloilo)_OldCathedral_1901.jpg" caption="[[Old Oton Church]], destroyed in the [[1948 Lady Caycay earthquake]], pictured in (1901)"] ::
Oton, formerly known as Ogtong, has a rich history dating back to the settlement of Malays in the area. Evidence of this early settlement includes the discovery of a gold death mask in Barangay San Antonio during the 1960s. The town's name, Oton, was mentioned in records from the Yuan Dynasty in the 1300s, referred to as in Hokkien .
The arrival of the Spanish in 1566 marked a significant turning point in Oton's history. In 1572, the Spanish formally established and designated Oton as the capital of Alcaldia de Panay, later renamed Provincia de Oton, which covered the islands of Panay, Guimaras, Negros, Tablas, Sibuyan, and Romblon. Spanish missionaries used Oton as a base to spread Catholicism to neighboring settlements, including Jaro, Iloilo, Tigbauan, Cordova, Alimodian, Igbaras, Tubungan, Camando, Damilisan, and Tiolas.
Oton played a vital role in the Manila galleon trade, as new agricultural products from the trade route arrived in the town. Many ships traveling from Cebu would dock in Oton before continuing on to Manila. However, Oton's location made it vulnerable to pirate attacks, prompting the Spanish colonial authorities to relocate the capital a few kilometers away to La Punta, which is now known as Iloilo City Proper, in the 1600s. This move was intended to enhance the town's defense against pirate raids.
In the 21st century, Oton has transitioned from an agricultural town to a growing commercial center, with significant investments, including those by Vista Land.
Geography
Oton is 11 km west from Iloilo City. Oton is bordered by the municipality of Tigbauan to the west, San Miguel to the north, Pavia to the northeast, Panay Gulf to the south, and is bordered by Iloilo City districts of Arevalo and Mandurriao to the southeast and east. The town is a part of Metro Iloilo-Guimaras which encompasses the whole island province of Guimaras with its municipalities, the Iloilo City, and the Iloilo provincial towns of Pavia, Leganes, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, and Cabatuan.
Barangays
Oton is politically subdivided into 37 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
The Municipality of Oton belongs to the 1st District of Iloilo.
Listed below are the respective population of each barangay as of 2020 census.
- Abilay Norte - 8,963
- Abilay Sur - 1290
- Alegre - 2323
- Batuan Ilaud - 938
- Batuan Ilaya - 1229
- Bita Norte - 767
- Bita Sur - 550
- Botong - 5,242
- Buray - 6,727
- Cabanbanan - 2,833
- Cabolo-an Norte - 3,686
- Cabolo-an Sur - 834
- Cadinglian - 1,713
- Cagbang - 5,854
- Calam-isan - 1,318
- Galang - 1,129
- Lambuyao - 3,236
- Mambog - 924
- Pakiad - 3,728
- Poblacion East - 4,239
- Poblacion North - 1,322
- Poblacion South - 5,481
- Poblacion West - 3,122
- Pulo Maestra Vita - 3,783
- Rizal - 2,274
- Salngan - 701
- Sambaludan - 1,097
- San Antonio - 2,435
- San Nicolas - 3,191
- Santa Clara - 1,558
- Santa Monica - 2,969
- Santa Rita - 2,099
- Tagbac Norte - 1,284
- Tagbac Sur - 1,797
- Trapiche - 6,490
- Tuburan - 672
- Turog-Turog - 711
Climate
| location = Oton, Iloilo | width = auto | metric first = Yes | single line = Yes | Jan high C = 30 | Jan low C = 21 | Feb high C = 31 | Feb low C = 21 | Mar high C = 32 | Mar low C = 22 | Apr high C = 34 | Apr low C = 23 | May high C = 32 | May low C = 25 | Jun high C = 30 | Jun low C = 25 | Jul high C = 29 | Jul low C = 25 | Aug high C = 29 | Aug low C = 24 | Sep high C = 29 | Sep low C = 24 | Oct high C = 29 | Oct low C = 24 | Nov high C = 30 | Nov low C = 23 | Dec high C = 30 | Dec low C = 22 | Jan precipitation mm = 19 | Feb precipitation mm = 17 | Mar precipitation mm = 26 | Apr precipitation mm = 37 | May precipitation mm = 119 | Jun precipitation mm = 191 | Jul precipitation mm = 258 | Aug precipitation mm = 260 | Sep precipitation mm = 248 | Oct precipitation mm = 196 | Nov precipitation mm = 97 | Dec precipitation mm = 39 | Jan rain days = 7.2 | Feb rain days = 5.2 | Mar rain days = 8.3 | Apr rain days = 11.9 | May rain days = 22.3 | Jun rain days = 26.5 | Jul rain days = 28.3 | Aug rain days = 28.2 | Sep rain days = 27.3 | Oct rain days = 26.4 | Nov rain days = 18.7 | Dec rain days = 11.8 | source 1 = Meteoblue | url = https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/historyclimate/climatemodelled/oton_philippines_1696942 | title = Oton: Average Temperatures and Rainfall | publisher = Meteoblue | access-date = May 3, 2020 }} | date = May 3, 2020
Demographics
| align= none | title= Population census of | 1903 = | 1918 = | 1939 = | 1948 = | 1960 = | 1970 = | 1975 = | 1980 = | 1990 = | 1995 = | 2000 = | 2007 = | 2010 = | 2015 = | 2020 = | 2024 = | 2030 = | footnote= Source: Philippine Statistics Authority
In the 2024 census, the population of Oton was 99,920 people, with a density of {{sigfig|99920/86.44|2}} PD/km2.
Religion
As a Catholic Dominant Municipality, Oton has two parishes.
Parishes:
- Immaculate Concepcion Parish (Town Parish)
- Sta. Monica Parish (Sta. Monica, Oton)
Language
Kinaray-a is the main language of the people in Oton. Hiligaynon is spoken as a secondary language. There is a fairly unnoticed linguistic division of the town between the two aforementioned languages; the eastern part, or the urban part bordering Iloilo City, primarily speaks Hiligaynon, while the western part bordering the other 1st district municipalities generally speaks both Kinaray-a and Hiligaynon.
Economy
Oton’s economy is supported by its geographic proximity to Iloilo City. This has led to increased real estate developments, with more residential and commercial properties being established. Retail establishments in Oton include Gaisano Oton, Puregold Oton, and Vista Mall Iloilo. Oton also hosts a number of banking institutions.
Agriculture, particularly rice production and fruit farming, plays a significant role in the economy, supporting local food supply and the livelihoods of many residents. The town also has hotels, resorts, and restaurants.
In 2023, the Municipality of Oton began construction of a ₱52-million “AA” abattoir in Barangay Lambuyao funded by the World Bank-assisted Philippine Rural Development Project.
A major development in Oton owned by Vista Land is covering 500 ha and stretching from Barangay Polo Maestra Bita to Barangay Abilay Norte. The development also includes a 100 ha central business district.
References
References
- {{DILG detail
- "Las incursiones moras en Antique y la Real Fuerza de Malandog".
- [https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/228735802.pdf Reading Song and Ming Records on the Precolonial History of the Philippines] By Wang Zhenping Page 256.
- "Iloilo History Part 2 - Research Center for Iloilo".
- (2015-12-10). "how to get here".
- "Establishment Of The Civil Government Of Iloilo".
- "Iloilo History Part 2 - Research Center for Iloilo".
- BrandRoom, INQUIRER net. (2022-11-10). "Georgia by Vista Estates: Iloilo's biggest lifestyle destination".
- (February 1, 2023). "Oton's P52M Abattoir To Boost Swine Industry, Provide Employment".
- "Villar launches P40-B Vista City Iloilo".
- BrandRoom, INQUIRER net. (November 10, 2022). "Georgia by Vista Estates: Iloilo's biggest lifestyle destination".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::