Sabtang

Sabtang

San Vicente de Sabtan
Sabtang San Vicente de Sabtan
	Lighthouse at Sabtang Island
	Flag Official seal of Sabtang Seal
	OpenStreetMap
Country	Philippines
Region	Negros Island Region
Barangays	(see Barangays)
Government
• Mayor	Prescila A. Babalo
• Vice Mayor	Clemente C. Ladreza Jr.
• Representative	Ciriaco A. Gato Jr.
• Municipal Council	Members
• Electorate	voters (?)
Highest elevation	980 m (3,220 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Economy
• Poverty incidence	<div style="background-color: Expression error: Unexpected > operator.; width: %; height: 100%;">% (?)
• Revenue	₱
• Assets	₱
• Expenditure	₱
• Liabilities	₱
Service provider
• Electricity	—
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
PSGC	PSGC unknown

Sabtang, officially the Municipality of Sabtang (Ivatan: Kavahayan nu Sabtang; Ilocano: Ili ti Sabtang; Tagalog: Bayan ng Sabtang), is a 6th class municipality in the province of Batanes, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 1,696 people.^[3]

The southernmost island municipality of the Batanes island group, Sabtang comprises primarily Sabtang Island, as well as two nearby smaller and uninhabited islands: Ivuhos and Dequey. The municipality is known for its lighthouse and the old stone houses of the Ivatan villages of Chavayan and Savidug. Like Batan Island to the north, Sabtang also has a few Mission-style churches and white sand beaches.

History

The Spanish missionary Fr. Artiquez first visited the Island of Sabtang in 1786^[4] after receiving an affirmative response from the islanders to learn about the Christian faith. The success of the first visit led to two more evangelical trips resulting in the baptism of 181 children and the study of the catechism among the adult natives. The evangelization of Sabtang was cut short due to the failing health of the Spanish missionaries. For this, the inhabitants of Sabtang remained faithful to old traditions especially in the administration of justice by vendetta and murder.^[4]

In 1791, the then most powerful chief in Sabtang named Aman Dangat showed defiance of the government of Governor Joaquin del Castillo by killing the Spanish soldiers who went to Sabtang to procure supplies. Lieutenant Tomas Nuñez led the troops to capture the rebels. Aman Dangat was put to trial and allegedly admitted to the crime. A religious Spanish recorder later claimed that Aman Dangat asked to be baptized. There is no evidence of this outside of the claim. The inhabitants of Sabtang were then forced to resettle in San Vicente and San Felix in Ivana to be better controlled by the Spanish colonizers.^[4]

Some forty years after the resettlement, the Sabteños were allowed to visit their native island and gradually these visits allowed them to build homes in their erstwhile land. The government allowed this to happen on the condition that houses should be constructed in lowlands.^[4] To sustain the spiritual care for the Sabteños, a new mission was opened in Sabtang in 1845 under the patronage of Saint Vincent Ferrer with Fr. Antonio Vicente as its first vicar. Fr. Vicente is credited to have built the Sabtang Church, together with a convent, a school, and a courthouse.^[4]

Geography

Sabtang is located at Coordinates: Missing latitude
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According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 40.70 square kilometres (15.71 sq mi)PSGC unknown constituting 18.58% of the 219.01-square-kilometre- (84.56 sq mi) total area of Batanes.

Barangays

Sabtang is politically subdivided into 6 barangays.PSGC unknown These barangays are headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. All are elected every three years.

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