The Legend of Maasin

reproduced by: Municipality of Maasin LGU

Maasin, officially the Municipality of Maasin (Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Maasin, Tagalog: Bayan ng Maasin), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. This town took its name from a place they call Pait which is bitter or salty in English.

During the Spanish occupation in this place called Pait (specifically called Paet Spring located at Brgy. Magsaysay, Maasin, Iloilo), there is a woman washing clothes when some Spaniards passed by. One of the Spaniards asked the woman in Spanish, “Como se llama es su pueblo?”

Since the Spanish language was not really understood by the woman she assumed that the Spaniard is asking about the water in the river dug out called balon. (*balon is a small or shallow dugout in a river, brook or a stream to produce some water for drinking, cooking, washing clothes and bathing). The woman answered without hesitation, maasin which she wants to specify that the water in the dugout is salty. The Spaniards thought that the name of the place is Maasin. Since then they call the town Maasin.