The Municipality of Tapaz, popularly known simply as Tapaz, is a first-class municipality located in the province of Capiz in the Philippines. With a population of 54,423 residents, as recorded in the 2020 census, Tapaz is a melting pot of different ethnic groups such as Malays, Spaniards, Indonesians, and the indigenous Aetas or Negritos of Panay. Over the years, the residents of Tapaz have divided into two distinct communities – the “Baludnons” who live in the lowlands and the “Bukidnons” who live in the uplands.
Tapaz is famous for its festive celebrations, including the Patabangay Festival in September honoring the patron saint Jab, Sirinadya in January honoring the Sr. Santo Niño, and the Tinuom Festival in San Nicolas held in December in honor of Saint Nicholas of Myra.
The town also boasts a small indigenous Panay-Bukidnon community in the Tacayan barangay, known for Feliza, a binukot who is skilled in chanting the suguidanon, one of the most important epic chants of the Western Visayas region. Feliza is the last known person to speak the Ligbok language in her community, making her the last bastion of the ancient language in Tapaz. With reports of the dying Ligbok language and suguidanon epic chant, the government has taken steps to document the language and epic chant, and to teach the language to younger generations of Panay-Bukidnon in Tapaz.
Finally, Marugo Lake in San Antonio barangay is a popular tourist destination, attracting many visitors with its stunning beauty and abundant ecosystem.
History
The town of Tapaz in the Philippines has a rich history dating back to the arrival of the Panay-Bukidnon people who spoke the indigenous Ligbok language. During the Spanish colonization of the region, Tapaz was part of the town of Dumalag. In the late 19th century, efforts to establish Tapaz as an independent parish were finally successful, with Jaro Bishop Mariano Cuartero declaring the town a separate entity with St. Jerome as its patron.
However, in the early 21st century, it was discovered that the Ligbok language spoken by the Panay-Bukidnon community in Tapaz was at risk of becoming extinct. In response, a preservation program was initiated to document the language and epic chant and to teach it to the younger generations of the community. This program continues to this day, with the government working to ensure the survival of the language and cultural heritage of the Panay-Bukidnon people in Tapaz.
Geography
The location of Tapaz can be found at a latitude of 11° 09’ to 11° 09’ 42″ and a longitude of 121° 11’ to 122° 34’ 45″. It is situated 55 kilometers (34 miles) away from the city of Roxas.
