Ternate, Cavite#History

The town is named after the Indonesian island of Ternate, which was the homeland of settlers in the region in the late 1600s (as refugees from the Moluccas). The town was also known as Barra or Bahra (from Barra de Maragondón) in Chavacano. Prior to the arrival of migrants, the area was known as Wawa by the native Tagalogs, from the Tagalog wawa ("river mouth" or "river delta").{{cite book |last1=Lesho |first1=Marivic |last2=Sippola |first2=Eeva |title=Vergleichende Kolonialtoponomastik Strukturen und Funktionen kolonialer Ortsbenennung |date=2018 |publisher=De Gruyter |chapter=Toponyms in Manila and Cavite, Philippines |isbn=9783110608618 |pages=317–332}}

The Merdicas (also spelled Mardicas or Mardikas) were Catholic natives of the islands of Ternate and Tidore of the Moluccas, converted by Jesuit missionaries during the Portuguese occupation of the islands. The islands were later captured by the Spanish, who vied for their control with the Dutch. In 1663, the Spanish garrison in Ternate were forced to pull out to defend Manila against an impending invasion by Koxinga on the Kingdom of Tungning in modern Taiwan, sacrificing the Moluccas to the Dutch. Two hundred families of Merdicas (of mixed Mexican-Filipino-Spanish and Papuan-Indonesian-Portuguese descent)Zamboangueño Chavacano: Philippine Spanish Creole or Filipinized Spanish Creole? By Tyron Judes D. Casumpang (Page 3) volunteered, and were resettled in a sandbar near the mouth of the Maragondon River (known as the Bahra de Maragondon) and Tanza, Cavite.{{cite book|author=John. M. Lipski, with P. Mühlhaüsler and F. Duthin|chapter-url =https://johnlipski.github.io/pacific.pdf|title=Atlas of Languages of Intercultural Communication in the Pacific, Asia, and the Americas: Texts, Volume 2|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|year=1996|isbn=9783110134179|editor=Stephen Adolphe Wurm & Peter Mühlhäusler|pages=272–276|chapter=Spanish in the Pacific}} Among them was their ruler, Sultan Said Din Burkat, who deported to Manila together with his entourage and family and later converted to Christianity.Bartolome Juan Leonardy y de Argensola, Conquistas de las islas Molucas (Madrid: Alonso Martin, 1909) pp. 351-8; Cesar Majul, Muslims in the Philippines (Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1973) pp. 119-20; Hal, History of Southeast Asia, pp. 249-50.

The invasion did not occur as Koxinga fell ill and died. The Merdicas community eventually assimilated into the local population. Today, the descendants of the Merdicas continue to speak their Spanish creole (with Portuguese and Papuan influences), which came to be known as Ternateño Chabacano.

Ternate was once a barrio of Maragondón, and was the first town to attain full independence from it on March 31, 1857. The agreement was signed on behalf of the residents of Ternate by Tomás de León, Félix Nigosa, Pablo de León, Florencio Nino Franco and Juan Ramos.

On October 15, 1903, Ternate was merged with Naic by virtue of Act No. 947.{{cite PH act|chamber=Act|number=947|title=An Act Reducing the Twenty-Three Municipalities of the Province of Cavite to Eleven|url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/legislative%2Bissuances/Act%20No.%20947|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001125915/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/legislative%2Bissuances/Act%20No.%20947|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 1, 2023|date=October 15, 1903|accessdate=June 17, 2023}} It was later separated by virtue of Executive Order No. 96 in November 1915 but was effective only on January 1, 1916.{{cite web|url=https://www.coa.gov.ph/download/2423/cavite/37002/ternate-executive-summary-2015.pdf|title=Executive Summary|date=2015|website=Commission on Audit|accessdate=June 17, 2023}}

On March 3, 1992, Mayor Octavio Velasco, along with his two bodyguards and the town chief of police Felipe Enero, were assassinated in front of the municipal hall by five unknown gunmen, alleged to be bodyguards of then-Cavite Representative Jorge Núñez.{{cite news|last=Evangelista|first=Romie|title=Mayor, cops chief shot dead in first major poll violence|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=8cBNEdFwSQkC&dat=19920304&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|access-date=December 14, 2021|work=Manila Standard|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=March 4, 1992|page=2}}{{cite news|last1=Lanuza|first1=Angelo E.|last2=Jacinto|first2=Gerry|title=Top Cavite officials linked to Ternate slay|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CaJOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PQsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6412%2C1922255|access-date=December 14, 2021|work=Manila Standard|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=March 12, 1992|page=2}} As of March 1994, the assassins were still at large.{{cite news|title=Ternate mayor's killers in '92 still roam free|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=8cBNEdFwSQkC&dat=19940303&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|access-date=December 26, 2021|work=Manila Standard|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=March 4, 1994|page=4}}

Ternate is politically subdivided into 10 barangays, as indicated in the matrix below.{{PSGC detail|area}} Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Currently, there are 3 barangays which are classified as urban.

{{PH brgy table lite|top}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121001|Poblacion I (Barangay I) |1899|1973}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121002|Poblacion II (Barangay II) |2005|1879}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121003|Bucana |1111|770}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121005|Poblacion III (Barangay III)|1757|1769}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121006|San José |1958|1709}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121007|San Juan I |2865|2494}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121008|Sapang I |7407|5011}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121009|Poblacion I A |1909|1421}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121010|San Juan II |1658|1388}}

{{PH brgy table lite|042121011|Sapang II |2084|883}}

{{PH brgy table lite|bottom|19297}}

{{Weather box

| location = Ternate, Cavite

| width = auto

| metric first = Yes

| single line = Yes

| Jan high C = 29

| Jan low C = 21

| Feb high C = 30

| Feb low C = 20

| Mar high C = 32

| Mar low C = 21

| Apr high C = 34

| Apr low C = 22

| May high C = 32

| May low C = 24

| Jun high C = 31

| Jun low C = 25

| Jul high C = 29

| Jul low C = 24

| Aug high C = 29

| Aug low C = 24

| Sep high C = 29

| Sep low C = 24

| Oct high C = 30

| Oct low C = 23

| Nov high C = 30

| Nov low C = 22

| Dec high C = 29

| Dec low C = 21

| Jan precipitation mm = 10

| Feb precipitation mm = 10

| Mar precipitation mm = 12

| Apr precipitation mm = 27

| May precipitation mm = 94

| Jun precipitation mm = 153

| Jul precipitation mm = 206

| Aug precipitation mm = 190

| Sep precipitation mm = 179

| Oct precipitation mm = 120

| Nov precipitation mm = 54

| Dec precipitation mm = 39

| Jan rain days = 5.2

| Feb rain days = 4.5

| Mar rain days = 6.4

| Apr rain days = 9.2

| May rain days = 19.7

| Jun rain days = 24.3

| Jul rain days = 26.9

| Aug rain days = 25.7

| Sep rain days = 24.4

| Oct rain days = 21.0

| Nov rain days = 12.9

| Dec rain days = 9.1

| source 1 = Meteoblue

{{cite web|url=https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/historyclimate/climatemodelled/ternate_philippines_1682472|title=Ternate: Average Temperatures and Rainfall|publisher=Meteoblue|access-date=May 12, 2020}}

| date = 12 May 2020

}}

{{Philippine Census

| align= none

| title= Population census of {{PH wikidata|name}}

| 1903 = {{PH census population|1903}}

| 1918 = {{PH census population|1918}}

| 1939 = {{PH census population|1939}}

| 1948 = {{PH census population|1948}}

| 1960 = {{PH census population|1960}}

| 1970 = {{PH census population|1970}}

| 1975 = {{PH census population|1975}}

| 1980 = {{PH census population|1980}}

| 1990 = {{PH census population|1990}}

| 1995 = {{PH census population|1995}}

| 2000 = {{PH census population|2000}}

| 2007 = {{PH census population|2007}}

| 2010 = {{PH census population|2010}}

| 2015 = {{PH census population|2015}}

| 2020 = {{PH census population|2020}}

| 2025 =

| 2030 =

| footnote= Source: Philippine Statistics Authority{{PH census|2015}}{{PH census|2010}}{{PH census|2007}}{{LWUA population data}}

}}

In the 2020 census, the population of Ternate, Cavite, was 24,653 people,{{PH census|current}} with a density of {{convert|{{sigfig|24,653/59.93|2}}|PD/km2|disp=or}}.

In addition to Tagalog, the community continue to use one of several Spanish-based creole varieties found in the Philippines, collectively known as Chabacano (Ternateño Chavacano); locals, however, call this vernacular simply as Bahra.

Most Ternateños are Catholics, with the majority belonging to the Catholic Church, and the rest subscribing to other Christian denominations.

• Members Church of God International (MCGI){{Cite web |date=June 13, 2018 |title=The Members Church of God International (MCGI) in partnership with the Ang Dating Daan Foundation International (ADDFI) and Kamanggagawa Foundation International (KFI) held a Medical Mission event at Ternate Multipurpose Hall, Ternate Cavite on May 25, 2018. |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2104376666243143&set=a.1330073063673511 |access-date=July 17, 2024 |website=Members Church of God International - Facebook.com}}
• Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan Church)
• Iglesia ni Cristo
• United Church of Christ in the Philippines
• Jehovah's Witnesses
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Assemblies of God
• Church of Alpha Omega Christian Ministries Inc.

A number of residents also profess Islam, belonging to the Sunni branch predominant in the country.

{{PH poverty incidence}}

{{main|Sangguniang Bayan}}

The following are the elected officials of the town elected last May 09, 2022 which serves until 2025:

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [{{NSCB detail}} Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20131004104825/http://census.gov.ph/ Philippine Census Information]

{{Geographic location

| Centre = Ternate

| North = Manila Bay

| East = Naic

| South = Maragondon

| West = South China Sea

}}

{{Cavite}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1663 establishments in the Spanish Empire

Category:Municipalities of Cavite

Category:Populated places on Manila Bay