Siaton
is often referred to as the "rice bowl" of the province.
The town has one of the largest land areas in the south. It is a
one-hour drive from Dumaguete City.
BRIEF PROFILE
|
Land Area: |
335.90 km ² |
Population: |
73,285 (2010) |
Barangays: |
26 |
A Brief History___________________________
Old folks say Siaton was founded on the shore between Canaway
and Siaton Rivers by one of the ten "datus" who migrated
from Borneo with Datu Puti and Datu Sumakwel. The name is said
to derive from a certain native called "Aton", who was
believed to possess mysterious powers.
The People______________________________
Majority of the population speak the Cebuano dialect.
Commerce and Industry_____________________
Agriculture is the main industry of the town. Main products are
rice and sugarcane.
Fishing is also done along its coast.
Getting There and Away_____________________
Buses and jeepneys, from neighbouring cities and towns, pass through
Siaton several times daily.
Other Information__________________________
The Siaton Parish was instituted in 1848, under the patronage of
St. Nicholas de Bari. The fiesta highlight is a ritual of pagan
provenance, the Inagta, featuring dark-painted performers imitating
the movements of certain wildlife.
The Bonbonon range, which has undergone massive greening, supplements
the town's economy with vast sugarcane plantations and agro-forestry.
Barrio Casala-an was the seat of the 6th District Civil Government
during World War II. In Bonbonon Point, also referred to by the
natives as Pirate's Cove, was the site of the PC Coastal Patrol's
first calamity on February 7, 1942, when their boat was shelled
and sunk by a Japanese destroyer.