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| Municipality of Kalibo | |
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| Location | |
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| Government | |
| Region | Western Visayas Region (Region VI) |
| Province | Aklan |
| District | Lone District |
| Barangays | 16 |
| Income class | 1st class; urban |
| Mayor | Raymar A. Rebaldo (Tibyog Akean) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Area | 50.75 km² |
| Population
Total |
69,700 |
| Coordinates | 122˚ 20’ 27” W and 122˚ 25’ 00” E. |
Kalibo is the capital of the province of Aklan, in the northwest of Panay Island, Philippines.It is a First Class Municipality in the Western Visayas Region practically located at the center of all coastal municipalities of Aklan province. The native Kalibonhon population of about 80,000 explodes to more than 200,000 during daytime being a commercial and educational haven that caters not only to the people of Aklan but also to transients coming from other nearby provinces, cities and countries. As a major tourism gateway, the influx of tourists to Boracay Island catalyzes rapid economic expansion and municipal landscape development. Tourism activity peaks in the heart of Kalibo every January as the yearly celebration of the world-famous Sto- Niño Ati-Atihan Festival - normally held during the 3rd Sunday of January, the Mother of Philippine Festivals attracts devotees, revelers, and tourists from different parts of the world to experience the utmost solemnity and unparalleled camaraderie and spontaneity - unique twin characteristics of the Ati-Atihan that truly make it the fiesta of all fiestas.
The term Kalibo comes from the Aklanon word "sangka libo", ("one thousand"), the number of native (Ati aka aeta) people who attended the first Catholic Mass there. After this very first Mass, a celebration was held that was continued annually as the Ati-atihan festival.
From the time of the Spanish colonial administration until the institution of Pilipino as the national language in 1946, Kalibo was spelled as "Calivo".
The municipality has already reached the requirements to be a city but certain issues prevent the municipality from reaching cityhood.
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Access
Air travel to Kalibo from Manila is about 45 minutes on a daily schedule with four airline companies serving flights, the Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air and PAL Express. These airlines increase their flights daily during the Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festival in January. Mandarin Airlines and TransAsia Airways have weekly flights to and from Taipei, Taiwan and Philippine Airlines and Shanghai Airlines have chartered flights to and from Shanghai, China.
Kalibo International Airport is about ten minutes from the main plaza.
Kalibo does not have any port or wharf but the 4 ports throughout the province are accessible. 3 shipping companies, MBRS, Moreta Shipping Lines and Negros Navigation are servicing Aklan passengers going to and from Manila, Capiz and Romblon. The New Washington port is 20 minutes away from Kalibo, while the port of Dumaguit, also in New Washington can be reached in an hour. Batan port is accessible via Dumaguit and Altavas while travel time to Malay port is approximately 2 hours. Travel time from Manila to Aklan is 14 to 18 hours through sea travel. The Caticlan Jetty Port is now part of the Roll-on Roll-off (RORO) Strong Republic Nautical Highway which connects Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and it traverses the municipality of Kalibo going to Capiz and Romblon.
Kalibo is 160 kilometers from Iloilo City, 90 kilometers from Roxas City, and 175 kilometers from San Jose, Antique. Land travel from Iloilo City to Kalibo approximately takes 2 1/2 to 3 hours, 1 1/2 hours from Roxas City and 3 to 5 hours from San Jose, Antique. All are accessible by bus and minivans.
Public transportation around the city is by tricycle, multicab and jeepneys.
Economy
Kalibo's main industry is agriculture where the primary product is rice and coconuts. Kalibo is also the hub for the Piña Cloth industry of Aklan.
The Piña and Abaca cloths are also being exported to various parts of the world most particularly North America, and Europe. Kalibo is also known for other native products such as handbags made of buri leaves which is a favorite for Caucasian females visiting the town. Pineapple silk is considered the queen of Philippine fabrics and is considered the fabric of choice of the Philippine elite. During the 1996 edition of APEC in the Philippines, world leaders donned a Pineapple silk Barong Tagalog from Kalibo during the obligatory class photo.
Kalibo also has a burgeoning meat-processing cottage industry and is beginning to be noticed in the processing of locally made chorizo, tocino and other meat products, particularly with Rosa Foods located at Linabuan Norte district.
Kalibo has tourist boom-town character- and is famous not only as a jump-off point to Boracay but as the home of the Philippines most popular, most colorful and wildest festival Ati-atihan - Asia's answer to Brazil's Mardi Gras. The festival is celebrated during the third weekend of January of every year, and despite little government support to promote the festival, word of mouth amongst tourists swelled attendees coming from all over the world- leading to a shortage of hotels.
Ati-atihan is also among the most copied of all Philippine Festivals- other prominent and better-funded festivals that has copied the Ati-atihan concept are Iloilo's Dinagyang and Cebu's Sinulog and the Sto. Niño in Manila.
Aside from Ati-atihan, other places of interest in Kalibo is the Bakhawan Eco-Park, dubbed as the Philippines most successful mangrove reforestation project and the Kalibo Museum which serves as a repository of the town's history and heritage.
Aside from above, there's a municipality named Ibajay which have the beautiful river in the province and the beautiful forest.
Being the business center of the entire Province including the neighboring Provinces, various businesses both small and large-scale establishments sprouted like mushroom in the municipality.
Government
Kalibo is a 1st class Philippine municipality. As of 2006, it was being administered by Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo, who led the town's first Foundation Day celebration on November 23, 2005.
The Kalibo Municipal Hall is located inside the Magsaysay Park, which also serves as the venue for Ati-atihan Nights Activities and other community-related events and gatherings.
Barangays
Kalibo is politically subdivided into 16 barangays.
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Physical Resource
Kalibo, composed of 16 barangays is the capital town and center of education, political, social, economic, religious and institution building of the Province of Aklan. It is particularly located at the center of all coastal municipalities of the province where the big Aklan River has its mouth. It lies in the western part of a 100 sq. kms. diamond-shaped line from a point between the Poblacion of Malinao and Banga to Barangay Mabilo (New Washington), from Mabilo to Aklan Point (Kalibo), from Aklan Point to Poblacion Makato and from there, returning to the origin between Malinao and Banga. It has a cadastral location of North to South between 11˚40’22” N and 11˚40’00” S, from West to East between 122˚ 20’ 27” W and 122˚ 25’ 00” E.
It is classified as a first class municipality since 1990 with a total land area of 5,075 hectares or 50.75 square kilometers and its terrain is level to nearly level. It has a projected population of 66,452 in 2004, having a population growth rate of 1.57% and a population density of 13.09 persons/hectare.
The place is popular for its Ati-atihan Festival, the “Mardi Gras” of the Philippines. It is also associated with pina cloth industry and the most intricately and beautifully woven abaca slippers, handbags and shoes.
The third type of climate predominated the area and seasons are not well pronounced – relatively dry from February to July and generally wet for the rest of the year. Heavy rainfall occur during the months of September to January which is the season for planting of agricultural crops particularly rice which is intensively grown in the interior part of the municipality. The relatively dry season favors large scale planting of cash crops on the rich alluvial plains, coconuts and bananas on the beach sand and riverbanks.
The range of temperature in Kalibo is near constant throughout the year although January to February is relatively the coolest months while May and June are the warmest months.
Road distance from Kalibo to Iloilo is 160 km., to Roxas City (Capiz) is 90 km., to San Jose Antique is 175 km., and to Manila is 216 air km. Commercial land transportation from capital town, Kalibo to Iloilo City takes approximately 2½ to 3 hours, 1 to 1½ hour to Roxas City and 3 to 5 hours to San Jose, Antique. Likewise, approximate distance from Kalibo to the other Municipalities of Aklan are as follows: Altavas – 38.0 kilometers, Balete – 17.0 kilometers, Banga – 8.0 kilometers, Batan – 45.5 kilometers, Buruanga – 88.0 kilometers, Ibajay – 35 kilometers, Lezo – 8.5 kilometers, Libacao – 26.0 kilometers, Madalag (Daguitan Road) – 19.0 kilometers, Makato – 9.0 kilometers, Malinao – 12.0 kilometers, Malay – 96.0 kilometers, Numancia – 4.5 kilometers, New Washington – 10.0 kilometers, Nabas – 44.0 kilometers and Tangalan – 19.0 kilometers.
The approximate road distance from barangay Poblacion to other barangays are as follows; Andagao – 2 kms., Bakhaw Norte – 4 kms., Bakhaw Sur – 3 kms., Briones – 6 kms., Buswang New – 3 kms., Buswang old – 3 kms., Caano – 5 kms., Estancia – 2 kms. ,Linabuan Norte – 6 kms., Mabilo – 6 kms., Mobo – 1 km., Nalook – 4 kms., Pook – 3 kms. Tigayon – 4 kms. and Tinigaw – 4 kms.
Education
Kalibo being the educational center of the Province of Aklan has established in all levels of education. Their services offered ranges from pre-schools learning centers to technical and tertiary schools. Two of which offer post graduate courses including Bachelor of Laws. The following are the tertiary schools:
- Aklan State University
- Aklan Catholic College
- Aklan Polytechnic College
- ACLC College Kalibo
- Aklan Technical and Fashion School
- Central Panay College of Science and Technology
- Garcia College of Technology
- JAVTES College
- Northwestern Visayan Colleges
- Panay Technological College
- Saint Gabriel College
- San Lorenzo College of Kalibo
- STI College of Kalibo
- Verde Grande Culinary School
Health
The municipality of Kalibo in its goal to have a healthy environment and thereby realized a healthy community has intensified its health programs and activities. Consequently, it has improved the health situation of the entire populace. The following are the hospitals in Kalibo:
- Dr.Rafael S. Tumbukon Memorial Hospital
- Saint Gabriel Medical Center
- Saint Jude Hospital
- Aklan Cooperative Mission Hospital
- Panay Medicare Health Center
- MMG Medical Clinic
Historical
Freedom Shrine
Located within the town proper of Kalibo. Accessible by pirvate cars, tricycles and motorcycles. The town's famous landmark where fierce battles ensued between the combined Filipino and American troops together with the Aklanon guerrillas during World War II. A Momunent eas built to signify the heroic stand of Aklanons. Mortar and other fragments of armaments can be found at the vicinity.
External links
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