Anything Under the Sun
Demographic movement in West Visayas (2)
In Antique, the settlers in Hamtik, went to the interior in what is now Sibalom and San Remigio; southward in what are now Dao (T. Fornier) and Anini-y; and northward where in the middle of the province, they met with the settlers from Bugan (Pandan) who went southward.
In Aklan, the settlers in Madianos (Kalibo) went eastward and populated the now entire province of Capiz.
The latest region to be settled was northern Iloilo (Estancia, Balasan, Carles, Sara, Ajuy, Concepcion and Lemery) by settlers from nearby towns of Capiz and Iloilo. This was the end of the first phase of Malay migration.
The sugar rush
During the latter part of the last century, the second phase of Malay migration occurred. This was during the "Sugar Rush" to Negros. Because of the introduction of the sugar industry and establishment of sugar plantations (haciendas) in Negros, many people from Panay migrated by families to Negros to work as sacadas (hacienda workers).
This movement in the 1870s caused sharp decline in the population of Iloilo by around one third.
On the other hand, the population of Negros Occidental increased from 30,000 to 200,000. in 1850 there were only eight towns in that province -- Ilog, Cabancalan, Himamaylan, Hinigaran, Bago, Bacolod, Minluan (Talisay) and Silay. But in 1886, there were already twenty towns.
People from northern Iloilo went to northern Negros (Cadiz, Manapla, Victorias and Sarabia); from southern Iloilo to southern Negros (Kabankalan, Ilog, Himamaylan, Binalbagan and Isabela) from central Iloilo to central Negros (Bacolod, Silay, Murcia, Talisay, Bago, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Villadolid and La Carlota).
This demographic movement explains the general trend that the people in southern Negros have the surnames of people in southern Iloilo, in central Negros of those in central Iloilo, and in northern Negros of those in northern Iloilo. This movement was also true to the setting of Guimaras.
This also very clearly indicates that the West Visayans were descended from the same blood line, the ten Bornean datus being one in culture, in heritage, in aspirations and feelings.