Information about Kalantiaw Shrine

Kalantiaw Shrine

Located in the municipality of Batan in the province of Aklan, the Kalantiaw Shrine was erected in 1956 in honor of Datu Bendahara Kalantiaw, who was believed to be one of three chiefs on the whole island of Panay during the 1400s. According to historical documents, he created the Kalantiaw Code, which was believed to be the first legal code in the Philippines.

However, in 1968, historian William Henry Scott was able to prove that the documents were fakes perpetrated by Jose E. Marco, a hoaxer who was later proved to have created forgeries of other historical documents. It wasn't until 2004 that the National Historical Institute submitted a resolution declaring Datu Kalantiaw and his code as part of a hoax. It was approved in 2005, effectively revoking President Ramon Magsaysay's proclamation of the Kalantiaw Shrine as a National Shrine. 

Best time to visit

The shrine is outdoors, so it would be best to visit it during the cool, dry months, which usually fall from December to February.