06/08/2026
Many of Capizβs town names started as funny misunderstandings between confused locals and Spanish explorers.
[πππππ] One traditional explanation tells that when the Spaniards reached present-day Tapaz, they asked locals who were cutting tigbao grass, βΒΏπΎΓ³π’π€ π¨π π‘π‘ππ’π ππ¨π©π π¨ππ©ππ€?" (What is the name of this place?). The residents misunderstood the question and thought they were being asked what they were doing. They replied, βNaga tapas cami,β meaning βWe are cutting.β Believing this to be the name of the settlement, the Spaniards recorded it as Tapaz.
[πππππππ] Name is explained by two different origin stories passed down through generations. (1) respected chieftain once fell ill, causing his skin to turn yellow. The people began referring to him as "Dumalag," a local term for something that had turned yellow. Over time, the name became associated with the community itself, giving rise to the town of Dumalag. (2) Spanish visitors saw children playing with dried yellow leaves. When they asked what they were holding, the children replied, "dalag." Mistaking it for the name of the place, the Spaniards recorded it as "Dumalag," and the name endured.
[ππππππππ] Spanish visitors asked the natives about the place. One replied, "Busao" (cleaning), while later they heard a child crying, "Mam!" (mother). The Spaniards combined the two words into "Mambusao,"later writers interpreted the name as "mother of clean food," symbolizing the town's role as one of Capiz's rice granaries.
[ππππππ] Spanish travelers once asked a young boy the name of the place. Thinking he was being asked about the silver half-peso coin he was holding, the boy replied, "Sapi!" When the Spaniard repeated the question, the boy answered, "Sapian," meaning "rich" in the local language. Believing this was the settlement's name, the Spaniard recorded it as Sapian.
[ππππππ] Long before the Spaniards arrived, travelers seeking fresh fish would say, "Let's go where the ibis are." When the Spaniards organized the village into a town, they adopted the name Ibisan, which eventually became Ivisan.
[πππππππ] Spanish travelers found a woman drying Araw palay under the sun. When he asked the name of the place, she thought he meant the grain and answered, "Araw." Mistaking it for the settlement's name, the Spaniard added the prefix "Dum-" and recorded it as Dumarao.
[πππππππ] Spanish explorers found villagers peeling logs beside a creek. When they asked the name of the place, the natives thought they were asking what they were doing and replied, "Panitan," meaning "to peel." The Spaniards mistook the answer for the settlement's name, and it has been known as Panitan ever since.
[ππππππ] Spanish soldiers arrived at a riverside settlement and asked its name. Mistaking the question as one about the harvest, the villagers replied, "Maayo man." The Spaniards adopted the phrase, and the settlement became known as Maayon.
Beyond these lost-in-translation moments, other towns were named after rich plants, some towns even completely changing their names overtime, while others eventually shifting to honor colonial rulers and local leaders:
[πππππ] Historical references commonly state that the settlement was originally called Bamban before being renamed Pan-ay by the early Spaniards. Because these accounts often present the two names in the same sentence, the meaning "mouth of the river" has at times been associated with Bamban. A closer reading, however, indicates that the description refers to the later name Pan-ay.
[πππππ (present-day Roxas City)] The origin of this place remains uncertain. Early local histories themselves acknowledge that "nobody is certain" how the name originated and preserve several competing traditions rather than a single accepted explanation. Among these are the fish (lapis) story, the kapis shell explanation, and the kapid ("twins") tradition associated with Datu Bangkaya's descendants. Because these accounts arose from oral tradition and were recorded long after the events they describe, historians generally treat them as folk etymologies rather than established historical facts.
[ππππππππ] The town was originally called Hamindang, named after the abundant hamindang trees that once covered the area. Founder Kornes chose to preserve the memory of these trees by naming the settlement after them, and over time the name evolved into Jamindan.
[πππ] Two early Malay barangays from Gapason and Cabatnga traveled along the river in opposite directions before meeting beneath a large dao tree. They agreed to settle there and named the community Dao after the tree.
[ππππππππ] The settlement was named Mapanag after Mapanag Creek, a nearby waterway that served as one of the area's natural boundaries and flowed into the Panay River.
[ππππππππππ] Early settlers founded Kaguyoman along the Agbalo River, where fertile lands and easy river access attracted traders from nearby towns. The bustling market became so crowded that people compared it to a swarm of ants, giving rise to the name "Land of the Ants." The town was later renamed Pontevedra in honor of Pontevedra, Spain.
[πππππππππ πππππ] Originally known as Lutod-lutod, the settlement was established on a gently sloping hill whose shape resembled the back of a turtle. The name, meaning βright in the back,β reflected this distinctive landscape. Its fertile land and later the establishment of the Pilar Sugar Central attracted settlers, leading to the community's rapid growth.
[πππππ] Originally known as Sibala, the settlement was named after the Sibala River that flowed through the coastal village. Early settlers established their community along the river, whose abundant natural resources supported fishing, trade, and agriculture.
Main source:
Historical Data, Philippines (Executive Order 486, 1951)
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