Oton

Oton, officially the Municipality of Oton ([oˈton]; Kinaray-a: Banwa kang Oton, Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Oton, Tagalog: Bayan ng Oton), is a municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 99,920 people making it as the most populous town in the province and the entire Panay island. Oton is 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) west of Iloilo City and is part of the Metro Iloilo–Guimaras area.

Oton is the second oldest Spanish settlement in the Philippines after Cebu. It was founded in 1571 and later became the capital of the islands of Panay, Guimaras, Negros, Tablas, Sibuyan, and Romblon.

Oton, formerly known as Ogtong, has a rich history dating back to the settlement of Malays in the area. Evidence of this early settlement includes the discovery of a gold death mask in Barangay San Antonio during the 1960s. The town's name, Oton, was mentioned in records from the Yuan Dynasty in the 1300s, referred to as in Hokkien Chinese: 啞陳; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: A-tân.

The arrival of the Spanish in the mid-16th century marked a significant turning point in Oton's history. The Spanish designated Oton as the capital of Alcaldia de Oton (now the province of Iloilo) which covered the islands of Panay, Guimaras, Negros, Tablas, Sibuyan, and Romblon. Spanish missionaries used Oton as a base to spread Catholicism to neighboring settlements, including Jaro, Iloilo, Tigbauan, Cordova, Alimodian, Igbaras, Tubungan, Camando, Damilisan, and Tiolas.

Oton played a vital role in the Manila galleon trade, as new agricultural products from the trade route arrived in the town. Many ships traveling from Cebu would dock in Oton before continuing on to Manila. However, Oton's location made it vulnerable to pirate attacks, prompting the Spanish colonial authorities to relocate the capital a few kilometers away to La Punta, which is now known as Iloilo City Proper, in the 1600s. This move was intended to enhance the town's defense against pirate raids.

In the 21st century, Oton has transitioned from an agricultural town to a growing commercial center, with significant investments, including those by Vista Land.

Oton is 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) west from Iloilo City. Oton is bordered by the municipality of Tigbauan to the west, San Miguel to the north, Pavia to the northeast, Panay Gulf to the south, and is bordered by Iloilo City districts of Arevalo and Mandurriao to the southeast and east. The town is a part of Metro Iloilo-Guimaras which encompasses the whole island province of Guimaras with its municipalities, the Iloilo City, and the Iloilo provincial towns of Pavia, Leganes, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, and Cabatuan.

Oton is politically subdivided into 37 barangays.  Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.