San Miguel is a 5th class municipality is bordered by the municipality of Maasin and Cabatuan in the north; Sta. Barbara and Pavia in the northeast; in the south by Oton; the city of Iloilo in the east; Alimodian in the west; and southwest with Leon and Tigbauan. It has a land area of 2,134 hectares and politically subdivided into 24 barangays.
San Miguel is populated by 27, 686 San Miguelnons. Market day is every Wednesdays and Sundays. It annually celebrates in Religious Fiesta every 8th of May in honor of St. Michael the Archangel.
To get to San Miguel one can take a jeepney or van at the ALEOSAN TRANSPORT TERMINAL in Barangay HIbao-an, Mandurriao, Iloilo City or at the ALEOSAN Transport Terminal in El 98 Street, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
HISTORY
The first seat of poblacion of the town of San Miguel was in Fonda with its center in Ermita now in Sitio Langca in Barangay San Jose. A simple wooden church was constructed for the people to gather but when the church was halfway finished, the townsfolk decided to transfer the seat of the poblacion to an area known as Angoy. Here a little stone church was built and the plaza was laid out. When the church was completed, the Archdiocese of Jaro decided to separate the parishes of Alimodian, Leon and Angoy. Thus three patron saints (St. Catherine de Aragon, St. Thomas de Villanueva and St. Michael the Archangel) were sent into the three parishes. The images of these saints were carried by carabo-drawn bamboo carts.
Upon arriving in Angoy, it was decided to leave the image of St. Thomas de Villanueva there but the carabao carrying the bamboo cart where the image of St. Michael the Archangel was did not continue its journey to Alimodian. Instead, it stayed rooted on the spot where no amount of beating and prodding the animal succeeded in budging it, thus, did St. Michael the Archangel became the patron saint of Angoy, later becoming the town of San Miguel after the saint.
FESTIVALS
PASIDUNGOG KAY SENYOR SAN MIGUEL is celebrated every 3rd week of December. From the Hiligaynon root word dungog meaning honor or dignity, Pasidungog festival venerates the town’s patron saint, San Miguel.
Highlight of the celebration is the tribal dance-drama competition which recounts the story based on folk history, on the separation of the parishes of Alimodian, Leon and San Miguel. The storyline of competing tribes also recounts the miracle that happened in 1805 when the Archangel Micheael appeared and saved the town when they were besieged by Muslim bandits. The Moros reportedly saw the appearance of the angel and they immediately fled.
PALUPOK BAYONG is celebrated every December 30. It is a revival of the old Filipino tradition of celebrating the New Year by making loud sounds through bamboo cannons or bayong.