Valencia

Valencia is on the southern coast of Bohol. It is forty-two kilometers from the capital. Its former name is said to be Panangatan, which is derived from Sang-at, meaning to put up on an elevated place. It is said that many, many years ago, on windy days, fishermen from Dimiao and Lila used to seek shelter at the mouth of the Panangatan River when the southwest moonsoon was very strong. Here they would put up (sang-at) their boats on the banks of the river where nipa palms grew in order to prevent them from being washed away by the waves. When the Spaniards came, Panangatan was still a part of Dimiao. It was separated in 1867, the year a Spanish priest was assigned to the municipality. The priest gave it the new name, after that of a seaport city in Spain. In 1879 Valencia had a population of 7,009.

(Based on figures from the census of 2000)