Antequera, officially the Municipality of Antequera, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 14,990 people. Located 19 km north of Tagbilaran, popular places of interest in Antequera are the weekly basket market and Mag-Aso Falls. The Mag-Aso falls, whose cascading waters run into natural pools, were greatly altered by the 2013 Bohol earthquake and even more so by flash floods caused by Tropical Storm Seniang in December 2014. The town of Antequera, Bohol celebrates its feast on every last saturday of October, to honor the town patron Our Lady of the Rosary. The town also celebrates the feast of Sr. San Antonio de Padua (the second patron) every 13 June but not as pompous as the feast during October.

History

The early inhabitants of the area were the Eskaya people, who lived in western Bohol, including the lowlands of Antequera at the present barangay of Viga, from the 7th century until the early 17th century. Originally the town was a barangay of Maribojoc known as Agad. Migration from surrounding coastal areas increased the population and created many new sitios. On 17 March 1876, the Governor-General of the Philippines signed a decree that made Agad and all its sitios a new municipality. That same year, the governor of the district of Bohol, Joaquin Bengoechia, enacted the law that finalized the boundaries and appointed its first mayor, Simeon Villas. The new municipality was named after the home town in Spain of Bengoechia. Antequera's name was from Roman origin Anticaria, Antikaria, Antiquaria, meaning ancient city. In 1899, the town of Catigbian was abolished, and the barangays of Caimbang, San Isidro, and Causwagan were added to Antequera. But it lost these barangays, along with half of Cansague, when Catigbian was reestablished on 17 June 1949. On 10 January 1970, the municipality of San Isidro was formed, taking the barangays of Cambansag, Abehilan, and Baunos from Antequera.

Geography

Antequera is an inland town 19 km north of Tagbilaran. This municipality is bounded by Calape in the north, San Isidro in the northeast, Balilihan in the southeast, Cortes in the south, Maribojoc in the southwest, and Loon in the northwest.

Barangays

Antequera is politically subdivided into 21 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

Economy

The primary economic activities are farming, handicraft or cottage industries (especially basket weaving), and carpentry (including bamboo and wood furniture making). Its main agricultural produce comprises coconut, rice, corn, rootcrops, and vegetables. Total annual income in 2010 was ₱35,960,730

Government

List of former chief executives

List of former mayors of Antequera:

Gallery

Sources