San Enrique nestles in the rolling hills of the northern central mountain ranges and behind the long stalks of sugar cane, expanses of bamboo, terraced rice paddies and giant, century-old trees. Its scenic beauty is land-locked with the presence of Mounts Cañapasan, Bayoso, Gepiz, Cararapan, Cabas-an and Puti-an — a potential ecotourism site known with caves located at Barangay Rumagayray and runs contiguously to Bulabog-Putian National Park at the boundary of Dingle and San Enrique. The town also offers a great combination of cultural expedition and trekking that allows guests to know these remote hospitable villages.
The Third-Class municipality of San Enrique is situated in the north-central portion of the province and is 54 kilometers from Iloilo City via the Passi City route. It is bounded in the north by Passi City; in the south by Dingle; the east by Banate and Barotac Viejo and; west by Duenas. It has a total land area of 8, 772 hectares and is politically subdivided into 28 barangys.
San Enrique is populated by 33, 911 (2015 Census on Population) San Enriquenhons. Market day is every Wednesday. It annually celebrates its Religious Fiesta every 24th of May in honour of St. Mary.
To get to the town, busses via Passi City are available daily at the new Ceres Terminal in Barangay Camalig, Jaro, Iloilo City.
HISTORY
The town was then known as Barrio “Bontoc that was organized as a pueblo through the persistence of the rich influential residents of the community. It stood as as a pueblo with its own streets and church. It was once a folk tradition to have a patron saint in every pueblo where the act of choosing San Enrique to be the town’s patron saint was intentionally done; however, it was found out that the act of making San Enrique as the town’s patron saint could not be granted due to financial problems. The town ha dno funds as hyet to buy the image of the saint witih its own expense.
When ex-Teniente Simon Padios offered the image of Sanctum Auxillum Christianorum would replace San Enrique as the patron saint of Bontok, he admonished the people by saying that the spirit of San Enrique would be displeased. The priest suggested that in order to appease the spirit of the saint, they should name the pueblo Bontok as pueblo San Enrique. By virtue of a Real Orden (Royal Decree) from King Alfonso XII in 1879, the Pueblo de San Enrique was established. The municipality of San Enrique was first established in 1881.
ATTRACTIONS
BINUL-UGAN FALLS in Barangay San Antonio is a bumpy off-road drive to an old cane road from the poblacion. It is a 45-minuter moderate to hard trek. Halfway to the falls lead visitors to series of swimming holes that graces the trails where guests can frolic to their hearts’ content. These waters from the falls continue to shape a dramatic landscape of valleys, streams and cliffs. These holes add to the uniqueness of the exhilarating journey.
FESTIVAL
KALAMAY celebrated every 2nd week of July, highlights the town’s sugar cane farming and the production of raw sugar as well as the impact of the sugar industry to the town for almost 40 years. Series of special events daily were prepared to attract people of all ages to the town’s fairgrounds. Moreover, appealing to tourists as well as local residents, the festival will generate significant tourism-related income.