Nabas, Aklan

Accounts about the earliest community of Nabas are uncertain but the initial documentation for the town's existence was recorded in 1845. Facing the Sibuyan Sea, the town started as a small coastal village referred to as Barrio Alimbo which extends to the hills and mountains to the west. This small community occupies the floodplains of Alimbo River where the village derived its name. Fishing and farming is the primary source of livelihood, even today except for the hunting which was common on that time because of the abundances of wild pig, monkey and deer in the area.

Before, the town was part of the municipality of Ibajay under the jurisdiction of Capiz Province. Ibajay's municipal boundary was so vast but with poor road system.

The developing populaces whose tongue and customs diverge from those of the eastern community build awareness amongst people of the west. The invasion of migrants from the nearby province of Antique continued that further emphasized the difference in dialect and culture to some extent. In 1853, their notion of a separate municipality for better living and independence serves as the foundation for taking a part of Alimbo together with its adjoining barrios of Nagustuhan (Nagustan), Panaytayon (Toledo), Gibungan (Gibon), Pakilawa (Unidos), Namao (Rizal), and Kabangrosan (Union) ceased to be a barrio to form a new municipality inevitably. The municipality was formed in 1854 and named Navas, after Governor Nava of the province of Capiz who came to inspect the area before its creation.

In 1861, the residents of Carabao Island (locally known as Hambil Island) chose to be annexed to the municipality of Navas, Capiz following the abolition of the Pueblo de Cabalian in Tablas Island. The annexation continued until 1897 when residents of Carabao Island voted to join the municipality of Looc, Romblon.

The Cartilla System, an early teaching methods that dominantly use the letter "b" than "v" caused the variable spelling of "Navas" and "Nabas". In 1906, the Municipal Council in a resolution approved by unanimous vote adopted the name Nabas as the official name.

Recently, Nabas is currently applying for cityhood making it the third in the province after neighboring Malay and the provincial capital Kalibo.

Nabas is a strip of land located east of the town of Malay at the north-west tip of Panay Island called Northwest Panay Peninsula. It bounded on the north by Sibuyan Sea; on the south by Pandan, Antique; east by Ibajay; and west by Malay. It is 43 kilometres (27 mi) from Kalibo, the provincial capital.

The resort island of Boracay is located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the north-westernmost tip of the town.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 96.82 square kilometres (37.38 sq mi) ^[6] constituting 5.32% of the 1,821.42-square-kilometre- (703.25 sq mi) total area of Aklan.

Landscape

The Municipality of Nabas is considered as rolling terrain and rugged terrain land topographic formation. It has an elongated land area situated along the Northwestern Panay Peninsula, with 21-kilometer coastline facing Sibuyan Sea, and with such a large span of municipal waters, approximately 300 square kilometers.

This town features natural wonders both on the mountains with its natural cold springs, caves and tiny water falls, and the sea which boast of crystal clear waters, coral reefs, and from grey or white sand to assorted coloured pebbly shores.

Nabas has one of the last remaining low elevation intact rainforest that is home to various endemic flora and fauna.

The population of Nabas has grown dramatically for the past decade. It holds the record of fastest growing population in the whole province of Aklan covering 2011–2015, and third fastest growing population covering 2016–2020.

The Municipality of Nabas was among the fastest growing town having a population growth rate almost three times the rate of the provincial and regional levels. The rapid increase in the population growth could be attributed to in-migration due to its developing tourism industry.

Poverty incidence of Nabas

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]}

Nabas, a municipality, is noted for its hat and mat industry made of indigenous bariw leaves which abound on the hillsides and plain lowlands of the town. It is likewise a farming and fishing community with its vast lowlands and long shoreline. While the cost of marine commodity has soared due to the proximity of Nabas to Boracay Island, the fishermen remained impoverished.

One of the most imposing presence in Nabas is PetroWind Energy Inc. 36-megawatt wind farm in Brgy Pawa. An array of gigantic wind turbines lined-up along a mountain ridge aimed to spur tourism and add livelihood in the area is the biggest single venture in the province of Aklan.

The town serves as a satellite area for the expansion of tourism from the traditional town of Malay to expand and stretch developments to Nabas.

Nabas is predominantly Roman Catholic. Various religious festivity is being celebrated throughout the year in different villages and in the town as a whole.

The Nabas Bariw Festival is celebrated to commemorate the feast day of Saint Isidore the Farmer, which is chosen as the town's patron saint for the town being originally agricultural. It is celebrated annually from May 12 to 15. This celebration showcases the town's hat, mat and other bariw products as well as the town's unique tourism sites and natural attractions. During this affair, various skills in mat, hat and bag making and designing are demonstrated. Among the events is a contest to produce the biggest hat and mat contest. The festival is highlighted by continuous street dancing by folks from the town's 20 barangays dressed in colorful bariw costumes accompanied by indigenous bamboo instruments.

The Nabas Municipal and Religious Fiesta is celebrated annually to commemorate the feast of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion every September 24. The feast honors the Patron Saint of Our Lady Of Salvation after the town is spared from the Japanese fatal ruthlessness during the World War II.

The Ati-Atihan Festival is also celebrated in Nagustan every February.

The San Juan Fiesta is celebrated along the coastal communities every June 24. Beach side tent parties are being held by families joining the event. Boat racing, swimming, and fluvial parades are among the highlights of the fair.

The Pailaw sa Nabas is a music and light festival held every last quarter of November or 1st quarter of December to mark the start of yuletide season in the town. The opening of lights, musical performances, live bands, and firework display are the highlights of the event.

The Nabas Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.^[23]

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  Union Seascape
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  Gibon Seascape
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  Unidos Landscape