It was a community immersion that brought me here, it was such a wonderful
experience for me to capture their traditions, culture, their crafts and even
the processed foods originated from this part of the country. And, it is a
wonderful place to stay, very simple living.
It was such a place to live in, with hospitable and accommodating
people, the town observed its cleanest and greenest surrounding which I was
truly amazed.
One of the sixteen municipalities of the province Capiz is the
town Sigma which has 21 barangays. According to the old folks, their have a
datu that has a cold illness and often blowing his nose it is called “naga-sikma”.
And that datu was a popular to their followers and other datus, they change the
name in “Datu Sikma”. And that time the town named Sigma from the word “Sikma”.
LANDMARKS
Sigma Town
Hall
This hall serve as the of elected Municipal official. Conducting
important transaction is also done in the sigma town hall.
Sigma Town Church
This was constructed through the effort of every person who
donated their money just to build this which serves as the legalization that Sigmahanon
is not just following the cultural heritage alone. They also perpetuate the
moral values and attitudes which were brought and introduce by the Spaniards
during the Spanish era the CHRISTIANITY.
Municipal Library
This serve as a library to all Sigmahanons who want to
research about the History of Sigma and all Barangay under its
jurisdiction. Books and learning materials are also present to develop the mind
of all Sigmahanons and promote a “Book Lover Municipality” in the second District
in this province.
Sigma Public Plaza
A circle type shape town plaza signifies the town’s unity and
diversity. It is where 21 barangays meet during annual fiesta. It is also serve as a
rendezvous by calling up the mass meeting. The town plaza was well lighted at night and the lace were the center the festivals during its annual fiesta.
Products
Tropics, a small business which makes “Kaong” and “Nata de Coco”
being sell to different stores and even in the mall throughout the
province and also being exported in the neighboring provinces. Other mass
produced in town are bamboo crafts, muscobado (harden sugar), colored fiber
decorated materials and so with salabat (ginger tea).
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| Decorative plant colored fiber |
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| Wood crafts |
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| Bamboo crafts |
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| Ginger tea |
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| Kaong fruit |
EVENTS
Hil-O -Hanay Festival
In early days of sigma when there were still a few people
around the population was partly distributed, the practice of HIL-O-Hanay was
quiet prevalent. There were no agricultural machineries to
speak off, and farm work was really tedious so cropping season in farming was
a labor intensive undertaking. When one farmer work in the farm
of another who had help him earlier, in is said that he is rendering “HIL-O to
his companion.”
As of today, the sigmahanon still practice HIL-O-HANAY
every time they participate in a “patabang”,”pahapon-hapon”, or “paaga-aga”.It
is not just limited to a farm work but may include repairing in
neighbors house, road maintenance , cleanliness drive , construction of
school facilities, relief opertaion and another community activities.
Payag contest
With the current trend of building concrete structures for
residential purposes, the usefulness of the indigenous bamboo as art material,
the LGU of Sigma has incorporated the annual payag-payag contest in the
HIL-O-HANAY festival as folk architecture. The “payag” is a small hut made of
bamboos and other indigenous materilas the payag- payag contest is open to all
21 barangays of Sigma.
Lutong Sigmahanon
A showcase of simple local culinary delights meant to gladden the
heart and nourish the body after the
hard days toil under the sun. I observed that every dishes have coconut milk or
“gata”. Makes me feel hungry....
Pailig It Lantay
Pailig means to drift
using the rivers current as a means of transporting goods particulary bamboos
and other agricultural products thus pailig it lantay seeks to recapture the
spirit of this asian tradition wheb the major means of transport among the
local inhabitants was the river.
Lin-Ay It Sigma
This maybe a vestige of our colonial past particularly during
those period will we were under American rule were carnival queen and later on
festival queen were introduce into our psyche. In recognition of this
tradition, LIN-AY
IT SIGMA is crowned yearly as a show of solidarity with the
rest of the Filipino nation.
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| Picturesque Sigma Church. A proof that I've been here. |
HOW TO GET THERE
Sigma is situated at the central plains of the province. To the
east of Sigma 3.5 kms. away is the Municipality of Dao; to the west 7.0 kms.
bound the Municipality of Mambusao; and direct north is the town of Ivisan, 13
kms. away from Poblacion Norte. The Poblacion is strategically located along
the crossroads of the three provinces – Capiz, Aklan and Iloilo. It is around
30 minutes non-stop ride from Roxas City, the capital city of Capiz or forty
five minutes ride by passenger buses and jeepneys, they paid 30 pesos the
regular passenger and 23 pesos the students and senior citizen in the
transportation . By the same vehicle, Iloilo City is a good two and a half
hours ride from Sigma and is practically one hour and thirty minutes ride by
bus or jeep from Kalibo, Aklan.
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