, destroyed in the
1948 Lady Caycay earthquake, pictured in (1901) 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. During the 12th Century then Hindu Brunei formerly called Pon-i invaded Oton (Yachen 啞陳),
Hokkien , as recorded in the book of Nanhai Zhi, "Pon-i", also invaded Malilu 麻裏蘆 (claimed by various scholars to be the present-day Manila) as it also administered
Sarawak and
Sabah, as well as the Philippine kingdoms of:
Butuan,
Sulu,
Ma-i (Mindoro or Laguna),
Shahuchong 沙胡重 (present-day
Zamboanga), and 文杜陵 Wenduling (present-day
Mindanao,
Bintulu or
Mindoro). By the 1300s, records from the Yuan Dynasty then indicate that Oton was already an independent city-state from Pon-i at this point. Oton having presumably joined into the
Kedatuan of Madja-as formed in rebellion against the Borneo-centered empire of Rajah or Sultan Makatunao which was punished by having the Datus of Madja-as sack and destroy his empire. As Oton was already a highly civilized city-state, contact-era chronicles by the Spanish had recorded that Oton had very well developed Carpentry and Ship Building industries. The arrival of the Spanish in 1566 marked a significant turning point in Oton's history. In 1572, the Spanish formally established and designated Oton as the capital of
Alcaldia de Panay, later renamed
Provincia de Oton, 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. The town used to be the base of the
Old Oton Church, the largest religious site in Western Visayas and one of the largest in the entire country. The mother church and convent were damaged by an earthquake in 1948. Instead of being restored, the ruins were demolished and a far smaller and less aesthetic structure was built. Since then, the number of visitors and church goers have dwindled through the decades. Generations of Oton residents, and Iloilo residents in general, have called for the authentic restoration of Oton church. ==Geography==