Culasi, officially the Municipality of Culasi (Kinaray-a: Banwa kang Culasi; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Culasi; Tagalog: Bayan ng Culasi), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 44,494 people. Making it fourth most populous municipality in the province of Antique and third largest municipality in terms of land area, with a total area of 228.56 square kilometers.
The municipality of Culasi is known as the home of majestic Mount Madja-as, the highest peak in Panay. It is famous for its mossy forest, sea of clouds and 14 waterfalls, with an elevation of 6,946 ft (2,117 m) above sea level. Madja-as an enchanted mountain sacred to ancient Visayans as it is home to the god of death, Sidapa, and god of meteors, Bulalakaw.[3]
The name Culasi or Kulasi was derived from the local term for a species of mangrove Lumnitzera racemosa which grow abundantly in the vicinity's river basin.
During the Spanish colonial times, Culasi was known by its old name "Bacong". Now, Bacong is only one of its barangays. Bacong was one of the four visitas or towns established by the Spaniards. The others were Nalupa (now Barbaza), Bugason (now Bugasong), and Hamtik (now Hamtic).
The 1905 census revealed that Culasi had the biggest Chinese population in Antique, so much so that it had a barrio named "Villa de Hong Kong" in their honor. It is now part of the Poblacion.
One of the significant events of the Philippines's Martial Law era was the Bacong Bridge Massacre, which took place in Culasi on December 19, 1981.[5] Sometimes also known as the Culasi incident, it involved the Philippine Constabulary killing 5 protester-farmers at the Bacong River bridge in Barangay Malacañang, Culasi, Antique. The victims were identified as Leopoldo A. Anos, Aquilino M. Castillo, Fortunato M. Dalisay, Remegildo P. Dalisay, and Joel B. Plaquino.[6]
Culasi is 92 kilometres (57 mi) north from San Jose de Buenavista, the capital of Antique, and 90 kilometres (56 mi) south from Kalibo, the capital of Aklan.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 228.56 square kilometres (88.25 sq mi) [7] constituting 8.37% of the 2,729.17-square-kilometre- (1,053.74 sq mi) total area of Antique.
Located in the northern portion of the province, it is bounded on the north by Sebaste, south by Tibiao, west by the Sulu Sea and east by Mount Madja-as and the Municipality of Madalag, Aklan, just beyond. Its territory includes Maniguin (or Maningning / Hammerhead) and Batbatan Islands.
Excluding the outlying islands, its northernmost point is located at 11°32’05" latitude and 122°05’00" longitude. Its easternmost point is located at 11°30’50" latitude and 122°10’05" longitude. Its southernmost point is located at 11°21’04" latitude and 122°02’08" longitude and the westernmost point is at 11°31’05" latitude and 122°03’08" longitude.
Culasi has a slope of 8°. Eastern height ranges from 200 metres (660 ft) to 2,117 metres (6,946 ft) at the summit of Mount Madia-as, it is the highest point in Panay. It has unbroken mountain range from barangay Batonan Sur in the south to barangay Salde in the northernmost. From the peak of Madia-as Mountain it gradually flattens down to a narrow strip of the coastal plain. Land area roughly covers 82.92% upland and above lowland comprises 17.08% of the land area with a slope of 18% and below. Forest areas comprise almost half of the total land area covering 12,078 hectares (29,850 acres).
Culasi has two distinct seasons, the rainy and dry. Rainy season occurs in the months of May to November and dry season for the rest of the year. Areas like the mountainous barangays of Flores and Osorio located at the southern portion of the municipality are characterized by a relatively cool temperature which is highly suited for coffee. The higher precipitation acquired may be caused by high mountain range or because of its high topography.
Culasi is politically subdivided into 44 barangays.[9] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
These barangays are classified into 3 island, 11 upland, 16 coastal and 14 interior/lowland barangays.