Igbaras

Etymology

The name Igbaras comes from a combination of two words, "ig" or "tig" which means "plenty of" or "season of", and "baras" which means "sand". Thus Igbaras means "plenty of sand" which alludes to the nearby sandy river. Igbaras is most commonly mistaken with the similar-sounding and more widely known province of Guimaras.

History

As a result of the implementation of Spanish Governor-General Narciso Claveria's decree on giving Filipinos with Spanish surnames in 1849, inhabitants of Igbaras during that time were apportioned with surnames starting mostly with the letter E.

Igbaras was fused with Guimbal in 1902 until the American regime made it a separate town on January 1, 1919. Don Flor Evidente became the first municipal mayor.

American soldiers water tortured Igbaras leaders then burned the village to the ground during the Philippine–American War

Igbaras has the distinction of having the first congressman elected to Congress in 1925–1928 in the person of Don Eugenio Ealdama, and the delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention, Don Mariano Ezpeleta who later served as Consul-General and ambassador to several countries.

Geography

Igbaras is located at the south-western part of Iloilo. It is situated between the coordinates of 122.2650’ longitude, and 10.7167’ latitude. It is 40 km from Iloilo City.

Barangays

Igbaras is politically subdivided into 46 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Alameda was formerly known as Bukaw.

• Alameda
• Amorogtong
• Anilawan
• Bagacay
• Bagacayan
• Bagay
• Balibagan
• Barasan
• Binanua-an
• Boclod
• Buenavista
• Buga
• Bugnay
• Calampitao
• Cale
• Catiringan
• Corucuan
• Igcabugao
• Igpigus
• Igtalongon
• Indaluyon
• Jovellar
• Kinagdan
• Lab-on
• Lacay Dol-Dol
• Lumangan
• Lutungan
• Mantangon
• Mulangan
• Pasong
• Passi
• Pinaopawan
• Barangay 1 Poblacion
• Barangay 2 Poblacion
• Barangay 3 Poblacion
• Barangay 4 Poblacion
• Barangay 5 Poblacion
• Barangay 6 Poblacion
• Riro-an
• San Ambrosio
• Santa Barbara
• Signe
• Tabiac
• Talayatay
• Taytay
• Tigbanaba

Climate

| access-date = 3 May 2020 }}

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Igbaras was 32,442 people, with a density of {{sigfig|32,442/148.72|2}} PD/km2.

Language

People from Igbaras speak Kinaray-a, a language associated with Antique. However, Hiligaynon, a vernacular commonly used in Iloilo City is understood by everyone and used mostly by students or those staying in the city.

Economy

Education

Secondary:

• Igbaras National High School
• Igtalongon National High School
• Alameda National High School

Elementary and Primary:

• Amorogtong Elementary School
• Bagay Elementary School
• Balibagan Primary School
• Barasan Elementary School
• Buga Elementary School
• Calampitao Elementary School
• Cale-Indaluyon Elementary School
• Catiringan Primary School
• Igbaras Central Elementary School
• Igcabugao Elementary School
• Igpigus Elementary School
• Igtalongon Elementary School
• Jovellar Elementary School
• Lumangan Elementary School
• Lutungan Primary School
• Mulangan Elementary School
• Santa Barbara Elementary School
• Tabiac Elementary School
• Tano-ong Primary School
• Tigbanaba Elementary School

Government

The Mayor is the chief executive of the town. He is elected to serve a three-year term, with a maximum of three terms. The incumbent Municipal Mayor is Atty. Vicente E. Escorpion Jr. The Vice Mayor is the Presiding Officer of the Sangguniang Bayan. He is also the chief executive of the town whenever the mayor is out of the town. He is elected to serve a three-year term, with a maximum of three terms. The incumbent vice mayor is Atty. Sherwin Paul E. Quidato. The Sangguniang Bayan of Igbaras is composed of 8 members with 2 ex-officio members which are the town's Liga ng mga Barangay President and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President. The municipal councilors are elected to serve a three-year term, with a maximum of three terms.

The town officials from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028. They were elected last May 12, 2025 Philippine General Elections

List of former chief executive

• Don Flor Evidente (1919–1922)
• Lucas Gentica (1922–1925)
• Julian Bucoy Saavedra (1925–1931)
• Justo Estrella (1931–1938)
• Gerardo Escala (1938–1941)
• Toribio Melliza (1941–1945, 1961–1964)
• Perfecto Saavedra (1945–1955)
• Ricardo Ealdama (1955–1961)
• Atty. Daniel Esmeralda (1964–1977)
• Vicente E. Perez (1977–1985)
• Wilfredo C. Uy (1986–1992)
• Fruto J. Saavedra (1992–2001)
• Jaime Esmeralda, MD (2001–2010)
• Atty. Vicente E. Escorpion Jr. (2010–2019)
• Jaime Esmeralda, MD (2019–2022)
• Atty. Vicente E. Escorpion Jr. (2022–Present)

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. [[Lodge Committee. Testimony of Charles S. Riley during the 1902 Lodge Committee]]
3. "An Act Changing the Name of the Barrio of Bukaw in the Municipality of Igbaras, Province of Iloilo, to That of Alameda". LawPH.com.