ECONOMY

Agriculture. The municipality of Duero is basically agricultural with rich natural resources that are abundant to help sustain its production. It is endowed with fertile soil, abundance of water resources (e.g. Guinsularan River, Alejawan-Cansuhay-Anibongan River Forest Reserve (ACAWARF), and numerous creeks. These factors contribute to the abundant production of rice, coconut, mango, rootcrops and vegetables gaining prominence as the “Spice and Vegetable Basket” of . Agriculture is one of the primary economic drivers of the municipality with farming, fishing and livestock raising as its main economic activities. The present agricultural land area of the municipality, approximately 3,104 hectares, represents 53% of its total land area which is 5,889 hectares. Out of the total agricultural area of the municipality, a greater part, about 2,766 hectares or 89% are presently used or devoted to crop production. A smaller portion, the remaining 338 hectares or about 11% is potential for other non- agricultural production or usage (Figure 1). Major crops include coconut, rice, gabi, banana and vegetable.

Production Level. In terms of production area, coconut occupies a large percentage of the agricultural land. The total land area planted to coconut is 1,284 hectares, which represents some 47% of the total crop production area. Rice as a staple crop is second with some 740 hectares for both irrigated and rainfed areas, with a larger portion, which is about 520 hectares irrigated and the remaining 220 hectares as non-irrigated rice lands. Land holdings of small rice farmers are generally limited, ranging from less than a quarter of a hectare to two (2) hectares. Rice farming served as the primary source of subsistence of most farming. Corn production area occupies 57 hectares, while fruit crops with a combined production area of 225 hectares with a bigger portion planted to banana. Vegetables occupy a combined area of 168 hectares of the total crop production area and rootcrops with 140 hectares. The livestock population of the municipality per year is increasing as a result of the LGU’s dispersal programs. As of 2009, the total livestock population of the municipality reached 39,388 heads, increasing by 8% from the 2008 livestock population.

Tenancy Status. Records available at the Municipal Agrarian Reform Office (MARO) based in Guindulman, Bohol showed that no recipient of Operation Land Transfer (OLT) in the municipality nor any area thereof being declared as such pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 27. Neither are there big estates under CARP coverage pursuant to Republic Act No. 6657. However, there are three (3) lots under the Untitled Private Agricultural Lands (UPAL) program with an area ranging from five (5) to eleven (11) hectares situated at Barangays San Antonio, Lobogon and Danao. These lots have already a corresponding Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) but no individual title yet being awarded to the eight (8) farmer-beneficiaries. There are about 400 tenants with or soon to be executed leasehold contracts devoted mostly to rice with an area of less than a quarter of a hectare to about two (2) hectares situated at barangays Bangwalog, Cansuhay, Danao, Duay, Guisularan, Itum, Langkis, Lobogon, Madua Norte, Madua Sur, Mambool, Payao, San Isidro and San Pedro. These present or prospective leaseholders are farmer-beneficiaries pursuant to Republic Act No. 3844. Accordingly, among the reasons why no leaseholders in other seven (7) barangays with no Riceland, under forestland/timberland and the concerned is under protected area.

Agricultural Infrastructures and Support Facilities. The presence of existing functional irrigation facilities provides the needed irrigation to irrigate the 520 hectares of rice producing area in Duero. The municipality has 2 national irrigation systems with a service area of 547 hectares and a communal irrigation system servicing 260 hectares for the whole municipality. Other agriculture support facilities include mechanical dryers, rice threshers and blowers. For post-harvest support facilities these include multi-purpose drying pavements/ solar dryers, with at least 1 in each barangay, rice mills (17) and 1 warehouse. As the municipality lacks the amenities of an agricultural school/ technical institution, loan and credit facility for agriculture, extension services and trainings are conducted through the Department of Agriculture (DA), Office of the Provincial Agriculturist Office (OPA) and Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) by way of community organizing and development of different farming systems and technologies on crops and livestock production. Basketball courts can be converted and utilized into solar driers are scattered in different barangays. About 21 farm-to-market roads have been constructed to pave way for easy accessibility of agricultural products to the market. There is one (1) identified market center in the municipality, located in barangay San Antonio.

Trade and Commerce. The town has one central business district located at Barangay San Antonio, where most business establishments are found. It is the center of commercial activities that gravitate around the public market. Commercial activity is largely concentrated in the San Antonio area where commercial establishments are mostly located. Majority of the commercial activities mostly falls during market days were goods coming from the barangays are displayed. Furthermore, opening of new commercial and service activities are becoming a trend. This includes financial services like express pera padala and pawnshop. This kind of development will affect the adjacent barangay in the area, which may eventually become a part of the growing economic expansion area. Other commercial activities that have started to materialize include water refilling station, cellular phone shop and internet cafes. At present, there are 57 existing commercial establishments in Duero that are registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) business name registration records. These were able to employ 105 persons with a total initial capitalization of 6.6 million pesos Establishments include transport services, ricemills, pharmacy, construction supply, pharmacy and others.

Industry. The present industries in the municipality are mainly involved in rice milling, hollow-blocks making, welding and auto repair shops and the production of certain handicrafts like mat, hats and baskets. However, the local trading business is active especially in the areas of retail of household merchandise required and needed by the local population. These retail businesses include retailing of household and farm products, pharmacy, bakery products, purified water and construction materials. The municipality does not have a strong cottage industry whose production can be classified as a major industry. Most of those are home-based activities, consequently its trend in terms of commercial volume is limited which also belong to the small-scale category. For agro-industrial establishments, the municipality of Duero has rice and corn mills, rubber roll and warehouse with buying stations. The absence of a more defined support mechanism for investment climate to attract investors is not present hampering the desired development of industries.

Market. The municipality has one central business district located at Barangay San Antonio, where most business establishments are found, as well as the municipal public market. It is the center of commercial activities that gravitate around the public market. The municipal public market caters to traders and the marketing needs of the people during its market day. The barangays, specially the upland, produce agricultural outputs that vitalize commercial activity in the municipality.

Tourism. Tourism and agriculture has been identified as the two economic drivers of the province of Bohol. The province’ tourism industry has grown and developed significantly over the past 5 years. The current trend and the potential for its steady growth has been seen as the number of tourist arrivals soars high and investments for tourism development continue to pour in the island province bringing economic benefits to the people. Duero being the next town from which is one of the major ports and gateway of the province, is greatly benefited with this ongoing economic opportunity. Although, it has its own eco-cultural tourist attractions to boost off that created an opportunity to pour-in investments in tourism related ventures. The destinations and attractions of the municipality had been classified under Cultural Heritage Tourism and Nature Tourism. In the proposed Bohol tourism cluster, the municipality of Duero belongs to Cluster 5, which is the Culture and Heritage Cluster or the Southeast Coast Cluster.

Cultural Attractions. Included among the town’s cultural attractions is the celebration of the annual feast day in honor of the patron saint. It has been part of the tradition of the municipality that during fiesta day aside from the big food feast, cultural presentations are performed. It has become a yearly religious activity including in the barangays that fiestas has been a day of merriment and festivity. The Roman Catholic Duero Church is dedicated to Immaculate Concepcion whose feast day is celebrated with much fanfare every 8th of December.

Natural and Cultural Tourism Assets. The municipality is rich in natural attractions. Evident to this are the six (6) identified existing and potential tourism assets located in the different barangays categorized as natural and cultural heritage attractions. Among the tourist attractions which are famous and frequented by visitors are the Camp Verde in Angilan and the Eskaya Tribe in Taytay. Tourism activities offered for the visitors to enjoy includes: mountain hiking, trekking, and camping. A panoramic view of the sea and the view, now and then, of Bohol’s coastline and on one side, the scenic rice paddies, corn fields, coconut and banana groves plus heritage homes that you pass by on your way to Duero are enough to make your day. Just across the street and up the hill are a stream and several waterfalls that form basins of cold spring water. Several other hills provide short hiking trails, one of them lined with Stations of the Cross culminating at a calvary on the top.