Pontevedra, Capiz Etymology
- Dec 14, 2025
- 3 min read
In 1853, the town of Pontevedra was established at the present site of Barangay Sublangon. Formerly, this town was a part of Panay, being the first settlement in the province of Capiz. Only in the year 1853, when General Crespo passed a decree making it an independent town from Panay. Three years later, the town leaders decided to transfer the Poblacion to its present site because of the accessibility to the mouth of the big and navigable Agbalo River. The natives of the town call the place “Caguyuman”, a term descriptive of the place of ants or “ant hill”. This has been so because during that time, the market days of the town attracted a very large number of people from neighboring towns and faraway places. These people came to town like a swarm of ants, on foot, bull carts in bancas, and sailboats. Hence, the name was “Caguyuman.” The name was changed to Pontevedra when the town had its own independent parish. That was 24 years later, after the town was established at the request of General Mariones. The request was granted two years later, and Father Gregorio Hermida was the first Spanish Friar to take charge of the town parish. This Spanish Friar found the striking resemblance of the town to that of his hometown in Pontevedra, Spain. Henceforth, through his influence, the town was named PONTEVEDRA. Captivating Capiz-PONTEVEDRA MUNICIPALITY In history as of this present time, according to the people there, Pontevedra was formerly known as“CAGUYUMAN,” meaning a group of people.
Special credits: https://assylareeney.blogspot.com/.../guyum-guyuman...
Church in town: 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡
St. Isidore the Farmer Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Pontevedra, Capiz, Philippines.
Pontevedra began as part of the jurisdiction of the town of Panay. Its settlement was organized in the present-day barrio of Sublangon in 1853, and three years later it was made into a town. In 1859, the pueblo was transferred along the banks of the Agbalo River.
It acquired its present-day name after the hometown of Fr. Gregorio Hermida, currently the city of Pontevedra, Spain. Fr. Hermida also established the parish in 1878.
The present-day church was solemnly dedicated and blessed by His Excellency Most Rev. Fr. Victor B. Bendico, D.D., on September 2, 2023.
Stairs lead up to the church’s front yard. Parishioners can enter the interiors through one of three doorways, each with a small portico (two of which with composite capitals) with a gable roof and fluted supports on plinths. Above the main entrance is a rectangular opening with a balustrade, and on the pediment is where the patron is enthroned, flanked by niches. The bell tower flanks the facade, and at their base are statues of saints.
The feast of St. Isidore is May 15.
𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
In 1853, the town of Pontevedra was established in what is now Barangay Sublangon as the first settlement in Capiz province. Three years later, the town leaders decided to relocate the town center to its current site along the Agbalo River for better access.
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐚:
- St. Isidore the Farmer Church
- Villa Consorcia Resort
- Maribert Inland Resort
- Guyum-Guyuman Festival
𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐚:
- None in the list
𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐚:
- None in the list
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