Pavia, Iloilo
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Pavia, officially the Municipality of Pavia (, , ), is a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
in the
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Iloilo Iloilo ( ; ), officially the Province of Iloilo (; ; ; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Iloilo City, the regional center of Western Visayas and politically independen ...
,
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 70,388 people. Pavia is known as the regional agro-industrial center, home to numerous manufacturing companies. It is north of
Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region of the Philippines, located on the southeastern coast of th ...
and is part of the
Metro Iloilo–Guimaras Metropolitan Iloilo–Guimaras (; ), also shortened as Metro Iloilo–Guimaras or Metro Iloilo, or simply MIG, is a metropolitan area in Western Visayas in the Philippines. It is located on the southeastern coast of Panay, including the nearb ...
area.


Etymology

How the town got its name is unclear, and has long been disputed. One theory has it that the name came from a certain Colonel Pavia of the Spanish garrison in Iloilo who was supposedly responsible for initially establishing a Spanish presence in the area . Others believe that the name is a Spanish corruption of the Hiligaynon word ''biya-biya'', as the area was originally considered a neglected patch of land that served mostly as a camping ground for city sophisticates and absentee landlords. Others claim that the town was named after a Spanish governor-general, Manuel Pavia y Lay, Marquis of Novaliches, who eventually became a priest after his short tenure in the Philippines from 1853 to 1854. However, the more credible theory seems to be the overlooked fact that the town's religious well-being was placed under the jurisdiction and supervision of the friars of the Augustinian Order, and they simply named the place in honor of the town of Pavia, Italy, where the founder of their order,
Saint Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berbers, Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (Roman province), Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced th ...
, was buried. The last theory seems to be supported by circumstantial historical evidence: it was also in 1862 that an independent parish dedicated to Saint Monica was established by an Augustinian friar, Policarpio Minayo. But it was only in 1889 when construction of the famous brick church—as it now stands—began. It was envisioned and built in the Byzantine style, with Romanesque design elements. Two Greek crosses dominate the facade, and the
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
is round set against the rear wall. It is unique in the whole of Panay Island, as it is the only church built entirely of red brick, inside and out. Quite significantly, the church design was apparently inspired by the ancient royal arched basilica of San Michele Maggiore in Pavia, Italy—minus the front columns.


History

Pavia was initially settled by primitive Malays, followed by the arrival of Chinese immigrants between the 15th and 16th centuries. Archaeological excavations at a Chinese burial ground in Cabugao Sur have provided evidence of these early settlements, suggesting a population of around 200 to 400. During the Spanish Colonial Era, Pavia officially separated from the town of Jaro and was established as an independent entity in 1848. Thirteen landowners came together to transform what was once a "camping place," a "settlement place," or an "abandoned place" into a thriving community. Over time, Pavia experienced changes in its administrative status. It became part of Santa Barbara in 1901 and then joined
Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region of the Philippines, located on the southeastern coast of th ...
in 1904. However, in 1907, Pavia, along with Leganes and Jaro, seceded from Iloilo City to form the suburb of Jaro. Petronilo Gumban served as the leader of Pavia from 1916 until his election as Presidente Municipal of Jaro in 1920. In 1921, under the leadership of Delfin Gumban, Pavia regained its status as an independent municipality. In the 21st century, Pavia has rapidly emerged as one of the most populous suburban areas within the Iloilo metropolitan area. Once known primarily as a hub for the province's agricultural industry, the town has steadily transformed into a thriving center of commerce, largely influenced by its proximity to Iloilo City. Major developers such as Sta. Lucia Land, Robinsons Land, and International Builders Corporation have invested in the area.


Geography

Pavia is north of Iloilo City. It is bordered by the Iloilo City districts of Jaro and
Mandurriao Mandurriao () is a Districts of Iloilo City, district in Iloilo City, Philippines. It is the second-largest district by geographical area as well as the third-most populous district, with 62,240 people in the 2020 census. Mandurriao is one of t ...
to the east and south, respectively; the towns of Leganes to the northeast; Santa Barbara to the north; San Miguel to the west; and
Oton Oton, officially the Municipality of Oton (; , , ), is a municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 98,509 people making it as the most populous town in the province and the entire ...
to the southwest. Pavia is a part of Metro Iloilo-Guimaras area. Due to its close proximity to the urban core of the metropolitan area, it is one of the most urbanized towns in the province. Pavia is the smallest municipality in terms of area in Iloilo, covering only . The municipality is the Regional Agro-Industrial Center for
Western Visayas Western Visayas (; ; ) is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. The region comprises the islands of Panay and Guimaras Island, Guimaras. It consists of five Provinces of the ...
.


Barangays

Pavia is politically subdivided into 18
barangay The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...
s. Each barangay consists of
purok A ''purok'' () is an informal division within a barangay in the Philippines. While not officially considered a local government unit (LGU), a ''purok'' often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay. ''Pur ...
s and some have
sitios A ''sitio'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "site") in the Philippines is a territorial enclave that forms part of a barangay. Typically rural, a ''sitios location is usually far from the center of the barangay itself and could be its own bar ...
. * Aganan * Amparo * Anilao * Balabag * Purok I (
Poblacion ''Poblacion'' (from Spanish '' población'', meaning "population"), sometimes abbreviated as Pob., is a term used in the Philippines to refer to the administrative center, downtown, old town, or commercial area of a city or municipality. It ...
) * Purok II (
Poblacion ''Poblacion'' (from Spanish '' población'', meaning "population"), sometimes abbreviated as Pob., is a term used in the Philippines to refer to the administrative center, downtown, old town, or commercial area of a city or municipality. It ...
) * Purok III (
Poblacion ''Poblacion'' (from Spanish '' población'', meaning "population"), sometimes abbreviated as Pob., is a term used in the Philippines to refer to the administrative center, downtown, old town, or commercial area of a city or municipality. It ...
) * Purok IV (
Poblacion ''Poblacion'' (from Spanish '' población'', meaning "population"), sometimes abbreviated as Pob., is a term used in the Philippines to refer to the administrative center, downtown, old town, or commercial area of a city or municipality. It ...
) * Cabugao Norte * Cabugao Sur * Jibao-an * Mali-ao * Pagsanga-an * Pal-agon * Pandac * Tigum * Ungka I * Ungka II


Climate


Demographics

Pavia is the fastest-growing municipality in the province, both in terms of economy and population. In the 2020 census, the population of Pavia, Iloilo, was 70,388 people, with a density of .


Languages

Pavia, being a
suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
of
Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region of the Philippines, located on the southeastern coast of th ...
, Hiligaynon is also the most dominant language used by its residents. Karay-a is also being spoken, as well as Tagalog and English.


Religion

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
is the most dominant religion in this municipality.


Economy

Pavia has become one of the fastest-growing economies in Iloilo, with a mix of industries and developments. It serves as an agricultural-industrial center, hosting companies such as Vitarich Corporation and New Panay Agri-Ventures in Cabugao Sur. The town has developed into a commuter area with suburban neighborhoods including Green Meadows, Providence, Centro Verde, Parc Regency, Centennial Homes, and Deca Homes. Commercial establishments in Pavia include Mandaue Foam, CityMall, Puregold, GT Town Center, and Robinsons Place Pavia. It is also home to Panay News, a regional news media outlet. Hotels in the town include Gateway Hotel, Sotogrande Hotel, and JECA MJC Hotel & Event Center. Healthcare services are available through facilities like Holy Mary Women and Children's Hospital. Major companies operating in Pavia include Robinsons Builders, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and Taytay sa Kauswagan. One of the major developments in Pavia is the Hacienda Verde township by Sta. Lucia Land, Inc. Pavia is known for ''baye baye'', a delicacy made from young coconut meat, sugar, and pinipig. The town also has a
pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. The place where such wares are made by a ''potter'' is al ...
industry in Barangays Pandac and Jibao-an, producing clay pots, stoves, jars, and containers using open pit firing methods. File:Aquafun, Pavia, Iloilo, Aug 2024.jpg, AquaFun Pavia File:GT Park, Pavia, Iloilo, Aug 2024.jpg, GT Park File:Robinsons Place Pavia, Iloilo, Aug 2024.jpg, Robinsons Place Pavia File:GT Town Center, Pavia, Iloilo, Aug 2024.jpg, GT Town Center File:Plazuela Tres, Pavia, Iloilo, Aug 2024.jpg, Plazuela Tres


Government

Laurence Anthony G. Gorriceta is the incumbent mayor of Pavia.


List of former chief executives

The different Presidente Municipal (equivalent to Municipal Mayor now) who had served Pavia. * Delfin Gumban (1921–1924) – known to be Pavia's Father of Independence * Domingo Guillem (1924–1927) * Simplicio Hechanova (1927–1934) * Pacifico Jabonillo (1934–1942) * Buenaventura Gumban (1942–1945) ''Resistance Civil Government'' * Cornelio Gumban (1942–1945) ''Japanese Government'' * Juan de Dios Gonzaga (1945–1946) * Luzon Gumban (1946–1952) * Vicente Gerochi (1952–1955) * Florencio Hisole (1956–1959) * Gerardo Gorriceta (1960–1971) * Nelson Gumban (1972–1986) * Felix Gorriceta, Jr. (1986–1994) * Rogelio Trimanez (1994–1995) ''serving the unexpired term of Mayor Gorriceta'' * Felix Caronongan, Jr. (March – June 1995) * Ervin G. Gerochi (1995–2004) * Arcadio H. Gorriceta (2004–2013) * Michael B. Gorriceta (2013–2019) * Laurence Anthony G. Gorriceta (2019–present)


Culture


Carabao-Carroza Race

Pavia, since 1973, holds the
Carabao Carabaos () are a genetically distinct population of swamp-type water buffaloes ('' Bubalus bubalis kerabau'') from the Philippines.FAO 2013''Philippine Carabao/Philippines''In: Domestic Animal Diversity Information System. Food and Agriculture ...
-Carroza Race Festival every 3 May. The Carabao is made the "king" for a day, and the race features carabaos each pulling a bamboo sled or "carrosa" on a 400-meter course. Carrozas with native designs are also paraded as part of festivities.


Tigkaralag Festival

The Tigkaralag festival is celebrated in consonance with All Souls' Day. The term "Tigkaralag" comes from the Ilonggo words, "tig," which means "season of," and "kalag," which means "soul". Participants from the municipality's 18 barangays wear costumes and parade themselves from Barangay Aganan to the town's plaza for a dance-drama competition with a storyline reflective of Tigkaralag. Held every 30th day of October, the festival was conceived by Cecilia H. Capadosa in 1992. Recently, Baye-baye night was included as a side event of the festival in celebration on one of the town's industry, the Baye-baye.


Pavia Parish Church

Pavia Parish Church, popularly known as Santa Monica Parish Church is a century-old church built by the Spanish Augustinian Fathers sometime in 1862. Its interior and exterior walls are made entirely of red-bricks, making it the only existing brick-constructed church in the island of Panay. This church is similar to the church of the town's namesake,
Pavia Pavia ( , ; ; ; ; ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, in Northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino (river), Ticino near its confluence with the Po (river), Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was a major polit ...
in Italy.


Education

Pavia has several academic institutions offering programs from preschool to senior high school. On October 7, 2024, the University of St. La Salle (USLS) announced its expansion in Pavia.


References


External links


Iloilo Travel Website
* *
Philippine Standard Geographic Code The Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) is a systematic classification and coding for geographic areas in the Philippines. It classifies areas based on the country's four levels of administrative divisions: regions, provinces, municipalities ...
br>Philippine Census InformationLocal Governance Performance Management System
{{Authority control Municipalities of Iloilo 1848 establishments in the Philippines Populated places established in 1848