Culasi

Culasi is a municipality in the northern part of Antique province on Panay Island in the Philippines. The official municipal name is the Municipality of Culasi. It is bounded by Sebaste to the north, Tibiao to the south, the Sulu Sea to the west, and the mountainous interior of Panay and adjacent Aklan territory to the east. The municipality lies approximately 92 kilometres north of San Jose de Buenavista, the provincial capital of Antique, and about 90 kilometres south of Kalibo, the capital of Aklan. The municipality covers approximately 228.56 square kilometres and is politically divided into 44 barangays. Its territory includes mainland communities and the islands of Maniguin, also known as Maningning or Hammerhead, Batbatan, and Mararison. The landscape is strongly shaped by the transition between the Sulu Sea and the highlands of central Panay. Most of the land is upland, while a narrower coastal plain contains many of the municipality's settlements and transport links. Forested areas account for a substantial part of the territory. Culasi is particularly associated with Mount Madja-as, whose summit reaches approximately 2,117 metres above sea level and is regarded as the highest peak on Panay. The mountain is connected with Visayan mythology and was traditionally considered a sacred or enchanted place. It is associated in local and regional tradition with Sidapa, a deity linked with death, and Bulalakaw, a deity associated with meteors. The mountain environment includes mossy forest, cloud formations, and numerous waterfalls, giving Culasi a nature- and adventure-oriented identity. The municipality is also known for coastal and island scenery, including the communities and beaches of Mararison Island. The name Culasi, or Kulasi, is derived from a local term for Lumnitzera racemosa, a mangrove species that reportedly grew abundantly around the local river basin. During the Spanish colonial period, the settlement was known as Bacong. Bacong was one of several early Spanish-established visitas in the area; the name now survives as one of Culasi's barangays. A 1905 census recorded a comparatively large Chinese population in the municipality, and one settlement was historically known as Villa de Hong Kong. That area is now part of Poblacion. Culasi also has a significant place in the political and human-rights history of the Philippines. On 19 December 1981, during the country's Martial Law period, Philippine Constabulary personnel killed five protesting farmers at the Bacong River bridge in Barangay Malacañang. The event is commonly referred to as the Bacong Bridge Massacre or the Culasi incident. The victims were identified as Leopoldo A. Anos, Aquilino M. Castillo, Fortunato M. Dalisay, Remegildo P. Dalisay, and Joel B. Plaquino. Agriculture and fishing are the municipality's principal livelihood bases. The upland environment is suitable for farming, and cooler, wetter areas in the mountainous barangays have been described as favorable for coffee cultivation. Culasi also possesses reported mineral resources, including manganese, copper, coal, white clay, pebbles, sand, gravel, and limestone. Maniguin Island has been the subject of petroleum exploration, including drilling associated with the Philippine National Oil Corporation. These resource claims form part of Culasi's economic and geographic profile, although they do not establish a commercial brand or operating company under the name Culasi. The municipality has a seasonal climate, with a generally wetter period from May through November and a relatively drier period during the remaining months. Its communications and public-service infrastructure includes mobile networks, landline service, postal facilities, schools, local broadcasting, and cable television. Higher education is represented by Vicente A. Javier Memorial Community College. Based on the 2024 census cited in the reference material, Culasi had 46,442 residents, making it one of Antique's more populous municipalities. Culasi should therefore be classified as a geographic and administrative entity rather than as a consumer, corporate, or product brand.

Culasi's recorded historical identity reflects successive local, Spanish colonial, and modern Philippine administrative contexts. The name is associated with a mangrove species, Lumnitzera racemosa, known locally as culasi or kulasi and formerly common around the area's river basin. During Spanish colonial rule, the settlement was known as Bacong. It was one of four visitas or local settlements established in the area by the Spanish, alongside settlements corresponding to present-day Barbaza, Bugasong, and Hamtic. The name Bacong remains attached to one of the municipality's barangays. Culasi's position on the coast and its access to upland resources contributed to its changing population and economic profile. A 1905 census described the municipality as having the largest Chinese population in Antique at that time. The Chinese community was associated with a locality historically called Villa de Hong Kong, now incorporated into Poblacion. This record indicates the municipality's role as a local commercial and settlement center during the early twentieth century, although the available material does not identify particular businesses or merchant families. The municipality's geography has remained central to its identity. Culasi extends from a coastal plain on the Sulu Sea into the highlands of Panay. Its territory includes mainland barangays as well as Batbatan, Maniguin, and Mararison islands. Mount Madja-as dominates the eastern landscape and rises to approximately 2,117 metres, the highest elevation on Panay. The mountain's mossy forests, cloud formations, waterfalls, and cultural associations have made it a prominent natural and heritage feature. Traditional Visayan beliefs describe Madja-as as an enchanted mountain and associate it with Sidapa, a god of death, and Bulalakaw, a god of meteors. Culasi was also the location of a major human-rights incident during the Martial Law era. On 19 December 1981, five farmer-protesters were killed at the Bacong River bridge in Barangay Malacañang by members of the Philippine Constabulary. The victims were Leopoldo A. Anos, Aquilino M. Castillo, Fortunato M. Dalisay, Remegildo P. Dalisay, and Joel B. Plaquino. The episode is called the Bacong Bridge Massacre or the Culasi incident and remains one of the municipality's most consequential historical events. In the modern period, Culasi has continued as a first-class municipality of Antique. Its 44 barangays include island, upland, coastal, and interior or lowland communities. Farming and fishing remain the principal livelihood activities. The upland barangays have conditions considered suitable for coffee, while the municipality's coastal and island areas support fishing and related local activity. Reported natural resources include manganese, copper, coal, clay, pebbles, sand, gravel, and limestone. Maniguin Island has also been explored for petroleum, including work associated with the Philippine National Oil Corporation, but the supplied material does not establish a producing oil operation or a confirmed commercial reserve. Culasi's present profile combines administrative services, education, communications, agriculture, fishing, and nature-based tourism potential. It has schools administered through the Culasi Schools District Office, a community college, local radio services, telephone and mobile communications, and cable television. The municipality's population was reported as 46,442 in the 2024 census cited by the reference material. Despite the user's brand-oriented schema, the authoritative Wikipedia subject is the Philippine municipality of Culasi, not a commercial brand, product, or corporate organization.

• 2024

  Population recorded at 46,442

  [1]Culasien.wikipedia.org

  The 2024 census cited for the municipality recorded a population of 46,442.

• 1981

  Bacong Bridge Massacre

  [1]Culasien.wikipedia.org

  Five protesting farmers were killed at the Bacong River bridge in Culasi on 19 December during the Philippine Martial Law period.

• 1905

  Chinese population recorded in census

  [1]Culasien.wikipedia.org

  The 1905 census recorded Culasi as having the largest Chinese population in Antique, with a locality known as Villa de Hong Kong.

• Origin of the name Culasi

  [1]Culasien.wikipedia.org

  The place name is derived from a local term for the mangrove species Lumnitzera racemosa, which grew around the area's river basin.

• Spanish-era settlement known as Bacong

  [1]Culasien.wikipedia.org

  During Spanish colonial rule, Culasi was known as Bacong and formed one of the visitas established in the area.

A geographic and administrative municipality associated with mountain, forest, waterfall, coastal, and island environments; not a documented commercial brand.

• 1981

  Bacong Bridge Massacre

  On 19 December 1981, Philippine Constabulary personnel killed five farmer-protesters at the Bacong River bridge in Barangay Malacañang, Culasi. The incident is also known as the Culasi incident and is associated with the human-rights abuses of the Martial Law period.

  Source

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1. 1Culasien.wikipedia.org