Daanbantayan, Cebu
Daanbantayan, Philippines
About
According to pre-Hispanic history, Daanbantayan was believed to be once ruled by a local chieftain or Datu called Datu Daya who was known for his good deeds and bravery by driving away invading foreigners and marauding moros. To help strengthen his defenses, he built strategically placed watchtowers dubbed as "bantayan" which is constantly manned by the natives/residents keeping watch, or in the dialect "daang bantayan", and so the present name "Daanbantayan" originated. But before the town took on the name Daanbantayan, it was then called Kang Daya, in brief Kandaya, named after Datu Daya or Datu Daya's, in his honor. Not much has been known as to the actual date of the town's establishment but as was the custom during the Spanish times, the friars or prayles decided to construct the church, now the Sta. Rosa de Lima Parish Church way back in 1886, hence the establishment of the church marked the establishment of the town as well, being at the center of most settlements at that time.
