Kawit, Cavite

Kawit
Municipality

Seal
Nickname(s): The Birthplace of Philippine Independence

Map of Cavite showing the location of Kawit
Kawit

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 14°26′N 120°54′E / 14.433°N 120.900°E / 14.433; 120.900Coordinates: 14°26′N 120°54′E / 14.433°N 120.900°E / 14.433; 120.900
Country Philippines
Region CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
Province Cavite
Congr. district 1st District of Cavite
Founded 1898
Barangays 23
Government[1]
 • Mayor Reynaldo B. Aguinaldo (Liberal)
 • Vice Mayor Paul Plaridel Abaya Jr. (Liberal)
Area[2]
 • Total 22.86 km2 (8.83 sq mi)
Population (2010)[3]
 • Total 78,209
 • Density 3,400/km2 (8,900/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Kawiteños
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code 4104
Dialing code 46

Kawit (formerly Cavite El Viejo) is a first class urban municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 78,209 people[3] in a land area of 22.86 square kilometers.

Kawit is the birthplace of Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Republic of the Philippines. It is also the location of his home, the Aguinaldo Shrine, where independence from Spain was declared on June 12, 1898. From 1895 to 1897, he served as the town's chief executive.

Etymology

The name Kawit is derived from the Tagalog word kawit (hook) which is suggestive of its location at the base of a hookshaped shoreline along Manila Bay extending to the tip of Cavite City.

Legend, however, gives another version on how the town got its name. One day a Spanish visitor asked a native blacksmith about the name of the village. The latter was busy at the time pounding on the anvil a piece of hot metal that looked like a hook. He hesitated to speak, not understanding what the stranger was asking, but when pressed for an answer, and thinking that he wanted to know what he was doing, he merely said kawit (hook). The Spaniards left muttering the word kawit. In the course of the time the word kawit evolved into "cauite," and finally "cavite".

History

Kawit was the most thriving settlement prior to the coming of the Spaniards. In fact, the town provided the first anchorage of the Spaniards in the province, whence colonization and proselytization of the Christian religion began, spreading to all corners of the province.

For a long time, the place was called by the Spaniards "Cavite el Viejo" or Old Cavite to distinguish it from "Cavite la Punta" or "Cavite el Puerto," the commercial port and naval base (now Cavite City) whence came many Spanish marines on shore leave who made frequent visits to Cavite el Viejo, eventually turning it into a red light district. The bad reputation of the place, however, was completely wiped out when it was placed under the spiritual supervision of the Jesuits during the administration of Manila Archbishop Miguel Garcia Serrano (1618–1629) by placing St. Mary Magdalene as Patron saint of the town.

In the barrio of Binakayan, where the Aglipayan Church is located since 1902, in honor of Saint Michael, the Archangel.

Cavite el Viejo was then a big town, comprising the municipality of Kawit today, Cavite la Punta (now Cavite City), Noveleta (called Tierra Alta by the Spaniards), and Imus. Eventually, these three barrios seceded as their population grew and became independent municipalities.

Barangays

Kawit is politically subdivided into 23 barangays.[2]

  • Batong Dalig
  • Balsahan-Bisita
  • Binakayan-Aplaya
  • Binakayan-Kanluran
  • Congbalay-Legaspi
  • Gahak
  • Kaingen
  • Magdalo (Putol)
  • Manggahan-Lawin
  • Marulas
  • Pulvorista/Polvorista
  • Panamitan
  • Poblacion
  • Samala-Marquez
  • San Sebastian
  • Santa Isabel
  • Tabon 1
  • Tabon 2
  • Tabon 3
  • Toclong (Different from Toclong in neighboring Imus)
  • Tramo-Bantayan
  • Wakas 1
  • Wakas 2

Demographics

Population census of Kawit
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 47,755—    
1995 56,993+3.37%
2000 62,751+2.08%
2007 76,405+2.75%
2010 78,209+0.85%
Source: National Statistics Office[3]

Culture

Maytinis Festival

An original Kawit tradition that takes place every Christmas Eve, a dramatic retelling of the Virgin Mary and Joseph's search in bethlehem for a place to stay called "Panunuluyan". This reenactment happens on the streets of Kawit with different floats depicting different biblical scenes from Adam and Eve up to Mary and Joseph. The "Panunuluyan" takes place in several houses and is done in singing until it reaches the 300-year-old St. Mary Magdalene Church of Kawit where the Virgin Mary and Joseph are welcomed by angels in a giant "belen" (Nativity Scene) which covers the whole Retablo or Altar of the church. The songs performed by the angels acted by little girls are mostly in Spanish and Tagalog.

Government

Like any other Philippine municipality, Kawit is headed by a municipal mayor, vice mayor, and ten councilors, eight of them elected at large by the voting populace and two of them being sectoral representatives (one for the barangays and one for the youth, elected respectively through their federations).

The current mayor of the historical town is Reynaldo "Tik" Aguinaldo, who was elevated to the mayorship after three terms as vice mayor. The scion of the first Philippine president has twice (2007 and 2010) beaten Federico "Hit" Poblete, another descendant of Emilio Aguinaldo (youngest son of Maria Aguinaldo y Poblete: one of General Emilio Aguinaldo's daughters), Poblete served a total of five terms as its chief executive. [Poblete used to be an undersecretary for the Department of Agrarian Reform under the Estrada administration after his first three terms as mayor (1988–1998).]

See also

Images

References

  1. ↑ "Official City/Municipal 2013 Election Results". Intramuros, Manila, Philippines: Commission on Elections (COMELEC). 11 September 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Province: CAVITE". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 24 October 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kawit, Cavite.
 Cavite City
Bacoor Bay		 Manila Bay
Noveleta Bacoor City
   Kawit  
Imus City
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