Ma-ayon

Ma-ayon
Municipality
Municipality of Ma-ayon
Flag Flag (state)
Motto(s):  Ma-ayon, Banwa ko! Palangga ko!
Map of Capiz with Ma-ayon highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Ma-ayon Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 11°23′25″N 122°46′58″E / 11.3903°N 122.7828°E / 11.3903; 122.7828
Country	Philippines
Region	Western Visayas
Province	Capiz
District	1st district
Barangays	32 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Raymond D. Malapajo
• Vice Mayor	Wilfredo E. Borres Sr.
• Representative	Emmanuel A. Billones
• Municipal Council	Members Chriselle Joy D. Diaz Jose C. Dapulaza El M. Derramas Rolando D. Delfin Vivian C. Combate Eden D. Diaz Syvil Grace A. Dueñas Rene D. Barrios
• Electorate	27,069 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	142.32 km2 (54.95 sq mi)
Elevation	55 m (180 ft)
Highest elevation	335 m (1,099 ft)
Lowest elevation	3 m (10 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	41,226
• Density	290/km2 (750/sq mi)
• Households	10,687
Economy
• Income class	3rd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	18.91 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 140.7 million (2020), 60.99 million (2012), 70.96 million (2013), 77.18 million (2014), 90.05 million (2015), 95.49 million (2016), 106.4 million (2017), 114.6 million (2018), 124.9 million (2019), 151.5 million (2021), 205.7 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 329.4 million (2020), 81.08 million (2012), 89.64 million (2013), 98.57 million (2014), 114.8 million (2015), 172.5 million (2016), 246.1 million (2017), 292.4 million (2018), 358.5 million (2021), 385.7 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 114.9 million (2020), 58.6 million (2012), 60.4 million (2013), 70.89 million (2014), 73.37 million (2015), 66.07 million (2016), 76.63 million (2017), 86.87 million (2018), 119.6 million (2019), 125.8 million (2021), 196.6 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 66.06 million (2020), 16.71 million (2012), 14.7 million (2013), 16.35 million (2014), 27.74 million (2015), 4.742 million (2016), 83.67 million (2017), 58.45 million (2018), 57.94 million (2019), 48.73 million (2021), 39.38 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Capiz Electric Cooperative (CAPELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	5809
PSGC	061907000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)36
Native languages	Capisnon Hiligaynon Tagalog
Website	www.maayon.gov.ph

Ma-ayon, officially the Municipality of Ma-ayon (Capiznon/Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Ma-ayon; Tagalog: Bayan ng Ma-ayon), is a municipality in the province of Capiz, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 41,226 people.^[3] It has a total land area of 142.32 km2 (54.95).

Sometimes spelled Ma-ayon, it is 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Roxas City, the seat of the provincial government.

As to the origin of the name of Maayon not much has been written about it, but folks speak of several versions and one among those considered most popular was when a group of Spanish soldiers while pursuing the insurgents, discovered a settlement near the bank of the river. Finding the people to be hospitable and nice, they asked for the name of the place. Since the natives did not understand the Spanish language, they assumed that what the Spaniards were asking for what is the status of the harvest, for them it was harvest time. The natives answered "Maayo man". So the Spaniards named the settlement "El Pueblo de Maayon". Thus, the name Maayon was derived from that word and to this very day, it is known as such.

Maayon first became a town during the early American era. However, during the Cadastral Survey, it was reverted to a barrio status under the Municipality of Pontevedra. For nearly half a century, the residents fought hard and long for its restoration to a separate and distinct entity. Their untiring efforts were empty rewarded when in 1955, Carmen Dinglasan Consing,  representative of the first District the Province of Capiz field House Bill No. 2098 in the lower chamber of Congress. Senator Justinano S. Montaño sponsored and steered the bill until its approval. Finally on March 30, 1955, President Ramon Magsaysay signed the bill re-creating the Municipality of Maayon, Capiz in a ceremony held in Malacañan.

The "New Municipality" included eight barrios then, namely, Maayon, Fernandez, Piña, Balighot, Batabat, Guia, Tuburan and Canapian Sur. Now it has thirty two (32) barangays.

The ceremony was attended by a large delegation from Capiz. The President also signed the appointment of the following officials of the new town: For Mayor, Rafael M. Declaro Sr.; For Vice Mayor, Ernesto Diaz; For Councilors, Marcelo Diaz, Felomino Comoro, Damaso Deocampo, Ambrosio Dumagpi, Agustin Barruela and Marcelo Delfin. These officials, have gone back to their maker.

Also present during the historic signing of Republic Act No. 1203 were Representative Judge Godofredo  and Mr. Rafael Dinglasan Sr., Judge Antonio J. Beldia, Romeo Arceño, Gabriel Borres and his two sons Roberto and Athos, Mamerto Dadula. Most of the wives of the officials of the town also witnessed the memorable occasion.

Among the town's first officials were: Uldarico Dieta, Secretary: Amado S. Almalbis, Treasurer: Ponciano Declaro, Judge: and Diosdado Borres, Chief of Police; While Dr. Manuel Buenvenida, who was then Rural Health Physician for Pontevedra, took temporary charge of the rural health services of the new town until his transfer to Pres. Roxas which Dr. Ricardo A. Dasal replaced him until 1956 when Dr. Alejandro Orosco was appointed and took over as the regular Rural Health Physician. Rev. Fr. Crisogono Dequiña was then parish priest.

Rafael M. Declaro Sr. who was also the first elected mayor of the town during its first election in November 1955 won with less than 200 majority over Atty. Artagnan D. Roxas. He relinquished the mayorship to his running mate, Prudencio L. Alovera, when he assumed the position of municipal judge of the same town. The late Mayor Alovera served from 1957 to 1971, the longest term in the 25-year existence of the municipality. Alovera did not seek re-election in 1971. Bertile D. Comoro, fresh from college, ran and won against the late Jose B. Diaz III. Comoro serves as the third executive of the town until February 1986 when President Corazon C. Aquino, who won through People's Power, appointed Jose B. Diaz Jr. as officer-in-charge of the Office of the Mayor which the latter assumed the post but relinquished it a month later after receiving his appointment as Board Member of the Province of Capiz. Rolando L. Eleazar then took charge of the Office of the Mayor.

The following are the past and present Municipal Mayors of Maayon:

1. Rafael M. Declaro Sr. (1955-1957), 2. Prudencio L. Alovera (1957-1971), 3. Bertile D. Comoro Sr. (1972-1986), 4. Jose B. Diaz Jr. (1986) - OIC, 5. Rolando L. Eleazar (1986-1988) - OIC, 6. Honorio B. Diaz Sr. (1988-1998), 7. Miguel Dillera (1998-2001), 8. Billy D. Dueñas (2001-2010), 9. Wilfredo E. Borres Sr. (2010-2019), and 10. Raymond D. Malapajo (2019–Present)

Some portion of the Maayon is considered flat and hilly and its eastern section is mountainous. Due to the existence of the Maayon River which flows from the boundary of Iloilo in the east towards the Panay River in the west, Maayon has an abundant quarry of gravel and sand.

It is believed that the mountains of Maayon have rich deposits of valuable minerals like copper, gold rock, manganese, and limestone. Its plains are fertile lands, making the town basically rice producing, and farming as the main livelihood of the inhabitants. Every harvest, Maayon produces a great surplus of palay marketed to the neighboring towns and even to nearby towns of Iloilo.

Maayon is politically subdivided into 32 barangays ^[6] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Population census of Ma-ayon

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	4,007	—
1960	16,386	+2.50%
1970	20,229	+2.13%
1975	23,075	+2.68%
1980	25,715	+2.19%
1990	29,808	+1.49%
1995	30,333	+0.33%
2000	32,700	+1.62%
2007	35,448	+1.12%
2010	36,430	+1.00%
2015	38,416	+1.02%
2020	41,226	+1.40%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[7][8][9][10]

Maayon's total population based on the census survey has an annual growth rate put at 1.11%.

In the 2020 census, the population of Maayon was 41,226 people,^[3] with a density of 290 inhabitants per square kilometre or 750 inhabitants per square mile.

Poverty incidence of Ma-ayon

10 20 30 40 50 2006 49.70 2009 25.51 2012 39.94 2015 24.22 2018 10.35 2021 18.91 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]

Hil-o Hil-o: Maayonanons Way of Life. The etymological origin of the word is up to now yet unknown, but its concept as practiced in our way of life over the years has been very visible and already firmly assimilated in the culture of Maayonanons.^{[citation needed]}

Hil-o Hil-o is reciprocity that demonstrates mutual interdependence among our people. It expressed itself in many forms and in many ways. It could simply be taking turns in helping one another to make a heavy work for one becomes lighter. It can also be rendering services or giving material donation for a relative, a friend or a neighbor who is holding a very important affair in the family.^{[citation needed]}

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Maayon has several landmarks that symbolizes its history and culture. The town is known for its natural ecological beauty and diversity, which is evident from its mountain ranges and caves.^{[citation needed]}

Resort in East Villaflores  Maayon Capiz  is one of the tourist attraction of Maayon. Mag-olot Falls Resort is located on the Southern Portion of the Barangay.^{[citation needed]}

This is one of the tourist attractions in the province of Capiz, could be found in Barangay Tapulang, Maayon. It is 7 kilometers away from the town proper. It has many entrances at different levels all leading in main chamber which is well lighted and well ventilated.^{[citation needed]}

The new municipal building was inaugurated in 2005. The construction of building started last 2000 and completely finished in 2005.^{[citation needed]}

The "Handurawan” Library and Museum" displays and exhibits old coins, rocks, precious memorabilia, other reading material and historical photos, before the rehabilitation of the museum from 1993 – 1998. It was the “Gabaldon Building”, erected in 1911 under Gabaldon Act 1901, that served as the primary school. The old Gabaldon building was named after Sec. Gabaldon when he was Secretary of Education during the Commonwealth Government.^{[citation needed]}

The shrine is built in honor of the late Pres. Ramon Magsaysay Sr. for re-creating the Municipality of Maayon.^{[citation needed]}

It is the waterfall at Sitio Bailan Bato, Barangay Salgan. Perched in hills overlooking the village is the clear waterfall. There is a forest and a little talahib growth. Some are suited for pasture grassland.^{[citation needed]}

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information