1

LECTURE NOTES IN GEOGRAPHY OF THE

AND NATURAL RESOURCES

The Philippines - is an archipelago comprising 7,107 islands with a total land area of

- 300,000 km2.

- the archipelago is around 800 km from the Asian mainland and is located between Taiwan and Borneo

Continent Asia Region Southeast Asia Coordinates 13°00'N 122°00'E Ranked 73rd 300,000 km2 (120,000 sq mi) Area 99.38% land 0.62 % water Borders None Mount Highest point 2,954 m (9,691 ft) Philippine Lowest point 0 m/0 ft (sea level) Longest river River Largest lake de Bay

11 largest islands - contain 94% of the total land area.

Luzon - the largest of these islands at about 105,000 km2.

Mindanao - The next largest island is at about 95,000 km2.. islands - are divided into three groups: , , and .

Luzon islands -include Luzon island itself, , , , Masbateand Islands.

Visayas - is the group of islands in the central Philippines, the largest of which are: , , , , and .

Mindanao islands - include Mindanao itself, plus the Sulu Archipelago, composed primarily of Basilan, Sulu Island, and Tawi-Tawi. 2

PHYSICALSETTING

Philippine archipelago - lies in Southeast Asia in a position that has led to its becoming a

cultural crossroads, a place where Malays, Arabs, Chinese, Spaniards,

Americans, Japanese and others have interacted to forge a unique

cultural and racial blend.

- numbers some 7,107 islands and the nation claims an exclusive

economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its shores.

Philippines - occupies an area that stretches for 1,850 kilometers from about the fifth to the

twentieth parallels north latitude.

Slightly more than 300,000 square kilometers – is the total land area.

Only approximately 1,000 of its islands - are populated, and fewer than one-half of these are larger than 2.5 square kilometers.

Eleven islands - make up 95 percent of the Philippine landmass, and two of these — Luzon and Mindanao

Luzon - measures 105,000

Mindanao – measures 95,000 square kilometers

Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao - represent the three principal regions of the archipelago that are

identified by the three stars on the Philippine flag.

Philippines - is broken up by the sea, topographically, which gives it one of the longest 3

coastlines of any nation in the world.

Most - live on or near the coast, where they can easily supplement their diet from approximately 2,000 species of fish.

Philippine Trough - is found off the coast of eastern Mindanao which descends to a depth of

10,430 meters.

Philippines - is part of a western Pacific arc system that is characterized by active volcanoes.

The Most Notable Peaks

1. Mount near Legazpi City, 2. south of ,

3. on Mindanao.

All of the Philippine islands - are prone to earthquakes.

The northern Luzon highlands, or Cordillera Central - rise to between 2,500 and 2,750 meters, Sierra Madre in the northeastern portion of Luzon and the mountains of Mindanao

- boast rain forests that provide refuge for numerous upland tribal groups. The rain forests also offer prime habitat for more than 500 species of birds, including the Philippine eagle (or monkey-eating eagle), some 800 species of orchids, and some 8,500 species of flowering plants.

The Country's Most Extensive River Systems 4

1. The Pulangi River, which flows into the Mindanao River (Rio Grande de Mindanao) 2. The River , in Mindanao which flows north into the Mindanao Sea; \

3. The in northern Luzon; and the , which flows south from east into .

4. , east of Manila Bay, is the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines. Several rivers have been harnessed for hydroelectric power.

• To protect the country's biological resources, the government has taken a first step of preparing a Biodiversity Action Plan to address conservation of threatened species.

Political Geography

The Philippines - is divided into a hierarchy of local government units (LGUs) with the

81 provinces as the primary unit.

Provinces - are further subdivided into cities and municipalities

Cities And Municipalities - are composed of barangays.

Barangay - is the smallest local government unit.

Philippines - is divided into 17 regions with all provinces grouped into one of 16 regions for

administrative convenience.

The National Capital Region - is divided into four special districts.

Most government offices - establish regional offices to serve the constituent provinces.

The regions - do not possess a separate local government, with the exception of

the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Regions

• Region (Region I) • (Region II)

• Central Luzon (Region III) 5

• (Region IV-A)

• (Region IV-B)

• (Region V)

• (Region VI)

• (Region VII)

• (Region VIII)

• Peninsula (Region IX)

• (Region X)

• Region (Region XI)

• Soccsksargen (Region XII)

• (Region XIII)

• Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

• Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)

• National Capital Region (NCR; )

Provinces

• • Agusan del Norte

• Agusan del Sur

• Aklan

•

• Antique

•

•

• Basilan 6

•

• Batanes

•

•

•

• Bohol

•

•

• Cagayan

•

•

•

• Capiz

•

•

• Cebu

• Compostela Valley

• Davao del Norte

• Davao del Sur

• Davao Oriental

• Dinagat Islands

• Eastern Samar

•

•

•

•

•

• 7

•

• La Union

• Laguna

• del Norte

• Lanao del Sur

• Leyte

• Maguindanao

• Marinduque

•

• Occidental

• Misamis Oriental

•

•

•

• Northern Samar

• North Cotabato

•

•

• Occidental Mindoro

• Oriental Mindoro

• Palawan

• Pampanga

•

•

•

•

•

• Samar 8

• Sarangani

•

•

• Sorsogon

• South Cotabato

•

• Kudarat

• Sulu

• del Norte

• Surigao del Sur

•

• Tawi-Tawi

•

• Zamboanga del Norte

•

• Zamboanga Sibugay

List Of Landlocked Provinces In The Philippines

A landlocked province - is one that has no coastline, meaning no access to sea or ocean. There

are 16 landlocked provinces in the Philippines:

• All provinces of Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao and Benguet • Two provinces of Cagayan Valley (Region II): Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino

• Two provinces of Central Luzon (Region III): Nueva Ecija and Tarlac

• Three provinces of Mindanao:

o Bukidnon of Northern Mindanao (Region X)

o Cotabato Province of Soccsksargen (Region XII)

o Agusan del Sur of Caraga (Region XIII), 9

• Laguna and Rizal Province of CALABARZON (Region IV-A) have coastlines on Laguna de Bay. Since lakes do not allow access to seaborne trade, these provinces are still considered to be landlocked.

List Of Island Provinces In The Philippines

An island province - completely surrounded by water, is the opposite of a landlocked one. There

are 17 island provinces in the Philippines:

• One province of Cagayan Valley (Region II): Batanes • Five provinces of MIMAROPA (Region IV-B): Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan

• Two provinces of Bicol (Region V): Catanduanes and Masbate

• One province of Western Visayas (Region VI): Guimaras

• Three provinces of Central Visayas (Region VII): Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor

• One province of Eastern Visayas (Region VIII): Biliran

• One province of Northern Mindanao (Region X): Camiguin

• Three provinces of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM): Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi

Subnational Enclaves And Exclaves

Enclave - is a territory or part of a territory lying wholly within the boundaries of another,

Exclave - is one which is politically attached to a larger piece but not actually contiguous with it.

Chartered Cities - are not considered to be a part of any provinces of the country, some cities

are completely surrounded by provinces where they do not belong.

• City is an enclave in Benguet province. • Angeles City is an enclave in Pampanga province.

• Naga City is an enclave in Camarines Sur province. 10

Exclaves which are not enclaves

• Caloocan City is divided in two by Valenzuela City. • The municipality of Cordon is separated from the rest of Isabela province by Santiago City.

• In Cotabato province, the municipality of President Roxas is divided in two by Antipas municipality.

Pene-enclaves/exclaves and inaccessible districts

• Three municipalities and two cities of Laguna are separated by the municipality of Santo Tomas, Batangas (a portion of SLEX crosses the municipality) from the rest of the province. • In SoCCSKSarGen, Sarangani province is divided by General Santos City or Sarangani Bay.

• In :

o Isabela City is part of this region (although it is the capital of the ARMM province of Basilan), but it is separated from it by .

o Zamboanga del Sur — Zamboanga City, a chartered city, is unofficially part of this province but is separated from it by Zamboanga Sibugay.

• Some coastal barangays in , Camarines Sur do not have direct connection to barangays in poblacion. People from some coastal barangays in Canaman have to pass via Barangays of Sua and Dugcal or Naga City via Bicol River before reaching poblacion.

Subnational Quadripoint

Quadripoint - is a point on the Earth that touches four distinct regions.

-often called "four corners", from the corners of the four regions meeting there.

Four provinces in Mindanao meet at a point:

• Bukidnon of Northern Mindanao Region, • Davao del Norte of Davao Region

• Davao del Sur of Davao Region, and

• Cotabato Province of Soccsksargen 11

Four distinct geographic divisions converging at a single point is not uncommon in the Philippines, and there are other points of convergence between five or more divisions that can be found.

Five Points

• The municipalities of: Tagkawayan, Quezon Province; Labo, San , and San Vicente, Camarines Norte Province; and Del Gallego, Camarines Sur Province • The cities of Cadiz, Sagay, Silay and Talisay, and municipality of Calatrava, in Negros Occidental

• The municipalities of Batuan, Bilar, Carmen, Dimiao, and Valencia, in Bohol Province

• The municipalities of Alicia, Dagohoy, Pilar, San Miguel, and Ubay, in Bohol Province

• The municipalities of Baungon, Lantapan, Sumilao, and Talakag; and Malaybalay City in Bukidnon Province

• The municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan and Pikit in Cotabato Province; and Pagagawan in Maguindanao Province

• The municipalities of Tibiao and Barbaza, in Antique Province; Madalag and Libacao (a close call?), in Aklan Province; and Jamindan, in Capiz Province

Six Points • The municipalities of Basey and Marabut, Samar Province; and Balangkayan, Llorente, Balangiga and Lawaan, Eastern Samar Province.

Eight

The cities of Ligao, Legazpi and Tabaco, and the municipalities of Guinobatan, , , Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, in the province of Albay meet on the crater of Mayon Volcano.

Extraterritoriality

Plaza Rizal in Naga City - is claimed by the province of Camarines Sur, its home province.

- belonged to the city (formerly Nueva Caceres) when it was the capital of Ambos Camarines.

A new capitol - was constructed in Pili when Camarines Sur was created.

Geographic Center 12

The island province of Marinduque - prides itself as being the geographic center of the

Philippines.../../geography/Geography of the Philippines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm - cite_note-0

The Marinduque governor - has stated that their claim to be the Geographical Center of the

Philippines has received notice and support from the National

Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA).

The Luzon Datum of 1911 in Marinduque - is used as point number one for all map makers in

the country.

The boundaries of the Philippine archipelago - are described in Article III of the Treaty of Paris

(1898) , as comprising an irregular polygon.

• A box enclosing that polygon would have corners at 20°N 116°E, 20°N 127°E, 4.75°N 127°E, 4.75°N 116°E. The center of this box would lie at 121.5 E, 12.375 N. That point lies roughly in the center of the between the islands of Tablas and Mindoro.

Republic Act No. 9522 - also known as "An Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of

the Philippines" describes an irregular polygon which fits within a box

with its center at 121°44'47.45"E 12°46'6.1252"N, a point also roughly

in the center of the Tablas Strait.

The CIA Factbook - locates the Philippines at 13°N 12°E.[7] This point, northwest of Romblon

Island , is the approximate center of a box enclosing the land boundaries of

the Philippine archipelago, not including the Spratley Islands.

The extreme points under Philippine control as of 2010 are: Direction Location Coordinates Latitude (N) Longitude (E) North Amianan 21º7’18.41" 121º56’48.79" Island, Batanes 13

East Pusan 7º17’19.80" 126º36’18.26" Point, Davao Oriental South Frances 4º24’53.84" 119º14’50.71" Reef, Tawi-Tawi West Thitu 11°3’10.19" 114°16’54.66" Island[a], Kalayaan, Palawan

Thitu island - is the westernmost of all the Spratly Island features controlled by the Philippines as of December 2009.

• The center of a box enclosing these points would be located at 12°46’6.13"N, 120°26’36.46"E. That point is located in the , about 12 km NNE of Apo Island, in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.

CLIMATE

Philippines - has a tropical wet climate dominated by a rainy season and a dry season.

Summer Monsoon - brings heavy rains to most of the archipelago from May to October,

whereas the winter monsoon brings cooler and drier air from December to

February.

Manila and most of the lowland areas - are hot and dusty from March to May.

Temperatures - rarely rise above 37 °C (98.6 °F).

Mean annual sea-level temperatures - rarely fall below 27 °C (80.6 °F).

Annual rainfall - measures as much as 5,000 millimeters (196.9 in) in the mountainous east

coast section of the country, but less than 1,000 millimeters (39.4 in) in some of

the sheltered valleys.

Monsoon rains - although hard and drenching, are not normally associated with high winds and

waves.

Philippines - sit astride the typhoon belt, and it suffers an annual onslaught of dangerous storms

from July through October. 14

July to October - these months are especially hazardous for northern and eastern Luzon and

the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions, but Manila gets devastated periodically

as well.

Calamities

the Philippines has been hit severely by natural disasters.

2005 , Central Luzon was hit by both a drought, which sharply curtailed hydroelectric power, and by a typhoon that flooded practically all of low-lying Manila's streets.

1990 ,Earthquake that devastated a wide area in Luzon, including Baguio and other northern areas. The city of Cebu and nearby areas were struck by a typhoon that killed more than a hundred people, sank vessels, destroyed part of the sugar crop, and cut off water and electricity for several days.

Philippines - is prone to about 18-21 typhoons per year.

Mount Pinatubo eruption - also damaged much of Central Luzon, the lahar burying towns and farmland, and the ashes affecting global temperatures in 1991.

• Building construction is undertaken with natural disasters in mind. Most rural housing has consisted of nipa huts that are easily damaged but are inexpensive and easy to replace. Most urban buildings are steel and concrete structures designed (not always successfully) to resist both typhoons and earthquakes. Damage is still significant, however, and many people are displaced each year by typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.

• In 1987 alone the Department of Social Welfare and Development helped 2.4 million victims of natural disasters. 15

Terrain

The islands - are volcanic in origin, being part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, and are mostly

mountainous.

Mount Apo in Mindanao - the highest point in the country , which is 2,954 m above sea level. Mount Pulog- the second highest point can be found on Luzon at , a peak 2,842 m above sea

level.

Philippine Archipelago - geologically part of the Philippine Mobile Belt located between

the Plate, the Basin of the Eurasian

Plate , and the Sunda Plate.

The Philippine Trench (also called the Mindanao Trench) - is a 1,320-kilometer-long submarine

trench found directly east of the Philippine Mobile Belt and is the result

of a collision of tectonic plates.

The Philippine Sea Plate - is subducting under the Philippine Mobile Belt at the rate of about

16 cm per year. Its deepest point, the Galathea Depth, has a depth of

10,540 meters (5,763 fathoms or 34,580 feet).

The Philippine Fault System - consists of a series of seismic faults that produce

several earthquakes per year, most of which are not felt.

• Many volcanoes in the country are active. • The most recent eruption being that of on Luzon in 1991.

Mount Mayon - is another of the active volcanoes and has the world's most perfectly-shaped

cone.

- has a violent history of 47 eruptions since 1616 and another violent eruption is currently feared. Taal Volcano, also located on Luzon, is one of the Decade Volcanoes. 16

Natural Hazards

The Philippines - sit astride typhoon belt and are usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six

cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive

earthquakes; tsunamis.

Environment - Current Issues

• Uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds; severe water pollution that caused the death of one of the country's major rivers, though there are ongoing efforts at resuscitation.[8]

Environment - International Agreements

• Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling • Signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

Ten Largest Cities 17

The following is a list of the ten largest cities in the country in terms of population, with their population according to the 2007 census. Component cities and municipalities of Metro Manila and Metro Cebu are taken as one to show the extent of urbanization. Rank City Population in 2007 1. Metro Manila 11,553,427 2. Metro Cebu 2,314,897 3. Metro Davao 1,363,337 4. Zamboanga City 774,407 5. City 633,971 6. Cagayan de Oro City 553,966 7. General Santos City 529,542 8. Bacolod City 499,497 9. Iloilo City 418,710 10. Calamba City 360,28

REGIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

REGION 1

ILOCOS NORTE is the birthplace of a number of historical figures, such as painter Juan Luna, founder of the Philippine Independent Church Gregorio Aglipay, and poet and dramatist Claro Caluya. The province is also known for its historic churches, some of which date back to the 16th century. The Church of was founded in 1580, the Church of San Nicolas in 1584, the Church of Paoay in 1593, and the Church of Sarrat in 1724, Ilocos Norte itself however was founded later on February 2, 1818 by Gov. Mariano Fernandez de Folgueras. The ruggedness of the land and the constant exposure to typhoons have made the Ilocanos known for thrift and industry. These factors have also influenced the migration of the people of Ilocos Norte to other 18 parts of the Philippines, as well as to other countries. In fact, Ilocos Norte is a steady source of migrant in the United States since the 1920s.

History

Before the coming of the Spaniards in 1571, Ilocos Norte was known to trade with nearby Chinese and Japanese merchants. The region was plenty of gold, so that merchants from Japan and China would often visit the area to trade gold with beads, ceramics and silk. The inhabitants of the region believed to be of Malay origin, called their place samtoy, from "sao mi toy, which literally meant "our language.

In 1591, when the Spanish conquistadors had Manila more or less under their control, they began looking for new sites to conquer. Legaspi's grandson, Juan De Salcedo, volunteered to lead one of these expeditions. Together with 8 armed boats and 45 men, the 22 year old voyager headed north. On June 13, 1592, Salcedo and his men landed in and then proceeded towards Laoag, Currimao and Badoc. As they sailed along the coast, they were surprised to see numerous sheltered coves ("looc") where the locals lived in harmony. As a result, they named the region "Ylocos"and its people "Ylocanos".

Former Name: None

Land Area: 13,055 km2(5,040.6 sq mi)

Capital: Laoag City

Population: 547,284 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilocano Second Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Laoag)

No. of Barangays: 557

No. of Municipalities: 22 (Adams, Bacarra, Badoc, Bangui, Batac, Burgos, Carassi, Currimao, Dingras, Dumalneg, Espiritu, (Banna), Marcos, Nueva Era, Pagudpud, Paoay, Pasuquin, Piddig, Pinili, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Solsona, and Vintar).

No. of Municipal Districts: 3 (Adams, Carassi and Dumalneg)

Topography: The terrain of Ilocos Norte is rugged and rocky. The province is cut by chains of mountains and hills of the Cordillera. There are also rivers, the longest of which is the Laoag River.

No. of Principal Rivers: 5 (Laoag is the longest)

No. of Mountains: 17

Climate: The climate is characterized by two extremes: very dry from November to May and very wet for the rest of the year. The province is exposed to the southwest monsoon and cyclonic storms, but it is shielded from the northwest and trade winds by the mountain ranges. 19

Average Annual Rainfall: 100.58 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice and tobacco

Industries: Weaving , pottery, mat weaving, cigar making, salt making, making.

Mineral Resources: Feldspar, cement, copper and manganese

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attraction: , Sinking Tower of Laoag, Raquiza Garden, Waterworks, Marcos Museum, Sumilang Park, Mabogabog Falls, Payupyupan Beach, , and the old churches of the province.

Governor: Maria Imelda (Imee) R. Marcus

Congressman: Rodolfo Fariñas and Imelda R. Marcos

Travel via:

By Air:

The province boasts of the Laoag International Airport, located in Laoag City. There are some scheduled flights to and from Hongkong, Guangzhou, Taiwan, and Korea. Domestic flights are also available via the national carrier Philippines Airlines.

By Sea:

Various sea going vessels are docked at the ports of San Fernando and Currimao and are used for interisland transport.

By Land:

Take a scenic bus trip from the capital Manila to Ilocos Norte, lasting about eight hours. Among the bus companies plying this route are the Philippine Rabbit, Partas , Dominion, Florida, Farinas, and Maria de Leon bus lines.

Getting There:

The fastest way to Ilocos Norte is taking an hour flight from Manila to the Laoag International Airport. If you want to save money, you can take a 12-hour bus trip from Metro Manila. We preferred to take the bus to see different provinces and views along the way like La Union and Tarlac. We took the Farinas bus going to Batac City where we began our trip and going back to Manila, we took the Partras bus in Vigan City.

Roam Around Ilocos Norte: 20

Ilocos Norte is best explored on foot or riding the calesa, the traditional horse-drawn carriage that promises a unique experience in itself. Tricycles also abound for traveling short distances. Going from town to town would mean taking a bus, a mini-bus, or a jeepney.

Best Time to Visit:

The best time to go and check Ilocos Norte is during the drier months and during the summer months as the waves at the beaches of Pagudpud can get pretty rough during the wet season. For surfers, it is a different story, typhoons and tropical depressions can help fuel the waves off the Badoc Coast - requisite conditions for surfing. Otherwise, check the local weather with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Highlights:

If you think you've seen the best of Ilocos, you're probably missing a lot if you haven't experienced a sunset (or sunrise) yet in the majestic sand dunes of Suba. Its white-sand beaches and crystal-blue water makes Pagudpud a haven for tourists. Maira-Ira Point is also an emerging attraction with its secluded beach known as the Blue Lagoon. Access to this public beach is from a secondary concrete road on the north side of the Highway just before approaching the Patapat Viaduct. On the way to the Blue Lagoon, a sea arch can be seen. trees line much of the town's coast. On a clear day, the Batanes Islands are visible from Patapat National Park.

The Patapat Viaduct, elevated 31 meters over sea level, is 1.3 km concrete coastal bridge that connects the Maharlika Highway from Laoag, Ilocos Norte to the Cagayan Valley Region. It rises along the town's coastal mountains, which is the starting point of the Cordillera Mountain Range that snakes through Northern Luzon. It is the 4th longest bridge in the Philippines. Located more than 16 kilometers from the town proper, it offers a scenic view of Pasaleng Bay- a view that leads towards wide and pristine beaches backed by mountains with breathtaking waterfalls Kabigan and Mabaga, along with the many cool, refreshing springs waiting to be discovered within.

ILOCOS SUR The first Spanish expedition to the Ilocos region was led by Juan de Salcedo. In 1572, he founded Villa Fernandina or Ciudad Fernandina in honor of King Ferdinand VI of Spain. Now called Vigan, the place was the ancient Spanish capital of Northern Luzon. Salcedo became encomendero of Vigan and lieutenant general of the Ilocos province. Ilocos Sur has its own share of historic spots. Ancient Spanish-type houses dating as far back as the 17th century line the streets of the province . There are also the Vigan or the Cathedral of St. Paul which was originally erected in 1574 and the Santa Maria Church built in 1769.

History

Before the coming of the Spaniards, the coastal plains in northwestern Luzon, stretching from Bangui (Ilocos Norte) in the north to Namacpacan (Luna, La Union) in the south, were as a whole known as a progressive region called the Ylokos. This region lies in between the China Sea in the west and Northern Cordilleras on the east. The inhabitants built their villages near the small bays on coves called "looc" in the dialect. These coastal inhabitants were referred to as "Ylocos" which literally meant 'from the lowlands". The entire region was then called by the 21 ancient name "Samtoy" from "sao ditoy' which in Ilokano mean "our dialect". The region was later called by the Spaniards as "Ylocos" or "Ilocos" and its people "Ilocanos".

Former Name: None

Land Area: 13,055 km2(5,040.6 sq mi)

Capital: Vigan

Population: 632,255 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilocano

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 34( Alilem, Banayoyo, Bantay, Burgos, Cabugao, Candon, Caoayan, Cervantes, Calimuyod, Gregorio del Pilar, Lidlidda, Masingal, Nagbukel, Narvacan, Quirino, Salcedo, San Emilio, San Esteban, San Ildefonso, San Juan, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Santa Cruz, Santa Lucia, Santa Maria, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Sigay, Sinait, Sugpon, Suyo, Tagudin, and Vigan).

No. of Barangays: 768

No. of Municipal Districts: 2 ( Sigay and Sugpon)

Topography: The topography of the province is rugged, with mountain ranges occupying the southeastern portions. The elevation is as high as 1,200 meters in some parts. The coastal regions and the northwestern potion are plains.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 ( Abra, Chico, and )

No. of Mountains: 2

Climate: Dry season from November to April and wet the rest of the year. Because of the lack of natural barriers, Ilocos Sur is vulnerable to monsoons and storms coming from the China Sea. About 32 percent of all typhoons affecting the country pass through the province.

Average Annual Rainfall: 100.58 inches

Principal products/crops: Tobacco and rice Industries Fishing and small-scale industries.

Mineral Resources: Limestone and iron ore (magnetite)

Forest Resources: None

Tourist Attractions: Besang Pass, Tirad Pass, Northern Luzon Heroes Hill National Park, Darapidap Beach Resort, Pug-os Beach Resort, Sabongan Beach Resort, and the Sevilla Beach Resort. 22

Governor: Chavit Singson

Congresman: Ronald B. Singson, Eric Owen G. Singson, Jr.

Vigan, Ilocos Sur - WORLD HERITAGE SITE

1. Plaza Salcedo 2. Plaza Burgos 3. Vigan Church (St. Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral and its Belltower) 4. Meztiso District notably Mena Crisologo St. 5. Chavit Singson's Baluarte - features a mini zoo, butterfly garden, free palomino ride, shooting range and a mini chapel

Highlights:

Bantay, Ilocos Sur - St. Augustine Church and its Bell Tower

Best Time to Visit:

The best time to go to Vigan and in Ilocos Sur in general is during the fiestas and other celebrations as the town comes alive with different activities. A trip during the clear summer months as well affords a stunning bluest of skies - perfect for those postcard perfect photogenic shots of the Kasanglayan.

Nightlife:

Ilocos Sur nightlife centers on the restaurants and cafes in Vigan. What could be more romantic than dinners in a colonial cafe? It's best to take a step back and take in the ambience of the past quaffing a bottle of that famous Ilocano - Basi.

Delicacies:

.Ipon .Grapes .Crabs .Oysters .Tuna, Lapu-Lapu and Other Seafoods

Notable: .Ilocos Sur is also known for Tinubong, sticky rice snack stuck inside a hollow bamboo,Longganiza,chorizo,dudol,, patupat, and .

By Land:

.Partas Buses (Manila to Ilocos Sur) .Dominion Bus Lines .Aniceto Bus 23

.Viron Transit (Manila-Vigan) route regularly (8-hours)

More info: Tricycles, calesas and rent-a-vans are the mode of transport within Ilocos Sur. Tricycles are PhP 10/head, Calesas are at PhP150/hour (maximum of 4 people. If you are taking your own car and you are coming from Manila, take the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and then connect through the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), exit at Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac and follow the National Highway through Pangasinan, La Union with Tagudin the first town of Ilocos Sur. You can get a more detailed map of Northern Luzon (Ilocos Sur included) at one of the bookstores in Manila before you embark on this trip. If you are coming from Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, there are domestic flights daily from Manila- Laoag which is then an hour and a half ride by buses (Fariñas, Maria de Leon, RCJ, F. Franco, Autobus and Partas) or rented vans to Vigan.

LA UNION is the gateway to the Ilocos Region. During the second phase of the , La Union was controlled by the revolutionaries. The province lies at the juncture of Central Luzon and the northern provinces, which makes it center for business and commerce. It has the only national port of entry in the region . San Fernando port serves cargo ships for coastwise or overseas trade. It is the exit point for products coming from the mines in the Mountain Provinces.La Union was created by Gov. Gen. Antonio Maria Bueno on March 2,1850.

History

La Union - from the Spanish term "the union" or "the united" - is a name that describes more appropriately a province born out of the fusion of towns from the provinces of Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan and Benguet. La Union - from the Spanish term "the union" or "the united" - is a name that describes more appropriately a province born out of the fusion of towns from the provinces of Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan and Benguet.When Philippine Revolution broke out, prominent inhabitants from the province participated in the national struggle for independence. Many people from La Union joined the , a manifestation that they were conscious of the oppressive and tyrannical rule of the Spaniards. Revolutionary fervor spread among them.Now, 150 years old, La Union is home to 657,945 (as per census conducted in May 2000) friendly and hospitable people and has firmly set the pace and the flow of development from coastal to upland areas building on steadily as the emerging agro - industrial and tourism center of the North Quad maintaining and earnestly improving her record as most peaceful and cleanest and greenest province in the region as well as among the country's "top 5" and one of the most congenial abode in the Philippines, thus making the province one of the most attractive and become a much better place to live in.

Former name: none

Land Area: 1,493.09 sq. km.

Capital: San Fernando City 24

Population: 720,972 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilocano

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: 1

No.of Municipalities: 20 ( Agoo, Aringay, Bacnotan, Bagulin, Caba, Luna, Naguilian, Pugo, Rosario, San Fernando, San Gabriel, San Juan, Santo Tomas, Santol, Sudipen and Tubao).

No. of Barangays: 576

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province is rugged and hilly, although it has no mountains. Plains are found along the coast to and in the Northern and Southern ends of Province. Five major rivers traverse the province. These rivers are short and swift, and not one of them is navigable by a large craft.

No. of Principal Rivers: 5 (Baroro, Aringay, Lon-oy, Maragapay, and Naguilian)

No. of Mountains: None

Climate: La Union experiences extreme opposite seasons during the year. In the wet season, there is a great deal of rain, while the summer is extremely dry.

Average Annual Rainfall: 108 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, rootcrops and fruits

Industries: Agriculture and fishing

Mineral Resources: Limestone and red clay

Forest Resources: Firewood (There is no substantial forest in the province to produce timber)

Tourist Resources: Imelda Garden, Chinese Pagoda, Shrine of Sra. de la Caridad, Freedom Park, Cresta Ola Beach Resort, Nalinac Beach, Miramonte Beach Resort, and Sta. Rita White Beach.

Governor: Manuel C. Ortega

Congressmen: Victor F. Ortega, Thomas Dumpit, Jr.

Highlights:

Dubbed as the Garden Coast because of its botanical gardens, the regional center of Ilocos region, La Union also boasts of excellent world-class surf breaks and thus, appropriately nicknamed the Surfing Capital of Northern Philippines. 25

Best Time to Visit:

If you plan to go to surf - the North Swell usually starts around October until March (although beware as well, because this time is also notorious as being the jellyfish season and a lot of surfers get stung); while the South Swell arrives around late May to June until August. To catch better waves, check out the Philippine weather forecast.

Nightlife:

Nightlife in La Union is characterized by the squalid remnants of American military presence in Bauang or having a quiet bonfire or relaxed drinking at the surf resorts of San Juan.

Delicacies:

.Sea Urchin .meat pies

By Land:

.Partas buses .Dominion Bus Lines .Farinas .Maria de Leon .Philippine Rabbit .Viron (leaves Manila terminals every hour)

More info:

It will take about 5-6 hours travel from Manila (San Fernando is 273 kilometers north) but will only take an hour if you are coming from Baguio City.Jeepneys, tricycles, mini-buses, and rent- a-vans are the mode of transport within the province. If you are taking your own car and you are coming from Manila, take the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and then connect through the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), exit at Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac and follow the National Highway through Pangasinan and then La Union. You can get a more detailed map of Northern Luzon (La Union included) at one of the bookstores.

PANGASINAN, Pangasinan's soil is the best agricultural type found in the Philippines. The province has vast, fertile lands enriched and drained by the Agno River and its tributes. Pangasinan, often referred to as the "Rice Granary of the Philippines," was apportioned to six encomenderos some 25 years after the Spaniards arrived in the province. It was organized into an alcadia mayor in 1580 until it became a province in 1611. During the Philippine Revolution, the Katipuneros led by Daniel Maramba rose up in arms. They clashed with the Guardia de Honor, a counter-revolutionary movement organized by the friars. It was in the town of Bayambang that Gen. Aguinaldo finally disbanded his army and organized guerilla units to escape the pursuing Americans. During World War II, in December 1941, the Japanese forces landed in Lingayen Gulf, the same place where the American Liberation Forces landed on 26

January 9, 1945, with a simultaneous landing in San Fabian.

Ancient history

The Pangasinan people, like most of the people in , are descended from the Austronesian-speakers who settled in Southeast Asia since prehistoric times. Genetic studies locate the origin of the Austronesian languages in Sundaland, which was populated as early as 50,000 years ago by early who migrated from Africa through India.[2][3] The Pangasinan language is one of many languages that belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the Austronesian languages family.

Religion before Catholicism

The ancient Pangasinan people, like other , believed in mana, and practiced Shamanist or animist beliefs and rituals before the Spanish conquest. The people of Pangasinan maintained this set of beliefs and rituals through priests, priestesses, and healers who represented a pantheon of ("deities"). Their temples or were dedicated to an called Ama Kaoley (Supreme Father) who communicated through mediums called manag- anito. These mediums wore special costumes when serving an anito and they made offerings of oils, ointments, essences, and perfumes in exquisite vessels; after the offerings were made, the anito is supposed to reply in a secret room to their questions.

Former Name: Cabaloan

Land Area: 536,818 hectares

Capital: Lingayen

Population: 2,495,841(2007)

Principal Dialects: Pangasinan and Ilocano

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 2 (Dagupan and San Carlos)

No. of Municipalities: 46 ( Agno, Aguilar, Alaminos, Alcala, Anda, Asingan, Balingao, Bani, Basista, Bautista, Bayambang, Binalonan, Binmaley, Bolinao, Bugallon, Burgos, Calasiao, Dasol, Infanta, Labrador, Laoac, Lingayen, Mabini, Malasiqui, Manaog, Mangaldan, Mangatarem, Mapandan, Natividad, Pozzorubio, Rosales, San Fabian, San Jacinto, San Miguel, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Sison, Sual, Tayug, Umingan, Urbizztondo, Urdaneta, and Villasis).

No. of Barangays: 1,333

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The southern tip of the province is characterized by narrow valleys and steep slopes. Majority of the rivers are incised in various sharp valleys which broaden into alluvial plains before flowing to the China Sea. 27

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (Agno is the largest)

No. of Mountains: 22

Climate: Rainy season from May to October, and dry season from November to April. Mountain barriers protect it from the northwest monsoon and partly from the trade winds. However, it is subject to frequent typhoons.

Average Annual Rainfall: 92 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, tobacco, coconut, sugarcane, fruits and rootcrops.

Industries: Fishing (major industry), logging and cottage industries such as basket, mat and hat weaving, making and woodcrafts.

Mineral Resources: Asbestos, limestone phosphate, manganese, and copper.

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Hundred Islands off the cost of Lucap, the Umbrella Rocks of Sabangan Nortex in Agno, the Blue Beach in Dagupan City, the White Beach in San Fabian, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaog.

Governor: Amado T. Espino Jr.

Congressman: Jesus "Boying" Celeste and Leopoldo Bataoil.

Food and Delicacies:

.Tupig .Bucaio .Unday-unday . .Longanisa .Patupat .Binungey .Suman .Talaba .Alaminus Bangus .Dila-dila (Kumukusay) .Seaweeds(Arosep,potpolo) .Bagoong

Travel Info:

Catch a bus from Manila going to Alaminos, Pangasinan. From the town proper of Alaminos, there are tricycles and jeepneys that ply the 3 kilometer route to Lucap town where the Public Assistance Center for the Hundred Islands National Park is located. The center also accepts 28 reservations for accommodations to the islands. From the center, motorized boats (banca) can be hired for a trip to the islands.Buses ply the Manila-Pangasinan route twenty-four (24) hours a day. The types of available land transportation are cars, vans, jeepneys, tricycles, and buses.

Buses That Ply The Manila - Pangasinan Route:

.Dagupan Bus Line ( to Dagupan) New York St., Cubao Tel # 929-6123, 727-2330 .Victory Liner (Quezon City to Dagupan and Alaminos) Cubao, Q.C. Tel # 727-4688, 727-4534 .Five Star Bus Line (Pasay City to Dagupan and Bolinao) Tel # 833 8339, 833 3009 .City Trans (Manila to Dagupan and; Bolinao) .Philippine Rabbit (Quezon City to Dagupan and Bolinao) EDSA, Q.C. Tel # 734-9838, 734- 9836 .Philippine Rapid Manila to Dagupan and Bolinao)

Hotels and Resorts in Pangasinan:

.Hotels and Resorts in Pangasinan Lingayen Beach, Pangasinan, Philippines .El Puerto Marina .Lingayen Gulf and Resort .Sabangan Beach, Pangasinan, PhilippinesPunta .Riviera Resort, Pangasinan, Philippines .Hundred Islands National Park, Pangasinan, Philippines .Cape Bolinao Beach, Pangasinan, Philippines .Tambobong Beach, Pangasinan, Philippines

Must See Natural Formations:

.Hundred Islands National Park .Cacupangan Cave .Villacorta Caves .Santiago Island .Cape Bolinao Beach .Manleluag Spring National Park .Tambobong White Beach .Agno Umbrella Rocks .Mount Balungao .Antong Falls 29

REGION II CAGAYAN VALLEY

BATANES The islands of Batanes were settled by the Ivatans, an indigenous ethnic group that was Christianized in 1685 by the Dominican friars. Despite efforts to promote the economy of the islands through the growing of tobacco during the regime of Gov. Gen. Jose Basco, the provincial population did not significantly increase in proportion to the rest of the archipelago. This province is still completely rural. The severe climate during the typhoon months and the area's virtual isolation are the factors that have contributed to the slow development of Batanes.

History

The ancestors of today's Ivatans are descended from Austronesians who migrated to the Batanes Islands 4000 years ago during the period. They lived in fortified mountain areas called idjangs and drank sugar-cane wine, or . They also used gold as currency and produced a thriving agriculture-based industry. They were also seafarers and boat-builders.

In 1687, a crew of English freebooters headed by William Dampier came with a Dutch crew and named the islands in honor of their country's monarchs. Itbayat was named "Orange Isle" in honor of William of Orange, and Batan was named "Grafton Isle"after Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton. Sabtang Isle was named "Monmouth Isle" after the James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth. Capt. Dampier stayed for less than three months, and did not claim the islands for the British crown. 30

Former Name: Concepcion

Land Area: 219.01 km2 (84.6 sq mi)

Capital: Basco

Population: 15,974 (2007 )

Principal Dialect: Ilocano

Income Classification: Sixth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 6 (Basco, Itbayat, Ivana, Mahatao, Sabtang, and Uyugan)

No. of Barangays: 29

No. of Municipal Districts: 1(Uyugan)

Topography: Because of its geographical situation, the province is exposed to yearly typhoons that visit the archipelago. The severity of climate is a major factor in the relative backwardness of the province compared to the rest of the country.

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 5

Climate: Typhoon season from July to October; heaviest rainfall is from August to November.

Average Annual Rainfall: 90.46 inches

Principal products/crops: Yams, carrots, garlic and onions

Industries: Cattle-raising

Mineral Resources: Copper, manganese, sulphur, lead, and limestone

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: White Beach Resort in Basco

Governor: Vicente Gato

Congresswoman: Henedina R. Abad

Delicacies:

.bucayo (coconut delicacy) .sweet camote chips 31

.sugar coated peanuts

Souvenirs:

.hats .baskets .bags .coin purse made of rattan .keychains .ref magnets .postcards .greeting cards .souvenir T-shirts .cute souvenir of stone houses and Ivatans

Brief Description:

Discover the magic of the Philippines' Third Region with this amazing historical and cultural province, only an hour by ferryboat across the bay from Manila. Until recently not a traditional tourist destination, Bataan is now proving to be a tourist haven boasting a multitude of exciting places to visit, and interesting things to do. The province has much to offer - a rich culture and history, the beauty of unspoilt beaches, and a warm hospitality that is truly Filipino.

How To Get There:

(Note:) Batanes is a trail of Typhoon.

Batanes is one of the most elusive places to visit in the country. Booking a flight would require you 2-3 months of advance reservations since only one airline serve flights in the area. Despite the current steep price tag (4500 PHP one way via Asian Spirit as of this writing), flights are always fully booked especially during peak seasons of Decemebr to May. Even if you managed to get hold of a ticket, frequency is in the hands of the weather, if the storm-stricken region will allow you passage through the sky. Travel by the sea is out of question unless you dare to take on the waves spanning up to 3 stories high on where the Pacific Ocean and the China Seas meets. The distance taunts you like a Siren's Song from Ulysses's myths. Yet those who are fortunate enough to step on its islands will be rewarded with sweeping landscapes, experience with its rich culture and mingle with one of the most kindest people in the world.

By Sea:

The Batanes Multi-Purpose Cooperative now carries the MV Ivatan Princess which runs the Currimao, Ilocos Norte - Basco, Batanes route. It leaves Ilocos Norte at 8pm on Wednesdays and Sundays and arrives in Basco at 4pm the next day. From Basco, it leaves at 3pm on Tuesdays and10 pm on Fridays. Fare is PhP1,200 and travel time is about 18 hours. Contact Mr. Antonio Castro at Mobile No. (0917) 793-0102.

By Air: 32

SEAIR flies to Batanes from Manila three times a week using a 19-seater Let 410 with the following schedules: Manila 6am to Laoag City 7:30am, Mondays, PhP2,000; Laoag City 8am to Basco 9am or Basco 9:30am to Laoag City 10:30am, Wednesdays, PhP1,950; Laoag City 11am to Manila 12:30pm, Fridays, PhP2,000. Fare excludes Insurance Fee of PhP150 and Security Fee of PhP15. Contact Ms. Marina Arma at Tel. No. (02) 714-2218.

Cultural Heritage:

Local and foreign tourists alike are amazed with the house architectures in the Island wherein most of the Ivatan houses are built with thick walls of stone and lime that is thatched with thick layers of cogon and Faluas or sturdier sea boats are also common in Batanes. Ivatan culture is rich in indigenous traditions such as oral anecdotes and tales, legends, riddles and proverbs.

Ivatans also holds a precious poetic lyric song known as "laji" which is sung without accompaniment during important and happy occasions. Lyrics of the laji are considered the best Ivatan folk poetry. There is also a song enchanted by the Ivatans during work in the fields known as"kalusan". A song leader starts the singing and workers follow with the rest of the song.

The entire archipelago is also rich with old structures such as churches, ruins of Songsong which is a whole town of roofless stone houses abandoned after it was hit by tidal waves in the 1950s; as well as Itbayat Burial Caves in which remains are placed in clay jars and left in the caves.

Highlights of your tour to Batanes are the landscape, seascape and physical of the community full of houses made of cogon roof tops.

Natural Views:

.Sabtang Island .Itbayat Island .Itbayat Island .Mount Iraya .Di-atay Beach .Songsong (Chadpidan Bay) .White Beach Located in Vatang, Hapnit, and Mavatuy Point at Mahatao

Man-Made:

(BATANES COVE: Nature and Water Park) .Wave Pool .Heated Spa Pool .Tropical Massage Huts .Tot's Pool .View from Deck .Fishing Area at the Sagada Trail

Feasts and Festivals:

.Batanes Day (June 26) 33

Marked with playground demonstrations, parades, the Palu-palo Festival, and other cultural events. Feast of Three Kings (January 6) On this day, the image of the Sto. Nino (Holy Child) is venerated in every home in Batanes.

Cagayan is a province of the Philippines in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is City and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon.

Present day chroniclers say that the name was derived from the word “tagay,” a kind of plant that grows abundantly in the northern part of the province. Thus, “Catagayan” which means a place where the tagay grows abundantly was shortened to “Cagayan,” the present name of the province.

History

The province could have gotten its name from the Ilocano word carayan or"big river,"referring to the Rio Grande De Cagayan, the longest river in thecountry, which bisects its valley from north to south. Or it could have been derived from the tagay trees (tall hardwood) that grew along the river banks.It is possible that the area was called Catagayan, meaning "where the tagay abounds".The earliest inhabitants were the Aetas, short dark-skinned nomads belonging to the family. They were followed by Indo-Malay immigrants who came to be known as Ibanags. Before the Spaniards banks and were trading with the Chinese and other merchants from neighboring countries.

In 1572, Juan de Salcedo explored Cagayan Valley. By 1583, all the territories east of the Cordillera Central Mountains and north of the Caraballo Mountain Range formed one political unit called "La Provincia de Cagayan". Its capital was Nueva Segovia (now the town of Lal-lo, near Aparri).

Former Name: Catagayan

Land Area: 31,159 km2(12,030.6 sq mi)

Capital: Tuguegarao

Population: 3,051,487 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Ibanag, Gaddang and Ilocano

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 1

No. of Municipalities: 29 (Abulug, Alcala, Allacapan, Amulung, Aparri, Baggao, Ballesteros, Buguey, Calayan, Camaliniugan, Claveria, Enrile, Gattaran, Gonzaga, Iguig, Lal-lo, Lasam, Pamplona, Pena-Blanca, Piat, Rizal, Sanchez- Mira, Santa Ana, Santa Praxedes, Sto. Niño- Faire, Santa Teresita, Solano, Tuao and Tuguegarao)

No. of Barangays: 820

No. of Municipal Districts: None 34

Topography: The province's seashores are lined with coconut trees and nipa swamps are on the delta of the Cagayan, Abulog, and other rivers. The eastern coasts are rugged and mountainous, and there are vast expanses of Babuyan islands consisting of Camiguin, Calayan, Babuyan, Fuga and Dalupiri.

No. of Principal Rivers: 4 (prominent are Chico and Pamplona)

No. of Mountains: 19

Climate: A dry season from November to April characterizes the western and central portions. The eastern part has no dry season, but also lacks a heavy rainy period. The coldest month is January; the warmest month is May.

Average Annual Rainfall: 82inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, corn and tobacco

Industries: Logging (major industry), fishing and small-scale industries

Mineral Resources: Iron ore, phosphate rocks, china clay, and manganese

Forest Resources: Timber, almaciga, rattan, buho and nipa

Tourist Attractions: Punta Lakay-Lakay (Old Man) and Baket-Baket (Old Woman), , Dos Hermanas Islands, Aparri Beach, and the Sta. Maria Bell in Camaliniugan (reputedly the oldest church bell in the Philippines.) The center is only five kilometers from Tuguegarao City. This is a general museum and houses an extensive collection of artifacts, antiques, ethnographics, trade wares, heirloom pieces and liturgical works of the province, and of animals that once roamed the valley.

Governor: Alvaro T. Antonio

Congressman: Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr.

Delicacies:

.Longanisa .peanuts and peanut products .carabao milk candy .Tuguegarao .Batil Patung

Souvenirs:

.shirts .mugs .car displays .lampshades decor 35

How To Get There:

By Air:

The province is serviced by Air Philippines three times a week.

By Land:

Tuguegarao is about 485 kilometers north of Metro Manila and can be reached by air- conditioned bus such as DANGWA Transport, Baliwag Transit, Victory Liner, Aladdin Bus Company, Dagupan Bus Company, Deltra Bus Company and Nelbusco. Independent motorists may take the North Diversion Road and exit at Sta. Rosa Exit.

Brief Description:

A lush valley at the northeast most tip of the Philippines, Cagayan is a stark surprise of verdant Sierra Madre and Cordillera mountains to the longest and widest river in the Philippines, the Cagayan River, from the lovely beaches of coastal towns to luxuriant lands heavy with golden plants to the infinite bosom of the Pacific Ocean. Cagayan is the Regional Seat of the Cagayan Valley Region. Tuguegarao, the capital town is the seat of commerce and trade and center for learning. The province has the largest marine fishing grounds and 73 percent of the region's potential fishpond area.

Known as the spelunker's, trekker's and gamefisher's paradise rolled into one, Cagayan provides a never-ending adventured with ecotourism in the forefront of its offerring. Both foreign and local tourists continue to explore its caves, engage in gamefishing expeditions, trek its mighty mountains and retreat to its centuries old churches.

Cultural Heritage:

.Lallo (Known as the home of the "mestizas" in northern Cagayan) .Cagayan Provincial Museum & Historical Research Center (Located at the Provincial Capitol Complex) .Rev. Fr. Gerry Z. Fillipe Ho, Ofm Memorial Museum (Sta. Ana) .Pannaddamman Museum (Located inside the Cagayan State University campus at Carig, Tuguegarao City) .CARSUMCO (Cagayan Robina Sugar Milling Corporation)

Natural Views:

.Callao Caves Tourist Zone (Located within the Peñablanca Protected Landscape) .Jackpot Cave (Located at Sitio Tumallo, Quibal in Peñablanca) .Odessa-Tumbali Cave System (Located at Sitio Abbenditan, Barangay Quibal in Peñablanca) .San Carlos Cave (Probably one of the toughest caves the Philippines could offer. When inside the cave, spelunkers will learn the art of cave crawling. A chamber called " Parlor" contains a cluster of white stalagmites that resemble scooped ice cream. The "John the Baptist" chamber is a very deep underwater sump that one has to take a deep breath and swim to the other side of the chamber. Sharp and rough stones could scratch the skin and tear clothing. San Carlos requires a lot of swimming because more than half of the cave is covered by cold 36 running subterranean water.) .San Vicente, Sta. Ana & the Palaui Island .Black & Fine Sand BeachesCagayan Beach .Portabaga Falls (Located in Sta. Paxedes) .Cagayan River / Rio Grande de Cagayan .Aparri Delta

Man-Made Views:

.Buntun Bridge (Situated 2.5 kilometers from Tuguegarao City proper. Its length of 1.124 kilometers makes it the longest river bridge in the country. It offers an unobstructed view of the Cagayan River.) .Magapit Suspension Bridge .St. Paul University

Festivals:

.Semana Santa at Iguig Calvary Hills .Fluvial Parade (Aparri, Cagayan; May 10) .Piat Sambali Festival & Feast of Nuestra Señora de Piat (June 23-30) .Aggao nac Cagayan (June 24-29) .Pavvurulun Festival (August 13-17)

Special Interest:

.Scuba Diving, Snorkeling and Game Fishing (Palaui Island in Sta. Ana) .SurfingCagayan Kayak (Claveria and Sanchez Mira) .Mountaineering & Trekking (Town of Peñablanca and Palaui Island) .Spelunking (Caves of Peñablanca and Baggao) .Bird Watching and Bonsai (Peñablanca) .Whale Watching (Calayan Islands)

ISABELA is acknowledged as one of the rice granaries of the Philippines and its cigar-filler tobacco is said to be one of the worlds best. The province of Isabela originally consisted of the area known as Irraya (from Cagan to Ilagan), Diffun (from Gamu to Cauyan), and Paniqui (from Cauyan to Nueva Vizcaya). Two of the original groups settlers of Isabela were the and the Ibanags. During the second phase of the Philippines Revolution, Isabela feel under the control of the revolutionary forces, commanded by Col. Simeon Villa who established his headquarters in Carag. On March 23, 1901, General was captured by the Americans in the historic town of .

History

Prior to 1856, there were only two provinces in the Cagayan Valley Region: Cagayan and 37

Nueva Vizcaya. The Province of Cagayan at that time consisted of all towns from Tumauini to the north in Aparri and all other towns from Ilagan southward to Aritao comprised the Province of Nueva Vizcaya. In order to facilitate the work of the missionaries in the evangelization of the Cagayan Valley, a royal decree was issued on May 1, 1856 that created the Province of Isabela consisting of the towns of Gamu, Angadanan and Camarag (now Echague), Carig (now Santiago City) and Palanan. The new province was named in honor of Queen Isabela II of Spain.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 10,665 square kilometers

Capital: Ilagan

Population: 1,401,495 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Ilocano, Ilongot, and Negrito

Income Classifications: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 2 ( Cauayan City and Santiago City)

No. of Municipalities: 35 (Alicia, Angadanan, Aurora, Benito, Soliven, Burgos, Cabagan, Cabatuan, Cordon, Dinapiqui, Divilican, Echague, Gamu, Ilagan, Jones, Luna, Delfin Albano, , Malig, Naguilian, Palanan, Quezon, Quirino, Ramon, Reina, Mercedes, Roxas, San Agustin, San Guillermo, San Isidro, San Manuel, San Mariano, San Mateo, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, and Tumauini)

No. of Barangays: 1,018

No. of Municipal Districts: 2 (Divilican and Maconacon)

Topography: Although the province lies along the typhoon belt, it is vulnerable only on the north because two mountain ranges shield the province. Along its eastern portion extending close to the coast is the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and on the west is the Cordillera Central. Between these two mountain ranges is a vast plain drained by the Cagayan River.

No. of Principal Rivers: 5(prominent are Cagayan and Magat)

No. of Mountains: 8

Climate: The western portion of the province is usually dry for one to three months. The eastern part has a climate characterized by continuous rainy weather. In this part of the province, rainfall is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.

Average Annual Rainfall: 73.04 inches

Principal products/crops: Tobacco and rice

Industries: Logging (major industry), fishing and home industries such as pottery, hat weaving, salt making, broom making, and wine and manufacturing. 38

Mineral Resources: Copper ore and manganese

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Palpallatoc Resort, Tumauini Church, Magat River Irrigation , Siffu Irrigation System, San Pablo Spanish Church, and the Naguilian Bridge.

Governor: Faustino "Bojie" Dy III

Congressmen: Rodolfo Albano, Ana Cristina Go and Napoleon Dy

Delicacies:

.Guitata (just like "") .Binalay (just like "Palitao")

How To Get There:

If you plan to go straight to sagada, from isabela go down at solano, nueva vizcaya.. take bus or jeep to banawe (less than two hours) then jeep to bontoc (2.5 hrs) then transfer jeep to sagada (less than an hour)..the last trip from banawe to bontoc i think is before lunch .. from b bontoc to sagada is 3 or 4pm..there are also buses from banawe and it will also pass via vizcaya.

Where To Stay:

.Bethany Garden Hotel .D' Infinity Hotel Ilagan .Cauayan Grand Hotel .Ilagan San Antonio Hotel .Kingsville Drive Inn Hotel .Marj's Hotel .New Amity Hotel .Punta Amelita Garden Resort .Queen Jennifer Hotel and Restaurant .Rosato Hotel Cafe and Restaurant .Waterworld Grand Resort Inc. Hotel and Restaurant

Brief Description:

Isabela, the biggest province in the Cagayan Valley Region, is now one of the premier provinces of the north. It has been dubbed as the "Rice Granary of the North" having been adjudged as the Most Outstanding Province in Food Security in the Gawad Sapat Ani Awards 2000 conducted by the Department of Agriculture. It is also home to the famous Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, a protected seascape and landscape of exceptional biodiversity.

Cultural Heritage:

The repository and custodian of the rich historical and cultural heritage of the Isabelinos. Features a gallery exhibit & collection of antiques such as artifacts, fossils, ethnographic items, 39 heirloom pieces, visual arts (photographs, paintings, sculpture, graphic arts); historical and cultural dioramas, miniature models of provincial landmarks, among others. It was inaugurated on May 11, 1999 and is housed at the old capitol building in Ilagan. Open from Mondays to Saturdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Natural Views:

.Bonsai Forest (Sumanget, Dinapigue) .Sta. Victoria Caves and Environmental School at Fuyo National Park .Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park (Palanan Rainforest) .The largest protected area in the country with more than 300,000 hectares of rainforest, and the lowest at 800 feet above sea level. Declared number one in biodiversity and also one of the top 10 biodiversity "hotspots" in the world. Research showed the existence of unknown and unnamed species of flora and fauna. A confirmed habitat of the Philippine Eagle and the Cloud Rat. Its coastal areas host whales and dolphins and other cetaceans. Ideal for scuba diving and other water sports, and a mountaineering/trekking challenge.

(Take Note:)

Accessible by light aircraft from Cauayan Airport (Cyclone Airways), pumpboat from Sta. Ana in Cagayan and Baler in Aurora Province, and trekking from San Mariano, Cauayan and Ilagan in Isabela. Also accessible by air transport from Tuguegarao City Domestic Airport through CHEMTRAD.

Man-Made Views:

.(World's Biggest Butaka) It is 11 feet 4 inches high, 20 feet 8 inches long, and 9 feet 7 inches wide. It weighs 2,368 kilos and was constructed by 25 workers in 29 days. . Tourism Complex (Magat Hydro Electric Power Plant) Asia's biggest dam project at the time of its construction. It serves the primary function of power generation and irrigation. Its area of 4,450 hectares has a great potential for water- based recreation like fishing, boating and water skiing, among others. The plant is accessible by passenger jeepney and bus from Santiago City.

Festivals:

. Isabela Day (May 1-11) .Bambanti (Scarecrow) Festival (May 10) Celebrates the bountiful harvest of rice and corn and other agricultural products with street dances and a float parade. .Feast of Our Lady of the Visitacion of Guibang (July 2)

Special Interests:

.Trekking, Mountaineering, Camping and Exploration at Palanan, Dinapigue, Maconacon and forest area .Diving and snorkeling at Dicotcotan Beach .River Cruise 40 at Palanan River .Crocodile Watching (Crocodylus Mindorensis) at San Mariano at night.

NUEVA VIZCAYA The history of Nueva Vizcaya dates back to the 1600s when the Spanish Expeditionary Forces moved toward the north to convert the Filipinos to Christianity. There were many attempts made by the Spaniards to advance north but because of the difficulty of going through the rugged terrain, it took them some years to reach this province. A number of Spanish missions were established in the region. The Dominicans in 1632 were followed by the Augustinians in 1717. , the capital of Nueva Vizcaya, was founded in 1737. In 1896, Nueva Vizcaya was greatly affected when Isabela and Cagayan fell into the hands of the revolutionary forces. The Spanish forces in the province surrendered to Col. Jose Layba on September 15, 1898. The Igorots of the province, however, refused to cooperate with the revolutionary forces and fled to the mountain.

History

Nueva Vizcaya has generally been overlooked in the various regional histories of the Philippines. As a province, it is as important as is any region of the country because of the complex interaction between the many peoples who have lived there. This study will approach the history of the province from a social and economic standpoint. It will trace social and economic changes among the ethnic groups in the province in demonstrating how Nueva Vizcayans gradually came to be incorporated into a national economic system, how they came to regard themselves not only as , Ilongots, or members of other ethnic groups, but as Filipinos.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 4,378.8 km2(1,690.7 sq mi)

Capital: Bayombong

Population: 397,837 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilocano

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 15 (Alfonso Castañeda, Ambaguio, Aritao, Bagabag, Bambang, Bayombong, Diadi, Dupax del Norte, Dupax del Sur, Kasibu, Kayapa, Quezon, Santa Fe, Solano, and Villa Verde)

No. of Barangays: 275

No. of Municipal Districts: 2 (Ambaguio and Diadi)

Topography: Generally mountainous with elevations rising as high as 1,500 meters. The eastern portion near the Quezon boundary are vast virgin forest watered by several rivers. The 41

Cagayan River flows from the southern part of the province.

No. of Principal Rivers: 2 (Cagayan is the longest)

No. of Mountains: 21

Climate: No pronounced maximum rainy period and a relatively short dry season. The province is exposed to the southwest monsoon and is frequently visited by cyclonic typhoons.

Average Annual Rainfall: 60 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, coffee, and cacao

Industries: Logging (major industry)

Mineral Resources: Manganese, gold, , copper, lead, pyrite, iron, feldspar and white clay.

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: , the Santa Fe mountain road, the Salinas Salt Spring and Ecotourism Adventure

Governor: Luisa Cuarisma

Congressman: WIlhelmino Sy-Alvarado

Delicacies:

Tupig is made of known in Iluko as diket. With sugar, the milled diket is flavored with semi-pulverized peanuts and corn or any desired flavor, and wrapped in or coconut leaves. It is then grilled for at least five minutes.

How To Get There:

Nueva Vizcaya could be reached by at least four regular entry points, aside from reaching it by air travel. These are through the Dalton Pass reaching the first town of Santa Fe; through the Daang Maharlika, entering the town of diadi; through the Vizcaya-Banaue Road entering the town of Bagabag and through the Vizcaya-Benguet Road, entering the town of Kayapa

Where To Stay :

.Raphael Inn .Saber's Inn

Brief Description:

Gaddangs. The influx of civilization and the infusion of modern technology to the lifestream of the province induced many immigrants from the adjacent provinces, primarily Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Pangasinenses, Kapampangans, among others. 42

Located about 268 north of Metro Manila, the province is tagged to be the new alternative destination for outdoor and environment enthusiasts. Considered a watershed haven, it is 70 percent forestland. It is strategically bounded by the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges, , and Cordillera Mountains. It is also the gateway to the Cagayan Valley Region and the , eighth Wonder of the World.

Natural Views:

.Dalton Pass .Kirang Pass .Mt. Pulag National Park (Kayapa & Ambaguio) .Mt. Palali .Capisaan Cave System .Heaven Cave (Brgy. Capisaan, Kasibu) .Imugan Waterfalls (Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya)

Man-Made Views:

.St. Dominic Cathedral .St. Vincent Ferrer Church (Dupax del Sur) .Villa Margarita Mountain Resort .Nueva Vizcaya Capitol Complex

Festivals:

.Panagyaman Festival / Nueva Vizcaya Day (May 19-24) .Citrus Festival (Malabing Valley, Kasibu; August) .Kalanguya Festival

QUIRINO one of the youngest provinces in the country, Quirino is bigger than provinces of Bulacan, Laguna or Cavite. The boundaries of the province extend to the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and as far as Isabela. Quirino is rich in natural resources and its soil fertile enough for cultivation. It also has thick forests and its streams and rivers give the province a primeval setting. With 3,000 square kilometers and six municipalities, Quirino has a relatively small population at approximately 83,000. Compared with Tarlac, Ilocos Norte and Lanao del Sur whose areas are close to that of Quirino, the province is one of the most sparsely populated in the country.

History

Quirino lies in the southeastern portion of Cagayan Valley. It is situated within the upper portion of the Cagayan River basin and bounded by Isabela on the north, Aurora on the east and southeast, and Nueva Vizcaya on the west and southwest.

The Ilocano dialect is used widely in the lowlands of the province's various municipalities while Ifugao is predominant in the uplands.

Quirino province acquired its juridical personality as a result of the division of the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela on June 18, 1966 under RA 4734. Quirino, named after the late president , was created as a sub-province of Nueva Vizcaya in 1966. It became a 43 full province in 1971.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 3,486.2 km2(1,346 sq mi)

Population: 163,610 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilocano

Income Classification: Fifth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 6 ( Aglipay, Cabarroguis, Diffun, Maddela, Nagtipunana, and Saguday)

No. of Barangays: 132

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Quirino is made up of undulating hills and mountains laced with small valleys and farmlands. There are caves in Diffun and Saguday which regularly attract visitors.

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 1

Climate: No pronounced rainy period. There is also a short dry season between December and May. The province is exposed to the southwest monsoon and is frequently visited by cyclonic storms.

Average Annual Rainfall: 54 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, , pomelo, jackfruit, potato, and vegetables

Industries: Logging and furniture making

Mineral Resources: Manganese, iron, and white clay

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: The caves in Diffun and Saguday

Governor: Junie Evangelista Cua

Congressman: Dakila Carlo Enriquez Cua

Delicacies:

.Binatog .Cahew and Peanut 44

.Coco Jam .Grilled Corn

How To Get There:

.from Cordon, Isabela to , Aurora and Santiago City to Maddela via Jones and San Agustin, Isabela. Transportation facilities in the province include PU jeepney, buses, outrigger banca and tricycles. Maddela-Metro Manila route and vice-versa is served daily by air- conditioned bus lines particularly Nelbusco. Other buses going to Tuguegarao City pass by Cordon and Santiago City where vans are available for the short trip to Quirino.

Brief Description:

Long before its formal creation as an independent province, Quirino was the forest region of the province of Nueva Vizcaya, inhabited by tribal groups known as the Negritos. They roamed the hinterlands and built their huts at the heart of the jungle.

Quirino lies in the southeastern portion of Cagayan Valley. It is situated within the upper portion of the Cagayan River basin and bounded by Isabela on the north, Aurora on the east and southeast, and Nueva Vizcaya on the west and southwest.

The Ilocano dialect is used widely in the lowlands of the province's various municipalities while Ifugao is predominant in the uplands.

Natural Views:

.fascinating water falls in the thick forest of Mariano Perez .Nagbulil Hill .Aglipay Caves AND Campsite .Governor Rapids .Aglipay Town .Bisangal Falls .Mactol Falls/San Pugo Falls .Sta. Victoria Falls and Addalam Dam & Watershed .the breathtaking crystal clear and blue waters suitable for rafting .alluring to see the "Bimmapor" - a ship - shaped rock formation and the awesome Perpendicular Wall both located in the Municipality of Nagtipunan

Festivals:

"Panagdadapun Festival" 45

REGION III CENTRAL LUZON

BATAAN, (Cradle of Heroes) which has been called "Fruit Queen of the Philippines," is also the glory of Filipino bravery and heroism. Even at the early phase of Bataan's development, the province had established its share of significant historical events. In 1600, the invading forces of Dutch Admiral Van Noort was repulsed in the attempt to land on by a detachment of Filipino and Spanish soldiers led by Antonio de Morga. In 1664, the second attempt to Dutch forces that had succeeded in establishing a beachhead in Abucay was again repulsed by Filipino and Spanish defenders. And then, World War II catapulted the province to historical fame and lasting symbol of courage, having been the last fortress of Filipino and American defenders against the invading Japanese forces.

History

In 1574, Limahong, a Chinese pirate used Bataan as the launching point for his attempt to conquer Luzon, which was unsuccessful. In 1647, Dutch naval forces landed in country in an attempt to seize the islands from Spain. The Dutch massacred the people of Abucay in Bataan.

The province of Bataan was established in 1754 by Governor-General Pedro Manuel Arandia out of territories belonging to Pampanga and the corregimiento of Mariveles which, at the time, included Maragondon, Cavite across the Manila Bay.

Geography

Bataan is the peninsula in the western part of Luzon that shields the Manila Bay on its south and east from the South China Sea on its west. Zambales and Pampanga form its boundaries on the north.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 1,372.98 km2(530.1 sq mi)

Capital: Balanga

Population: 662, 153 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Balanga City) 46

No. of Municipalities: 11 (Abucay, Bagac, Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Limay, Mariveles, Morong, Orani, Orion, Pilar, and Samal)

No. of Barangays: 237

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Eight of the municipalities of Bataan lie along the eastern coast, one in the hinterland, and three along the western shoreline. In between these coastal towns are mountain ranges that allow for proper drainage and irrigations.

No. of Principal Rivers: 4

No. of Mountains: 5(prominent are Mariveles and Samat)

Climate: Dry season from November to April and wet season the rest of the year. Heaviest rainfall is in August. The coldest months are December and January; the warmest are April and May.

Average Annual Rainfall: 100.58 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, corn, sugarcane, rootcrops, banana, caimito, and vegetables.

Industries: Rice farming and fishing

Mineral Resources: Iron ore and pyrite cinders

Forest Resources: Hardwood and timber

Tourist Attractions: Dambana ng Kagitingan, Camaya Point, Pulong Bato Resort, Montemar Beach Resort, Villa Carmen, and the Philippine-Japanese Friendship Tower.

Governor: Enrique T. Garcia

Congressmen: Aris Gaza and Efren Cruz

Bataan is known for :

Dambana ng Kagitingan in Mt. Samat, Fine Beaches, , Philippine-Japanese Friendship Tower, Bataan Nuclear Plant, World War 2 Markers, Sibul Spring, Sto. Domingo Abucay Church, Tomas Pinpin Monument and Dinalupihan Nature Center

Delicacies:

Seafood Dishes and "Lutong Bahay" delicacies

How To Get There :

Philippine Rabbit, Genesis, and Aladdin have buses plying the Manila-Bataan route regularly. Victory Liner serves Bataan from Olongapo. 47

Where To Stay:

. Island Resort and Hotel .Montemar Beach Resort .Corregidor Inn and Resort .La Vista Balanga Inland Resort .Crown Royale Hotel

Brief Description:

Discover the magic of the Philippines' Third Region with this amazing historical and cultural province, only an hour by ferryboat across the bay from Manila. Until recently not a traditional tourist destination, Bataan is now proving to be a tourist haven boasting a multitude of exciting places to visit, and interesting things to do. The province has much to offer a rich culture and history, the beauty of unspoilt beaches, and a warm hospitality that is truly Filipino.

Cultural Heritage:

The province of Bataan has always been linked to the culture and economy of Manila, what the province produces is exported to Manila. The residents of Bataan commemorate various festivities and events such as Bataan Day every April 9 featuring War veterans and their families coming from all over the country reminiscing the past and celebrating the bravery of soldiers who offered their lives for freedom. Fun-filled activities such as photo contest, exhibits, quiz bees, beauty pageants, trade fairs, and drum and bugle competition or exhibition also takes place. Another celebration is the Paskuhan sa Mabatang during December in which all the houses and establishments in Barangay Mabatang are adorned and lighted with various Christmas decors.

Natural Views:

.Dunsulan Falls .Pasukulan Falls (Abucay) .Dinalupihan Natural Parks (Dinalupehan) .Mt. Natib (Orani) .Balon Anito (Mariveles) "dead volcano" .Sibul Spring (Abucay) .Mt. Silangan (Morong)

Feasts and Festivals:

.Feast Day of St. Dominic (Abucay; last Sunday of October) .Feast Day of St. (Bagac; November 23) .Feast Day of St. Joseph (Balanga; ) .Feast Day of St. John the Baptist (Dinalupihan; June 24) .Feast Day of St. Peter of Varon 48

(Hermosa; May 3) .Feast Day of St. Francis de Assisi (Limay; October 4) .Feast Day of St. Nicolas (Mariveles; third Sunday of February) .Feast Day of Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Morong; February 2) spacer spacer Feast Day of St. Michael (Orani; May 8) .Feast Day of Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Pilar; October 12) .Feast Day of St. Catherine of Sienna (Samat; April 30)

BULACAN The people of Bulacan have distinguished themselves for their nationalism, and many natives of the province have been honored as national heroes. The province was among the first eight to take up arms against Spain in the Philippine Revolution of 1896. The constitution of the First Philippine Republic was drafted and ratified in the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos in 1898. Malolos was also the site of the founding of the First Philippine Republic, also known as the Malolos Republic, which was inaugurated in 1899 with Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo as president.

History

During the time of Governor-General and adelantado Miguel Legazpi in 1571, Bulacan was reported to be well populated. The Spaniards organized the then existing barangays in Bulacan into pueblos (towns). The first pueblo established in Bulacan is the town of Calumpit. Calumpit was also the birthplace of Christianity in the province.

At the height of the Filipino-Spanish conflict in 1890s, Bulacan was one of the first eight provinces to take up arms against the Spaniards in 1896. However the first phase of the revolution ceased in 1897 with the signing of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato in San Miguel. Under it terms the leaders were to go to Hong Kong and reside there. Under the illusory peace created by the Pact, the end of 1897 saw greater determination pm the part of the Filipinos to carry on the revolution. In early 1898, the provinces of Zambales, Ilocos, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac. and Camarines rose again. In Central Luzon, a revolutionary government was organized under General Francisco Makabulos, a Kapampangan revolutionary leader of La Paz, Tarlac.

The Americans established a local Philippine government in the Philippines when they held the first election in the country in the town of Baliuag, Bulacan on May 6, 1899.

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial Army occupied Bulacan.

In 1945, combined Filipino and American forces including local guerrillas, attacked Japanese Imperial forces and liberated Bulacan 49

Former Name: None

Land Area: 2,774.85 km2 (1,071.4 sq mi)

Capital: Malolos

Population: 2,826,936 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 24 ( Angat, Balagtas, Baliuag, Bocaue, Bulacan, Bustos, Calumpit, Doña Remedios Trinidad, Guiguinto, Hagonoy, Malolos, Marilao, Meycauayan, Norzagaray, Obanda, Pandi, Paombong, Plaridel, Pulilan, San Ildefonso, San Jose del Monte, San Miguel, San Rafael. And Santa Maria)

No. of Barangays: 569

No. of Municipal District: None

Topography: The terrain of the province is generally flat, broken only by mountains near the boundaries fronting the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Quezon, and Rizal. From the elevated areas flow the rivers which drain the province.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (Novaliches, Apo, and Angat)

No. of Mountains: 16

Climate: The climate which is distinctly tropical, consists of two seasons: wet from April to November and dry the rest of the year. Bulacan is protected from the northeast monsoon and the trade winds by mountains on the north but is exposed to the southwest monsoon and occasional storms.

Average Annual Rainfall: 100.58 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice

Industries: Cement manufacturing, textile and steel manufacturing, poultry feed making, chemical and tanning industries

Mineral Resources: Iron, andesite, limestone, marble and quartz

Forest Resources: Timber, rattan, nipa and fiber Tourist Attractions: , Madlum Cave, Sibul Springs, Biak-na-bato and Titilandong Falls

Governor: Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado 50

Congressmen: Ma. Victoria R. Sy-Alvarado, Pedro M. Pancho, Joselito Andrew R. Mendoza, Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica, Arturo B. Robes

Delicacies:

. . / CHIPS / (Accordion, Banana Chips, Broas, , , , Minasa Cookies, Shamrock, Seko and Cookies) . .COCONUT PRODUCTS (Coconut Pastille and Pastille) .DURIAN PRODUCTS .GARLIC PRODUCTS .GOURMET FISH NATIVE DELICACIES (Bagoong Alamang Pln, Bagoong Alamang Spiced, Pln., , , Balao-balao, Belekoy, Cacao-Chocolate, , , , Pinagsugbo and Pito-pito

Souvenirs:

.Towel Centerpiece .mini Towel Cake .Candle .Fabulous Bottle Souvenir .Glass Frame w/ Figurine

How To Get There:

There are 3 ways to get to Bulacan: one is through the historic MacArthur Highway, another is through the North Expressway and through the Cagayan Valley Road. Various bus companies offer trips to the province, such as Philippine Rabbit Bus Line, Pantranco, Dangwa Bus, PNR, Victory Liner, and Fariñas Transportation.

Cultural Heritage:

The nearest province situated north of Manila, Bulacan is rich in history, the land of heroes and poets, one of the few places where "pure Tagalog" is still spoken. It produced the two Del Pilars, Marcelo, the great Propagandist and Gregorio, the hero of Tirad Pass; and Francisco Baltazar (Balagtas), the prince of Filipino poets among others.Present-day Bulacan is trying to evolve from being an agricultural area to an industrialized one. It boasts of its excellently-crafted jewelry, garments, gifts, toys, and leathercraft, and diverse pyrotechnics products. The majority in the rural areas, however, are still dependent on agriculture with rice as the principal crop.

Natural Views:

.Baras Bakal (Angat, Bulacan) .Mash Gas Flame (Angat, Bulacan) .Mt. Lumot (Dona Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan) .Tumutulo Falls(Dona Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan) .Verdivia Falls (Dona Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan) 51

.Aroma Beach (Hagonoy, Bulacan) .Liputan Islands (Meycauayan, Bulacan) .Bakas (Norzagaray, Bulacan) .Hilltop (Norzagaray, Bulacan) .Pinagrealan Cave (Norzagaray, Bulacan) .Pug-pog River (Norzagaray, Bulacan) .Pandi Mineral and Bath Spring Resort (Pandi, Bulacan) .Aguinaldo Cave (San Miguel, Bulacan) .Bahay Paniqui (House of Bats) (San Miguel, Bulacan) .Biak-na-Bato Nature Park (San Miguel, Bulacan) .Cuarto-Cuarto Cave (San Miguel, Bulacan) .Madlum Caves (San Miguel, Bulacan) .Sibul Spring (San Miguel, Bulacan) .Tilandong Falls (San Miguel, Bulacan)

Bulacan Fiestas and Festivals :

. Halamanan Festival (Guiguinto) . Kasilonawan sa Obando (Fertility Rites, Obando) . Carabao Festival (Pulilan) . Angel Festival (San Rafael) . Sto. Nino Festival (City of Malolos) . Luyang Dilaw (Marilao) . Ligiran sa Wawa (Bocaue) . Kawayanan Festival (Meycauayan) . Litson Festival (Meycauayan) . Libad ng Calumpit (Calumpit) . Salubong sa Quingua (Plaridel) . Bulak Festival (San Ildefonso) . Buntal Hat Festival (Baliuag) . Putong Pulo Festival (Valenzuela City) . Singkaban Festival: Linggo ng Bulacan

NUEVA ECIJA is one of the oldest settlements in the Philippines. It was originally part of Pampanga until its creation as a separate province in 1705. When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, Nueva Ecija was one of the first eight provinces to rally behind the movement for Philippine Independence. The Spaniards were driven out of the area and a revolutionary government was established under the leadership of Felino Cajucom. With the cessation of hostilities on June 11, 1901, a civil government took over with Jacob P. Krops becoming the first governor of the province. Dubbed as the "Rice Bowl of the Philippines", Nueva Ecija, until recently, was one of the seeding grounds of agrarian unrest. It served as base of operations for the Huk resurgence in 1965, and has been the site of many encounters between government troops and insurgents.

History: was created as a military comandancia in 1777 by Governor General Clavería, with the capital, Josean at Baler (now part of Aurora). It was formerly part of the province of Pampanga. From its humble beginning, its land area grew to cover almost the entire island of Luzon. Spanish Records in the Philippines recognizes 2 Spanish countries in the Pacific-- Las Islas Filipinas and Nueva Ecija. Poverty was the only reason why Nueva Ecija was not given recognition as a 52 separate country from the Philippines by the King of Spain in 1840s. From 1777 to 1917, Nueva Ecija's territory was however subdivided to give way to the creation of other provinces.

Former Name: None

Land Area:5,751.3 km2(2,220.6 sq mi)

Capital: Palayan City

Population: 1,853,853 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 5 (, Palayan, San Jose, and Science City of Muñoz

No. of Municipalities: 27 (Aliaga, Bongabon, Cabiao, , Cuyapo, Gabaldon, Gen. Mamerto Natividad, , Guimba, Jaen, Laur, Licab, Llanera, Lupao, Nampicuan, Pantabangan, Pernaranda, Quezon, Rizal, San Antonio, San Isidro, San Leonardo, Santa Rosa, Santo Domingo, Talavera, Talugtog, and Zaragosa)

No. of Barangays: 849

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The mountains scattered along the eastern portion protect the region from monsoon winds. Six rivers drain the province.

No. of Principal Rivers: 6 (Pampanga, Rio Chico, Diamman, Penaranda, Bongabon and Talavera)

No. of Mountains: 10 (along the Caraballo and Sierra Madre Mountains

Climate: In eastern part of the province, there is a continuous even rainfall throughout the year. In the northern and northeastern portions, it is relatively dry from April to November. In the southwestern portion, there are two pronounced seasons - dry from November to April and wet during the remaining months.

Average Annual Rainfall: 100.58 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, corn, mangoes, water-melons, onion and garlic

Industries: Cottage industries such as shoemaking, furniture making, pottery, handicraft, needlework, poultry raising and piggery

Mineral Resources: Copper, gold, manganese, limestone and marble

Forest Resources: Timber 53

Tourist Attractions: , Central Luzon State University and the Valdefuente River

Governor: Aurelio M.Umali

Congressman: Josefina Joson, Joseph Violago, Czarina D. Umali, Rodolfo W. Antonino

Delicacies:

.Bibingkang Galapong . . .Adobo Salagubang

Souvenirs:

.shirts .woodcraft .cellphone accessories .mugs .sausages .rice .rice Based Sweets

How To Get There:

Genesis Transport Service, Inc. services this province via its Metro Manila to Baler, Aurora routes which passes the national highway that goes through the following towns (Metro Manila - North Luzon Expressway - Exit Sta. Rita - Plaridel, Bulacan - Baliuag, Bulacan - Nadaan, Bulacan - San Ildefonso, Bulacan - San Miguel, Bulacan - Baluarte, Bulacan - San Roque, Bulacan - Gapan City, Nueva Ecija - Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija - Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija - Right at Mayapyap - Llanera, Nueva Ecija - Rizal, Nueva Ecija - Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija - Castañeda, Nueva Vizcaya - Maria Aurora, Aurora - Baler, Aurora and vice versa).

Where To Stay:

.La Parilla Hotel .Hotel Tierra Sobrepeña

Brief Description:

Nueva Ecija is the largest province and the biggest rice producer of Central Luzon, thus, often referred to as the "Rice Bowl of the Philippines."Among its main attractions is the Pantabangan River, the country's first multi-purpose infrastructure, which stands today as a phenomenon in Filipino engineering feats. Another is the Pampanga river, cutting across a rich valley floor, famed for irrigation, the generation of hydroelectric power, and the mitigation of flood damage.Nueva Ecija is also the agri-tourism pilot site in Central Luzon due to the presence of the Central Luzon State University in the province.

Natural Views: 54

.Dalton Pass (Carranglan) .Doña Aurora National Park (Bongabon) . .Diamond Park (San Jose City) .Pajanutic Falls (Mejedigan) .Barrio Puncan (Carranglan) .Gabaldon Falls .Luna Falls .Hot Spring of Rizal .Burburayok Spring .Capintalan (Carranglan) .Palaspas Falls (San Jose City) .Talon Kalikasan (Palayan City) .Aloha Falls (Carranglan)

Religious Views:

.The Churches of Puncan, Carranglan and Capintalan .The Old Roman of Gapan .Mt. Olivete Religious Sects Community (Bongabon

Historical Sites:

.Barrio Labi (Bongabon) .Apolinario Mabini Marker (Cuyapo) .BSP Jamboree Site (Palayan City) .Camp Pangatian Shrine (Cabanatuan City) .General Luna Statue .The Sideco House (San Isidro) .Triala House (Guimba) .The Brick Walls of Gabaldon .Pantabangan Dam .The Wright Institute of San Isidro .Fort Magsaysay (Palayan City)

Feasts and Festivals:

.Taong-Putik Ritual (June 24 ) .Divina Pastora Shrine (1st day of May) .Araquio of Peñaranda (Held during the first week of May) .Tanduyong Festival (San Jose City) (every 4th Sunday of April)

PAMPANGA The province of Pampanga used to be a much larger territory. The first political boundaries defined during the Spanish era included a large part of the entire Central Luzon plains. The province diminished in size when various sections were cut off and added to the surrounding provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Bataan and Tarlac. Pampanga has been the focal point of rebellions during Spaniards regime. It was one of the first eight provinces which rose up in arms against the Spaniards in 1896. The province has also been the scene of social unrest in the 1950s and the 1906s. December 11 of every year has been set by Presidential Proclamation No. 2226 as Pampanga Day to commemorate its inauguration in 1571 as the first 55 province of Luzon.

History

Pampanga, which derives its name from "pampang" or "pampangan" (river bank), is a rich and fertile valley in Central Luzon. On the western and northwestern side rise the foothills of the Zambales range. To the west, covering almost one-fifth of the land, grow the thick nipa groves of the swamps.

The French historian, J, Mallat, in his Les Philippines, (Paris, 1846) aptly called this land of Pampanga" plus ballet et plus riche de Philippines"(the most beautiful and the richest in the Philippines). Except for the majestic , the land is one fertile plain. Its soul has made it one of the principal sugar and rice producers in the country.

Today the cultural ties of the Pampangos with the Malays and Indonesians are much in evidence in such common words, as "nasi" (rice), numerals such as isa, adua, atlu, (one, two, and three), minum (drink) and payung (umbrella), to mention only few. The Pampango word tulak (to push) is torak in Malay. Babi is pig in both Pampango and Bahasa.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 1,984.7 km2(766.3 sq mi)

Capital: San Fernando

Population: 1,911,951 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Pampango

Income classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 1(Angeles)

No.of Municipalities: 21 ( Apalit, Arayat,Bacoor, Candaba, Floridablanca, Guagua, , Mabalacat, Macabebe, Magalang, Masantol, Mexico, , Porac, San Fernando, San Luis, San Simon, Santa Ana, Santa Rita, San Tomas, and Sexmoan)

No. of Barangays: 537

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Terrain is extremely flat with mountains breaking the horizon. Mt. Arayat, the highest mountain in the province, is on the northwest.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (Pampanga River is the largest)

No. of Mountains: 3 (Mt. Arayat is the highest)

Climate: Rainy season from May to October and dry season from November to April. 56

Average Annual Rainfall: 90 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, sugarcane and watermelon

Industries: Poultry raising and fishing (major industry)

Mineral Resources: Feldspar, silica sand, and limestone

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions : Mt. Arayat National Park in Arayat and Magalang, Clark Air Base, and the churches of Apalit, Lubao and Magalang.

Governor: Lilia G. Pineda

Congresswoman: , Carmelo F. Lazatin, Aurelio D. Gonzales, Jr. and Anna York P. Bondoc

Notable People from Pampanga :

Tomas D. Dizon, Jose Abad Santos, Pedro Abad Santos, Diosdado Pangan Macapagal, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Armando Biliwang, Rogelio dela Rosa, Zoilo Hilario, Cecilia B. Licad, apl.de.ap( Allen Pineda Lindo), Joe Lingad, Melanie Marquez, Vanessa Minnillo, , Gil J. Puyat, Don Gonzalo Puyat, Apollo Quiboloy, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Donita Rose, Lea Salonga, Angel Jasmin T. Ocampo,Rufino Jiao Santos, Kristine Johnson, Eliseo Soriano, Luis Taruc, Aurelio Tolentino, Peter Valdes, Chris Tiu and Brilliante Mendoza

Delicacies:

. .turonnes de casoy .buro .camaro

Souvenirs:

.frames .jewelry boxes .religious icons .candle holders

How To Get There:

Many buses is leaving from Manila every 10 minutes to 30 minutes for San Fernando, only 66 km away. Busses who is going westward to Olangapo and Bataan and northward to Ilocos and Baguio is going through the province.

Where To Stay: 57

.America Hotel .Angeles Beach Club Hotel .Blue Nile Executive Hotel .Clarkton Hotel .Days Hotel Pampanga .Fiesta Garden Hotel .Fontana Leisure Park and Casino .Holiday Inn Resort Clark Field .Koala Hotel .Marble Inn .Marlim Mansion

Brief Description:

Steeped in history and blessed with natural and man-made scenery, Pampanga offers several sightseeing options for visitors. Pampanga has always enjoyed the title, "The Culinary Center of the Philippines." It is populated by resourceful hardy folk who are justifiably proud of their famous Kapampangan cuisine. The capital city of San Fernando is world-famous for its annual Easter re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is also famous for the Pampanga Christmas lanterns.The province has remnants of a long and colorful history. It houses a booming night life and tourist destinations. It is the site of world-class resorts, casinos, duty free shopping, and golf courses.

Natural Views:

.Mt. Arayat NationalPark .Candaba Swamps (Bird & Wild Duck Sanctuary) .Mt. Pinatubo Crater

Man-Made Views:

.Candaba Swamp and Wild Duck Sanctuary (Candaba, Pampanga) .Hanging Bridge (Candaba, Pampanga) .Clark Special Economic Zone (Clark, Pampanga) .Expo Pilipino (Clark, Pampanga) .Sito Palakol Resort (Florida Blanca, Pampanga) .Pampanga Agricultural College (Magalang, Pampanga)

Festivals:

.Cutud Lenten Rites .Sabat-Santacruzan .Apung Fluvial Festival .Pampanga Day ( December 11) .Giant Lantern Festival

TARLAC The first coins of the Philippine Republic were first issued in Tarlac, by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in 1900. Prior to that in 1874, there were only five towns comprising the province under the Spanish regime. During the last part of 1899, Aguinaldo's government, being pursued 58 by the American forces, escaped northward and made Tarlac its provisional seat. It was then that Apolinario Mabini was appointed foreign minister of the Republic. Later, in the same year, the first document concerning the Philippine revolution was printed in Tarlac and circulated in the form of a pamphlet. The document, entitled "Rosena Veridica de la Revolution Filipina" by Gen. Aguinaldo gained significance because of its detailed indictment against the abuses of the American expeditionary forces.

History

In the dawn of history, what came to be known as Tarlac today was once a thickly-forested area, peopled by roving tribes of nomadic Aetas and believed to be aborigines of the Philippines. The name "Tarlac" was derived from a talahiblike weed called "Matarlak" by the Aetas.

Tarlac was first mentioned in written history as a praesidio or military port designated with the task of defending communities from the frequent lowland raids by the Negritos and Balugas. Tarlac's embryonic history is also closely intertwined with those of Pampanga and Pangasinan, which played important roles in its creation. In the late 1600s, settlers from the lower Pampanga and Pangasinan towns bought lands from the Aetas who preferred the wilds of the Zambales mountains.

Tarlac was among the first to rise up in arms against the Spaniards, being one of the "eight rays of the sun in the Philippine flag" the "terranos de guerra". Officially the revolution in Tarlac started on January 24, 1897, the so-called "Cry of Tagumpay" and initiated by General.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 2,736.6 km2(1,056.6 sq mi)

Capital: Tarlac

Population: 1,243,449 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilocano, Pampango, and Tagalog

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 17 (Anao, Bamban, Camiling, Capas, Concepcion, Gerona, La Paz, Mayantoc, Moncada, Paniqui, Pura, Ramos, San Clemente, San Manuel, Santa Ignacia, Tarlac, and Victoria)

No. of Barangays: 511

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Tarlac is located at the center of the Central Plain of Luzon. Its terrain is one continuous plain punctuated by mountain ranges on the boundary between Zambales. 59

No. of Principal Rivers: 6 ( Pampanga, Agno, and Tarlac, among others)

No. of Mountains: 3

Climate: Dry season from November to April and rainy season from May to October.

Average Annual Rainfall: 97.58 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, corn, sugarcane, tobacco, fruits and tubers

Industries: Lumbering, poultry raising and sugar milling

Mineral Resources: Manganese and iron

Forest Resources: Hardwood

Tourist Attractions: Bamban Park where the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is enthroned, the Capas Death March Monument, Magsaysay Dam, and the Camiling Museum.

Governor: Victor A. Yap

Congressman: Enrique M. Cojuangco, Susan Y. Sulit and Jeci A. Lapus

Delicacies:

.bucayo .bagoong .chicharon

Souvenirs:

.shirts .bags .cellphone holders .pouches

How To Get There:

From Manila, take North Luzon Expressway (Nlex), exit at Sta. Ines Toll Plaza in Mabalacat, Pampanga. Proceed north to Tarlac City. Upon reaching Barangay San Sebastian (Hon Kee Tea House), take a left turn to the bypass road (Tarlac-Pangasinan) towards the town of Camiling. Follow the 36-kilometer backcountry but well-paved road to Barangay Lubigan in San Jose, Tarlac.

Where To Stay:

.Asiaten Hotel .Central Park Hotel .City View Hotel .Microtel Inns and Suites - Tarlac 60

Brief Description:

Tarlac is the most multicultural of the Central Luzon provinces. A mixture of four district groups, the Pampangos, Ilocanos, Pangasinenses, and Tagalogs, share life in the province. Tarlac is best known for its fine foods and vast sugar and rice plantations. That it has fine cooking to offer is due largely to the fact that it is the melting pot of Central Luzon. It offers some of the best cuisines from the places of ancestry of its settlers, the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Pangasinan, and the Ilocos Region. Historical sites, fine food, vast plantations, a beautifully landscaped golf course, and so many other attractions - all these make the province of Tarlac one of the best of the places to visit in Central Luzon.

Cultural Heritage:

Aquino Center (Tarlac City) The Aquino Center offers modern conference facilities, spacious functions rooms, convention hall, library containing books and memorabilia of former President and the late Senator and patriot Benigno Aquino, Jr. Carlos P. Romulo Memorial Library (Tarlac City) Established on May 9, 1952 during the administration of Governor Antonio E. Lopez, this institution was originally named after the late President Manuel A. Roxas, and was later renamed in 1990 after the prominent statesman. Tarlac Museum (Tarlac City) Tarlac Museum has an extensive collection of official documents of the different revolutionary personalities like the letters of Francisco Makabulos and Gen. Servillano Aquino.

Natural Views:

.Mt. Pinatubo .Bueno Hot Springs (Capas) .Dolores Spring (Tarlac City) .Anao Quinabutok Creek (Anao)

Man-Made Views:

.Bamban Park (Bamban) .Tinang Site Voice of America (Concepcion) .Magsaysay Dam (Mayantok) .San Bartolome Treehouse (Mayantok) .Tarlac Sugar Mills (Paniqui) .Diwa ng Tarlak (Tarlac City) .Hacienda Luisita (Tarlac City) .Luisita Golf and Country Club (Tarlac City) .Plaza Luisita Center (Tarlac City)

Festivals:

Mt. Pinatubo Trek (30 November, Capas)

Special Interests:

Trek to the crater of the world-famous Mt. Pinatubo. Spectacular views, towering lahar canyons, 61 cool mountain springs, and cascading waterfalls make the trip up the volcano an experience to remember. The tour may be taken via Brgy. Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac.

ZAMBALES The aborigines of Zambales were the Negritos or Aetas who fled to the mountains, upon the arrival of the earliest known migrants believed to be the Malays from Celebes. The old province included the coastal towns from Cape Bolinao of Lingayen Gulf to Subic Bay. However, due to physical difficulties in administration, the province lost seven (7) towns to Pangasinan. These were Alminos, Bolinao, San Isidro, Infanta, Anda, Bani, and Agno. Among the earliest towns were Masinloc, organized in 1607, Iba in 1611 and Sta. Cruz in 1612. Masinloc was the capital of Zambales before the seat of local government was transferred to Iba.

History

The name of the province was derived from the Malay word "samba" meaning to worship as the inhabitants were found by the Spaniards to be worshipping "spirit" called Anitos. The inhabitants were then referred to as "Sambali"or the hispanicized "Zambals".

Zambales was formerly organized in 1572 after its exploration by Don Juan de Salcedo, the intrepid Spanish explorer. The earliest migrants, the Malays, came from the Celebes and settled in the northern area up to Cape Bolinao of Lingayen Gulf. The Tagalogs who came from the east and south settled at the southern area, while the vast vacant areas between north and south were settled by Ilocanos who came from Northern Luzon. The aborigines, the kinky-haired Negritos or Aetas were thus driven to the hinterlands and replaced by the new-comers who established villages which were the nuclei of the formulation of barangays and towns.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 3,529.4 km2(1,362.7 sq mi)

Capital: Iba

Population: 493,085 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilocano and Tagalog

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Olongapo)

No. of Municipalities: 13 (Botolan, Cabangan, Candelaria, Castillejos, Iba, Masinloc, Palauig, San Antonio, San Felipe, San Marcelino, San Narciso, Santa Cruz, and Subic)

No. of Barangays: 230

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province has a very irregular terrain and peninsula formed by the Zambales Mountain.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 62

No. of Mountains: 48

Climate: Dry season from November to April and rainy season from May to October. Zambales is open to the southwest monsoon and cyclonic storms.

Average Annual Rainfall: 100.58 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, monggo and mango

Industries: Mining and logging (major industry), fishing, and cottage industries

Mineral Resources: Chromite

Forest Resources: Timber, rattan, and charcoal

Tourist Attractions: The coastal stretch from San Antonio to Iba, Olongapo City known for its "night life", and the gleaming waterfalls in San Miguel and San Felipe

Governor: Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr.

Congressman: Rolando Andaya Jr.

Souvenirs:

.shirts .seahorse

How To Get There:

.Victory Liner Inc: They have three terminals(Pasay City,Cubao and Caloocan) .Saulog Line: They have no known terminal in manila since their bus route is direct from Olongapo to Cavite (vice versa)

Where To Stay:

.Anne Raquels Resort .Bakasyunan sa Baybay Dagat Resort .Crystal Beach Resort .Canoe Beach Resort .Palmera Garden Hotel and Beach Resort .Paraisong Dalampasigan .Sand Valley Beach Resort

Brief Description:

Zambales has been gifted with the natural beauty of its surroundings. It has been touched by civilization yet has maintained its rustic glory and beauty. The Zambales coastline is most famous for its sandy beaches and deep blue sea teeming with coral reefs. It is perfectly suited for visitors seeking an authentic view of the Philippines without going too far from the national 63 capital, Manila. It is located at the western part of Luzon, 210 kilometers or approximately a three-hour drive from Manila.

Natural Views:

.Snake Island (Subic)Zambales Lake .Balon Falls (Subic) .Hermana Mayor Island (Sta. Cruz) .Bucao River (Botolan, Zambales)

Man-Made Views:

.Rizal Triangle (Olongapo)Zambales Monument .Marikit Park (Olongapo) .Volunteers Park (Olongapo) .Volunteers Wall (Olongapo) .Volunteers Monument (Children of the Sun Returning) (SBMA) .Subic Bay Lighthouse (Subic, Zambales)

Festivals:

.Caracol Boat (Subic; second Sunday of May) .Binabayani (November 30) .Dinamulag-Mango Festival (Iba; April)

Special Interests:

.Scuba Diving / Snorkeling San Salvador Island (Masinloc) .Scuba Diving / Snorkeling Subic Bay (Olongapo City) .Scuba Diving / Snorkeling Silaguin Bay (San Antonio) .Trekking Jungle Tour .Trekking Mt. Pinatubo (San Marcelino) .Trekking Mt. Mabanban (San Antonio) .Trekking Sto. Nino Cave (Candelaria) .Trekking Baloc-Baloc Cave (Sta. Cruz) .Trekking Sagrada Familia Cave (Sta. Cruz) .Surfing

AURORA Transformation of Aurora from its former category as a sub-province (part of Quezon province) to a new province came in a plebiscite held on May 20, 1979 when more tan 99 percent voted for province-hood status. From an economic viewpoint, Aurora is purely agriculture-based. However, it has industrial potentials because of its mineral deposits, the extent of which is still to be explored. It also has potentials for developing into one of the principal fish-producing provinces of the country. Size-wise, Aurora is larger than the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Ilocos Norte, and Siquijor.

History

The Province of Aurora, with Baler as its capital, was founded by President Ferdinand E. Marcos in August 13, 1979 by virtue of Batas Bambansa Blg. 7. This act was the fulfillment of 64 the prayers of the people of the former Municipalities of Baler and Casiguran to be truly independent from the Province of Quezon for the first time since the Spanish occupation.

Former Name: Bondo (1814 to 1935)

Land Area: 3,147.32 km2(1,215.2 sq mi)

Capital: Baler

Population: 187,802 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Tagalog

Income Classification: Fifth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 8 (Baler, Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalongan, Dingalan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, and San Luis)

No. of Barangays: 151

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province has a verdant and rugged terrain.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (with Quezon)

No. of Mountains: 26 (with Quezon)

Climate: Characterized by the absence of a dry season with a pronounced maximum rainfall occurring From October to January. The position of the province exposes it to typhoons that batter the country.

Average Annual Rainfall: 111.56 inches

Principal products/crops: copra and rice

Industries: Fishing and buntal hat weaving

Mineral Resources: Gold, coal, limestone and silica

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Cape Encanto Point, and a number of coves and beaches

Governor: Bellaflor Angara-Castillo 65

Congressman: Benedicto G. Miran

Delicacies:

. .suman

Souvenirs:

.Tshirts .Native Bags .Hats

How To Get There:

By Land:

From Manila, enter the North Expressway at Balintawak and exit at Sta. Rita Bulacan. From there, follow the highway leading to Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. It is advisable to stop for a snack here in preparation for a rough journey. From Cabanatuan City Proper, follow signs leading to Bongabon until you come to a fork, where you see a sign "to Baler" headed right. Turn right and you will reach the foot of the Baler-Bongabon highway which eventually runs right into Aurora National Memorial Park. Beware of wild zigzagging roads, fast trucks and landslides during rainy season. Use this opportunity to view the lush virgin forests of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. After approximately 150 kilometers, you will see the Aurora Welcome Arch. Proceed until you reach the town of San Luis. Stay on the highway until you see the sign going to Baler, and you will be in its town proper within minutes.

By Sea:

To get around Aurora by sea, passenger boats depart from Duungan, located in a river leading to Baler Bay and Baler Poblacion. The boats are docked along the banks, just adjacent to a bridge connecting the Poblacion and Barangay Sabang. Trips to Dipaculao, , Casiguran and Dilasag are available.

By Air:

SEAIR has 8:00 AM flights from Manila to Baler every Friday and Monday. SEAIR then flies back from Baler to Manila at 9:30 AM.

Where To Stay:

.AMCO BEACH RESORT (Brgy. Sabang Baler, Aurora) .BAHIA DE BALER GARDEN RESORT & RESTAURANT (Brgy. Sabang Baler, Aurora) .BAY'S INN .CLEMENTE'S RESORT . APLAYA LODGE .AMIHAN HOTEL 66

.KAHEA'S LODGE .LORENTESS RESORT

Cultural Heritage:

The people of Aurora in Casiguran celebrate Moro-Moro Zarzuela in Baler annually on February 19. This is a combined presentation of drama and dance in lieu of Moro-Moro or Moslem- Christian conflict. Actors and actresses participate in the most sensitive and dangerous sword- play. Only beautiful, graceful ladies and handsome men are chosen and trained for this performance.

Natural Views:

.Lamao Caves .Banju Spring .Cunayan Falls .Paltic Falls .Ditumabo Falls .Bulawan Falls . Mano Falls .Pimentel Falls .Aniao Islets .Dimadimalangat Islet .Lukso-Lukso Islets .Ermita Hill .Ermita Park .Balete Park & Millenium Tree .Ampere Beach .Borlongan Beach .Dinadiawan Beach

REGION IV-A CALABARZON)

BATANGAS was one of the eight provinces which revolted against Spain; hence, it was placed under law by Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco on August 30, 1896. The province has large forest areas in the highlands. Lumbang oil, used in making paints and varnishes, is obtained from the seeds of the lumbang trees which thrive in these forest. American civil government was established in Batangas on May 2, 1901 and again on July 4, 1902.

History

Founded in 1581, Batangas used to be a bigger province composed of the present Batangas, Mindoro, Marinduque, and the southeastern portion of Laguna. It used to be called Balayan, with this town as the capital. In the beginning of the 17th century, Marinduque and the Mindoro were made into separate provinces. In 1732, the capital was transferred to Taal. Finally, in 67

1754, the capital was transferred to Batangas and the province was thereafter named after the new capital town.

Eighteen years later, a grave was excavated in the nearby Punta Buaya. Once again, it showed that early Batangueños have an appreciation of art, since pieces of brain coral were carved behind the heads of the 12 remains that were found. The site was named 'Likha' (meaning 'Creature'). The remains were accompanied by furniture that could be traced as early as the 14th century. Potteries, as well as bracelets, stoneware and metal objects were also found in the area, suggesting that the people who lived there had an extensive contact with people from as far as China.

The presence of believed also suggested that prehistoric Batangaueños believed in the idea of life-after-death, since someone might need a plate where he would eat or chalices where he could drink. This also related the Batangueños to its neighbors in Asia, where it was a custom to bury some furniture with the dead.

Another proof of civilization from the Batangans was the presence of religion. Though it was highly superstitious, such as the use of amuret (witchcraft), it showed that these people believed in the presence of higher beings and other things unseen. Thus, there is a strong connection between the Batangans and nature.

Former Name: "Bonbon"or "Balayan" and "Taal"

Land Area: 3,119.72 km2(1,204.5 sq mi)

Capital:

Population: 2,245,869 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 2 (Batangas and Lipa)

No. of Municipalities: 32 (Agoncillo, Alitagtag, Balayan, Balete, Bauan, Calaca, Calatagan, Cuenca, Ibaan, Laurel, Lemery, Lian, Lobo, Mabini, , Mataas na Kahoy, Nasugbu, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Jose, San Juan, San Luis, San Nicolas, San Pascual, Santa Teresita, Santo Tomas, Taal, Talisay, Tinauan, Taysan, Tingloy, and Tuy)

No. of Barangays: 1,078

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province which is elevated down toward the west, south and southwest coasts. It is characterized by highlands.

No. of Principal Rivers: 7( some of which are Malaking Ilog, Malitlit, Munting Tubig, and Rosario) 68

No. of Mountains: 5

Climate: Dry season from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. Heaviest rainfall is from July to August. The coldest month is January; the warmest months are April and May.

Average Annual Rainfall: 85.66 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, sugarcane, coconut, corn, banana, mandarin, orange, and coffee

Industries: Fishing, farming and weaving (embroidery)

Mineral Resources: Copper, ore, lead, clay and limestone

Forest Resources: Timber and lumbang oil

Tourist Attractions: Taal Volcano and Lake, Beach Resort, Talisay Beach, Butong Beach, Laiya, Batulao Beach and the Calatagan resort (Punta Baluarte)

Governor: Vilma Santos-Recto

Congressman: Tomas Apacible and Dodo Mandanas

.kalderetang kambing (stewed goats meat) . ( bone marrow and shank boiled) . (roasted pig) .Tapang Taal (jerked ) .tablea (cocoa chocolate)

Souvenir:

.shirts .bags .caps .key chains .sarongs

How To Get There:

The province of Batangas is 110 kilometers south of Manila. It is accessible by land transportation from Manila. Commercial buses of BLTB, JAM, Tritan, Batangas Express Liner,Triffman Liner, Biñan Transportation, ALPS and CJC Transit serve the riding public. Batangas is accessible from neighboring provinces such as Cavite, Laguna and Quezon by land via public buses and jeepneys. Ferryboats and other watercrafts connect the province to Mindoro and other nearby islands. Most of the destinations in the province are accessible by public buses stationed on E. Delos Santos Avenues (EDSA), Pasay City and are about 1 1/2 hours ride away from Manila. Source of Information: Department of Tourism, Philippines.

Where To Stay: 69

In Batangas City, the most prominent accommodation you can find is Hotel Pontefino. It has 60- quality rooms and suites designed to provide the utmost comfort for your stay. The B & B boast of facilities like dining facilities, infinity pools, an outdoor gym, and business centers to name a few.

Brief Description:

A province that is famous for excellent dive sites and the world's lowest volcano, Batangas is going nowhere but up. It is a thriving tourist destination replete with open beaches and sheltered coves, subterranean caves and deep harbors, a preserved heritage and brave men in history.

Found in the province is world-known and its many dive sites that are ideal for poking around and observing marine life, and outstanding for macro photography. Multi-hued crinoids are prolific. The variety of nudibranchs is unmatched. Night dives are especially nice and often reveal unusual creatures like sea hares, sea goblins, catfish eels, ghost pipe fishes, blue-ringed octopuses, mandarin fishes, and snake eels. The area's best known dive site, coral-covered Cathedral is spectacular at night. One of the prettiest dives in the area, Sepok has nice coral gardens and a vertical wall.

Cultural Heritage:

Museo ng Batangas is the province museum that serves as a depository of Batangas culture, lifestyle and history. The museum is created by Executive Order #30-93 signed by Batangas Governor Vicente Mayo on March 3, 1993.

It is a private museum holding archaeological and ethnographical collection relating to Batangas and other provinces in the Southern Tagalog Region. It also holds deposits of Batangas memorabilia that keeps the cultural wealth active and alive.

Natural Views:

.Gerthel Beach (Located in the town of Lobo) .Submarine Garden (Also located in the town of Lobo) .Mahabang Buhangin Beach (Located in the town of San Juan) .Hugon Beach (Located in Barangay Hugon, San Juan) .Tingga Falls (Located in Daang Ibaan, Batangas City) .Munting Buhangin Beach (Located in Nasugbu) .Natipunan Beach (Also located in Nasugbu) . and Volcano .Matabungkay Beach (A two-kilometer long white sand beach situated in the town of Lian facing the China Sea) .Mt. Maculot (Located in Cuenca) .Calijon Falls (Located in Barangay Calijon, Malvar) .Mainit Hot Springs (Located in Baronage Pulang Bato, San Juan) .Tinalunan (Also located on the Island of Isla Verde) .Cueva Sitio (Also located on the island of Isla Verde) .Ilijan Falls (Located in Barangay Ilijan) .Sepok Point (Located on the southwestern part of Maricaban Island) .Bulalacao Falls (Located in Barangay Bulaklakan, Lipa City)

CAVITE province, where the first Philippine flag was unfurled and the national anthem first 70 played, is traditionally called "the cradle of Philippine freedom." It was here, in 1872, that an event leading to the execution of the three-martyr-priests, Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, took place fanning in consequence the embers of . Rich in history, Cavite has, however, been rather slow in catching up with the times. It is, in fact what might be called "the slumbering province." In 1942, about 18,000 Cavitenos still spoke chabacano. Also, in spite of the advent of electricity, jeepneys, and a refinery in Rosario, Cavite remains very much as it was before World War II.

History

In 1614, the politico-military jurisdiction of Cavite was established covering all the present territory except for the town of Maragondon, which used to belong to the corregimiento of Mariveles. Maragondon was ceded to Cavite in 1754. Within Maragondon was a settlement established in 1663 for Christian exiles from Ternate, Mollucas.

In 1872, a by disgruntled navy men in Cavite led to a large-scale crackdown on reformers and liberals. Three Filipino priests Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez and Jacinto Zamora- were executed and dozens others sent into exile. In 1896, after the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution, Cavite took center stage as thousands of Katipuneros liberated most of the province's towns.

On August 26, 1896, when the Philippine revolution against Spain broke out, Cavite became a bloody theatre war. Led by Emilio Aguinaldo, Cavitenos made surprise attacks on the Spanish headquarters and soon liberated the whole province.

Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Philippine president came from the town of and directed the conduct of the Revolution from his base in the province. He agreed to go into exile in December 1897, but returned to the Philippines in May 1898. On June 12, he declared Philippine independence from the balcony of his home in Kawit.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 1,427.06 km2

Population: 2,987,891 (2008)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: 3 (Cavite, and Trece Martires

No. of Municipalities: 20 (Alfonso, Amadeo, Bacoor, Carmona, Dasmarinas, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo (Bailen), Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Gen. Trias, Indang, Kawit, Magallanes, Maragondon, Mendez-Nunez, Naic, Noveleta, Rosario, Silang, Tanza, and Ternate)

No. of Barangays: 829

No. of Municipal Districts: None 71

Topography: Its terrain is characterized by rolling hinterlands punctuated by hills where upland crops grow in abundance. The shoreline fronting Manila Bay is at sea level. The only rugged portion of the province is at the boundary of Batangas where the Dos Picos mountains are located.

No. of Principal Rivers: 2

No. of Mountains: 2 (Mt. Dos Picos and Mt. )

Climate: Dry season from December to April and rainy season from May to November.

Average Annual Rainfall: 77.2 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, sugarcane, coconut, coffee, banana and peanuts

Industries: Fishing, salt making and chemical manufacturing (major industries)

Mineral Resources: Salt

Forest Resources: Timber and rattan

Tourist Attractions: The municipality of Alfonso where traditional customs such as "Palaro", and "Santacruzan" are held, the in Kawit, and the Lake Taal and Taal volcano, which are visible from different lodges.

Governor: Juanito Victor C. Remulla Jr.

Congressman: Joseph Emilio A. Abaya, Lani M. Revilla, Erineo Maliksi, Roy M. Loyola, Antonio A. Ferrer and Jesus Crispin C. Remulla

Transportation:

Current entrance and exit routes to and from Cavite are no longer sufficient to decongest traffic along major thoroughfares. The lack of transportation facilities, traffic control systems and insufficient road signages, substandard road structures, prioritization of intersecting streets/alleys against major roads, dangerous electric posts at outer lanes in some areas further aggravate to the worsening transportation situation. Likewise, observed mixed traffic (pedestrian, public transport modes jeepneys, tricycles, cars) along streets/roads, especially in the business districts add up to the traffic problem.

LAGUNA and its people hade figured prominently in Philippine history. The province is one of the oldest settlements in the country where the Spaniards found densely populated settlements along the Laguna de Bay coasts, inland lakes and its many rivers. The Aetas, after them, the Dumagats, first sttled in Laguna before they were displaced by the Tagalogs. Laguna was one of the first eight provinces that rose against Spain. The province is also known as the birthplace of Dr. Jose Rizal, the country's national hero. Today, Laguna which is famous for its Pagsanjan and Botocan Falls, is the center of scientific agriculture research in the Philippines.

History 72

The province of Laguna was named after Laguna de Bay, the body of water that forms the province's northern boundary. In turn, Laguna de Bay was named after the town of bay which was the first provincial capital.

This province along with its surrounding regions were conquered for Spain by Capt. Juan de Salcedo in 1571 and seven years hence, the Franciscan friars started the Christianization of the province.

The eruption of the Filipino-American war in 1899-1901 saw Generals Juan Cailles and Paciano Rizal leading the defense of Laguna until surrender was inevitable. Under the American Flag, Cailles was named the Filipino Governor of Laguna.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 1,759.7 sq. km.

Capital: Cruz

Population: 2,473,530 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (San Pablo)

No. of Municipalities: 29 ( Alaminos, Bay, Biñan, Cabuyao, Calamba, , Cavinti, Famy, Kalayaan- Longos, Liliw (Lilio), Los Baños, Luisiana, , Mabitac, Magdalena, , , Paete, Pagsajan, Pakil, Pangil, Pila, Rizal, San Pedro, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Santa Rosa, Siniloan, and Victoria)

No. of Barangays: 674

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Characterized by a series of dormant volcanoes alternating with gently rolling and level plains. There are several mountains here, most famous of which are Mt. Makiling, and Mt. Banahaw.

No. of Principal Rivers: 7 (Balanac, Lumban, Mabacan, Malaunod, Mayor, Sta. Cruz and Sta. Maria)

No. of Mountains: 10 (Makiling, Banahaw and San Cristobal among others)

Climate: The eastern portion has more or less evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year. A small portion in the southern boundary has no pronounced seasons although it is relatively dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. The rest of Laguna is dry from November to April and wet the rest of the year.

Average Annual Rainfall: 100.3 inches 73

Principal products/crops: Coconut, rice, sugarcane and corn

Industries: Fishing, livestock and poultry raising

Mineral Resources: Copper and iron ore

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Sampaloc Lake, Dona Leonilla Park, UP College of Agriculture, the National Park, Pagsajan Falls, Hidden Valley, , National Botanical Garden, La Laguna Encantada, Cielito Lindo, Underground Cemetery in Nagcarlan, and the hidden valley springs in Caliraya.

Governor: Emilio Ramon "Jeorge Estregan" P. Ejercito, III

Congressman: Dan Fernandez

Cultural Impacts:

Laguna lake has had a significant impact on the cultures of the communities that grew up around its shores, ranging from folk medicine to architecture.

For example, the traditional cure for a child constantly experiencing nose bleed in Victoria, Laguna is to have the child submerge his or her head in the lake water at daybreak.

When nipa huts were more common, huts made in the lake area were constructed out of bamboo that would first be cured in the waters of Laguna Lake.

Some experts on the evolution of local mythologies suggest that the legend of Mariang Makiling may have started out as that of the Lady (Ba'i) of Laguna de Bay, before the legend was transmuted to Mount Makiling.

QUEZON, which was explored by the Spaniards in 1571 and 1572, was the site of many sporadic rebellions, the most notable of which was that led by Apolinario de la Cruz. Later called "Hermano Pule", de la Cruz was not allowed to join a Spanish monastic order. The founding of his own religious society resulted in a rebellion. Succeeding at first, Hermano Pule proclaimed himself king of the Tagalogs. The establishment of a civil government in the province took place during the American Occupation in 1901. On September 7, 1946, President Manuel L. Roxas, by the virtue of Republic Act No. 14, renamed to Quezon, in honor of Manuel L. Quezon who came from the town of Baler (formerly a part of Quezon).

History

At one time, Quezon was under the jurisdiction of various provinces. In 1858, the central portion was under the authority of Batangas. The northern portion was divided between Laguna and Nueva Ecija while the other portion was divided between the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque, and Camarines.

In 1591, Tayabas was created into a province under the name of Kalilayan. On 12 March 1902, 74 the civil government was established in Tayabas with as its capital. On 12 June 1902, the district of Principe, formerly under Nueva Ecija, and the district of Infanta, including Polillo, was annexed to Tayabas.

On 7 September 1946, Tayabas was renamed Quezon Province in honor of President Manuel L. Quezon, president of the Philippine Commonwealth, who hailed from the town of Baler. Later, in 1951, a northern municipality, Aurora, was created into a subprovince, and named in honor of the President's spouse, Doña Aurora Quezon.

Former Names: Kalilaya and Tayabas

Land Area: 8,845.8 km2 (3,415.4 sq mi)

Capital: Lucena City

Population: 1,646,510 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Lucena)

No. of Municipalities: 40 (Agdangan, Alabat, Atimonan, Buenavista, Burdeos, Calauag, Candelaria, Catanauan, Dolores, General Luna, General Nakar, Guinayangan, Gumaca, Infanta, Jumalig, Lopez, , Macelelon, Mauban, Mulanay, Padre Burgos, Pagbilao, Panukulan, Patnanungan, Perez, Pitogo, Plaridel, Polillo, Quezon, Real, Sampaloc, San Andres, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Narciso, , Tagkawayan, Tayabas, Tiaong and Unisan)

No. of Barangays: 1,209

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: There are small coastal lowlands rimmed by rugged highlands in the interior of the province. The Sierra Madre Range runs along the entire length of Quezon. Several islands are part of the province, the largest of which is .

No. of Principal Rivers: 5

No. of Mountains: 26

Climate: Characterized by the absence of a dry season, the pronounced rainy period occurs from October to January. The position of the province exposes it to the annual typhoons affecting the country.

Average Annual Rainfall: 111.56 inches

Principal products/crops: Coconut, corn, banana, vegetables and rootcrops

Industries: Logging and fishing 75

Mineral Resources: Gold, coal, limestone and silica

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: The Landlocked bays of Padre Burgos, Perez Park, Dalahican Beach, Quezon Memorial Park, and Balesin and Jomalig Bay Resorts.

Governor: David C. Suarez

Congressman: Vincent P. Crisologo

Festivals:

.Mt. Banahaw Mountain Climbing .Feast of San Isidro Labrador / Pahiyas Festival .Feast of San Isidro / Agawan sa Sariaya .Feast of San Isidro / Balwarte sa Gumaca .Feast of San Isidro / Mayohan sa Tayabas .Pasayahan sa Lucena .Hambujan Festival .Dolores Day

Terrific Tours:

.Padre Burgos Submarine Garden .D and G Farms .Lopez Submarine Garden .Minasawa Bird Sanctuary .Bird Island .Polillo Coral Reef .Burdeos Coral Area .Cultural Tour .Nature Tripping .Swimming

RIZAL, once an Aeta territory, is the only province which can really be considered as fully industrialized. Most of the country's biggest corporations operate within the province. Its proximity to Manila has enabled its people to gain access to latest social, cultural and educational developments. Also as a direct result of its nearness to Manila, Rizal has become the most urbanized provinces in the country. The old province of Rizal was originally made up of the military district of Morong (one of its present towns) and a part of what was then the province of Manila. Rizal was created by the Americans under the Provincial Organization Act No. 1901. Under the Act, the Province of Rizal comprised 19 towns of the politico-military district of Morong. The province was named after the national hero Jose Rizal.

History

The province of Rizal was originally composed of 26 towns. The territory began with the organization of the Tondo province and Laguna province during the Spanish administration. 76

Some of the towns like , Parañaque, Taytay and Cainta were already thriving. Tagalog settlements arrived in Rizal who were originally were Chinese and later had interactions and admixtures with Arab traders long before the Spanish conquest.

In 1860, by virtue of Circular No. 83, dated September 2, 1859, the Province of Tondo became the Province of Manila. All its towns were placed under the administration, fiscal supervision and control of the Governor of the new province.

Although the delegates from Morong, Don Hilarion Raymundo and Don Jose Tupas, objected to the proposal, Don Juan Sumulong of Antipolo strongly advocated the move. After much acrimonious debate and upon the suggestion of Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera the body agreed on the creation of a new province independent of the Province of Manila. The new province was aptly named after Jose Rizal, the country's national hero.

Former Name: Mo.ong or (Rinconada de Morong)

Land Area: 1,175.8 km2(454 sq mi)

Capital: Pasig (although a part of Metro Manila)

Population: 2,298,961 ( 2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: None b14 (, Antipolo, Baras, , Cainta, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong, Pililla, Rodriguez, San Mateo, Tanay, and Teresa)

No. of Municipalities: 13

No. of Barangays: 188

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The eastern portion of Rizal is composed of gently rolling hills broken only by a few ridges, while the western part is low and flat.

No. of Principal Rivers: 2 (Marikina and Pasig)

No. of Mountains: 36

Climate: Dry season from November to April and wet the rest of the year.

Average Annual Rainfall: 58.83 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice

Industries: Manufacturing and fishing 77

Mineral Resources: Cement, marble, limestone and feldspar

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: The town of Antipolo, Daranac Waterfalls, and Montalban Dam

Governor: Casimiro Ynares III

Congressman: Joel Roy R. Duavit and Isidro S. Rodriguez, Jr.

Beautiful Spots to Go:

.Batlag Falls ., Antipolo .Daranak Falls .Mount Masungi Rock Formations, Tanay .Angono .A Happy Carabao, Blanco Family Museum

Travel Escapade:

There are jeepneys plying from Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong that go through the different towns of Rizal- whether Antipolo, Morong, Angono, Tanay and others. Travel time should be around 45 minutes and an hour depending on the traffic situation and your final destination (Tanay takes about 2 hours by jeepney and costs about PhP50-55 Pesos). There are jeepneys between towns, so it wouldn't be too hard getting to different towns. For those with private vehicles, the most convenient way is get a road map of Rizal beforehand. The locals are generally helpful in pointing you to the places that you need to go. To go through the waterfalls of Tanay and other areas, you may rent a tricycle to take you and back (PhP400 from Tanay Town Proper to Daranak Falls and back) which is a little too pricey, and a bit unreliable. There are rarely any tricycles coming from Daranak. Your best bet is to take a car or van if you want get off and head towards the unbeaten path. Some roads can be pretty bad- like the one going to Calinawan Cave (there are nary any street signs at all and there are a lot of twists and turns in an area with very thick undergrowth. You may want to check with a local before heading out there. Rizal on its own doesn't have very convenient tourist information centers- you have better chances of knowing a particular tourist spot by asking tricycle or jeepney drivers in the area which we practically did. 78

REGION IV-B MIMAROPA

OCCIDENTAL MINDORO Native to the island of Mindoro is the Mangyan tribe. Intensive settlement during the Spanish and American eras has produced a population of migrants from other provinces, including Muslims from Mindanao and Sulu. As early as the 10th century, the natives of Mindoro were trading extensively with Chinese merchants. In a document dated 1226 A.D., Chau-Ju-Jua, a Chinese historian, mentions Mindoro and refers o the island as "Mai". Spanish expeditions come to tame the land as early as 1570, particularly the areas known as Mamburao and Lubang.

History

Mai, believed to be the old name of Mindoro, was mentioned in an old Chinese document in 982 A.D. According to Scott, a historian, Mai is how the people of Southern China pronounced Mait, a settlement at the southern part of Mindoro where the natives of the place and the Chinese traders used to barter goods. According to Antoon Postma, a Dutch researcher, the name Mait or Mahit was often mentioned in the ambahan or songs of the Mangyans. A coastal settlement at Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro is still called Mait by the indigenous people up to the present time.

In 1902, under the American government, Mindoro was made as a sub-province of Marinduque. After three years, it was made as a special province. Finally, on July 1, 1921 it was elevated to the status of a regular province.

A tragic incident which the people of Occidental Mindoro could not forget was the assassination of Assemblyman Pedro Mendiola, Sr., the representative of the province to the Interim Batasang Pambansa, by unknown individuals, while he was delivering his speech at the plaza of San Vicente, Sablayan in April, 1986. Up to the present time, the perpetrators of the crime have not been identified and apprehended. 79

Former Name: Mait and Mina de Oro

Land Area: 5,865.7 km2(2,264.8 sq mi)

Capital: Mamburao

Population: 421,592 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 11 (Abra de Ilog, Calintaan, Looc, Lubang, Magsaysay, Mamburao, Paluan, Rizal, Sablayan, San Jose, and Santa Cruz)

No. of Barangays: 162

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Its terrain is marked by successive mountain ranges intermittent valleys and elongated plateaus. There are also rolling prairie lands along the coastal region.

No. of Principal Rivers: 2

No. of Mountains: 19 (Mt. Baco is the highest)

Climate: Dry season from November to May, and rainy season from June to October.

Average Annual Rainfall: 93.18 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, coconut, fruits and rootcrops.

Industries: Fishing (major industry), logging lumbering and cattle raising

Mineral Resources: Iron, chromite, copper, gypsum and coal

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Pagbahan River, White Island, Busuanga River and Tayamaan Cove

Governor: Josephine Ramirez-

Congressman: Jose T. Villarosa

ORIENTAL MINDORO In the early years, Mindoro was administered as a part of the province of Bonbon, now Batangas. It was separated at the start of the 17th century and organized into a 80 corregimiento with Puerto Galera as the capital. During the Philippine Revolution of 1896, the revolutionary forces in Mindoro established a government until 1901 when the American forces occupied the province. The island of Lubang, formerly a part of Cavite, was annexed to Mindoro on June 23, 1902. Mindoro was made a part of Marinduque when the latter was organized into regular province. Five years later, Mindoro was organized into a special province. It was mad a regular province under Act. No. 2964 approved on February 20, 1921. On June 13, 1950, Mindoro was split into two provinces under Republic Act No. 205.

History

The history of Mindoro dates back before the Spanish time. Records have that Chinese traders were known to be trading with Mindoro merchants. Trade relations with China where Mindoro was known as "Mai" started withceratin traders from "Mai" brought valuable merchandise to Canton in 89 A.D. The geographic proximity of the island to China Sea had made poss the establish of such relations with Chinese merchantmen long before the first Europeans came to the Philippines. Historians believed that the first inhabitants of Mindoro were the who came to the island 8, 000 to 3, 000 years ago.After the Indonesians, the Malays came from Southeast Asia around 200 B.C. The Malays were believed to have extensive culturalcontract with India, China and Arabia before they settled in Philippine Archipelago.

Former Name: Mait and Mina de Oro

Land Area: 4,238.4 km2(1,636.5 sq mi)

Capital: Calapan

Population: 735,769 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 15 ( Baco, Bansud, Bongabong, Bulalakao-San Pedro, Calapan, Gloria, Mansalay, Naujan, Pinamalayan, Pola, Puerto Galera, Roxas, San Teodoro, Socorro, and Victoria)

No. of Barangays: 426

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: There are several mountains in the northern and western portions of Oriental Mindoro. Just off the north coast is the Passage, which divides the Verde Island into north and south passes. Soquicay Bay provides the best typhoon refuge on the coast.

No. of Principal Rivers: 1

No. of Mountains: 15 (Mt. Halcon is the highest) 81

Climate: Rainy season from June to October and dry season from November to May.

Average Annual Rainfall: 85.11 inches

Principal products/crops: Coconut, fruits, coffee, vegetables and abaca

Industries: Logging and lumbering (major industries), livestock and poultry raising, and weaving.

Mineral Resources: Copper, gold, and marble

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: The Bangkuro Church (a church within a church), Lazarete Wharf, and the beaches in Balete, Aganahaw, and Puerto Galera.

Governor: Alfonso V. Umali,Jr.

Congressman: Rodolfo G. Valencia

Best Time to Visit:

As heavy rains from June to November could spoil the fun with muddy roads and rough seas, the best time to go is always during the summer season from February to May. The tourism peak season in Puerto Galera is usually around the days leading to Holy Week and after it. If you don't want your beaches crowded especially in White Beach, then go earlier or later. Going early can also save you the hassle of being stuck at ports as chance passengers. There are also a number of minor festivals to be celebrated in the province's other municipalities during this time.

Where to Stay:

Asia Divers Scube Diving Center and the El Galleon Beach Club (Small La Laguna Beach, Sabang, Puerto Galera) has budget, poolside, seaside and penthouse rooms with air- conditioning beginning at $51 to $145 per night. They give exclusive scuba diving courses to interested guests and offer one of the best technical diving support services in Asia. Other amenities include a conference hall, beachside and restaurant with exquisite food choices, and Internet facilities.

ROMBLON The province of Romblon, better known for its marble quarries was organized into a politico-military comendencia by the Spanish colonial government in 1853. During the Philippine-American War, Filipinos captured the province and held it until the establishment of civilian rule by the Americans. The islands remained a sub-province of Capiz until 1917 when it was created as an independent province. The earliest inhabitants of the province were said to be the Negritos from Panay and the Mangyans from Mindoro. Today, Romblon's population is made up of several ethno-linguistic groups. The majority are descendants of the seafaring Malays who settled on the island of Panay.

History 82

In the 19th century, under the Spanish colonial government, the province underwent various political and jurisdictional reorganizations. In 1818, it was incorporated into the province of Capiz, and later in 1853, the islands were reorganized into a politicomilitary commandancia with its center in Capiz.

In 1898 Romblon was administered by army captain with Romblon town as its capital. Other municipalities were named Azagra, Badajoz (now San Agustin), Banton, Cajidiocan, Corcuera, Looc, Magallanes (now Magdiwang), Odiongan, Despujol (now San Andres), and Santa Fe. During the latter part of the Philippine Revolution, Romblon, as part of Capiz was administered by General Mariano Riego de Dios who headed the Filipino revolutionary forces in the Visayas during the Philippine-American War.

Former Names: Lomlon and Donblon

Land Area: 1,533.5km2(592.1sqmi)

Capital: Romblon

Population: 279,774 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Hilagaynon

Income Classification: Fifth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 17 ( Alcantara, Banton (Jones), Cajidiocan, Calatrava, Concepcion, Corcuera, Ferrol, Imelda, Looc, Magdiwang, Odiongan, Romblon, San Agustin, San Andres, San Fernando, San Jose, and Santa Fe)

No. of Barangays: 219

No. of Municipal Districts: 1 (Calatrava)

Topography: Tablas, the largest island of Romblon, is about 70 kilometers long and 17 kilometers wide, with a continuous rolling plain on the west and an alluvial plain that reaches the sea on the east. Another island is the kidney-shaped Sibuyan island. Sibuyan is a mountain marked by thick forests.

No. of Principal Rivers: 1 (Catingas)

No. of Mountains: 10

Climate: Although open to the northwest monsoon, Romblon is partly sheltered from the northern and trade winds. It has no pRonounced maximum rain period but has a dry season from one to three months.

Average Annual Rainfall: 90 inches 83

Principal products/crops: Rice, rootcrops, corn, vegetables, fruits, coconut, and sugarcane

Industries: Logging (major industry), fishing, timber operations, and production of food crops.

Mineral Resources: Marble, zinc, copper, silver, limestone, sulfide ore, and pyrite.

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Bonbon Beach, Festin's Treehouse and the Fort of San Andres in Romblon town.

.Mt. Guiting-Guiting (Sibuyan, Romblon) .Bonbon Beach (Brgy. Lonos, Romblon) .Tiamban Beach (Brgy. Lonos, Romblon) .San Jose (San Jose, Romblon) .Mablaran Falls (Linawan, San Andres, Romblon) .Santa Fe Trail (Santa Fe, Romblon) .Cobrador Island (Romblon, Romblon) .Tinagong Dagat (Brgy. Talisay, Calatrava, Romblon) .Mainit Falls (Brgy. Patoo, Odiongan) .Cantingas River (Taclobo, San Fernando, Romblon)

Governor:Eduardo C. Firmalo

Congressman: Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona

PALAWAN, which is the country's largest province, has three historical forts. Fort Culion built in 1740, Fort Cuyo in 1680, and Fort Labo in 1719, were all constructed by the Augustinians to ward off Muslim Raiders. Palawan has the richest fishing grounds in the country. But still another important source of income for many people of the province is the gathering of edible bird's nests. Highly prized as a delicacy, edible bird's nests are gathered from caves and cliffs in certain areas of the province. Palawan has several exciting natural wonders. Among them are the wonderful in Quezon Island, Ursula Island in Brooke's Point, and the Palawan Beach Resort. There are also groups of rare animals found in the province.

History

The history of Palawan may be traced back 22,000 years ago, as confirmed by the discovery of bone fragments of the in the municipality of Quezon. Although the origin of the cave dwellers is not yet established, anthropologists believe they came from Borneo. Known as the "Cradle of Philippine Civilization" the Tabon Caves consist of a series of chambers where scholars and anthropologists discovered the remains of the Tabon Man along with his tools and a number of artifacts.

There are several versions regarding the origin of the name "Palawan." Some contend that it was derived from the Chinese word "Pa-Lao-Yu" meaning "Land of Beautiful Harbors." Others believe that it came from the Indian word "Palawans" meaning "Territory."Still others say that it was derived from a plant which the natives called Palwa." But the popular belief is that. Palawan 84 is a corrupted form of the Spanish word "aragua" because the main island's shape resembles a closed umbrella.

Palawan is a champion of nature preservation. A unique institute called the Irawan Crocodile Farming Institute is located in National Road, Barangay Irawan, Puerto Princesa City. Also known as the hospital for sick and disabled crocodiles, the institute aims to preserve and conduct further research studies on endangered crocodile species. It also institutionalizes the use of the raw materials derived from crocodile skin for common purposes. The place, moreover, also maintains a mini-zoo, featuring some of Palawan's endemic animals.

Former Names: Calamianes and Paragua

Land Area: 14,649.7 km2(5,656.3 sq mi)

Capital: Puerto Princesa City

Population: 682,152 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog and Cuyonan

Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Puerto Princesa);

No. of Municipalities: 21 (Aborlan, Agutaya, Araceli, Balabac, Batarasa, Brooke's Point, Busuanga, Cagayancillo, Coron, Cuyo, Dumaran, El Nido, Kalayaan Island, Linapacan, Magsaysay, Narra, Marcos, Quezon, Roxas, San Vicente, and Taytay)

No. of Barangays: 367

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Palawan is a frontier country noted for its wild life. The island has rugged mountains running its entire length, with ridges visibly higher on its southern side. Peaks range from 1,000 to 1,900 meters. Along the east and west coasts are heavily forested rolling plains. Rivers and streams characterize the eastern section. The most unusual of these is the Underground River flowing under limestone rocks for about seven kilometers. Except for a few which admit flat-bottomed crafts, there are no navigable rivers.

No. of Principal Rivers: 1

No. of Mountains: 47

Climate: The entire western coastal region had two distinct seasons: dry from April to September and wet the rest of the year. The eastern coast has a pronounced dry season from April to June, and wet the rest of the year. Calm months are from April to June on the northern and southern portions (the southern areas are practically free from typhoons while the northern areas are buffeted with gales and torrential rains from July to August). 85

Average Annual Rainfall: 63.28 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, coconut, banana, corn, vegetables, rootcrops, and fruits

Industries: Logging (main industry), fishing and gathering of edible bird's nests

Mineral Resources: Copper, manganese, mercury and chromite'

Forest Resources: Edible bird's nests, rare animals and plants, and timber

Tourist Attractions: The noted Underground River, Canigaran beach, Iwahig Penal Colony, the Tabon Caves in Quezon Island, Ursula Island in Brooke's Point, and the Palawan Beach Resort.

Governor: Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra

Congressman: Antonio C. Alvarez

MARINDUQUE Rich in religious heritage, Marinduque formerly belonged to the Archdiocese of Manila. However, when the secular priest stationed in Boac died in 1821, Miguel Garcia Serrano entrusted its spiritual care to the Jesuits who later founded the first three towns of Boac, Sta. Cruz and Gasan. Marinduque was created on May 1, 1901 when Act. No. 125 of the US-Philippine Commission was passed. Legend, however, has a different version of how the island of Marinduque was formed. Heart-shaped, Marinduque was formed as a consequence of a tragic love affair between a girl named Marin and her lover Garduke. Because Batumbacal, Marin's father, disapproved of the affair, he ordered the beheading of Garduke. But before this could be done, the pair sailed out to sea and drowned themselves. The island that rose from the waters was named Marinduque.

History

Early in the 17th century, the island of Marinduque was separated from Batangas and became a part of Mindoro as a corregimiento, town. In 1671 Marinduque functioned as a province but was later reduced as a Mindoro sub-province.

On April 28, 1898, with the overthrow of the last Spanish casadores (Tagalog soldiers) after armed conflict and hostilities with the revolutionists during the Philippine-Spanish War, Marinduque declared its separation from Mindoro and from Spanish rule, a move that was ratified by the ruling class from the different towns of the island-province. The local struggle was led by Martin Lardizabal, who was military governor of Marinduque's first revolutionary provincial government.

The first major victory of the Filipinos during the second phase of the Philippine revolution (the Filipino-American War) in Marinduque (1900-1901), occurred at the Battle of Pulang Lupa (Torrijos), when local forces led by Col. Maximo Abad defeated the American contingent under the command of Capt. Deverieux Shields. (The said battle was considered one of the most dramatic reversals the Americans suffered during the war with the Philippines).

Former Name: Malandik and Marindoc 86

Land Area: 952.6 km2(367.8 sq mi)

Capital: Boac

Population: 229,636 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 6 (Boac, Buenavista, Gasan, Mogpog, Santa Cruz and Torrijos)

No. of Barangays: 218

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province has several rivers, and its terrain is flat in the towns of Boac, Mogpog, Gasan and a portion of Buenavista. The land becomes rugged towards the central spine.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (Boac River is the largest)

No. of Mountains: 3

Climate: Dry season from December to May, and rainy season from June to November. The province is frequently visited by typhoons.

Average Annual Rainfall: 70.99 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, copra, corn and cassava

Industries: Mining and agriculture

Mineral Resources: Gold, copper, silver and iron

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: The Caves, Banot beach in Gasan, the Tres Reyes Islands (Melchor, Gaspar, Baltazar), the Malbog sulphur hot springs in Buenavista, and the Moriones Festival, celebrated during Holy Week.

Governor: Carmencita Ongsiako Reyes

Congressman: Fernando V. Gonzalez 87

Demography: Marinduqueños are said to be very hospitable in nature and are very welcoming. One such custom reflecting this is putong, which is a custom of welcoming and honoring friends and visitors. The honoree (or honorees) are seated and crowned with flowers while local women dance and sing for them. Other well-wishers throw coins and flower petals for long life. Marinduqueños are of Tagalog origin and speak Tagalog.

Transportation:

-BY AIR:

Currently, Marinduque is served with a direct flight to and from Manila with Zest Airways (Formerly Asian Spirit), the aircraft lands at the Marinduque Airport in barangay Masiga, roughly in between Gasan and Boac.

-BY WATER:

Montenegro Lines- bounding from Lucena City to Marinduque through Balanacan Port in Mogpog, Buyabod Port in Sta. Cruz, and Cawit Port in Boac.

MV - Torrijos- bounding from Lucena City to Marinduque through Buyabod Port in Sta. Cruz, and Cawit Port in Boac

JAC Liner Inc. also served a direct route from Manila to Marinduque through roll on-roll off along the way. 88

REGION V BICOL REGION

ALBAY Possessing a generally volcanic terrain, Albay is best known for the famous Mayo Volcano. Named after the Bicol word magayon, meaning "beautiful", the once perfect cone is as majestic as it dreadful- its eruption in 1814 killed thousands of people and buried towns, particularly Cagsawa where the church belfry remained.Albay's official seal depicts the kalaw, a high-flying bird native to Albay. The bird symbolizes the hopes and aspirations of the people. The streak of light on the shoulder of the volcano in the seal signifies the artistry of its people, while the ricefields denote the agricultural economy of the inhabitants.

History

Albay and its surrounding areas were known as Ibalon when Juan de Salcedo and 120 soldiers explored it in 1573. Sawangan, a small settlement by a mangrove swamp, became a town called Albaybay (which means "by the bay") in 1616. The town was first renamed Albay, then Legazpi, as Albay went on to refer to the province.

In 1846, the islands of Masbate, Ticao, and were separated from Albay to form the comandancia of Masbate. Albay was then divided into four districts: Iraya, Cordillera or Tobaco, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes. In 1894, Sorsogon became a separate province and Catanduanes in 1945. The province of Albay itself was created on March 10, 1917.

Mayon Volcano, is one of the most violent eruptions, destroyed five towns surrounding its base in 1814. This eruption forced the town of Cagsawa to relocate its present site to Legazpi.

During the Filipno-American War, Brigadier General William Kobbe headed the expedition that landed on the ports of Sorsogon, Bulan and Donsol. From there, the American marched to Legazpi and captured the place.

Former Names: "Sawagnan" and "Albaybay"

Land Area: 2,565.77 km2(990.6 sq mi)

Capital: Legaspi City 89

Population: 1,190,823 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Bicol Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: 3 ( Legazpi,Ligao and Tobaco)

No. of Municipalities: 15 (Bacacay, Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan, Jovellar, Libon, Malilipot, Malinao, Manito, Oas, Pio Duran , , Rapu-Rapu, Santo Domingo and Tiwi)

No. of Barangays: 720

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Apart from Mayon Volcano, several other mountains accentuate the scenic panorama of the province. The plains and valleys are fertile mainly because of active volcanism in the area. There are also various creeks and rivers that drain the province.

No. of Principal Rivers: 4

No. of Mountains: 11 (prominent ones are Mayon, Putsan, Caburanan, Pantao, Masaraga and Malinao)

Climate: The eastern part of Albay has no dry season but has a pRonounced maximum rainfall from November to January. The west portion has no dry season with the rainfalls fairly distributed throughout the year. Generally, the climate is mild.

Average Annual Rainfall: 133.18 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, (major crop), coconut, sugarcane, and peanuts.

Industries: Coconut oil production (major industry), fishing and coal mining.

Mineral Resources: Copper, coal, lime, clay, gypsum, perlite, and coral rocks.

Forest Resources: Timber, rattan, almaciga, and beeswax.

Tourist Attractions: The Cagsawa ruins, the Pali Falls, Mayon Volcano, Hoyop-Hoyopan Caves in Camalig, the Dalipay Spring and Waterfalls, the Maglabog Boiling Lake, the Naglagbay Lake in Tiwi, Roca-Monte abaca processing at Daraga, Tiwi Hot Springs, the Kalayukay Beach and Puro Beach.

Governor: Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda

Congressman: Edcil C. Lagman, Al Francis D. Bichara and Fernando V. Gonzalez

CAMARINES NORTE During the lateral part of the 16th century, the Spanish used Camarines Norte as their base for colonizing the whole of Bicol. The Spanish thrust was, likewise, motivated by news of gold deposits in this part of Bicol. It was during this time that the Paracale 90 deposits were discovered and the town of Paracale has been associated with gold mining ever since. Today, Camarines Norte is the second richest mining district in the country, next to the Mountain Provinces. In the early years of Spanish colonial rule, Camarines Norte formed part of a province known as Ambos Camarines which was founded in 1573. In 1829, Ambos Camarines was split into northern and southern provinces; but in 1854, the new provinces were merged again. In 1957, they were again separated and in 1893, were once more reunited. The last partition was decreed in March 1919 when Philippine Legislature authorized the Governor- General to split Ambos Camarines into two provinces. This partition prevails to this day and the boundaries between Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur are substantially the same as they were in 1919.

History

From 1573 to 1829, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte formed only one political unit known as Ambos Camarines. They were separated in 1829 but reunited in 1854. They again separated; to be reunited again in 1893. This union continued until 1919. On March 3, 1919, Camarines Norte was finally segregated from Ambos Camarines by the Philippine Legislature in Act 2809.

When Camarines Norte was separated from Ambos Camarines in 1829, it was assigned the towns of (capital), Talisay, Indan (now Vinzons), Labo, Paracale, Mambulao (now Jose Panganiban), Capalonga, Ragay, Lupi, and Sipocot. Seventeen years later, it lost Sipocot, Lupi, and Ragay to Camarines Sur in exchange for the town of Siruma.

When Camarines Norte was separated from Ambos Camarines in 1829, it was assigned the towns of Daet (capital), Talisay, Indan (now Vinzons), Labo, Paracale, Mambulao (now Jose Panganiban), Capalonga, Ragay, Lupi, and Sipocot. Seventeen years later, it lost Sipocot, Lupi, and Ragay to Camarines Sur in exchange for the town of Siruma.

By virtue of Act 2809 of March 3, 1919 Governor General F.B. Harisson separated Camarines Norte from Camarines Sur, later appointing Don Miguel R. Lukban as its first Governor. At present it has 12 towns: Basud, Capalonga, Daet, Jose Panganiban, Labo, Mercedes, Paracale, San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Vicente, Sta. Elena, Talisay, and Vinzons. Daet remained as its capital town.

Former Name: Ambos Camarines

Land Area: 2,320.07 km2(895.8 sq mi)

Capital: Daet

Population: 513,785 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Bicol, Tagalog

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None 91

No. of Municipalities: 12 (Basud, Capalonga, Daet, Imelda, Jose, Panganiban, Labo, Mercedes, Paracale, San Vicente, Santa Elena, Talisay, and Vinzons

No. of Barangays: 282

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: While blessed with extensive tracts of fertile lands, some parts of the province are stony and sandy, prohibiting agricultural cultivation. The terrain is generally rugged with rolling hills and mountains except for the coastal area where one finds fertile plains and small valleys.

No. of Principal Rivers: 1 (Daet-Talisay)

No. of Mountains: 7

Climate: No dry season. Its maximum rainfall is from October to January.

Average Annual Rainfall: 150.55 inches

Principal products/crops: Coconut, banana, abaca and rice

Industries: Mining (4 major industries) Jewelry Craft, Gifts/Toys/Housewares, and Coconut Industry

Mineral Resources: Iron ore, gold, silver, uranium, zinc and copper

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Philippine Iron Mines, Pulang Data, Bagasbas Beach Resort, Shrine of the , Bicol National Park, Sinakulo, Huli White, Calaguas Islands, Canton Caves, Lanot Soda Springs, Mananap Falls, and the Tulay na Lupa Reservoir.

Feasts and Festival :

.Pineapple Festival (June 15-22)Camarines Norte Festival .Foundation Day of Camarines Norte (April 15) .Vinzons Day (September 28) .Pabirik Festival (January 26 - February 2) .Palong Festival (May 10-13) .Sea Foods Festival (October 24) .Busig-On Festival (September 8) .Animal Festival (October 4) .Kadagatan Festival (August 18) .Boyoboy Festival (November 8)

Governor: Edgardo A. Tallado

Congressman: Esmeraldo Eco 92

(Economic):

Mercedes Fishing Village/Community:

Quaint for its original way of bidding fish catch by whisper; virtually the hub of the fishing Camarines Norte Industryindustry of the province; interesting to sociologists, social scientists, sociology buffs because of quaint customs related with the fishing industry; also features fluvial procession during its town fiesta every June 13 called "Caracol"; at the height of the fishing season, its bay fills with fishing vessels.

CAMARINES SUR history is intimately interwoven with that of its sister province, Camarines Norte, from the 16th century up to 1919 when Philippine Legislature finally decreed a formal separation. The province is about two-and-a-half times larger than Camarines Norte. The town of Naga became the capital of Camarines Sur immediately after the separation. When it was converted in to a chartered city on December 18, 1948, the municipality of Pili was declared its new capital. The province ranks next to Albay and Sorsogon as the most densely populated province of the region. Its populous city and towns are Iriga, Nabua, and . Tabios or sinarapan, the smallest fish in the world, are found in Lake Buhi, Camarines Sur.

History

Known centuries ago as the Tierra de Camarines, the province is distinctly Spanish-founded settlement. Its name having been derived from "camaronchones" or "camarines", a Spanish word for "kamalig" referring to small nipa or bamboo-made huts by the natives.

Spanish colonizers later subjugated its people and denominated the area into two distinct aggrupations. The southern portion comprising the area south of the present town of Camalig (in Albay), Sorsogon, the islands of Masbate and Catanduanes, and the area, which is now Partido in present day, then called "Partido de Ibalon". The northern, upper portion, which included from the present day Camalig town in Albay, and all towns of Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, was called "Partido de Camarines".

Noted for its volcanic soil, the province produces abaca, rice and coconut. Fishing is an important activity of its coastal towns. The smallest fish "sinarapan' in the world is found in Lake Buhi. Pili trees, known for its nuts, grow abundantly in Camarines Sur. The capital town of Pili is named after the fruit.Camarines Sur derived its name from "camarin' the Spanish word for "rice granary" or warehouse.

Among the great sons of Camarines Sur were W. Q. Vinzons, Jorge Barlin, first Filipino Catholic Bishop; Elias Angeles and Felix Plazo, leaders in Naga during the Philippine Revolution; and the Bicol martyrs, led by Manuel and Domingo Abella, who died for freedom against Spanish sovereignty.

Former Name: Ambos Camarines

Land Area: 526, 682 hectares

Capital: Pili 93

Population: 1,533,305 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Bicol

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 2 (Naga and Iriga)

No. of Municipalities: 35 (Baao, Balatan, Bato, Bombon, Buhi, Bula, Cabusao, Calabanga, Camaligan, Canaman, Caramoan, Del Gallego, Gainza, Garchitorena, Goa, Lagonoy, Libmanan, Lupi, Magarao, Milaor, Minalabac, Nabua, Ocampo, Pamplona, Pasacao, Pili, Presentacion, Ragay, Sagnay, San Fernando, San Jose, Sipocot, Siruma, Tigaon, and Tinambac)

No. of Barangays: 1,035

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The terrain is generally mountainous but levels off to an extensive plain that cuts across the center of the province. The plain is popularly known as the Bicol Plain. The lands surrounding the two peaks of Mt. Iriga are exceedingly rough and are suitable for the growing of abaca.

No. of Principal Rivers: 5

No. of Mountains: 16

Climate: The western and southern portions of Camarines Sur do not have a dry season nor a very pronounced rainy period. The rest of the province lack a dry season but experience a maximum rain period from November to January. Typhoons usually batter the province.

Average Annual Rainfall: 150.55 inches

Principal products/crops: Abaca, rice coconut, corn, rootcrops, citrus, and

Industries: Fishing (major industry)

Mineral Resources: Copper, iron, gypsum, pumice and chromite

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: The Leaning Tower of Bombon, Atulyan Island, Ubo Falls, Sibaguan Waterfalls, Lake Buhi, Malacsay Falls, Caranan Beach Resort, Penafrancia Resort, and Carolina Resort

Governor: Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Jr.

Congressman: Datu Arroyo 94

CATANDUANES is one of the smallest provinces of the country in terms of population. Its slow development has been attributed to its climate. Juan de Salcedo explored Catanduanes in 1573. In 1582, it was allotted to four encomenderos. In 1755, it was overran by the Muslim who pillaged and burned the towns. During the Philippine Revolution, the Spaniards left Catanduanes on the Motorboat, Josefa, on September 18,1898 before the arrival of the first revolutionary troops under Major Estanislao Legazpi. When the Philippine American War broke out, Brig. Gen. William A. Kobbe occupied Virac on January 24, 1900. The Japanese invaders occupied the province in 1941 and was liberated in 1945.

History

The PROVINCE OF CATANDUANES, (opposite the Bicol Region), is bounded by the Maqueda Channel on the west, the Pacific Ocean on the north and east, and the and Cabugao Bay on the south.

Catanduanes is frequently visited by storms. However, the vessel that visits its ports are provided with safe anchorage by the bays and coves of Kalapalan, Giogmoto, Soboc, and Cabugao.

The province, formerly known as "Catanduan,""Catandognan," and finally, "Catanduanes," derived its name from the "tando" trees which then abound in the Island.

Catanduanes was once a part of Ibalon, now Albay. The ecclesiastical mission in the province was controlled by Nueva Caceres. However, in 1582, it was allotted to four "encomenderos".

On September 26, 1945, Commonwealth Act. No.687 I Catanduanes (a subprovince of Albay) became a separate and independent province. Under Republic Act No.159, dated June 26, 1947, the former municipality of Caramoan was recreated out of the Municipality of Pandan; under R.A. No.491 , dated June 12, 1950, the Municipality of Bagamanoc was also created.

Former Names: Catanduan and Catagodognan

Land Area: 1,492.1 km2(576.1 sq mi)

Capital: Virac

Population: 232,757 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Bicol

Income Classification: Fifth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No.of Municipalities: 11 (Bagamanoc, Baras, Bato, Caramoran, Gigmoto, Pandan, Panganiban (Payo), San Andres (Cololbon), San Miguel, Viga, and Virac) 95

No. of Barangays: 315

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Catanduanes, being one huge mountain mass, has limited coastal plains. Cultivation is confined to small alluvial areas and adjacent gentle slopes. On the northern section, there is a wide coastal plain which is considered as the rice granary of the province.

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 5

Climate: The province has a continuous year-long rainfall and is constantly visited by northern trade winds and the southwest monsoon and cyclonic storms.

Average Annual Rainfall: 46 inches

Principal products/crops: Coconut, abaca, palay and rootcrops

Industries:Abaca and Lasa (major industry) Logging and Fishing

Mineral Resources: Gold, silver, manganese, marble, kaolin and phosphate rocks

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Binauahan Falls, the Luyang caves and beach resorts such as Egang, Marilma, Lourdes and Palawig. In addition were:

.Puraran (Baras)Catanduanes Beach View .Twin Rocks .Amenia Beach .Kosta Alcantara .Emmalyn Paradise Resort .Balite Beach .Bosdak Beach Resort .Solong Falls .Maribina Falls

Governor: Joseph C. Cua

Congressman: Cesar V. Sarmiento

Catanduanes Descriptions:

Catanduanes, "An Eco-Adventure Paradise," is for those who love nature at its best. The whole strip of this pearly island of the Pacific is virtually untouched, unspoiled, and unexplored. It has a long string of palm-fringed beaches backed by jungle-covered mountains and crowned with jewel-like islets. It offers a totally laid-back rural charm, a beautiful natural environment and plenty of easy action at a pace that is always relaxed.

Festivals : 96

.Kalbaryo .Kagharong .Padadyaw sa Tinampo .Catandungan Festival .Dinahit Festival .Surfing Competition

Surfing:For surfers, though, Catanduanes is simply home to a break called Majestics- everything else fades into insignificance. The eastern coast of the island faces straight on to the depths of the Pacific and picks up swells that have traveled hundreds of uninterrupted kilometers to finally crash on the shores of Catanduanes. The island lies directly in the path of the Pacific typhoons, many of which make their first landfall here. It's not for nothing that Catanduanes has earned the nickname: "Land of the Howling Winds".

Majestics breaks on to an offshore reef 200m from the beach on Puraran Bay. The break is known to be fickle and will not always be there, but when it's working, it kicks off one of the fastest, most hollow, right-hand barrels in the world. This is no beginner's wave, especially when it's above 6ft, and the water drains right off the sharp reefs in front of the wave. Sooner or later, you are going to end up on the reef, so protective gear is in order.

MASBATE known as the cattle island of the Philippines, was once a part of Albay. In 1846 it was separated from Albay was made a comendencia- politico- military. General Lucban established the local government and left Vicente Trivino of Boac, Marinduque in charge of Masbate until the government was turned over to the United States forces in 1900. On March 18, 1901, Masbate was organized as a province under Act No. 105 of the Philippine Commission. On November 23, 1905, under Act No. 1413, Masbate was annexed to Sorsogon. On December 15, 1920, by virtue of Act No. 2934 of the Philippine Legislature, it was made a province independent of Sorsogon Masbate has 121 islands and islets, 61 of which are named.

History

When Captain Luis Enriquez de Guzman anchored on the shores of Masbate in 1569, he found tiny settlements spread along the coasts engaged in flourishing trade with China. Chinese traders visited Masbate and founded small settlements during the Shri-Vijayan and Madjapahit periods. Ruins of cave-like dwellings resembling "kiva" (possibly built by Indians who accompanied the Chinese traders), were found along the coasts of Aroroy, Palanas, and Masbate. Porcelain jars dating back to the 10th century were excavated at Kalanay (Aroroy) in the 1930s.

In 1864, Masbate was declared a separate province from Albay. Guiom was made the capital while Ticao became a commandancia-politicio-militar. Shortly before the declaration of Philippine independence by President Emilio Aguinaldo, the town of Masbate was established as the provincial capital.

Dr. Mateo S. Pecson, who was governor of the province, having refused to cooperate with the Japanese, evacuated the provincial government to Guiom, a command post used by the guerrillas. Pecson was eventually arrested by the Japanese and incarcerated in Cavite. He managed to escape; he later joined the guerrilla movement in Central Luzon. 97

Former Name: None

Land Area: 4,151.8 km2(1,603 sq mi)

Capital: Masbate City

Population: 768,939 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Bicol, Cebuano and Hilagaynon

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 21 (Aroroy, Baleno, Balub, Batuan, Cataingan, Cawayan, Claveria, Dimasalang, Esperanza, Mandaon, Masbate, Milagros, Mobo, Monreal, Palanas, Pio V. Corpus (Limbuhan), Placer, San Fernando, San Jacinto, San Pascual and Uson)

No. of Barangays: 550

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province has scattered reefs and coral areas on its southern and western coasts. The interior of the island is characterized by low rolling hills. Ticao Island is semi- mountainous with arable land concentrated mostly on its northwest corner. The eastern coastline of Burias is characterized by cliffs and bold promontories.

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 15(Mt. Engano is the highest)

Climate: Relatively dry from January to June and wet the rest of the year. It lies directly in the path of destructive typhoons which affect the country yearly. Burias and Ticao have rainfalls more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.

Average Annual Rainfall: 78.79 inches

Principal products/crops: Corn, coconut, rice and banana

Industries: Cattle raising (major industry), fishing, agriculture, and mining

Mineral Resources: Gold, manganese, limestone, silver, iron, chromite, lead, zinc, and coal.

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Dacu BeachResort, Espinosa Beach, Valencia Beach Resort and the Cattle Ranches.

Governor: Rizalina L. Seachon Lañete

Congressman: Emilio Espinosa Jr. 98

Travel to Masbate :

Masbate City is the main Port of Entry to the province by land or sea. Montenegro Lines offers 4 trips per day by Fast Craft departing from Pilar / Sorsogon. It is a bit longer to take a bus to Sorsogon and then by Fast Craft but more economical. If you are departing from the Southern Philippines or Visayan region then consider taking Trans Asia Ferry from Cebu City that departs three days per week. As of now, there is still no available flight in Masbate to Manila or Manila to Masbate due to runway renovation in Masbate Airport. It is said that later this year will be the start of flying of Airlines.

SORSOGON, Abaca was introduced in the province of Sorsogon by the Spaniards. In 1660, Father Espellarga, parish priest of Bacon, invented the first stripping machine for abaca. Today, Sorsogon is the premier abaca-producing province in the Philippines. A total of 15 towns of Sorsogon lie along the coast. Irosin, the only inland town, is at the center of a basin which looks like a crater of a depressed volcano. Created in 1864, Sorsogon has three waterfalls: the Magallanes, Ubo, and Cawayan Falls. Rich fishing grounds are in the towns of Bulan, Donsol, Magallanes, Gubat, Pilar and the , and .

History

SORSOGON, at the southeastern part of the Bicol Peninsula, is bounded on the north by the Province of Albay, on the east and northeast by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the , and on the west and northwest by the Ticao and Burias Passes. The province has an irregular coastline. There are good harbors in Bulan, Magallanes, and along the shore of .

Ferdinand Magellan's death in 1521, in the hands of Lapu-lapu did not stop the Spanish colonization of the Philippine Islands. In 1570 two Augustinian friars, Fr. Alonzon Jimenez and Fr. Juan Orta, accompanied by a certain Capt. Enrique de Guzman, reached Hibalong, a small fishing village near the mouth of Ginangra River in Magallanes and planted the cross and erected the first chapel in Luzon. It was from this village that Ibalong, referring to the whole region came to be. Moving inland with a northwesterly direction they passed by the territory now known as Pilar, before they reached Camalig, Albay. The establishment of the Abucay- Catamlangan Mission later was ample proof of this route.

Sorsogon is known for its historic and panoramic places, such as the century-old towers or "baluartes" in Sta. Magdalena, Bacon Matnog, Casiguran and Bulusan; the eye catching waterfalls in Guinlajon; the summer resorts along Lake Bulusan; the "Tulong Gapo" in Bacon; the Bato Limestone in Bato; and the Irosin church in Irosin.

Former Name: None

Land Area:2,119.0 km2(818.2 sq mi) Capital: Sorsogon

Population: 709,673 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Bicol

Income Classification: Third Class Province 99

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 15 (Barcelona, Bulan, Bulusan, Casiguran, Castilla, Donsol, Gubat, Irosin, Juban, Magallanes, Matnog, Pilar, Prieto Diaz, Santa Magdalena, and Sorsogon)

No. of Barangays: 541

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Although the terrain is very hilly, there is no great mountain range extending to it. There are six main elevations, the highest of which is Mt. Bulusan, an active volcano reaching 5,165 feet. There big rivers cut the province.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3

No. of Mountains: 6 (Mt. Bulusan is the highest)

Climate: There is considerable rainfall throughout the year, with precipitation occurring during the latter half of September and October. The province lies within the typhoon belt.

Average Annual Rainfall: 144.96 inches

Principal products/crops: Abaca, coconut rice, corn, rootcrops, fruits and pili

Industries: Hemp making and fishing (major industry)

Mineral Resources: Sulphur, coal, and limestone

Forest Resources: Almaciga, tanbark, buri, nipa, rattan and firewood

Tourist Attractions: Lake Osiao and Cape Pampang in Bacon, Bulos and Mapaso Springs in Irosin, Tinalos islet near the Bagatao Island, Magallanes Falls and Ubo Falls in Santa Magdalena, the -bucalan Springs and the Cawayan Waterfalls in Sorsogon, and the Bugs Cave in Bulusan.

Governor: Raul R. Lee

Congressman: Salvador Escudero III, Bonifacio H. Gillego

Festivals:

.Town Fiestas .Kasanggayahan Festival .Pili Festival

How to Get There:

By Land: 100

Sorsogon is accessible from Manila and the Visayas via the Pan-Philippine Highway. Air conditioned coaches plying the Manila to Samar and Leyte routes in the Visayas islands can take this air-conditioned couches across the San Bernardino Strait from Allen/San Isidro to the Matnog in Sorsogon.

By Sea:

Sorsogon is also accessible via Manila-Cebu-Masbate-Pilar/bulan route. Luxury ships from Manila can take you on a cruise from Manila to the Port of Cebu.From Cebu another ship can take you on a 12-hour trip to the Port of Cebu. And from Masbate, a motorized boat can take you on another three-hour ride to the rustic town of Pilar/Bulan in Sorsogon.

By Air:

This southernmost province of Luzon is accessible by plane through the Legazpi City Airport. From here you can take a cab and go direct to Sorsogon or a "trycicle"that can take you to the city proper wher buses queue for passengers going to Sorsogon.

REGION VI WESTERN VISAYAS 101

AKLAN is believed to be the first portion of Panay Island to be settled by immigrants from Borneo. From 1716 to the end of the Spanish regime, Aklan and Capiz were organized into politico-military provinces. Aklan is associated with a datu named Bendahara who was the country's first lawgiver. The name of the province is also linked with the famous Ati- Atihan Festival held in Kalibo, the provincial capital. The festival commemorates a peace pact held in the 13th century between the aborigines and the early Malay immigrants.

History

"Aklanon" refers to the people of Aklan province, their language, and culture. Folk belief is that Aklan derived its name from a river called Akean. When the Spaniards came, they asked the region's name from a man fishing in the river, and the man thought they were asking him for the name of the river. The Aklanon belong to a larger group called Visayan, and the Aklanon language is a sub classification of the Visayan language. It is said that the Aklanon language substitutes the phonetic sound "ea" for "l," pronounced with rolling"r" sound, because Datu Bangkaya, the first ruler of Aklan (originally Akean), had a short tongue and therefore could not pronounce the "l" sound.

According to , the historical-fictional account by Pedro Monteclaro (1907), 10 Bornean Datu (chieftains) purchased Panay from the Aeta, cultivated the land and renamed the island Madya-as. They divided it into three sakup (districts); Aklan (including Capiz), Irong-irong (now Iloilo), and Hamtik (Antique). These were loosely united under a government called the confederation of Madya-as. Datu Bangkaya of Aklan, who succeeded Datu Sumakwel of Hamtik, the original head of this confederation, is credited with having adopted the syllabaric form of writing and spreading it to the other provinces.

When the Spaniards came to Panay from Cebu in 1569, they found people with , and so they called the island "isla de los pintados." They divided it into encomiendas, and this is how Capiz became a separate encomienda. How the island itself came to be called Panay is uncertain. The Aeta called it aninipay after a plant, which was abundant in the island. Or it might have been named after the first Spanish settlement, called Pan-ay, Legend ha sit that Legazpi and his men, in search of food, exclaimed upon discovering the island,"Pan hay en esta isla" (There is bread on this island).

During the 1950s Rep Godofredo P. Ramos authored a bill separating Aklan from Capiz. The bill was approved by Pres. Ramon Magsaysay, and the first appointive governor was Rose Raz Neñez. In 1959 Ramos became the first elected governor of Aklan.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 1,821.42 km2 (703.3 sq mi)

Capital: Kalibo

Population: 495,122 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province 102

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 17 (Altavas, Balete, Banga, Batan, Buruanga, Ibajay, Kalibo, Lezo, Libacao, Madalag, Makato, Malay, Malinao, Nabas, New Washington, Numancia, and Tangalan)

No. of Barangays: 327

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province has a long coastline and is surrounded by a number of bays and coves that provide good anchorage for fishing boats. Majority of the people live in the Aklan Valley and the coastal plains.

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 19

Climate: Dry season from December to May and wet season the rest of the year. Heaviest rainfall is usually in December.

Average Annual Rainfall: 114.3 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, Corn, Coconut, Abaca, Piña and Pottery making

Industries: Fishing, Piña cloth weaving, Abaca and Bamboo handicraft

Mineral Resources: Gold, copper, chromite, manganese, and silica

Forest Resources: Timber, nipa, buri and bamboo

Tourist Attractions: Buswang Beach in Kalibo, Tigayon Cave, and

Governor: Carlito S. Marquez

Congressman: Florencio T. Miraflores

Historical Tourist Attractions:

.Freedom Shrine .Kalantiaw Shrine, Batan .Ingus-Ingus Hill, Buruanga .Agtawagon Hill, Balete

Cultural Tourist Attractions: 103

.Museo It Akean, Kalibo

Natural Tourist Attractions:

.Manduyog Hill And Aklan State College Of Agriculture (ASCA), Banga .Ob-Ob Hill, Brgy. Songcolan, Batan .Tinagong Dagat, Batan-"Hidden Sea" .Tigayon Hill, Kalibo .Ignito Cave, Brgy. Tigum, Buruanga .Liloan Citrus Farm, Brgy. Liloan, Malinao .Tigis Falls, Buruanga .Basang and Hurom-Hurom Cold Springs, Brgy. Laserna, Nabas .Boracay Island, Malay .Agnaga Falls, Malay .TigwatiI-an Island (Crystal Cove), Sitio Tabon, Caticlan, Malay .Jawili Falls, Tangalan .Tulingon Cave, Nabas (longest cave in the Philippines) .Campo Verde, Border of Tangalan and Ibajay .Nabaoy Reforestation (little Baguio)

Religious Tourist Attractions:

.Fatima Hill, Kalibo .Pink Sisters Convent, New Washington

Feasts and Festivals:

.Kalibo Ati-Atihan - (every 3rd weekend of January), Kalibo, Aklan .The Boracay Int'l Fun Board Cup - (January 29 - February 4), Bulabog Beach, Boracay, Malay, Aklan .Buling-Bulingan - (every 30th of April), Banga Aklan

Aklan Accommodation:

(Hotels/Resorts - Address)

.Apartel Marieta (Roxas Avenue, Kalibo, Aklan) .Beachcomber Inn (N. Roldan St., Kalibo, Aklan) .Glow Moon Hotel (Martelino, Kalibo, Aklan) .Hibiscus Hotel (159 Roxas Avenue, Kalibo, Aklan) .Kalibo Queen's Inn (Toting Reyes Street, Kalibo, Aklan) .La Esperanza Hotel (Osmena Avenue, Kalibo, Aklan) .Suburbia Garden Hotel (Tigayon, Kalibo, Aklan) .Sampaguita Garden Hotel (Poblacion, New Washington, Aklan)

Transport and Travel Agency: 104

.Southwest Tours (Boracay) Inc. .7,107 Islands Tour Mgt., Inc. .Boracay Star Express, Inc. .Festival Tours and Travel Agency

Local Industries and Business Opportunities:

.Piña weaving .Raffia .Sinamay (used for bag linings and placemats) .Gifts and House ware .Metalcraft .Cutflowers (orchid and ornamental plant) .Clay Based Products (pots, jars, vases and bricks) .Furniture and Wood Crafts (dining sets, sala sets, dividers, outdoor furnishings, beds and others) .Food Processing (meat processing, crude coco oil processing, gelatin "" preparation, instant , , pop rice, barquillos and peanut butter production)

How to Get There:

Kalibo is 45 minutes from Manila and 30 minutes from Cebu by air. has 3 daily flights from Manila on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and Saturdays with special flights from Cebu to accommodate the overflow of guests, while Air Philippines YS-11 service aircraft fly twice daily from Manila. Alternative flights by Aerolift or Pacific Air through Caticlan in the town of Malay are also available. Kalibo is about 15 hours from Manila and about 18 hours from Cebu by sea.

ANTIQUE is considered as the "Home of the Sacadas", a major source of migrant labor for the sugarcane fields of Negros Occidental. The marble deposits found in the municipalities of Pandan and Libertad are considered to be superior in quality than the marbles of Romblon. The official seal of Antique depicts mountain ranges signifying the greatness and strength of its people. It also shows what Antique is famous for: copra which is the major product of the province; sugar, rice and corn which are the major staple produce; the which provides the people's fishing industry; and the five fishes which represent the five who stayed in Antique out of the ten who left Malay for the Island of Panay.

History

According to the tales of the Maragtas, Antique once enjoyed primacy among the realms carved out in Panay by the 10 Bornean datu (chieftains), who, fleeing from the tyranny of Sultan Makatunaw of Borneo, bought the island from the Ati King Marikudo and established the sakup of Hamtik, Aklan, and Irong-irong. The datu supposedly landed in Malandog, Hamtik, where a marker commemorates the event which is reenacted in the Binirayan (literally, "place where the boats landed") Festival. In Hamtik ruled the wisest among the chieftains, Datu Sumakwel, whom Datu Puti designated as the primus inter among the seven remaining datu who formed the confederation of the Madya-as.

The Antiqueños did not welcome the Spanish rule. The natives, called mundo and cascado, refused to live in the cabeceras or town centers, a problem that occasional Muslim raids along coastal towns did not help relieve. In 1828, secular priests participated in serious revolt 105 launched againsts the alcalde mayor, Don Francisco Oreta, which ended when he was replaced by Domingo. In 1888, the Igbaong, secret organization in San Remigio led by Gregoria Palmero revolted against abuses by Spanish officials and Augustinian clergy. It was pacified only seven years later.

During the Snap Elections of 1986, the pro Corazon Aquino led by former Gov Evelio Javier conducted a successful campaign against entrenched pro Marcos forces led by Assemblyman Arturo Pacificador, but after the elections, the charismatic Javier was gunned down in broad daylight in San Jose. The assassination intensified the tension that culminated in the EDSA revolt 11 days later.

Former Name: Hamtic

Land Area: 2,729.17 km2(1,053.7 sq mi)

Capital: San Jose de Buenavista

Population: 515,265 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 19 (Anini-y, Barbaza, Belison, Bugasong, Caluya, Culasi, Tobias, Fornier, Hamtic, Lawa-an, Libertad, Pandan, Patnongon, San Jose, San Remigio, Sebaste, Semirara, Sibalom, Tibiao, and Valderama)

No. of Barangays: 590

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Characterized by rugged mountains running parallel to the coastline, this narrow stretch of land is made up of narrow villages and low fertile plains. Fourteen (14) of its municipalities are along the coastline.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3

No. of Mountains: 28 (Mt. Madya-as and Mt. Baloy are the highest)

Climate: Dry season from November to April, rainy season during the rest of the year. Its greatest rainfall is from June to October. April and May are the hottest months.

Average Annual Rainfall: 143.45 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, corn, sugarcane, mongo, copra, palay, sugar, legumes, fruits and vegetables

Industries: Fishing (major industry), hat, mat weaving, livestock, fish and fish preparations and seaweeds 106

Mineral Resources: Copper, marble, silica, gemstones, clay, phosphate, and coal

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Mararison Island, Bato Cueba, Canagan Waterfalls, Limpatan Rock, Jurao-Jurao Island and the shining beaches along the Antique shorelines.

Governor: Exequiel B. Javier

Congressman: Paolo Everardo S. Javier

Investments Opportunities in Antique:

. sugar industry .Seaweed processing .Marble processing .Gemstone and semi-precious stone processing .Coco oil mill .Livestock and poultry processing .Food Processing .Marine products processing .Furniture, handicraft, metalcraft .Fiber extraction/processing/weaving .High value crop production .Feed/Feed Milling

Mineral Resources:

.coal .marble .copper .gold .limestone .silica gemstone

Manufacturing Establishments: (making): hollowblocks, wood furnitures, steel/wood, packed foods, metal craft, thresher, soap and sidecar

Binirayan Festival:

.colorful street parades .beach shows .plaza concerts .beauty contest .trade fair

CAPIZ is one of the four provinces constituting the island of Panay (the three others are Iloilo, Aklan and Antique). At first, there was only the island of Panay with an Iloilo district. Eventually, 107

Panay became known as Iloilo. In 1716, its northern sector was organized into a politico- military province and was named Capiz. When the Americans came at the turn of the century, Capiz was still a politico-military province embracing the islands of Romblon, Maestro de Campo, Tablas and Sibuyan. On April 5, 1901, the Americans established a civil government in Capiz.

History

Capiz became the second Spanish settlement after Cebu when Captain Diego de Artienda, sent by Legaspi landed in the town of Pan-ay and proclaimed it the capital of the province. The capital was then moved to the present location of Roxas City.

It is said that in Capiz in 1570, the Datu Bankaya's wife of the Aklan district gave birth to twin daughters. Twin is "Kapid" in the local dialect, so the Spaniards adopted the name Capiz (Kapid) as inadvertently miscommunicated to them by the natives.

In the same year of 1569 Captain ('Capitan') Diego de Artieda who was sent by Legaspi landed in the Town of Panay and proclaimed it as the capital of the province. Later, they moved the Capital to its present site upon discovering the town of Capiz (not the province, and now Roxas City) which was near the sea and provided docking facilities.

Capiz and Aklan were united under one province until April 25, 1956, when President Ramon Magsaysay signed into law Republic Act 1414 separating the two entities.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 2,594.64 km2(1,001.8 sq mi)

Capital: Roxas City

Population: 701,664 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Roxas)

No. of Municipalities: 16 (Cuartero, Dao, Dumalag, Dumarao, Ivisan, Jamindan, Ma-ayon, Mambusao, Panay, Panitan, Pilar, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Sapian, Sigma, and Tapaz)

No. of Barangays: 473

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The western side of the province is hilly, while the northern part is dominated by plains. The sea adjacent to its Coastline, which is about 80 kilometers long, is one of the richest fishing grounds in the region.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (Panay, Mambusao and Ma-ayon) 108

No. of Mountains: 12

Climate: Not different from that of neighboring Aklan- characterized by a short season (January to April), and a wet season the rest of the year.

Average Annual Rainfall: 110.32 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice and corn other crops are sugarcane, coconut, tobacco, cacao, coffee, mongo, abaca, and vegetables.

Industries: Fish (major industry), mat and slipper making, banana and camote chip preparations and poultry raising

Mineral Resources: Gold, limestone, phosphate, guano and clay

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: The Bridge of Suhut with its bubbling springs of sulphurous waters, the caves of Bumanlag, the many waterfalls and springs in Jamindanao and Mambusao, and the 50-hectare man-made rice terraces in Panitan town.

Governor: Victor A. Tanco

Congressman: Antonio del Rosario and Jane T. Castro

Remarkable:

(The Province of Capiz is known as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines.)

Explore the Capiz:

Rolling Hillls, Mountain Peaks and Ranges

Pleasure Trip at:

Province's Wide Beaches and Isolated Coves

Site Seeing:

.Local Gardens .Historical sites .Old Spanish Churches .Southeast Asias Largest Bell (Pan-ay Church) .The Birthplace of Manuel A. Roxas

Transportations:

By Air: 109

.Cebu Pacific Air Legaspi St., Roxas City Tel. No.: (036)6210-511 .Philippine Airlines Airport, Roxas City Tel. No.: (036)6210-244

By Land:

.Acacia Terminal KM1., Roxas City Tel. No.: (036)6212-530 .Albar Terminal KM 1, Roxas City .Ceres Liner Terminal KM 1, Roxas City Tel. No.: (036)6210-423

By Water:

.Negros , Inc. Roxas Ave., Roxas City Tel. No.: (036)6211-473 .Moreta Shipping Lines Magallanes St., Roxas City .WG and A Shipping Lines Rizal St., Roxas City Tel. No.: (036)6215-567

ILOILO Originally, Iloilo province included Antique, Aklan and Negros Island. The first Malay settlement in Iloilo was founded in the 13th century. From 1572 to 1825, the Augustinians founded mission centers in 21 towns of Iloilo. Arevalo was the capital town of Iloilo in 1582. In 1569, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi settled in Arevalo and in 1572, a mission center was established in Oton. Iloilo has many good harbors and rich fishing grounds. It is a commercial center in the Western Visayas, particularly Iloilo City, Jaro, Oton, and Pototan. Once the leading sugar producer, Iloilo is now the countrys largest producer of export rice, and the leading source of fish in the Visayas.

History

Sometime in 1846, Francisco Ariola, son of the datu from Jolo, together with his men, found themselves in the shores of Carles. He immediately organized the early settlers who later mingled with his men at Punta Bulakawe, a plateau just 330 meters north of the Poblacion (town proper). The settlers extended their clearing up the jungles and virgin lands for development. The Provincial Governor of Capiz commissioned Ariola to facilitate transportation of families recruited from Antique and Aklan. Soon afterwards, more settlers came. The Punta Bulakawe settlement, thus formed was included under the Pueblo de Pilar, Capiz. 110

On January 1860, the leaders of the Barrio Badiang headed by Francisco Ariola went to Capiz to petition the provincial government to make Barrio Badiang a municipality. The governor denied the petition on the ground that Barrio Badiang was only newly created and was not yet capable of becoming a pueblo. Not discouraged by their first failure, the petitioners traveled for days to Iloilo City, to bring this petition to Governor Jose Maria Carles, a Spanish Governor. After studying the case, Governor Carles approved the petition and thus, Barrio Badiang became a "pueblo".

The jubilant people of Badiang, in gratitude to Governor Carles for his approval of this petition, presented another petition to change the name Badiang to Carles in honor of the Governor. This petition was approved and on July 1, 1862, Carles was inaugurated as a new Pueblo with Alenjandro Buaya as the first del Pueblo made Carles.

Former Name: Irong-Irong

Land Area: 4,829.1 km2(1,864.5 sq mi)

Capital: Iloilo City

Population:1,691,878 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Iloilo)

No. of Municipalities: 46 (Ajuy, Alimodian, Anilao, Badiangan, Balasan, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Bingawan, Buenavista, Cabatuan, Calinog, Carles, Concepcion, Dingle, Duenas, Dumangas, Estancia, Guimbal, Igbaras, Janiuay, Jordan, Lambunao, Leganes, Lemery, Leon, , , Mina, New Lucena, Nueva Valencia, Oton, Passi, Pavia, Pototan, San, Dionisio, San Enrique, San Joaquin, San Miguel, San Rafael, Santa Barbara, Sara, Tigbauan, Tubungan, and Zarraga)

No. of Barangays: 1,721

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Iloilo is mountainous and hilly on its northern and southern fringes, with a broad and fertile plain wedged between the elevated portions. This portion of flat and is the largest lowland area of Panay. Guimaras Island which is separated by the is rugged and hilly, reaching its greatest elevation of 251.8 m. in Mt. Bontoc, located at the center of the island.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3

No. of mountains: 57

Climate: With a more or less uniform climate, the province experiences a pRonounced dry season from one to two months. The climate is characterized by the absence of a pRonounced rainy season. 111

Average Annual Rainfall: 28.8 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, sugarcane, coconut, corn, mongo, banana and cassava.

Industries: Fishing (major industry), sugar milling and refineries, cement manufacturing and softdrinks bottling. Mineral Resources: Non-metallic minerals such as China clay, refractory clay, feldspar, and phosphate rock.

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Sicogon Island, Jaro District, Roca Encantada where a "Garden of Eden" was built, Colegio de San Jose, the Fort of Nuestra Senora del Rosario,Molo Church, Cabatuan Church, SAn Jose Church, the in San Joaquin, and the uninhabited islands of the Seven Sins (Isla de Siete Picados)

Governor: Arthur D. Defensor, Sr.

Congressman: Jerry P. Treñas

Travel Info:

By Air:

Philippine Airlines Iloilo Office: Benigno Aquino Ave. (Diversion Road), Mandurriao, Iloilo City / Iloilo Airport Tel. Nos.: (033) 321-1333/ 333-0041/ 333-0040

Air Philippine Iloilo Office: General Luna St., Iloilo City / Iloilo Airport Tel. Nos.: (033) 508-5513

Cebu Pacific Airlines Iloilo Office: SM City Iloilo, Mandurriao, Iloilo City / Iloilo Airport Tel. Nos.: (033) 320-6582 / 329-4660 / 508-7144 / 320-9641)

Zestair / Zest Airways Inc. Iloilo Office: Marymary Center, Valeria St., Iloilo City Cel No.: 0917-8911049 / 0917-3051038

By Land:

(Buses, Vans, Jeepneys and Tricycle)

Philtranco Traveler's Lounge, SM City, Mandurriao, Iloilo City Tel. No.: (033) 320-3660 Iloilo to Manila Bus (6:00 AM Daily) P 1,412.00 Manila to Iloilo Bus 112

Pasay City Terminal 10:00 AM Daily Cubao Terminal 9:00 AM Daily

Ceres Liner Tagbak, Jaro, Iloilo City Tel. No.: (033) 329-1223 / 321-2371 Iloilo - Manila Bus 3:30 AM (NAC), 5:30 AM P1,244.00 (AC) P1,147.00 (NAC) (AC via Tapaz) 7:00 AM (AM via Central Line) 9:30 AM (NAC via Central Line)

By Water:

.Super Ferry .WG and A Negros Navigation

Cheap Accommodation Hotel:

.Iloilo Midtown Hotel .River Queen Hotel .City Corporate Inn

Also:

.Grand Hotel .Four Season Hotel .Westown Hotel

Cheap Pension Houses:

.Jaro Beelevue Pensionne .La Chateau de Iloilo .Rosa Maria Pension

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL is located in the western portion of Negros Island. Known as the "Sugar Bowl of the Philippines", the province produces 65 percent of the country's total output of sugar. Because of its high per capita earning, Negros Occidental is highly urbanized and industrialized. The province boasts of 12 commercial banks, 12 radio stations and 3 television stations.

History

Negros Island was originally called "Buglas" - an old native word which is thought to mean "cut- off". It is believed that Negros was once part of a greater mass of land but was cut off either by what geologists call a continental drift or by the rising waters during the so-called glacial age. Among its earliest inhabitants were dark-skinned natives belonging to the Negrito ethnic group with their unique culture. Thus the Spaniards called the land "Negros" after the black natives whom they saw when they first came to the island in April11565. Two of the earliest native 113 settlements were Binalbagan and Ilog which later became towns in 1573 and 1584, respectively. Other settelements were Ilinigaran, Bago, Marayo (now Pontevedra), Mamalan (now Himamaylan) and Candaguit.

The major boon to the province at this time was the widespread cultivation of sugarcane and the opening of ports like Iloilo and Cebu to foreign commerce. In 1856, Negros Occidental produced only 4,000 piculs of sugar. This increased tom 100,000 piculs in 1864 and 2,000,000 in 1893. The cultivation of sugarcane then spread to a larger scale and soon after Negros Occidental led other provinces in the production of sugar. Modern machines were also introduced at this time and by 1864 seven machines operated by steam were used in the towns to Bacolod.

The year 1985 also marked the period wherein Negros Occidental became known throughout the country and abroad as suffering from a historic socio-economic crisis. Various forms of international aid were sent to Negros and many , national and foreign non- government and government organizations, responded in cooperation with the Philippine government to help the province cope with the crisis.

Nevertheless, with the widespread benefits brought about by the positive changes in the socio- economic condition of the province, the clear signs of economic recovery for Negros Occidental is anticipated.

Former Name: "Buglas"

Land Area: 7,802.5 km2(3,012.6 sq mi)

Capital: Bacolod City

Population: 2,370,269 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 3 (Bacolod, Bago and La Carlota)

No. of Municipalities: 18 (Binalbagan, Candoni, Cauayan, Himamaylan, Hinigaran, Hinobaan- Asia, Ilog, Isabela, Kabankalan, La Castellana, Moises Padilla (Magallon), Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Sipalay, Talisay and Villadolid)

No. of Barangays: 601

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The topography is divided into two geographical regions- the intensive plateau, called the Tablas on the southwestern side of the province, and a broad belt of lowland plains, one of the country's largest, on the western portion. Cutting across the broad plains are three big rivers.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3

No. of Mountains: 1 (Mambucal) 114

Climate: The central plain experiences two distinct seasons: dry during the early part of the year and wet during the latter part. In the plateau, there is a short dry season but no maximum rain period.

Average Annual Rainfall: 109.92 inches

Principal products/crops: Sugarcane, coconut, rice and corn Industries: Sugar milling, fishing (major industries), and logging

Mineral Resources: Copper, iron, silica and phosphate

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Mt. Mambucal's 13 waterfalls, the Diolas Rose Garden and the Jaro beach resort in Bago City.

Governor: Alfredo G. Marañon Jr.

Congressman: Julio A. Ledesma IV, Alfredo D. Marañon III, Alfredo Abelardo B. Benitez, Jeffrey P. Ferrer, Ignacio T. Arroyo, Jr. and Mercedes K. Alvarez

Sports: Football, Boxing, Softball, Golf, Karatedo and Basketball

GUIMARAS is an island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Among the smallest provinces, its capital is Jordan. The island is located in the , between the islands of Panay and Negros. To the northwest is the province of Iloilo and to the southeast is Negros Occidental.

History

Guimaras was known originally as Himal-us. The name was corrupted by the Spaniards and became Guimaras. Augustinian missionaries established ?visitas? or settlements on Guimaras and these visitas were under the jurisdiction of the town of Oton. In 1742, the island became part of the town of Dumangas. The first town organized on Guimaras was Tilad, the old name of Buenavista.The island remained part of the province of Iloilo for most of its history. Sparsely settled during much of the Spanish period, Guimaras became an important shipbuilding center during the booming days of the sugar economy. Lorchas or single-masted boats plying the routes from Iloilo to Negros were built in Guimaras.

The people of Guimaras are like Ilonggos in both temperament and nature, which is not surprising since Iloilo had dominated Guimaras for most of its history. They also share the same language, although some residents of barangays Nueva Valencia and Jordan speak Kiniray-a.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 604.6 km2 (233.4 sq mi)

Capital: Jordan 115

Population: 151,238 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Hiligaynon, Tagalog & English

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: 17

No. of Municipalities: 5

No. of Barangays: 98

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Generally gently slopping to rolling with land elevation ranging from 0-300 m above sea level

No. of Principal Rivers: 3

No. of Mountains: 1 (Sierra Madre Mountain)

Climate: type A (rainy from May to October and dry from November to April)

Average Annual Rainfall: 206.32 mm

Principal products/crops: Mango

Industries: are farming, sugar, rice and corn milling, fishing, mining and trading

Mineral Resources: copper, gold, silver, clay, limestone, coal, sand and gravel and other non- metallic

Forest Resources: timber

Tourist Attractions: Hurot-Hurot Cave, Capitoguan Cave, Buho Ramirez Cave,Trappist Monastery (Bgy. San Miguel, Jordan), Balaan Bukid Shrine (Bgy. Hoskyn, Jordan), Navalas Church & Roca Encantada

Governor: Felipe Hilan A. Nava

Congressman: Joaquin Carlos Rahman A. Nava 116

REGION VII CENTRAL VISAYAS

BOHOL was believed to have been visited by the Magellan expedition which toured the island of Panglao and proceeded to the mainland in the vicinity of barrio Bool, the origin of the province's present name. The province was the setting of a dramatic event in 1563 when Chief Sikatuna of the island performed a blood compact with Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. This brought Bohol under Spanish rule, administratively as part of Cebu. Two major revolts were stayed in the province. One was led by Tamblot in 1622. In 1744, Dagohoy led another rebellion that was to make Bohol independent from Spain with its own government for 80 years. In 1828, the rebellion was suppressed and Bohol was made a politico- military province together with Siquijor Island, thus separating it from Cebu.

History

Created by virtue of Act 2711 of March 10, 1917, the island province of Bohol is the tenth largest island in the country. This oval-shaped province is located in the central portion of the Visayas lying between Cebu to the northwest and Leyte to the northeast. To its south is the big island of Mindanao, which is separated from Bohol by the wide Mindanao Sea. Aside from the mainland, Bohol has 61 smaller offshore islands and islets. Bohol is about 700 kilometers directly south of Manila and is about 70 kilometers southeast of Mactan Island. 117

Two significant revolts that occured in Bohol were recorded during the Spanish regime: the Tamblot Uprising in 1621 led by a Babaylan (native priest), and the Dagohoy Rebellion from 1744 to 1829 led by Francisco Dagohoy, which is considered as the longest revolt recorded in the annals of Philippine history. American forces seized the province in March 17, 1900.

Former Name: Bohol

Land Area: 4,820.95 km2(1,861.4 sq mi)

Capital: Tagbilaran City

Population: 1,230,110 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Tagbilaran)

No. of Municipalities: 47 (Alburquerque, Alicia, Anda, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Batuan, Bien, Unido, Bilar, Buenavista, Calape, Candijay, Carmen, Catigbian, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Dagohoy, Danao, Dauis, Dimiao, Duer, Garcia-Hernandez, Guindulman, , , Jetafe, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Mabini, Maribojoc, Panglao, Pilar, Pres. C. P. Garcia, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevilla, Sierra-Bullones, Sikatuna, , Trinidad, Tubigon, Ubay, and Valencia)

No. of Barangays: 1109

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: This oval-shaped province is a plateau. Ridges of the eastern and western of the island rise from the center and slope down steeply toward the sea. Its western side is generally mountainous with a rough terrain broken by deep gullies and gorges with abrupt slopes. The central part as well as the northern portion are characterized by a rolling landscape with alluvial lowlands, open valleys and hills. On the western central portion, numerous haycock hills commonly called "" can be found.

No. of Principal Rivers: 4

No. of Mountains: 14

Climate: Not uniform in all areas. Along its coast, it is warm and dry. Towards the interior portion, it is cold and humid. There is neither a pronounced rainy period nor is there any dry season.

Average Annual Rainfall: 152.69 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, Corn and Coconut

Industries: Cattle raising (major industry), fishing and manufacturing 118

Mineral Resources: Limestone, marble, shale and manganese

Forest Resources: Timber species as lauan, yakal and apitong.

Tourist Attractions: Site of the Blood Compact/, Tagbilaran; Punta Cruz in Maribojoc; old churches; and Chocolate Hills in Carmen (can be seen from the air on a plane bound for Cagayan de Oro or Davao from Cebu).

Governor: Edgardo M. Chatto

Congressman: Rene L. Relampagos, Erico B. Aumentado, Arthur C. Yap

How to Get There:

By Air:

From Manila, fly to Cebu then catch a connecting flight to Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol. If you prefer to go straight to the province, Aerolift has direct flights to Tagbilaran City daily. For a more leisurely travel, Bohol is also accessible by sea.

By Water:

By sea, from Manila to Tagbilaran, there is a trip every Monday and Friday evenings departing from Pier 14, and arriving at Tagbilaran on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, respectively. From Dipolog, there is a weekly trip departing on Sunday evenings and arriving in Tagbilaran on Tuesday mornings. From Iligan and Ozamis to Tagbilaran, there is a weekly trip from each of these cities on Tuesday evenings arriving in Tagbilaran on Thursday mornings.

By Land:

Panglao Island is connected to Bohol province's main island by a bridge. Public transport like jeepneys, regularly ply the route to Panglao Island. Taxis can also be hired for trips from Tagbilaran City to Panglao Island.

CEBU With its natural resources and increasing manufacturing activities, Cebu lives up to its title as the "Queen City of the South". The province is well-known for its sinamay, which is woven out of banana and pineapple fiber, and for its guitars and bandurias which are brought to other market centers in the country. Miguel Lopez de Legaspi founded the present City of Cebu, changing its former name of San Miguel to "La Villa del Santissimo Nombre de Jesus."The Philippine Revolution started in Cebu on April 3, 1898 when Pantaleon Villegas, popularly known as "Leon Kidlat", attacked the Spanish garrison at the corner of the present Calamba and Tres de Abril streets. The American forces occupied Cebu in February 1899 and established a military government. Due to continued local "insurrections", it was not until after three years, on January 1, 1902, that a civil government was established.

History

Cebu metamorphosed in more ways than one, but always for the better. From a sleepy fishing village to a fledging trading port in 1521, from the first Spanish settlement named Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus in 1575 to a municipality in 1901, Cebu finally became a chartered 119 city on February 24, 1937. Being the first and oldest city in the country, ante-dating Manila by 7 years, having the oldest school and oldest street and being the cradle of Christianity in the Far East (i.e. Magellan's cross planted in Cebu as a symbol of natives embracing the Christian faith), Cebu is replete with historical first's.

However, the fort fell to the hands of the native Cebuanos when Americans commanded by Commodore George Dewey vanquished the Spanish fleet in December 1898 in the Bay. With the American reign in full force in 1901, then Senate Pro Tempore and late President Sergio Osmeña, Sr. and then Congressman and majority floor leader in the House of Representatives, the late Senator Manuel Briones vigorously lobbied for Philippine Independence.

In April 1965, the entire Christian world focused its attention on Cebu City, considered as the cradle of Christianity in the Far East as it played host to teh 40th Anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines. The celebration highlighted the contributions of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Fray Andres de Urdaneta in proselytizing Christianity by way of establishing a Spanish settlement in the province. In a coutnry where Catholics predominate, the conferment of the San Agustin Church to the title Basilica Minore del Santo Niño proved to be a momentous occasion as Rome sent its representative Papal Legate, His Eminence Ildefonso Cardinal Antonuitte.

Former Names: Zubu and Zebu

Land Area: 4,932.79 km2(1,904.6 sq mi)

Capital: Cebu City

Population: 2,439,005 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 5 (Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, , and Toledo)

No. of Municipalities: 48 (Alcantara, Alcoy, Alegria, Aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Badian, Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Bogo, Boljoon, Borbon, Carcar, Carmen, , Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Daanbantayan, Dalaguete, Dumanjug, Ginatilan, Liloan, Madridejos, Malabuyoc, Medellin, Minglanilla, Moalboal, Naga, Oslob, Pilar, Pinamungajan, Poro, Ronda, Samboan, San Fernando, San Francisco, San Remigio, Santa Fe, Santander, Sibonga, Sogod, , Tabuelan, Talisay, and Tudela)

No. of Barangays: 1,066

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The elongated island of Cebu has a terrain which is rugged and mountainous with low peaks at the center of the island gradually leveling at the northern and southern ends. The uplands are denuded so that the surface is characterized by sharp ridges for the central plateau where the capital city is located. Plains along the irregular coastline are narrow. A wider expanse of flat lands can be found at the northern town of Bogo. 120

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 11

Climate: Central and Northern Cebu have short dry seasons, usually lasting from one to three months with no pronounced maximum rain period. The province is frequently visited by typhoons.

Average Annual Rainfall: 86.34 inches

Principal products/crops: coconut, corn, tobacco, rice, rootcrops, sugar and vegetables.

Industries: Livestock, poultry raising (major industries) and fishing

Mineral Resources: Copper, gold, silver and iron ore

Forest Resources: None

Tourist Attractions: Cross of Magellan planted in 1521, the 400-year old Sto. Niño figurine at San Agustin Church (Santo Nino Basilica), Fort San Pedro, Beverly Hills, the Chinese Taoist Temple, the Magellan Monument, the statue of Lapu-Lapu on Mactan Island, and the art works and antique collections at the University of San Carlos.

Governor:

Congressman: Eduardo R. Gullas, Pablo P. Garcia, Pablo John F. Garcia, Benhur L. Salimbangon, Ramon H. Durano VI and Nerissa Corazon Soon-Ruiz

Center of Attraction:

"Sinulog" (Happens: January Every 2nd Week/Sunday)

Landmark:

.Basilica Minore del Santo Niño .Fort San Pedro .Lapu-Lapu Shrine .Magellan's Cross .Magellan Shrine .Cebu Taoist Temple

Best of Cebu Delicacies:

.Dried Mangoes .Otap .Masareal(panutsa) .Ampao .Salvaro .Rosquillos 121

.Danggit

Basic Information:

Cebu City - Philippine Queen City of the South .One of the most developed provinces in the Philippines .Main center of commerce, trade, education and industry in the central and southern parts of the country. .Named 8th best Asian-Pacific island destination in 2005, and 7th in 2004 by UK-based Condenast Travellers Magazine

Business Hours:

Banks and Government offices: Banks are usually open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. Offices: Government and private offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays; though some may open on Saturday, the weekend is generally considered day off. Shops (Hours vary): Most shops open at 10:30 a.m., closing at around 7 p.m. Lunch hour is usually from noon to 2 p.m.

Clothing:

Lightweight summer clothing is sufficient. Jackets may be used for slightly more formal occasions. A light suit would be appropriate for business. Clothes for men and women are much like the West. Wear natural fiber, lightweight clothing. You'll feel more comfortable. Bring shorts, hat sunglasses, bathing suit, insect repellent, flashlight, sun block cream, tough shoes for walking, rubber slippers for the beach.

Country Code:

The Philippines country code is 63. When calling Cebu direct, pls. add 63 + 32, Cebu's area code.

Credit Cards:

Major foreign credit cards such as VISA, Diners Club, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted in major establishments. However, visitors are advised to bring sufficient amount of change in small bills or coins.

NEGROS ORIENTAL The island of Negros had been divided politically into the eastern and western sectors as early as the start of the Spanish rule. The western section belonged to Iloilo while the eastern portion was practically uninhabited because of frequent seaborne Muslim raids. In 1734, the whole island was finally unified and made into a military district with Iloilo as the base. It was raised into a politico-military province in 1865 under the governorship of Emilio Saravia. Bacolod was made the Capital. Negros was again divided into the two present provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental in 1890. Settlements in Negros Oriental 122 started as early as 1787. The oldest towns in the province are Dauin, Tayasin, Jimalalud, Guihulngan and Baco.

History

Dumaguete, the Provincial Capital of Oriental Negros, is known as the City of Gentle People because of the kind and hospitable inhabitants. In a country known for hospitality, this city stands out above the rest. The word is derived from the term dumaguit in the local dialect, meaning to "kidnap." At one time, this term referred to the numerous pirates and that attacked the city.

Negritos, Malayans and Chinese have long inhabited the island of Negros before the 1565 expedition of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. Because of the strong current of the channel between the islands of Cebu and Negros, the Spaniards were forced to land on the Occidental side. This island was called Buglas by the natives, but because the Spaniards saw many black inhabitants, they named it Negros. The Spaniards considered the island of Negros as one province with Bacolod as the Capital. In 1856 it was changed to a politico-military district. Constant pirate raids, very poor defenses and the distance of the important towns from the capital caused thirteen Recollect priests to petition for the division of the Island.

Former Name: "Buglas

Land Area: 5,385.5 km2(2,079.4 sq mi)

Capital: Dumaguete City

Population: 1,231,904 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: 3 (, Canlaon and Dumaguete)

No. of Municipalities: 22 (Amlan, Ayungon, Bacong, Basay, Bayawan, Bindoy, Datuin, Guihulngan, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Pamplona, San Jose, Santa Catalina, Siaton, Sibulan, Tanjay, Tayasan, Valencia, Vallehermoso, and Zamboanguita)

No. of Barangays: 557

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Volcanic peaks, hills and occasional plateaus may be found towards the interior of the province. At the southern end of the province is a group of volcanic mountains, the highest of which is known as Cuernos de Negros. At the northern end is Mt. Canlaon, the highest peak in the island some 2,465 meters in elevation. Between peaks are small fertile valleys and plains, the largest of which are the settlements of Bais, Tanjay, Dumaguete, Siaton and Sta. Catalina.

No. of Principal Rivers: 2 (Tanday and Dumaguete-Sibulan) 123

No. of Mountains: 4 (Mt. Canlaon is the highest followed by Mt. Cuernos de Negros)

Climate: Relatively dry from January to May while the rest of the year is wet.

Average Annual Rainfall: 56.27 inches in Dumaguete City.

Principal products/crops: Corn, coconut, sugarcane and cacao

Industries: Logging (major industry), and sugar milling

Mineral Resources: Iron, coal, manganese, chromite, limestone, mercury and gypsum

Forest Resources: Timber, rattan, tanbark, and resin

Tourist Attractions: Duran beach resort, Nashville beach resort, and the Valencia Camp Lookout.

Governor: Agustin Ramon M. Perdices

Congressman: Jocelyn Sy-Limkaichong, George P. Arnaiz, Pryde Henry A. Teves

Wonderful Attractions:

Waterfalls:

(Valencia) .Casaroro .Pulangbato (Canlaon City) .Inihawan Enchanted Falls .Quipot .Pantao Waterfalls (Bayawan City) .Lourdes Falls (Ayungon) .Pagsalsalan Falls (Guihulngan) .Kinayan Falls

Wow Destinations:

.Bais/Manjuyod Sandbar (North Of Dumaguete) .Ang Tay Golf and Country Club (Rovira Road Bantayan,beside St. Paul University) .Canlaon Volcano (Cool Place Like Baguio) .Mount Talinis "Cuernos de Negros" or Horns of Negros .Cayaso Cave and Underground River (Poblacion Municipal Hall of Mabinay) where you can see stalagmites and stalactites .Pandalihan and Panligawan Caves (Mabinay) .Jose Rizal Boulevard (Dumaguete's show window) .Silliman Hall 124

.Dumaguete Cathedral And Bell Tower .Aquino Freedom Park (site of the annual provincial festival of festivals called "Buglasan") .Silliman University Marine Laboratory (north of the city 's business district) .S.U. Center For Tropical Studies (Centrop) .Dolphin and Whale Watching (Bais City) .Casaroro Falls (Kampesa) .Twin Lakes Balinsasayaw and Danao (a trekking are for adventurous) .Pulangbato Falls (Pulangtubig , Valencia) .Lake Balanan .Lakes Yagumyum and Nailig in Mt. Talinis ( VAlencia)

Colorful Festivals:

.Sinulog De Jimalalud (january 13) .Sinulog De Bagawines (may 16) .Sinulog De Tanjay (July 24) .ORIENTAL NEGROS FIESTAS (full of fiestas all year round) .Ayuquitan Festival (May 7) San Jose .Budyas Festival (November 30) Amlan .Buglasan Festival (October) .Gapnod Festival (June 12) Sibulan .Hudyaka sa Bais (September30) Bais City .Kasadya-an Festival (December) Dumaguete City .Kasulad Festival (October) .Libod Sayaw Festival (April 5) Bindoy .Pasayaw Festival (March 19) Canlaon City .Pinaskuhan Sayawit and Festival (Dember) Dumaguete City .Sakobhan Festival (April 24) Santa Catalina .Sandurot Festival (November) Dumaguete City .Santacruzan Festival (May) Dumaguete City .Tawo-Tawo Festival (December 23) Bayawan City .Yagyag Festival (April) Cangmating,Sibulan

Resorts: .Antulang .Atlantis .Eldorado .Santa Monica .South Sea

Inns and Hotels: .Bethel Guest House .C and L Suites Inn .Coastal Inn .Cocogrande Hotel .Harolds Mansion .Home Quest Flats .Honeycomb Inn .Hotel Palwa .La Resedencia .Plaza Maria Luisa 125

.Residencia Maximo .RM Guest House .Royal Suite Inn .Vintage Inn .Worldview Pension

How To Get There:

By Air:

.Cebu Pacific .Air Philippines

By Land:

.Jeepney .Taxi .Bus

By Water:

From Manila .WG&A/> .Super Ferry .Negros Navigation From Cebu .Oceanjet (3.5 hours trip via Tagbilaran) .GP and Cokaliong (runs nightly 5 hour trips to and from Dumaguete From Siquijor .Oceanjet and Delta Ferry (daily for the half-hour) From Dapitan .(GP and Cokaliong) and Oceanjet (daily)

SIQUIJOR, one of the smallest provinces of the country, was once called isla de Fuegos, or isle of Fire by the Spaniards. The name came from the belief that the island rose from the sea amid the flare of thunder and lightning. Also called Island of Sorcery, Siquijor is said to be inhabited by mananambals or healers and sorcerers. Siquijor was a sub-province of Bohol until the 19th century when it became a sub-province of Negros Oriental. The province was the leading producer of manganese ore during the pre-war as a separate province on September 17, 1971 under Republic Act 6398.

History

Very little is known about Siquijor and its inhabitants before the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century. During its occupation, however, caves in the island yielded old China wares which would mean Chinese traders had arrived earlier. It is thought that the island was once thickly covered with molave or "tugas", thus the island was called Katugasan by early folks. The lush vegetation in the hilly lands attracted great swarms of fireflies, thus trees were all lit up with the luminous creatures. Perplexed by the trees aglow with fireflies, the Spaniards called the place Isla del Fuego or Island of Fire. The inhabitants on the other hand believed that the island rose from the sea amid fire, thunder, and lightning, hence the name Isla del Fuego. 126

Esteban Rodriguez of the Legazpi Expedition in 1565 led the first Spaniards to officially "discover"the island. He was captain of a small party that left Legazpi's camp in Bohol to explore the nearby islands which are now called Pamilican, Siquijor, and Negros.

In 1971, Siquijor became an independent province by virtue of Republic Act No. 6398. The capital was officially transferred from Larena to Siquijor in 1972 through a plebiscite held on November 8, 1971 and confirmed through Proclamation No. 1075.

Former Name: Isla de Fuego

Land Area: 337.5 km2(130.3 sq mi)

Capital: Siquijor

Population: 87,695 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: Sixth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 6 (Enrique Villanueva, Larena, Lazi, Maria, San Juan, and Siquijor)

No. of Barangays: 134

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province is fringed by coral reefs. Its highest peak in the central portion is Mt. Malabahoc. Level land consisting of narrow flood plains and deltas are found on the northern and southern coasts.

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 2

Climate: Dry season from November to April, and rainy season from May to October.

Average Annual Rainfall: 78.66 inches

Principal products/crops: Coconut, corn, rice, mongo, peanuts, beans and rootcrops.

Industries: Fishing and farming

Mineral Resources: Manganese ore, copper, and silica

Forest Resources: None

Tourist Attractions: Minaluhan Beach and the San Juan Natural Swimming Pool 127

Governor: Orlando A. Fua Jr.

Congressman: Orlando B. Fua

(No Airport)

By Sea:

Cebu City(Cebu), Tagbilaran(Bohol), Dumaguete(Negros), Plaridel and Iligan(Mindanao) Ferries Port at (Larena) Ocean Jet(Larena 091977442648) daily (5:50am and 4pm)from Larena to Cebu(P750,five hours) and Tagbilaran (P550,three hours) Delta Fast Ferry (Siquijor Town ad Dumaguete)(P140,45minutes)(4 times a day starting at 7am;last trip is at 5:30pm) Montenegro Lines (twice daily trips) between (Larena and Dumaguete)

Road Trip:

A great way to explore the island is by bike or motorcycle. Compared with most other roadways in the Philippines, the 72km coastal ring road is practically devoid of traffic - and shade - so you can take your finger off the horn and afford to take in the view without fear of rear ending the vehicle in front of you. With leisurely stops along the way, by car, motorcycle or tricycle, a circular trip around the island takes the best part of an entire day. Resorts generally charge around P1000 per jeep (for three people) for guided day trips around the island, and P500 for a motorbike tour; rental motorbikes are P300 to P500 per day, and rental mountain bikes P250 per day. From the central market area of major towns, you can organise a hubel-hubel tour (P300 to P400 for an afternoon). The road passes through the island's main towns and settlements; some glorious stretches of beach, especially on the east coast; and several spurs that provide access to the interior.

If you are relying on jeepneys to get around, get started early, as many jeepneys stop for the day at around 3pm, unless a late boat arrives in Larena. Jeepneys travel around the coastal road from Larena to Lazi via Maria and via Siquijor town. They also do the Larena-Maria leg via Basak. 128

REGION VIII EASTERN VISAYAS

LEYTE, the center of commerce and industry, is on the western part of Leyte Island. Because of the fertile soil and rich fishing grounds of Ormoc City, the residents are engaged in agriculture and fishing. 1/2 Leyte- Samatnon 1/2 is the local dialect of Tacloban, the provincial capital which is described as 1/2 waray-speaking. Ten years before the end of the Spanish rule, it was dominantly a typical colonial community 1/2 most of its residents were either pure Iberian families or new generations of Spanish-Filipino blood. On May 25, 1942, the Japanese forces landed in Tacloban. They fortified the city, improved its airfields, and made San Pedro Bay a port of call and entry for the Japanese Imperial Army. On October 20, 1944, General Douglas Mac Arthur 1/2 assault troops landed on the Tacloban-Palo Beaches (White Beach and Red Beach) and on the neighboring towns of Dulag (Blue Beach).

History

Leyte has a colorful history. Leyteños, like the Samareños when it comes to their province, like to point out of that their forebear were among the first to welcome the Spaniards but they were also among the first to resist the invaders. Leyte was one of the provinces where the early seeds of nationalism were planted.

The next century witnessed a religious uprising lead by Bancao, the Limasawa chief, and his high priest, Pagail. The revolt began in Carigara and spread to neighboring towns before it was quelled. 27 years after the 1622 uprising, another revolt hit Leyte - an offshoot of the Sumoroy rebellion then simmering in Samar. And in the center of the disturbances, the village of Bacor, rebels burned the church and its convent.

Former Names: Felipina and Tandaya

Land Area: 5,172.80 square kilometers or 571,280 hectares

Capital: Tacloban City 129

Population: 1.72 million (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano, Waray and Leyte-Sumatnon

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 2 (Ormoc and Tacloban)

No. of Municipalities: 49 (Abuyog, Alangalang, Albuera, Almeria, Babatngon, Barugo, Bato, Baybay, Biliran, Burauen, Cabucgayan, Caibiran, Calubian, Capoocan, Carigara, Culaba, Dagami, Dulag, Hilongos, Hindang, Inopacan, Isabel, Jaro, Javier, Julita, Kananga, Kawayan, La Paz, Leyte, Mac Arthur, Mahaplag, Maripipi, Matag-ob, Matalom, Mayorga, Merida, Naval, Palo, Palompon, Pastrana, San Isidro, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Tabango, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Tolosa, Tunga and Villava)

No. of Barangays: 1,641

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Aside from the Central Cordillera (the mountain range that bisects Leyte Island), two smaller mountain systems are located on the northwestern and northeastern corners of Leyte. Between the central and the northeastern range fronting lies the largest lowland in the province, Leyte Valley. In this valley is found the highest concentration of the province ½s population. Slightly lower concentrations are found in Ormoc Valley, the second largest lowland in Leyte.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3

No. of Mountains: 76

Climate: The climate varies in eastern and western Leyte. The eastern side, having no dry season, has rain throughout the year, with the heaviest rainfall from November to July. The western side has an even distribution of rain throughout the year.

Average Annual Rainfall: 97.17 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, sugar, copra and corn

Industries: Logging (major industry), livestock raising and fishing.

Mineral Resources: Magnetite iron, sand rock asphalt, manganese and iron

Forest Resources: Hardwood

Tourist Attractions: Palo Beach where Mac Arthur 1/2 Liberation forces landed, White Beach, Tacloban Amusement Park, Marcos Bridge (San Juanico), and the old and elegant in Palo and Tacloban.

Governor: Petilla, Carlos Jericho L. 130

Congressman: Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Sergio Apostol, Andres Salvacion, Jr., Lucy Torres and Jose Carlos Cari

SOUTHERN LEYTE Bounded on the north by Northern Leyte, on the south by the , on the east by the Pacific Ocean and on the west by the Canigao Channel and the Visayas Sea, Southern Leyte holds one of the most important sites in Philippine history. In the southern section of the island of Limasawa, the country ½s first blood compact between Ferdinand Magellan and Rajah Kolambu was held on Good Friday March 29, 1521.The strategic location of Southern Leyte provides the province valuable access to several important Visayan and Mindanao provinces. Maasin, the capital of the province is a trade center and a national port. The presence of the Daang Maharlika (formerly the Pan-Philippine Highway), which traverses the province, is also instrumental in the development of Southern Leyte.

History

There was also established in Maasin a Court of First Instance, then known as the Promoter Fiscal, where all minor administrative and other cases from Palompon to Hinunangan were heard and disposed of.

Amidst intrigues and strong oppositions, the bill became Republic Act No. 2227 and was signed into Law by President Carlos P. Garcia on May 22, 1959. The new province was inaugurated on July 1, 1960 . Thus the third District of Leyte became the province of Southern Leyte and Lone District of Southern Leyte.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 1,797.2 km2(693.9 sq mi)

Capital: Maasin City

Population: 390,847 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 18 (Anahawan, Bontoc, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Libagon, Liloan, Maasin, Macrohon, Malitbog, Padre Burgos, Pintuyan, Saint Bernard, San Francisco, San Juan, San Ricardo, Silago, Sogod, and Tomas Oppus)

No. of Barangays: 500

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province has a mountainous terrain with hills and valleys lying at the foot of the larger mountains. Small lowland areas occur on the coasts, particularly the southern tip of the island. 131

No. of Principal Rivers: 2

No. of Mountains: 24

Climate: The province generally has no dry season. It gets substantial amounts of rain throughout the year. Rainfall is pRonounced from July to December. Southern Leyte is warm, with an average annual temperature of 81oF.

Average Annual Rainfall: 114 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, Corn, Abaca and Coconut

Industries: Fishing (major industry), livestock, poultry raising, abaca-based handicrafts, and ceramics and handicraft items made from coconut and bamboo

Mineral Resources: Iron Ore and Magnetic Iron Sand

Forest Resources: Hardwood

Tourist Attractions: Limasawa Island, the sites of the first blood compact and the first mass in the Philippines, the Canturing and Ibarra beach resorts and Ginsuhotan Falls.

Governor: Damian Gaviola Mercado

Congressman: Roger G. Mercado

SAMAR The island of Samar was once the largest province in the Visayas until it was divided into three separate provinces: Western Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar. On June 21, 1969, by Republic Act No. 5650, the name of Western Samar was changed to Samar. Samar has many raw materials which may be processed into a variety of commercial products: rattan for furniture, mangrove for wood, almaciga for boat coating, coconut palm leaves for baskets, and low-grade fish for fish meal. The province also has vast natural timberlands, from which a significant amount of the countrys wood exports originate. The most spectacular caves of the province, with vast formations of stalactites and stalagmites, are Panhulugan I, Bugasan III, and Sohoton. These caves have historical, cultural and archaelogical values. These were used as hideouts by Filipino 1/2 insurrectos 1/2 during the Spanish-American War.

History

Many names (Samal, Ibabao, Tandaya) were given to Samar Island prior to the coming of the Spaniards in 1596. The name Samar was derived from the local dialect"samad", meaning wound or cut, which aptly describes the rough physical features of the island that is rugged and deeply dissected by streams.

During the early days of Spanish occupation, Samar was under the jurisdiction of Cebu. In 1735, Samar and Leyte were united into one province with Carigara, Leyte as the capital town and again Samar became a separate province in 1768. 132

Former Names: Ibabao and Western Samar

Land Area: 6,048.0 km2(2,335.1 sq mi)

Capital: Catbalogan

Population: 695,149 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Waray and Cebuano

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: 2 (Calbayog and Catbayog)

No. of Municipalities: 24 (Almagro, Basey, Calbiga, Catbalogan, Daram, Gandara, Hinabangan, Jiabong, Marabut, Matuguinao, Motlong, Pagsanghan, Pinabacdao, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, San Sebastian, Santa Margarita, Santa Rita, Santo Nino, Tagapulan, Talalora, Tarangnan, Villareal, Wright, and Zumarraga)

No. of Barangays: 951

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province is generally rugged and hilly, although lowlands can be found in Calbayog and in the valley of the Gandara River. The San Juanico Strait separates Leyte and Samar. The highest elevation at 850 meters is Mt. Capotoan.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (with other Samar provinces)

No. of Mountains: 28 (with other Samar provinces)

Climate: Very humid throughout the year with almost continuous rainfall. Maximum rainfall is from November to February. Occasional dry spells occur in May and June. The province is often visited by typhoons.

Average Annual Rainfall: 114.3 inches

Principal products/crops: Coconut and Rootcrops

Industries: Fishing (major industry), and Cottage Industries

Mineral Resources: Gold, Silver and Copper

Forest Resources: Rattan, resin, bamboo, tanbark, dyebark, charcoal and firewood

Tourist Attractions: The caves of Basey, the Blanca Aurora Falls in Gandara, and the Sohotan National Park in Basey.

Governor: Sharee Ann T. Tan-Delos Santos

Congressman: Jose A. Ro, Venancio T. Garduce 133

EASTERN SAMAR, the second largest province of the island of Samar, was the part of the Philippines first sighted by Ferdinand Magellan on March 16, 1521. However, it was in 1/2 Mumunu 1/2 or 1/2 Homonhon 1/2 south of Samar, where Magellan and his men first set foot on Philippine soil.The town of Balangiga was the center of guerilla warfare in the country during the American occupation. This is where the so-called 1/2 Balangiga Massacre 1/2 occurred in 1901. Revolutionaries led by Gen. Vicente Lukban attacked the American garrison in Balangiga, and killed all but one of the American soldiers. To the Filipinos, however, it was an admirable show of courage. Filipino revolutionaries fought with bolos against American Krag- Jorgensen rifles and 45 caliber pistols to thwart the American 1/2 pacification 1/2 campaign of the island.

Former Names: Ibabao and Samar

Land Area: 4,640.73 km2(1,791.8 sq mi)

Capital: Borongan City

Population: 405,114 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Waray

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: Borongan City

No. of Municipalities: 22 (Arteche, Balangiga, Balangkayan, Can-Avid, Dolores, Gen. Mac Arthur, Giporlos, Guiuan, Hernani, Jipapad, Lawa-an, Llorente, Maslog, Maydolong, Mercedes, Oras, Quinapundan, Salcedo, San Julian, San Policarpio, Sulat, and Taft)

No. of Barangays: 597

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The whole island is hilly with no major plains. The slopes, however, permit the planting of agricultural crops.Slopes are generally steep and bare of trees due to deforestation. Run-off waters after heavy rains can provoke flooding in low-lying areas and the erosion of the mountains enlarges the coastal plains of the province.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (with other Samar provinces)

No. of Mountains: 28 (with other Samar provinces)

Climate: There is a continuous rainfall throughout the year, particularly from November to February. The province is frequently visited by typhoons.

Average Annual Rainfall: 167.8 inches

Principal products/crops: Abaca, Rice, Coconut, Corn, and Sweet Potato

Industries: Logging and fishing 134

Mineral Resources: Iron, copper, zinc, manganese, and limestone

Forest Resources: Charcoal, rattan, firewood, bamboo, tanbark, and dyebark

Tourist Attractions: The Bagacay Mines which is one of the richest mineral mines in the country, and Homonhon Island where Ferdinand Magellan first landed.

Governor: Conrado B. Nicart Jr.

Congressman: Ben P. Evardone

NORTHERN SAMAR The biggest revolt in Philippine history occurred in Northern Samar in 1649. Led by Sumuroy, the people of Palapag and Pambujan rose in arms against the recruitment of natives for forced labor in the Cavite shipyards. The revolt ended with pocket surrenders after the Spanish forces used 1/2 converted rebels 1/2 from other provinces to assault the fort of Sumuroy and his followers. Of the three Samar provinces, Northern Samar has the smallest land area and the second smallest territory in the Eastern Visayas region. In terms of population, Northern Samar, as of the 1980 census, ranked third among the five provinces in Eastern Visayas.

Former Names: Ibabao and Samar

Land Area: 3,692.9 km2(1,425.8 sq mi)

Capital: Catarman

Population: 549,759 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Waray

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 24 (Allen, Biri, Bobon, Capul, Catarman, Catubig, Gamay, Laoang, Lapinig, Las Navas, Lavezares, Lope de Vega, Manapas, Mondragon, Palapag, Pambujan, Rosario, San Antonio, San Isidro, San Jose, San Roque, San Vicente, Silvino, Lobos, and Victoria)

No. of Barangays: 569

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: There are extremely rugged hills in most parts of the province. However, the widest lowland area in the whole island of Samar is in Northern Samar, along the coast of the province. The province is endowed with relatively rich and fertile that most crops can grow on it.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (with other Samar provinces)

No. of Mountains: 28 (with other Samar provinces) 135

Climate: Extremely humid throughout the year, there are dry spells in May and June. The province has no distinct dry or wet season but it has pronounced rainfall from October to January. The heaviest precipitation occurs in November. May is relatively the driest month. Maximum rainfall occurs from November to February. Destructive typhoons are frequent.

Average Annual Rainfall: 137.7 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, coconut, abaca, corn, mongo and fruits

Industries: Fishing and logging (major industries)

Mineral Resources: None

Forest Resources: Firewood, charcoal, rattan, bamboo, dyebark, and tanbark

Tourist Attractions: Spanish churches in Catubig, old massive rocks and caves between Palapag and Gamay, and the historic stone towers in Capul and Palapag.

Governor: Paul R. Daza

Congressman: Raul A. Daza and Antonio P. Lucero

BILIRAN is one of the smallest provinces in the Philippines and it is located in the Eastern Visayas region. An island province, Biliran lies just a few kilometers north of Leyte Island. Its capital is Naval and for a time, Biliran was part of Leyte Province until it became independent in 1992.

History

In the early Spanish time, the island was known as Isla de Panamao. Panamao referred to an ethnic fishing net. Panamao Island was the site of the first large-scale Spanish shipyard in the Philippines. But somehow between 1668-1712, the name Panamao was changed to Biliran, a name derived from a native grass called "borobiliran" which grew abundantly on the plains.

National government agencies, non-government agencies, organizations and people's organization are enjoined by the provincial government to take part in the noble task of building a province and a people, and accomplish the mission to empower a every Biliranon for the total development of Biliran.

Former Name: Isla de Panamao

Land Area: 536.01 km2 (207 sq mi)

Capital: Naval

Population: 150,031 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: Fifth Class Province 136

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 8

No. of Barangays: 132

No. of Municipal Districts: Lone District

Topography: Ranges from slightly flat to gently rolling terrain. It has coastal lowland with mountainous interior except for the municipalities of Naval and Caibiran, which have wider plains and rolling terrain approximately 7 kilometers from the coast. Mountain ranges occupy the major portion of the island municipality of Maripipi.

No. of Principal Rivers: Anas and Caraycaray

No. of Mountains: Tres Marias

Climate: The Climate of the province belongs to the Type II according to the Climate Map of the Philippines. Located near the eastern coast, Biliran Island does not experience a prolonged dry season

Average Annual Rainfall: 500mm during December which subsides in January, and minimum rainfall of 150 mm in April

Principal products/crops: copra, rice, bananas and dried fish

Industries: farming, fishing & lumbering

Mineral Resources: copper

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Agta Beach Resort, Banderahan Beach, Dalutan Island, Dalutan Island,Tingkasan Island,San Bernardo Simming Pool, Kinaraha Falls, Padre Gaspar Shrine & Looc White Beach

Governor: Gerardo J. Espina, Jr.

Congressman: Rogelio J. Espina 137

REGION IX ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA

ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Ipil and it borders Zamboanga del Norte to the north, Zamboanga del Sur to the east and Zamboanga City to the southwest. To the south lies Sibuguey Bay in the . Zamboanga Sibugay was created in 2001 when the third district of Zamboanga del Sur was carved out of that province. Zamboanga Sibugay is the 79th province created in the Philippines.

History

In 1993, another initiative called the Zamboanga Occidental Movement was started, which ushered in a renewed political consciousness among the people of the 3rd District of Zamboanga del Sur. This movement was strong that a people’s initiative was conducted simultaneously with the May 1997 Barangay Elections. In this exercise, majority of the voters signed in favor for a new province.

Congressman George T. Hofer of the municipality of Titay then sponsored House Bill No. 1311. His bill sailed to rough waters, as expected, but he managed to push the bill up in the ladders of Congress, giving it a new identity by naming the proposed province as Zamboanga Sibugay. He lobbied for its approval in the Senate and finally gained approval for the creation of the new province. Republic Act 8973 embodies the legal creation of Zamboanga Sibugay Province.

Former Name: Sembwangan S'hibugay

Land Area: 3,607.8 km2 (1,393 sq mi)

Capital: Ipil

Population: 546,186 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 16

No. of Barangays:389

No. of Municipal Districts: None 138

Topography: This 2,777.8 sq. km. province is bounded on the north by Zamboanga del Norte, on the east by Zamboanga del Sur, on the west by Zamboanga City and on the south by Dumanquillas Bay and Sibuguey Bay. This vast tract of land in the Sibuguey Valley is considered as the rice granary of Zamboanga and consists of a flat coastal plain crisscrossed by the Dinas, Kumalarang, Labangas and Sibuguey Rivers, giving way to forested interior mountains. Two small peninsulas extend south into the Moro Gulf. Its irregular coastline includes Dumanquilas and Sibuguey Bays. The flat, mangrove-covered Olutanga Island has three towns: Mabuhay, Olutanga and Talusan.

No. of Principal Rivers: Sibugay River

No. of Mountains: None

Climate: The province has a mild climate and is dry from January to March and wet the rest of the year.

Average Annual Rainfall: 44.25 inches

Principal products/crops: tobacco products, oysters & talaba, rice, corn, , rubber, fruit trees, vegetables, coffee, cacao, and root crops

Industries: rice and corn milling, food processing, baking, rattan and wood furniture production

Mineral Resources: gold, chromite, coal, iron, lead, and manganese

Forest Resources: export logs, lumber, veneer and plywood

Tourist Attractions: Palid Beach (Ipil), Buluan Island Ipil, Sunrise in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay & Sunrise @ Sibugay

Governor: Rommel A. Jalosjos

Congressman: Jonathan C. Yambao & Romeo M. Jalosjos, Jr.

ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE Formerly named "Jamboanga", Zamboanga del Norte was created on June 6, 1952, under Republic Act. No.711. The present administrative organization of the province includes two cities and 19 municipalities. The 1980 National Census and Statistics data shows that Zamboanga del Norte is second largest province in Western Mindanao region in terms of land area and population. Although most of the inhabitants are Muslim Tausogs and Maranaos, the natives of this province speak fluent chabacano dialect which is a mixture of Spanish nouns, unconjugated verbs and a dozen native dialects. Due to its proximity to North Borneo, Zamboanga del Norte was once noted for activities. The kumpits (long, deep, enclosed motorboats) illegally carried cargo between Zamboanga and Borneo.

History:

Before the Philippines was ceded to the United States of America (Treaty of Paris), the peninsula was partly to the south where ZAMBOANGA city proper is the Provincia Mora and 139 towards the North where Dipolog City is a part of the Provincia Misamis. Dapitan district which includes Dipolog was part of Provincia Misamis.

In 1942 during the Second World War, Acting Governor Felipe B. Azcuna transferred the seat of the provincial government from ZAMBOANGA City to DIPOLOG. Thus making DIPOLOG the capital-in-fact of the ZAMBOANGA Province.

On June 5, 1952, a bill fathered by Roseller Lim became the republic act 711. It created the Province of Zamboanga del Sur with Pagadian as its capital and Province of Zamboanga del Norte and with Dipolog as the capital town.

Former Name: Jamboanga

Land Area: 7,301.0 km2(2,818.9 sq mi)

Capital: Dipolog

Population: 907,238 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Cebuano, Chavacano, English and Zamboangueño

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: 2 (Dipolog and Dapitan)

No. of Municipalities: 24 (Baliguian, Bacungan, Godod, Gutalac, Jose Dalman, Katipunan, La Libertad, Labason, Liloy, Manukan, Mutia, Pinan, Polanco, Pres. M. A. Roxas, Rizal, Salug, Sergio Osmeña, Siayan, Sibuco, Sibutad, Sindangan, Siocon, Siraway, and Tampilisan)

No. of Barangays: 691

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province is generally elevated. The northern and southern portions are rough and mountainous even along the coastal areas.

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 9

Climate: Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. The maximum rainfall occurs in October while the dry season is between January and April.Has a mild and moderate climate due to evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year. Its southern portion has a longer dry season.

Average Annual Rainfall: 92 inches

Principal products/crops: Coconut, Abaca, Rubber, Rice, Corn, Rootcrops, Vegetables, Coffee and Peanuts. 140

Industries: Cattle raising, fishing and logging (major industries), lumbering and weaving

Mineral Resources: Copper

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Historical spots such as Dapitan and Bayanihan (a man-made island in Rizal town), Bulanit Mountain, Siyacab Beach Resort and Aligway Island (white sand and corals)

Governor: Rolando E. Yebes

Congressman: Imelda Q. Dimaporo and Fatima Aliah Q. Dimaporo

ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR Among the provinces forming Region IX, Zamboanga del Sur is the largest and the highest number of barangay centers. It is the center of trade and commerce and other economic activities in the region. In terms of population, the province registers the highest number of inhabitants in the region. The relatively young population of the province accounts for the high number of dependents. Furthermore, Zamboanga del Sur is one of the provinces in the country with the lowest literacy rate. Only 6 out 10 can read and write. The cultural groups in the province are the Subanos who live principally in the hinterlands, the Yakans who dwell largely in Basilan and the Maguindanaos who reside along the coastline.

History:

Before the Philippines was ceded to the United States of America (Treaty of Paris), the peninsula was partly to the south where ZAMBOANGA city proper is the Provincia Mora and towards the North where Dipolog City is a part of the Provincia Misamis. Dapitan district which includes Dipolog was part of Provincia Misamis.

In 1942 during the Second World War, Acting Governor Felipe B. Azcuna transferred the seat of the provincial government from ZAMBOANGA City to DIPOLOG. Thus making DIPOLOG the capital-in-fact of the ZAMBOANGA Province.

On June 5, 1952, a bill fathered by Roseller Lim became the republic act 711. It created the Province of Zamboanga del Sur with Pagadian as its capital and Province of Zamboanga del Norte and with Dipolog as the capital town.

Former Name: Jamboanga

Land Area: 4,499.5 km2(1,737.3 sq mi)

Capital: Pagadian City

Population: 914,278 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: Second Class Province 141

No. of Cities: 2 (Pagadian and Zamboanga)

No. of Municipalities: 40(Alicia, Aurora, Bayog, Buug, Dimataling, Dinas, Diplahan, Don Mariano Marcos, Dumalinao, Dumingag, Imelda, Ipil, Josefina, Kabasalan, Kumalarang, Labangan, Lakewood, Lapuyan, Mabuhay, Mahayag, Malangas, Margosatubig, Midsalip, Molave, Naga, Olutanga, Payao, Pitogo, R. Magsaysay, Roseller Lim, San Miguel, San Pablo, Siay, Tabina, Talusan, Tambulig, Titay, Tukuran, Tungaan, and Vicenzo Sagun)

No. of Barangays: 681

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The Northern part of the province is characterized by lowlands and hilly lands. There are many short rivers which crisscross their way through most of the 35 municipalities.

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 23

Climate: There is no pronounced dry or wet season. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. The province is outside the typhoon belt. It has a relatively high mean annual rainfall that varies from 1,599 millimeters in drier areas to 3,500 millimeters in the wettest portion. Temperature is relatively warm and constant throughout the year ranging from a minimum temperature of 22 to 35 degrees Celsius .

Average Annual Rainfall: 44.25 inches

Principal products/crops: Rubber, Corn,Rice, Abaca and Coconut

Industries: Lumbering, gold and coal mining, and fishing

Mineral Resources: Gold, manganese, iron ore, and coal

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Lake Dasay in San Miguel and Pasonanca Park in Zamboanga City.

Governor: Antonio H. Cerilles

Congressman: Victor J. Yu and Aurora E. Cerilles 142

REGION X-A NORTHERN MINDANAO

BUKIDNON is noted for its seven plateaus of varying heights and the seven mountains that rise from them, separated by deep canyons and valleys. The province is a "melting pot", for aside from the Bukidnons, there are Manobos, Muslims, , Tagalogs and Ilocanos. Most of these immigrants work in the pineapple plantations or were engaged in cattle raising. Under the Spanish rule in 1860, Bukidnon became one of the six districts of Mindanao. The Americans made it a sub-province of Misamis. In 1903, it became a separate province, but was formally created on March 10, 1917 under Republic Act 2711.

History

Before the Spaniards colonized Misamis, settlers from the Visayas had already established themselves there. As the migrants kept coming, the tribes who originally inhabited the area were driven inland toward the rugged and mountainous territory. They were eventually called Bukidnons, meaning "people of the mountains,' from which the place derived its name. Bukidnon became municipality of Misamis in 1850 and remained as such until 1907 when it was made a sub-province of the newly created Agusan province. When the Department of Mindanao and Sulu was created in 1914, Bukidnon itself became a separate province. After World War II, the area was opened up to settlers from the Visayas and Luzon. Those who came primarily were from Cebu, Panay Island, and the Ilocos Region.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 10,498.59 km2(4,053.5 sq mi)

Capital: Malaybalay

Population: 1,190,284 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 22 (Baungon, Cabanglasan, Dumulog, Dangcagan, Don Carlos, Impasugong, Kadingilan, Kalilangan, Kibawe, Kitaotao, Lantapan, Libona, Malaybalay, Malitbog, Manolo Fortich, Maramag, Pangantocan, Quezon, San Fernando, Sumilao, Talakag, and Valencia)

No. of Barangays: 464

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The terrain is dominated by plateaus, rolling uplands, deep canyons and wide valleys. Tall mountains abound in the area, three of which are extinct volcanoes. The greater part of the province are rolling hills cut by deep and wide canyons. Average elevation in the province is 950 meters above sea level. The Bukidnon plateau is mainly of volcanic zone consisting of pyroclastic, basaltic and andesitic cones. 143

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 28 (Mt. Kitanglad is the highest)

Climate: Relatively cool throughout the year and resembling that prevailing in Manila during December and January. The central and southern portions are more influenced by the southwest monsoon and most fourth type or intermediate B, that is, no very pronounced maximum rain period and no dry seasons. Rains are very frequent, almost daily for the rest of the year. The climate in the northern portion is also influenced by the northeast monsoon and reflects the third type or intermediate A characteristics wherein, no very pronounced maximum rain period with short dry season lasting only for one to three months is experienced. This type of climate permits the growing of two or more different kinds of crops a year. The warmest months are April and May; the coldest are December and January.

Average Annual Rainfall: 110 inches

Principal products/crops: Abaca (hemp), rice, corn, maize, sugar, coffee, rubber, pineapple, tomato, flowers, cassava, and other fruits and vegetables.

Industries: Cattle raising (major industry), farming and livestock

Mineral Resources: Gold, copper, clay and limestone

Forest Resources: Rattan and almaciga

Tourist Attractions: The vast pineapple plantations of the Philippine Packing Corporation, Camp Kasisang, and the Famous Alalum Waterfalls.

Governor: Alex P. Calingasan

Congressman: Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras, Florencio T. , Jr. and Jose Zubiri III

LANAO DEL NORTE Under Republic Act No. 2228, approved on May 22, 1959, the Lanao province was divided into Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur. The Spanish subjugation of Lanao was started in 1637 by Governor Hurtado Corcuera. Under Gov. Gen. Valeriano Weyler, a series of campaigns was waged to bring the Lanao region under government control. In 1891, the Spanish forces occupied Malabang and other towns along the south coast of Lanao. Gov. Gen. Eulogio Despujol continued the campaigns with less than positive results. It was Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco who founded Spanish rule in the region. On October 8, 1895, he decreed the organization of Lanao into a district of Mindanao and Sulu.In 1903, the Americans created the with Lanao as one of its districts. In 1914, a civil government was founded in the province under the Department of Mindanao and Sulu.

History 144

The term Lanao is derived from a Maranao word "Ranao" meaning a body of water. "Maranao" means lake dweller. They are the natives of the place occupying the land around Lake Lanao, which is situated at the central part of Lanao del Sur. Lanao, applies to the entire area before its division. When it was divided into two provinces, the southern portion became Lanao del Sur and the northern part became Lanao del Norte.

A strong Spanish expedition to conquer the Maranaos was fielded in 1891 during the time of Governor General Valeriano Wayler, but this force was driven back to Iligan after failing to capture Dansalan. In 1895, Governor General Blanco sent a stronger force to take Marawi. Superior firepower forced the Dansalan defenders to leave the city. Here the conquerors established the garrison that remained until the outbreak of the Spanish - American War in 1898. Spain claimed this event as its victory but the verdict of history revealed that while the Spaniards were able to erect a garrison in Dansalan, they failed to conquer its people who stubbornly refused to adhere to the colonial yoke of Spain. Muslim religion and Maranao culture remained intact and untarnished.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 3,011.4 km2(1,162.7 sq mi)

Capital: Tubod City

Population: 538,283 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Cebuano and Maranao

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Iligan)

No. of Municipalities: 22 (Bacolod, Baloi, Baroy, Kapatagan, Karomatan, Kauswagan, Kolambugan, Lala, Magsaysay, Maigo, Matungao, Munai, Nunungan, Poona-Piagapo, Pantao- Ragaet, Pantag, Salvador, Sapad, Tagoloan, Tomas L. Cabili, Tangcal, and Tubod)

No. of Barangays: 462

No. of Municipal Districts: 2 (Munai and Tangcal)

Topography: On the Banguil Bay coast are common lowlands with inland lakes, some within the interior portion of the province. There are several rivers, such as the Agus River that supplies the Maria Cristina Falls which is the source of electricity of nearby provinces.

No. of Principal Rivers: 5 (Agus is the largest)

No. of Mountains: 17

Climate: Dry season from January to April and rainy season from May to December.

Average Annual Rainfall: 84 inches

Principal products/crops: Corn, rice and coconut 145

Industries: Steel, cement, paper and chemical manufacturing

Mineral Resources: Gold, copper, chromite, manganese and coal

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Maria Cristina Falls, Costa Brava Beach Resort, Kiwalan Beach, Kanaway Beach, Twin Falls, and Cathedral Falls.

Governor: Mohammad Khalid Q. Dimaporo

Congresswomen: Imelda Q. Dimaporo and Fatima Aliah Q. Dimaporo

REGION XI DAVAO REGION

DAVAO DEL NORTE The three Davao provinces (Davao, Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental) were formerly united until 1967 when they were separated into independent provinces. In the 19th century, seven major tribal groups occupied the Davao provinces. Of these, the Manobo 146 and Bagobo groups were the most numerous. The Manobos occupy most of Davao del Norte while the Bagobo tribes settled on the northern part of Davao del Sur. The province of Davao dates back to 1914 but its structuring of municipalities was not completed until 1936. Political sub-division of Davao into the three provinces was made on May 8, 1967, by virtue of Republic Act No. 4867.On June 17, 1972, Congress approved Republic Act No. 6430 changing the official name of the province of Davao del Norte to Davao only.

History

Davao del Norte was originally a part of what was then collectively known as the province of Davao. On May 8, 1967, the late Congressman Lorenzo S. Sarmiento, Sr. authored a bill, which was later passed into law - RA 4867 - that divided Davao into three provinces, namely, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental. On June 17, 1972, the name Davao del Norte was changed to Davao under RA 6430. All three provinces celebrate their anniversary every 1st of July.

On January 30, 1998, Former President Fidel V. Ramos signed RA 8470 creating the province of Compostela Valley out of Davao province. This paved the way for the conversion of the municipality of Tagum into a city (RA 8472), the merging of the three island municipalities of Babak, Samal, and Kaputian to form the Island Garden City of Samal (RA 8471), and the creation of the municipality of B.E. Dujali (RA 8473). With the creation of Compostela Valley, the province of Davao reverted back to its old name of Davao del Norte and at present has seven municipalities and three cities.

Former Name: Davao del Norte

Land Area: 3,462.8 2km2(1,337 sq mi)

Capital: Tagum City

Population: 847,440 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Cebuano and Panay- Hiligaynon

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 21 (Asuncion, Babak, Carmen, Compostela, Kapalong, Kaputian, Mabini, Maco, Mawab, Monkayo, Montevista, Nabunturan, New Bataan, New Corella, Panabo, Pantukan, Samal, San Mariano, Santo Tomas, San Vicente, and Tagum)

No. of Barangays: 223

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Majority of its lowland areas are located at the center of the province. This is known as the Davao Piedmont. It is drained by its principal rivers which run north to south and empty their waters into the . Both Davao and Davao del Sur are separated from the surrounding provinces on the west by the Central Mindanao Highlands. , the 147 premiere city of Mindanao, is located in the northeastern part of the province, at the head of the gulf. In terms of land area, Davao City is the world's largest city (244,000 hectares). The mighty Davao river runs through the city. Davao is divided into eight political district : baguio and Paguibato in the north; Calinan and Tugbok in the central part; Bunawan, Bahangin and Talomo in the east ; and Toril in the south. The capital of Davao del Sur is Digos, found in the central part, 57 kilometers south of Davao City.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (Liguabanon, Saug and Tuganay)

No. of Mountains: 26 (Mt. Tagubud is the highest)

Climate: Generally mild with no marked rainy or dry season. The province is not within the typhoon belt and dry periods are not extreme as to cause drought even during the warm month of April.It has no pronounced conducive to agri-crop production.

Average Annual Rainfall: 93.69 inches

Principal products/crops: Corn and banana (major crops), rice, coconut, abaca, and other tropical fruits.

Industries: Logging, fishing, livestock and poultry raising (major industries)

Mineral Resources: Copper, gold, silver, limestone and marble

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Davao Penal Colony, Madaum Beach, Mainit Hot Spring, Masarra Mines and Kamunod Cave.

Governor: Rodolfo P. del Rosario

Congressmen: Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, Mylene J. Garcia and Isidro T. Ungab

DAVAO ORIENTAL is the easternmost province among the Davao provinces. Its shores face the Pacific Ocean and stretch from its northern boundaries to the southern peninsula tipped by Cape San Agustin. The Spaniards established their first permanent Spanish settlement in Caraga town in 1591. The long coastlines of Davao Oriental provide rich fishing grounds. The manufacturing concerns of this province include food processing plants which transform the prized Davao fruit, durian, into candies and preserves. There are also shoe factories, furniture shops, ice plants, cement factories, and repair shops. Home industries such as weaving, candle-making, crude pottery and rope making can be found in Davao Oriental, as in majority of Philippine provinces.

History

About 300 years ago, Davao Oriental was merely a part of Caraga Province-forming part of the Encomienda de Bislig with the Encomienda de Seargao, Butuan and Tandag. The province became historically important in 1846, when a distinguished Attorney-at-Law, Don Jose Uyanguren-upon the order of Gov. Gen. Narciso Claveria, organized settlements with considerable inhabitants South of Encomienda de Bislig. Today, these are the Municipalities of Baganga, Gov. Generoso and Mati. In July 1, 1967, under the Republic Act 4867, Davao was 148 divided into three (3) provinces. Davao Oriental was created as a separate and independent province along with Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 5,164.46 km2(1,994 sq mi)

Capital: Mati

Population: 486,104 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Cebuano, Davaweño and Panay-Hiligaynon

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 11 (Baganga, Banay-Banay, Boston, Caraga, Cateel, Governor Generoso, Lupon, Manay, Mati, San Isidro and Tarragona)

No. of Barangays: 183

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province is dominated by the highlands of the Pacific Cordillera running from north to south of the province. The whole east coast is irregular with deep embayments. Small river deltas can be found at the head of each bay constituting the arable lowlands. The eastern coast of the province is fringed with mountain ranges while the rest of the area has an uneven distribution of hills, swamps and lowlands. Of the total land area of the province, about 493.68 km2 are classified as lowlands, 235.90 km2 as uplands; 2,263,48 km2 as hilly lands; and about 2,154.35 as mountainous areas. The remaining 17.05 km2 are covered by creeks, braided river beds, lakes and quarries.

No. of Principal Rivers: 2 (with other Davao provinces)

No. of Mountains: 26 (with other Davao provinces)

Climate: Generally mild with no marked rainy or dry season.

Average Annual Rainfall: 44.67 inches

Principal products/crops: Corn, rice, citrus, coconut and abaca

Industries: Logging, fishing, livestock and poultry raising Mineral Resources: Copper, gold, silver, and residual magnetite

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Lupon Beach, Atlas Mines, Caraga Catholic Church, Capitol Hillsides, Waniban Island, Aliwagwag Falls, Cateel Hot Springs, Kalapagan Hot Springs, Saguegue Caves, Bitoon Beach, and the Mount Apo and Mayo Rivers. 149

Governor: Corazon Nunez-Malanyaon

Congressman: Nelson L. Dayanghirang and Thelma Z. Almario

DAVAO DEL SUR The elongated province of Davao del Sur stretches from Davao City southward to Sarangani Strait. The province has limited alluvial plains and shares some areas of the Davao Piedmont within Davao City. Little is known of Davao before the Spaniards came, but it appears that several scattered tribal groups occupied the shores of Davao Gulf, from the Sarangani Strait to the eastern side of the Gulf culminating at Cape San Agustin. These tribes belonged to the general Muslim group of the Maguindanao. By the time the Spaniards came, they had already settled in many sites away from the shores that were to become important towns. Some of these towns are Tagum in Davao, Samal in Davao del Sur, and Mayo which is now a part of Davao City. In 1970, Davao del Sur had the biggest share (53 percent) of the combined population count of the Davao provinces. This has made the province the most densely populated with 177.7 persons per sq. km. Half of the population, however, lives in Davao City.

History

The early inhabitants of Davao del Sur, were the Bagobos, and the Manobos further to the north. Maguindanao and Samal communities settled along the shores of Davao Gulf in or near river mouths and traded with the peoples of the interior. Spanish explorers visited the coast of Davao del Sur as early as the 16th century. The island of Sarangani was visited by Alvaro de Saavedra in 1528, while Ruy Lopez de Villalobos also passed by the coast in 1543 on his way to the Moluccas. However, settlement and colonization was never attempted. The area was considered part of the realm of the Sultan of Maguindanao. A colony of Japanese settlers established plantations in what is now the City of Davao. Before the outbreak of the war in 1941, there were approximately 25,000 Japanese settlers living in "Davao Kuo." Most of the Japanese settlers were repatriated to Japan after the Second World War. Davao del Sur was created through Republic Act No. 4867, which split Davao into three provinces on July 1, 1967.

Former Name: Nueva Guipuzcoa

Land Area: 3,934.01 km2(1,518.9 sq mi)

Capital: Digos

Population: 822,406 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Cebuano and Panay-Hiligaynon

Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Davao)

No. of Municipalities: 15 (Bansalan, Digos, Don Marcelino, Hagonoy, Jose Abad Santos, Kiblawan, Magsaysay, Malalag, Malita, Matanao, Padada, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Sarangani, and Sulop)

No. of Barangays: 337 150

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province has limited alluvial plains and shares some areas of the Davao Piedmont within Davao City. Both Davao and Davao del Sur are separated from the provinces that bound them on the west by the Central Mindanao Highlands. This mountain ranges has its highest peak in Davao del Sur at Mt. Apo, an active volcano rising to 2,953.51 meters (9,690 feet).

No. of Principal Rivers: 2 (with other Davao provinces)

No. of Mountains: 26 (with other Davao provinces)

Climate: Generally mild with no marked rainy or dry season. The province is not within the typhoon belt and dry periods are not extreme as to cause drought even during the warm month of April.

Average Annual Rainfall: 75.92 inches

Principal products/crops: Corn, rice, citrus, coconut and abaca

Industries: Rice, corn, and sugar milling and various machine shops

Mineral Resources: None

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Todaya Waterfalls, Aguinaldo Pearl Farms, Bago Inigo Fish Farm, Bago Experimental Station, Mt. Apo National Park and Reservation, Binaton, Bagabo Villages, Island, Seven Hills, the Don Mariano Marcos Foundation School, Astorga beach resort, Apo Beach, and the Ligid Island Resort.

Governor: Douglas Ra Cagas

Congressman: Marc Douglas Cagas IV and Franklin Bautista

COMPOSTELA VALLEY is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. The province, called Comval for short, used to be part of Davao del Norte until it was made independent in 1998. It is the third newest province of the Philippines, behind Dinagat Islands and Zamboanga Sibugay.

History

Compostela Valley Province, the 78th province in the country, was carved out of Davao Del Norte by virtue of the Republic Act No. 8470, signed by the President Fidel V. Ramos on January 30, 1998. On March 7 of the same year, the law was ratified through a plebiscite conducted in the twenty-two (22) municipalities of the mother province.

The name originally proposed for the new province was Davao Del Norte, the former name, or so it was thought, of the mother province. However, the House of Representatives' reference 151 and research Bureau which conducted the research and legal work on the creation of the province found out that the mother province continues to be officially referred to as Davao Del Norte in most official documents including the 1987 Philippine Constitution despite the passage of RA No. 6430 on June 17, 1972 renaming it Davao Province. Tedious technical and legal issues need to be resolved before the name could be adopted. The proposal was, thus, shelved, and the name finally agreed upon was "Compostela Valley", referring to the great fertile plain in the heartkand of the province.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 4,479.77 km2 (1,729.6 sq mi)

Capital: Nabunturan

Population: 637,366 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 11

No. of Barangays: 237

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: This 4666.93 sq. km. province is bounded on the north by Agusan del Sur, on the west by Bukidnon, on the east by Davao Oriental and on the south by Davao. It forms part of the Davao Gulf Area Development Zone (ADZ). The province consists of flat, rolling, hilly and mountainous portions equally distributed throughout the area. The eastern part of the province is mostly mountain ranges. The province, together with Davao is known to have the largest gold reserves in Southern Mindanao and the third largest in the country.

No. of Principal Rivers: 47

No. of Mountains: Mount Diwalwal

Climate: The climate is generally tropical with no marked dry or rainy season. It is protected from visiting typhoons by its mountain ranges and forests.

Average Annual Rainfall: 150.35 mm

Principal products/crops: rice, coconut, and banana

Industries: fishing

Mineral Resources: gold 152

Forest Resources: timber

Tourist Attractions: Mt. Candalaga Peak, Haven's Peak, Kanlawig Hot Spring, Aguacan Inland Resort, Tagbibinta Falls,Manaklay Beach Park and Resort, Pindasan, Mabini, Mt. Diwata's Peak,Agusan River & Baylo Falls

Governor: Arturo T. Uy

Congressmen: Ma. Carmen Zamora-Apsay & Rommel Amatong

REGION XII SOCCSKSARGEN

NORTH COTABATO The province of Cotabato, which used to be the largest province in the country, was divided into two in 1967 - north and south. Northern Cotabato was further divided into three provinces on November 22, 1973 by virtue of Presidential Decree 341. The three new provinces formed were North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat. The Cotabato provinces have an area as big as the whole Central Luzon, but the wide plains of Cotabato are definitely richer. Two reasons account for Cotabato's rich soils. One is the presence of Rio Grande de Mindanao, the longest river in Mindanao. The river overflows regularly and deposits its sediments, making the land fertile. The other reason is Cotabato's cool and humid climate. There are no typhoons, but rainfall is frequent. And the plains of Cotabato lie between long mountain ranges which are sources of cool breezes.

(Name of North Cotabato province changed to Cotabato through Batas Pambansa Blg. 660.) 153

History

The territory that is now the province of Sultan Kudarat was originally part of Cotabato province, which was one of the largest and most resource-rich provinces in the country. During the Spanish colonial era, the land was heavily forested and left largely underdeveloped. Because of the size of the province, it was divided into smaller units. Additionally, conflicting political, social, and economic interests limited the province's progress. Cotabato was first split into North Cotabato and South Cotabato. North Cotabato was then split into what is now Maguindanao (from which the new province of Shariff Kabunsuan was created), (North) Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.

Sultan Kudarat was named after a Sultan of Maguindanao, Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, who reigned from 1623 to 1671. It became a separate province on November 22, 1973.

Former Names: Mindanao and Maguindanao

Land Area: 9,008.90 km2(3,478.4 sq mi)

Capital: Kidapawan

Population: 1,121,974 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Hiligaynon, Tagalog, Chavacano, Cebuano, Maguindanao and Tiruray

Income Classification: Second Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 17 (Alamada, Aleosan, Antipas, Banisilan, Carmen, Kabacan, Kidapawan, Libungan, Magpet, Makilala, Matalam, Midsayap, M'lang, Pigkawayan, Pikit, President Roxas, and Tulunan)

No. of Barangays: 543

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: At the center of the area (North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat) is a large river valley traversed by the tributaries of Mindanao River. A series of volcanic mountains can be found on the northern portion of the area, while hills are scattered on the western part.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (Rio Grande de Mindanao, Libungan and Malasila)

No. of Mountains: 21 (with South Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat)

Climate: Characterized by a more or less even distribution of rainfall throughout the year.

Average Annual Rainfall: 34.45 inches 154

Principal products/crops: Coconut, rice, sugar, abaca, pineapple, cotton, coffee, tobacco and ramie

Industries: Livestock, hog and poultry raising, fishing and logging

Mineral Resources: Copper

Forest Resources: Timber and grazing

Tourist Attractions: Rio Grande de Mindanao and the Lanzones Forest.

Governor: Emmylou"Lala" J. Taliño-Mendoza

Congressmen: Jesus N. Sacdalan and Nancy A. Catamco

MAGUINDANAO The province of Cotabato, which used to be the largest province in the Philippines, was divided into three provinces on November 22, 1973 by Presidential Decree 341. One of these new provinces was Maguindanao. The province of Maguindanao is supposed to be the home for the Muslim Maguindanaos also called the "People of the foot plains", because of the rich fertile river valleys where they have settled. The Maguindanaos, who survive on agriculture, fishing and weaving, are known to be the largest group of Muslims in the south. Other major tribes which have settled in the area are the Muslim Iranons and the animistic Tirurays.

History

During the American period, Cotabato became a district of the Moro Province created in 1903 and a province of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu in 1914.

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces entered what is now Maguindanao.

In 1945, Maguindanao was liberated by allied Philippine Commonwealth troops and Maguindanaoan guerrilla units after defeating the Japanese Imperial forces in the Battle of Maguindanao during the Second World War.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 5,474.1 square kilometers

Capital: Shariff Aguak

Population: 1,273,715 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Maguindanao, Hiligaynon, Cebuano and Tiruray

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Cotabato)

No. of Municipalities: 17 (Ampatuan, Barira, Buldon, Buluan, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Dinaig, 155

Kabuntalan, Maganoy, Matanog, Pagalungan, Parang, South Upi, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan sa Barongis, Talayan, and Upi)

No. of Barangays: 492

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: At the center area of the old Cotabato Province is a large river valley traversed by the tributaries of Mindanao River. Maguindanao is a large lowland of Mindanao.

No. of Principal Rivers: 1 (Mindanao)

No. of Mountains: 2

Climate: Characterized by a more or less even distribution of rainfall throughout the year, the coldest months in the province are December and January. The warm season is from March to June.

Average Annual Rainfall: 34.35 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables and fruits

Industries: Hog and poultry raising, fishing and logging

Mineral Resources: Copper

Forest Resources: Timber

Tourist Attractions: Cotabato City

Governor: Shariff Aguak

Congressmen: Bai Sandra A. Sema and Simeon Datumanong

SULTAN KUDARAT may be considered a "salad bowl due to its many vegetables and fruits. It has already made a name for itself as a big food producer and leader in rural development. It produces more than five million cavans of palay and roughly 1.5 million cavans of corn annually. The surplus is sold for funds needed to finance the construction of road and infrastructure essential to the development of the land. As large as Iloilo or Pangasinan, Sultan Kudarat has less than half of its 4,288 sq. kilometers develop. This fourth class province whose inhabitants are mostly Christians, had a population close to 304,000, the smallest in the Central Mindanao Region in 1980.

History

Sultan Kudarat was made an independent province on November 22, 1973 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 341.

The name of the province was derived from a Muslim ruler, the late Sultan Mohammad Dipatuan Kudarat of the Sultanate of Maguindanao, who reigned from 1625 to 1671. He was a virtual leader who embodied the idea of basic unity, oneness and freedom among the diverse 156 people scattered throughout his Sultanate. He was considered as one of the national heroes of the Republic of the Philippines not only because of his virtues of leadership but also because of his patriotic exploit in repelling Spanish domination. For his honor, Sultan Kudarat province was named after him.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 5,251.3 km2 (2,027.5 sq mi)

Capital: Isulan

Population: 675,644 (2007)

Principal Dialects: Hiligaynon, Cebuano, Maguindanao, and Tiruray

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 11 (Bagumbayan, Columbio, Esperanza, Isulan, Kalamansig, Labak, Lutayan, Mariano Marcos, Palimbang, President Quirino, and Tacurong)

No. of Barangays: 249

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The Area occupied by Sultan Kudarat is one of the two large lowlands of Mindanao. At its center is a large river valley traversed by the tributaries of Mindanao River. A series of volcanic mountains can be found on the northern and southern portions of the area, while hills are scattered on the western part.

No. of Principal Rivers: 16 (Mindanao River is the largest)

No. of Mountains: 2

Climate: Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. The coldest months are December and January while the warmest are from March to June. The province is out of the path of strong typhoons and destructive floods.

Average Annual Rainfall: 34.45 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, coconut, sugarcane, abaca, coffee, potato, tobacco and ramie

Industries: Rubber manufacturing, commercial fishing, and poultry and hog raising

Mineral Resources: None

Forest Resources: Rubber

Tourist Attraction: The big Buluan Lake 157

Governor: Suharto T. Mangudadatu

Congressmen: Raden C. Sakaluran and Arnold F. Go

SARANGANI is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. Its capital is Alabel and borders South Cotabato to the north and Davao del Sur to the east. The province is divided into two parts, separated by the Sarangani Bay and General Santos City, and it used to be part of South Cotabato until it was made an independent province in 1992.

History

In 1942, entering by the Japanese troops occupied in Sarangani.

In 1945, the liberated to the Philippine Commonwealth troops entered in Sarangani by the attacked from the Japanese soldiers in the Battle of Sarangani during World War II.

Before its inception in 1992, Sarangani was part of South Cotabato and held its title as the Lone Third District of South Cotabato. Created by Repulic Act No. 7228 on March 16, 1992 it was one of the newest districts of the time penned by the late Congressman, James L. Chiongbian. His wife, Priscilla L. Chiongbian is the retired Governor of Sarangani.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 3,601.3 km2 (1,390.5 sq mi)

Capital: Alabel

Population: 475,514 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Tagalog

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: 7

No. of Barangays: 140

No. of Municipal Districts: Lone District

Topography: Flatlands, rolling hills, and mountains characterized Sarangani's terrain. The coastal towns of Alabel, Glan, Maasim, Malapatan, Kiamba, and Maitum are made up of vast stretches of fertile flatlands with slope ranging from 0 to 8 percent.

No. of Principal Rivers: Saub River, the Pangi River, the Kalaong River and the Luan River

No. of Mountains: None 158

Climate: Northeast monsoon and southwest monsoon are the prevailing wind directions of Sarangani Province. These are respectively from the months of November to March and June to October.

Average Annual Rainfall: 79.6mm

Principal products/crops: Copra, rice corn, fruits and vegetables, and sugarcane

Industries: Oil palm plantation, abaca farming, boat building, marble mining, lime and limestone production, dried flowers processing, handicraft, dried fish processing, and coco coir

Mineral Resources: gold, iron, ore,copper, marble, cement lime, limestone,

Forest Resources: timber

Tourist Attractions: Tampat, American Plantation, Ayub Cave (Brgy. Pinol, Maitum, Sarangani) & American Settlement

Governor: Miguel Rene A. Dominguez

Congressman: Emmanuel D. Pacquiao

REGION XIII CARAGA

AGUSAN DEL NORTE has been greatly influenced by Spanish colonization as well as the heavy influx of migrants from the outlying Visayan islands. The cultural environment of the province which is quite different from the rest of Mindanao, is basically a mixture of several mainstreams of culture found in Central Philippines. The province is accessible by land, sea, and air. It has four shipping lines and a national airport at Bancasi, which is adjacent to Butuan City. Commercial fishing is done in Butuan Bay and in the rich waters of Mindanao Sea.

History

Agusan Province was named after a Malay word Agasan, meaning, "where water flows", probably because of the mighty river that traverses the whole area. Early immigrants from Borneo and Celebes came to the region in Balanghai or wooden boats. Nine such boats were excavated. One dates back to 320 A.D. The Malay settlers drove the aborigines, called Mamanwas, to the hinterlands. Agusan was part of Surigao province during the Spanish colonial administration. By virtue of R.A. 1306 during the American regime, it became the independent province of Agusan. On June 17, 1967, Congress passed R.A. 4979 dividing the lone province into Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.

Former Name: None 159

Land Area: 2,730.24 km2(1,054.2 sq mi)

Capital: Cabadbaran City

Population: 314,027 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano, Tagalog and English

Income Classification: Fifth Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Butuan)

No. of Municipalities: 11 (Buenavista, Cabadbaran, Carmen, Jabonga, Kitcharao, La Nievas, Magallanes, Nasipit, Santiago, Tubay, and Remedios T. Romualdez)

No. of Barangays: 166

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Mainly composed of lowland plains. The Agusan River drains the province together with its tributaries. It also shares Lake Mainit with Surigao del Norte. Flat and rolling lands characterized much of Agusan del Norte's. Surrounded by mountains at the northwestern and southeastern fronts, the sea embraces valleys at its mid portion that runs in triangular form from the west and comprise the plains fronting Butuan Bay on the east. Lording over this landmass in term of elevation is the 2,012 meters Mt. Hilong-hilong in Cabadbaran, part of Diwata Mountain Range as its northeastern boundary with the province of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur that stand as watershed to Caraga Region's major rivers. The other highlands in the province are Mt. Mabaho, 1823 meters in Buenavista and Mt. Piglalahan, 810 meters in Carmen.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (with Agusan del Sur)

No. of Mountains: 16 (with Agusan del Sur)

Climate: Characterized by the lack of a dry season and pRonounced rainfall throughout the year. There is an even distribution of Rainfall. Annual average rainfall is 91.5 inches, an annual total of 217 rainy days or a monthly average of 18,01 rainy days per month. The average annual temperature is 27.5 °C and annual humidity average 85%.

Average Annual Rainfall: 6 inches in Butuan City; 46 inches in the southern portion of the province.

Principal products/crops: Corn, palay, banana, rubber, abaca, peanut, coconut, and vegetables.

Industries: Logging (major industry), and cottage industries such as dressmaking, needlecraft, food preservation, metalcraft, and rattan manufacturing.

Mineral Resources: Copper, gold, silver, iron, and serpentine 160

Forest Resources: Commercial hardwood such as mayapis, apitong, bagtikan, and tanguile.

Tourist Attractions: Lake Mainit, Tinago Beach in Buenavista and the plywood, lawanit and lumber factories.

Governor: Erlpe John Amante

Congressman: Jose Aquino II and Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante

AGUSAN DEL SUR was separated from Agusan del Norte by the virtue of Republic Act. 4979, issued on June 17, 1967. Its capital today is Prosperidad, an agricultural town 56 kilometers from Butuan City. Although the province does not have any beach resorts, it still has the ability to lure tourist because of its toog trees, which are said to be the biggest in the country, averaging some seven meters in diameter. Agusan del Sur also boasts of large rubber plantations, vast grasslands for cattle raising, dense forest that yield timber in abundance and a deep humus soil which produces various crops.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 9,989.52 km2(3,857 sq mi)

Capital: Prosperidad

Population: 609,447 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano and Tagalog

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: Buyugan City

No. of Municipalities: 14 (Bayugan, Bunawan, Esperanza, La Paz, Loreto, Prosperidad, Rosario, San Francisco, San Luis, Santa Josefa, Sibagat, Talacogon, Trento and Veruela)

No. of Barangays: 314

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Terrain is generally rugged. Its valley is on the central section, bisected by the Agusan River which flows from Davao del Norte to Agusan del Norte. The Agusan River, which flows from Compostela Valley in the south towards Agusan del Norte in the north, runs almost in the middle of the valley and empties at Butuan Bay. The river has twelve tributaries: Wawa, Gibong and Simulao Rivers in the eastern side and Ojot, Pusilao, Kasilayan, Libang, Maasam, Adgawan, Cawayan, Umayam and Ihaon Rivers in the western side. These tributaries are fed by streams and creeks. The southern half of the province from the municipality of Veruela is an area filled with swamps and lakes, the biggest of which is Talacogon Lake. In the lower half of the province, from the town of Talacogon, are lowlands with many swamps and lakes. Lake Lanao is the biggest and most important.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (with Agusan del Norte) 161

No. of Mountains: 16 (with Agusan del Norte)

Climate: The province has no dry season but a pRonounced rainfall from December to January. Floods are frequent, more because of the amount of Rainfall than of the frequency of typhoons. Areas characterized by this climate type are generally along or very near the eastern coast thus are open to the northeast monsoon.

Average Annual Rainfall: 127.9 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice and corn

Industries: Logging (major industry)

Mineral Resources: Silver, iron, lead, chromite, and asbestos

Forest Resources: Timber and grazing lands

Tourist Attractions: Several beaches (with Agusan del Norte) such as the Dagani Beach, Ata- Atahon Beach Resort, Bulihan Beach Resort, and Lake Mainit.

Governor: Adolph Edward Plaza

Congressman: Maria Valentina Plaza Cornelio and Evelyn G. Plaza-Mellana

SURIGAO DEL SUR is one of the provinces in the Philippines most laden with minerals. Large amounts of gold, copper, silver, chromite, lead, zinc, iron and nickel have been found in the province.About 28 percent of the total land area consists of farmlands. The towns of Cantilan, Tago and San Miguel are the rice granaries of the province.Surigao del Sur became the 56th province of the Philippines when it was created on September 26, 1960. It has 213 barangays at present and its irregular coastline has three bays which are important ports of the province, namely the Lenuza Bay, the Lianga Bay, and the Bislig Bay.

History

Surigao del Sur was created as the 56th Philippine province on June 29, 1960 by virtue of R. A. No. 2786 and was formally separated from its mother province, Surigao del Norte, on September 18, 1960.

At the time of its inception, it was classified as a 4th class province with an annual income of over P300,000.00. Seven years later, because of rapid increase of revenue collections particularly from logging ventures, it has been reclassified into first class B. Presently, it is classified as first class A with an estimated annual income of around P13,000,000.

During then World War II, guerilla units were organized with the seat of resistance in Cagwait. The capital which was then occupied by the Japanese suffered the heaviest destruction from both air and sea bombardment. Thousands of Japanese were killed and the town was reduced to ashes. 162

Former Name: None

Land Area: 4,925.2 km2(1,901.6 sq mi)

Capital: Tandag

Population: 541,347 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Tandag City)

No. of Municipalities: 18 (Barobo, Bayabas, Bislig, Cagwait, Cantilan, Carmen, Carrascal, Cortes, Hinatuan, Lanuza, Lianga, Lingig, Madrid, Marihatag, San Agustin, San Miguel, Tagbina and Tago)

No. of Barangays: 309

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The coastal regions are made up of small lowlands separated from each other by rugged promontories. The Diwata Range lines the northern boundaries of the province. Offshore are coral reefs and tiny islets which make Surigao del Sur almost inaccessible to big shipping vessels.

No. of Principal Rivers: 1

No. of Mountains: None

Climate: Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year with no distinct dry season. Surigao del Sur does not experience severe storms although it is exposed to the northeast monsoon and trade winds.

Average Annual Rainfall: 182.94 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, corn, rootcrops, copra and abaca

Industries: Lumbering and farming

Mineral Resources: Gold, copper, silver, nickel, iron, chromite, lead, zinc, coal, cobalt and limestone Forest

Resources: Timber and rattan

Tourist Attractions: Tandag Beach, Point Tugas (worlds largest iron reserves), and Dalahican and Tamoyas beaches.

Governor: Johnny Pimentel 163

Congressmen: Philip A. Pichay and Florencio C. Garay

SURIGAO DEL NORTE was first inhabited by the Mananua tribe. It was only toward the end of the 16th century that some parts of Surigao were colonized by the Spaniards. At the end of the Spanish era, Gen. Prudencio Garcia wrested power from Juan Gonzales, the gobernadorcillo of Surigao, and his two sons. In 1901, however, Garcia unconditionally turned over the government to the Americans. A civil government was established in Surigao on May 15, 1901 by the Americans. On June 19, 1960, the province of Surigao del Norte was created, by virtue of Republic Act No. 2786.

History

In 1538, the eastern coast of Mindanao which included the present province of Surigao del Norte was visited by a Portuguese explorer Francisco de Castro, who found the place inhabited by the Caraga tribe who were believed to be of Visayan origin. Five years later, a Spaniard Ruy Lopez de Villabos landed in the same region, His navigator, Bernardo de la Torre, named it 'Cesaria Caroli" in honor of the reigning Spanish Monarch, Carlos V. The name however, never persisted since the Spaniards preferred to name the area "Caraga" after its chief inhabitants.On September 18, 1960, pursuant to the Republic Act 2736 dated June 19, 1960, the province of Surigao was divided into Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur. The town of Surigao became a city on August 30, 1970 pursuant to RA 6134. Atty. Pedro R. Espina became the first City Mayor.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 1,972.9 km2(761.7 sq mi)

Capital: Surigao City

Population: 409,468 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano / Surigaonon

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Surigao)

No. of Municipalities: 26 (Alegria, Bacuag, Basilisa, Burgos, Cagdianao, Claver, Dapa, Del Carmen, Dinagat, General Luna, Gigaquit, Libjo, Loreto, Mainit, Malimono, Pilar, Placer, San Benito, San Francisco, San Isidro, Santa Monica, Sison, Socorro, Tagana-an, Tubajon, and Tubod)

No. of Barangays: 335

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The interior part of the province is rugged and mountainous. Almost all the municipalities are located along the coasts. The province is located at the very edge of the Philippine Deep, once known as the deepest part of the world. A cluster of mineral-rich islands 164 also belong to the province.

No. of Principal Rivers: 1

No. of Mountains: 14

Climate: Surigao del Norte is not visited by typhoons, unlike the other provinces exposed to the Pacific Ocean. Located outside the typhoon belt, the province still receives plenty of rainfall. Relatively dry months are from May to September.

Average Annual Rainfall: 144.72 inches

Principal products/crops: Coconut, rice, corn, banana, tobacco and sugarcane.

Industries: Logging, mining, farming and weaving

Mineral Resources: Nickel, iron, cobalt, gold, copper, manganese and chromite

Forest Resources: Timber and hardwood

Tourist Attractions: Casa Real in Surigao City, the nickel quarries on Nonoc Island, Lake Mainit and Mabua Beach

Governor: Sol F. Matugas

Congressman: Francisco T. Matugas and Guillermo A. Romarate, Jr.

DINAGAT ISLANDS was a province in the Philippines, located on the south side of . Leyte is to its west, across Surigao Strait, and Mindanao is to its south. Its main island, Dinagat, is about 60 km from north to south. Dinagat Islands was a part of the First District of Surigao del Norte until it became a separate province on December 2, 2006 after the approval of Republic Act No. 9355, the Charter of the Province of Dinagat Islands, in a plebiscite.

History

The islands and mushroom islets of the province offer a Shangri-La for the adventurers. Its caves, rock formations, waterfalls, bonsai forests, white beaches, and mountain lakes provide a perfect ambiance for the thrill seekers and nature-loving individuals.

It is also the site of the greatest and historic Battle of Surigao Strait during World War II. Loreto, the northernmost municipality of the province, is the entry point in the Philippines of the American and Filipino Liberation Forces under Gen. Douglas MacArthur before proceeding to Leyte to fulfill his promise to return and liberate the Philippine Islands from the Japanese Imperial Army.

On 17-18 October 1942 the 6th Ranger Battalion seized three islands that guarded the entrances to Leyte Gulf, clearing the way for Sixth Army's invasion of Leyte on 20 October. Encountering little opposition on Dinagat and Homonhon is lands, the Rangers installed beacons to guide the invasion fleet through the channel between them. On Suluan Island Capt. Arthur D. "Bull" Simons, commanding Company B. found the Japanese in a lighthouse 165 surrounded by imposing cliffs on three sides and a steep trail on the fourth. In a daring night attack part of the company cut off a security detachment at the foot of the trail while the other Rangers climbed the cliffs, struck the surprised garrison from the rear, and annihilated them. Having accomplished its mission, the battalion moved to Leyte where it patrolled rear areas and served as a guard for Krueger's headquarters.

Former Name: None

Land Area: 1,036.34 km² (400 sq mi)

Capital: San Jose

Population: 120,813 (2007)

Principal Dialect: Cebuano, Surigaonon, Boholano, Tagalog, and Waray are the major languages/dialects spoken in the province.

Income Classification: Fifth Class Province

No. of Cities: None

No. of Municipalities: (7) Basilisia (Rizal), Cagdianao, Dinagat, Libjo (Albor), Loreto, San Jose & Tubajon

No. of Barangays: 100

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The province has a varied terrain ranging from flat, to rugged, t o mountainous. The elevation of the eastern part of the province reaches over 900 meters from sea level. The rest of the island is characterized by broken relief or relatively low elevation especially land areas adjacent to the ocean.

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: None

Climate: The province falls under climate type II characterized by no pronounced dry season but with a very pronounced maximum rainfall period from November to January.

Average Annual Rainfall: 2,830.60 meters

Principal products/crops: coconut, rice, root crops, fruits, vegetables and corn

Industries: arts and handicrafts,citronella production, charcoal making from coconut shells, livestock, farming, fishing and mining

Mineral Resources:iron, gold, silver, nickel, chromite, manganese and copper, aluminous laterite ore and nickeliferous laterite. Small amount of rock phosphate, limestone, siliceous and gold deposits are scattered across the island as well. 166

Forest Resources: wood and lumber

Tourist Attractions: Pangabangan Island (Libjo), Bitaug Beach (Basilisa), Sundayo Beach (Basilisa) & Pig-ot Hideaway Beach (Libjo)

Governor: Glenda B. Ecleo

Congressman: Ruben B. Ecleo, Jr. 167