KAWITEÑOS

Kawit



Written by annie
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
KAWIT, Cavite
Quick Facts:

Land Area No. of BrgysIncome ClassPopulationPopn DensityGrowth RateWebsite
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13.40 sq.km.232nd62,751 (2000) 76,405 (2007) 5,701 persons/sq.km. 2.08% per annum www.kawit.gov.ph

Local Officials:
Mayor
:
Reynaldo B. Aguinaldo
Vice Mayor
:
Emilio M. Aguinaldo IV
Sangguniang Bayan Members:

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Alvin S. Bunag Rosario R. Nolasco Arnel G. Victa Tedirico C. BaylenArmando V. Bernal Medel C. Caimol Ricardo J. Esguerra Rustico M. Arellano
Geography

Kawit is situated in the northern part of the province. It is bounded by Cavite City and Bacoor Bay on the north and Bacoor on the east. Noveleta can be found beyond the western boundary while General Trias and Imus share its southern limits. It is about 25 kilometers southwest of Manila and about 4 kilometers south of Cavite City across Bacoor Bay.

Brief History
Kawit is the oldest municipality in Cavite having founded for the Spanish Crown in 1587. Kawit, however, was already a thriving settlement prior to the arrival of the Spaniards who named the area "Cavite El Viejo" or old Cavite. The town served as the first anchorage of the Spaniards for the spread of Christianity throughout the province of Cavite. The Philippine Commission on September 20, 1907 approved Act No. 1718 changing the town's name from Cavite El Viejo to Kawit. Its name was derived from the hook-shaped shoreline of the province from Manila to Sangley Point of Cavite City. The Filipino term for the word "hook" is Kawit. The history of Kawit is the story of General Emilio Aguinaldo, its most illustrious son. The Spaniards met their first major defeat when Filipino revolutionists led by Aguinaldo, Kawit's Captain Municipal at the time, captured a contingent of Spanish soldiers. Aguinaldo was eventually elected as president of the First Philippine Republic. He proclaimed the Philippine Independence at the balcony of his Mansion (the Aguinaldo Shrine) on June 12, 1898. Kawit is known in Philippine History as the birthplace of the Filipino nation because it is where the country's independence was proclaimed. Other generals of the revolution produced by Kawit are Candido Tria Tirona, Baldomero Aguinaldo, Tomas Mascardo and Gregoria Montoya.
Source: The Phil Index, Millennium Edition Vol.I No.1