Semirara Island
| Caluya | |
|---|---|
| Municipality | |
Unong Lake
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 Location within Antique province |
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.svg)
 Caluya
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| Coordinates: 11°54′N 121°31′E / 11.9°N 121.52°ECoordinates: 11°54′N 121°31′E / 11.9°N 121.52°E | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Western Visayas (Region VI) |
| Province | Antique |
| District | Lone district |
| Barangays | 18 (see Barangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Genevive G. Lim |
| Area | |
| • Total | 132.13 km2 (51.02 sq mi) |
| Population (2015 census) | |
| • Total | 35,496 |
| • Density | 270/km2 (700/sq mi) |
| • Voter (2016) | 18,801 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) |
| ZIP code | 5711 |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)36 |
| Income class | 1st class |
| PSGC | 060605000 |
| Website | elgu |
Caluya, officially the Municipality of Caluya (Karay-a: Banwa kang Caluya; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Caluya; Filipino: Bayan ng Caluya), is a municipality in the province of Antique in the Western Visayas (Region VI) of the Philippines. The population was 35,496 at the 2015 census. In the 2016 electoral roll, it had 18,801 registered voters.
Semirara Island has an area of 55 square kilometres (21 sq mi), and is home to the Panian Mine, a vast open-pit coal mine in operation since 1999, and the Unong Mine (in production from 1984 to 2000).
The Island of Caluya was once called Polo Pandan by Moro pirates searching for commercial ships as target victims. These pirates with their pillager vintas called "Salipsipan" utilized the place for haven and rest after divesting ships of valuable belongings. In fear of the pirates, only few fishermen dared to fish in the area. The Moro pirates called the place Polo Pandan because the entire coastal area was covered by pandan screw pines.
Several years later, fishermen from other islands, who were catching turtles for Chinese traders using their fish gears called "Panalog", accidentally landed in Polo Pandan in search of drinking water. They were surprised to see footprints of humans in the sand but no houses could be seen. They found a potable spring coming from the roots of a Dankalan Tree. They brought the good news to other fishermen and settled by the shore near that spring. They made huts (Barong-barong) for their families and continued with their fishing activities. Soon the Moro pirates landed at the other side of the island. The settlers feared for the safety of their families, so they transferred their huts to the hilltop and called the place "Minoro or Barabanwa".
One day, while all the man settlers were out looking for food and fishing, the Moro pirates surfaced and an amazon named Merin gathered all women to defend their settlement. The Moro leader, upon seeing the amazons, ordered his men to retreat for according to him, the women were weak or maluya in vernacular. Thus the name Polo Pandan was changed to maluya in honor of famous hero Merin. The island soon became Caluya.
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Wikipedia