On the northern part of Iloilo lies the Municipality of Ajuy, Province of lloilo. It is 87 kilometers from Iloilo City. It extends from Piliwan, its southernmost sitio to Serruco River in the north. Its jurisdiction is bounded in the south by Ajuy Bay, in the north by the town of Sara and in the west by the town of Barotac Viejo.
The present Municipality of ajuy started from a small settlement established by the early malayan freedom-seekers on the northside of the Gubaton River near the present site of Barangay Lanjagan. It was originally called Asui by the natives. How the name Ajuy was later adopted can not exactly be ascertained because of the many versions related to it.
The most popular story however, which was later accepted as credible is the following:
One day, in the old Spanish times, a Spaniard who was assigned to list the names of coastal villages of this portion of Iloilo came to this place. He met a native who was gathering fuel. Talking in Spanish which was accompanied by signs to make himself understood, the stranger asked for the name of the settlement. The native, who could not understand Spanish, thinking that the Spaniard was asking what he was gathering answered “Kahoy”. The Spaniard did not distinctly hear the word but instead noted down the word Ajoy which was later changed to Ajuy, the present official name of this town.
After several years of its founding, the settlement prospered and the population increased. The sources of livelihood because varied. Many people engaged in trade with the neighboring islands and towns. They found much difficulty in transporting their goods to those places from Asui so they looked for more convenient place. Thus the present site of the Poblacion was selected because of its ideal location.
The Municipality of Ajuy was formerly a part of Sara. It became a full pledged Municipality in 1917 through the untiring efforts of its educated citizens under the able leadership of Dionisio Diel,
alejo Posadas, Manuel Arones, and Antonio Manipula. These men were mainly responsible for the separation of Ajuy from Sara.
Source: The League of Municipalities (Iloilo Chapter) | “A Testimonial Program” | Pototan, Iloilo | January 8, 1998
