The town lies on the banks of the Suage River, 30 kilometres (19 mi) north from Iloilo City. The town has an area of 94 km2, 85% of which is agricultural land. In December 1997, it was declared as the "Christmas Capital of Western Visayas" because of its famed Christmas Festival of Lights.
The first people of Pototan were the family of Datu Ramon, grandson of Datu Puti, a Malay from the town of Dumangas.[dubious – discuss] They first settled at Barangay Naslo, which was formerly the poblacion (town center). In that place was found a luxuriant growth of trees called "putat", after which the place was subsequently called "Kaputatan" or "place of many Putat trees." However, due to its hilly terrain and poor water supply, they decided to move nearer the bank of the Suage River, now called Pototan.
In the middle of the 16th century, the Chinese traders arrived in Pototan.
Spanish era
St. Joseph's ChurchPototan Town HallIloilo Provincial Hospital
The arrival of the Spaniards in 1593 sparked new changes in the socio-economic and political life of the natives. It was the start of a new era, the natives were converted to Catholicism through the efforts of Augustinian Friars. The settlement was subsequently made into a Parish. Education, though at the onset only for the privileged few, was introduced. The name "Kaputatan", which the Spanish have difficulty pronouncing, was changed to "Pototan".
The Spanish built roads and bridges. Don Tomas Sajen and Don Escribano supervised the construction of the Tribunal (municipal hall) with the natives contributing the labor. The Tribunal withstood World War II and in the early 50s was modified into what is now the Western Visayas Hospital.
In 1874, Pototanons began to run their own political affairs with the appointment of Don Juan Marcelo as the first Capitan Municipal. This form of government continued until the arrival of the Americans.
During the incumbency of Capitan Municipal Braulio Peñaranda in 1891, there was a cholera outbreak.
The Americans arrived after Spain ceded Philippines to the United States in 1898. The remaining Spanish population fled to the hills together with many Filipinos including the last Gobernadorcillio, Don Maurilio Mendoza. He was later held prisoner by the Americans but subsequently named the first Municipal President.
American era
Under the Americans, the natives were granted the freedom of speech and worship. Education was liberalized; more and better roads and bridges were constructed. Improvements were also noticed in the economic, social and cultural life of the people.
During the incumbency of Mun. President Maurillo Mendoza, the Pototanons again witnessed another unforgettable event: the burning of the entire half of the poblacion in November 1914. The cause of the fire is unknown.
When the Philippine Constitution was ratified in 1935, another change in the town's local governance was introduced: the title of Municipal President was changed to Municipal Mayor. Santiago Puig was the first Municipal Mayor. He was succeeded by Mariano Peñaflorida in 1940. Peñaflorida served until September 16, 1942.
World War II
The coming of the Japanese during World War II spread chaos and fear among Pototanons. Mayor Peñaflorida continued to act as Mayor under the Free Revolutionary Government of Tomas Confesor while the Japanese Imperial Forces designated Tomas Ferrariz as Puppet Mayor.
Geography
Barangays
Pototan is politically subdivided into 50 barangays.[6] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
In the 2020 census, the population of Pototan, Iloilo, was 78,298 people,[3] with a density of 810 inhabitants per square kilometre or 2,100 inhabitants per square mile. Karay·a is the primary language in the municipality.[12]
In 1893, the Maura Law was passed to reorganize town governments with the aim of making them more effective and autonomous. The law changed the title of chief executive of the town from gobernadorcillo to capitán municipal.[21]
Order
Name
Years in Office
107
Julián Ubaldo
1894
108
Maurilio Mendoza
1895-1900
Presidentes & vice presidentes municipal
Order
Presidente municipal
Years in Office
Order
Vice presidente municipal
Years in Office
109
Mariano Peñaflorida
1900-1904
1
110
Rafael Parcon
1904-1906
111
Magdaleno Silva
1906-1907
112
Ceferino Palabrica
1907-1908
113
Matias Yusay
1908-1909
114
Ceferino Palabrica
1909-1913
115
Generoso Solinap
1913-1916
116
Tomás Peñaflorida
1916-1919
117
Primitivo Ledesma
1919-1922
Paulino Pérez
118
Manuel Mendoza
1922-1925
119
Generoso Solinap
1925-1928
120
Sofronio Daguay
1928-1931
121
Nemesio Cordero
1931-1933
Municipal Mayors
Order
Mayor
Years in Office
Order
Vice-mayor
Years in Office
122
Fernando Parcon
1933-1936
Silverio Quesaba
123
Mariano Peñaflorida
1936-1945
Tomás Ferrariz (Japanese Puppet Mayor)
1942-1945
124
Fortunato Camarista
1946-1951
125
Roque Mosquera
1951
126
Fortunato Camarista
1952-1955
127
Florentino Perez
1956-1960
128
Santiago Puig
1960-1962
129
Manuel Parcon
1963-1998
130
Licurgo Tirador
1998-2001
Peter Parcon
131
Manuel Parcon
2001-2002
Pablo Perez
132
Pablo Perez
2002-2013
133
Tomas Peñaflorida
2013-2019
Joselito Romualdo Ilisan
134
Rafael Enrique Lazaro
2019–present
Municipal officials
The elected municipal officials of the local government unit of Pototan, Iloilo for 2022-2025.
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