GUIMARAS: The Island Orchard

        Guimaras is an exotic island province just south of Iloilo located in southeast Panay and northwest of Negros in Western Visayas. Its beautiful spots make local and foreign tourists flock to the place. Dr. Jose Rizal even recommended the place after his visit in 1896. It is separated from Iloilo by the Iloilo Strait and from Negros Island by the Guimaras Strait.

         It is an island but to reach it is not difficult for a prospective trader or investor. From Iloilo harbor to Guimaras Island is only a 15-minute ride by ferry boat. The surrounding islets could could be reached by special arrangement with pumpboat owners ¬¬¬from 5 minutes to 2 hour depending on the distance of the place.

        Agriculture¬ is the chief industry of the people. A great number of people are engaged in crop production because of its tropical climate. The climate is really suitable to farming. Rice, corn and vegetables are the main produce, they being the staple food of the people. Mangoes, coconuts, cashew, citrus, jackfruits and bananas are fast becoming profitable.

        Today most of our commercial fruit planters are interested and concentrated on the production of mangoes. The mango industry is a major income earner for the people of Guimaras since they export it to US, Europe and some places in Asia. The mango industry is picking up because every year there is an increasing demand for the supply of mango for export. Aside from mango, the province is concentrating to produce calamansi and cashew fruits. Cassava too is cultivated in a large scale and converted into starch at a multi million dollar processing plant at Barangay Dasal, Jordan. Because of its huge and various production of varied kinds of fruits the province of Guimaras has earned the distinction as the “Island Orchard of Western Visayas.”

        Guimaras is an island with 5 municipalities namely Buenavista, Jordan, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo and Sibunag with Jordan as its provincial capital. It has 98 barangays.

Fishing is another industry common among Guimarasnons. Its commercial fishing catch includes such fish varieties and seafoods as shrimp, mackerel, moonfish, anchovies and lapulapu. But the most sought after is the banagan (lobster) which gets a good prize in Manila.

        Among other industries engaged in by the people in Guimaras are charcoal making, manufacture of hydrated lime, rice milling, basket making and mat weaving.

        Guimaras is an exotic island blessed with picturesque beaches, radiant falls, copious springs and scenic offshore islets. Any day of the week, foreign and domestic visitors flock to the Daliran and Moroboro Caves, Siete Pecados, Roca Encantada, Pungkok, Navalas all in Buenavista; Naburot and Nagarao Islets, Rumagangrang and Cabalagnan beaches, Tiniguiban Island all in Nueva Valencia, and Balaan Bukid (Holy Mountain) at Jordan. These beautiful places help in increasing the income of the island province through the tourism industry.

ILOILO: The Foodbasket Of The Philippines

        Iloilo is not as popular as Baguio but it is one of the exotic beauties, a strange combination of the modern ways of living and the cultural influences of our glorious past. It’s the biggest province in Panay and it could be reached within 45 minutes by air from Manila and 18-20 hours by water transportation. It’s a first class province with 42 municipalities, one component city, one chartered city and 1,901 barangays. It has a total population of 2,110,588 as of 2007 statistics warm, loving, accomodating and God-fearing Ilonggos. The province has a nose shape, intersected by the mountain ranges of Antique from the western port of Capiz. That is where Iloilo got its name the shape is like a nose (Irong).

From the mountain peaks down the hills, the clear-water springs cascade down through its navigable rivers below. Along these rivers, several irrigation canals branch out revealing man’s ingenuity in his struggle for survival.

        Iloilo’s mild, tropical climate is best suited to agriculture. The province has two distinct climate, the wet and the dry, which varies from place to place within the province. Municipalities within the southern and central areas are dry from December to June and wet from July to November while some towns within the northern and northeastern areas have no pronounced rain period with dry season from January to March. Those within the western and southwestern areas have distinct rain period and no pronounced dry and wet seasons.

        With the abundance of our rich natural resources, coupled with the favorable climate and our people’s ingenuity and industry, there never had been a serious famine in Iloilo.

Although the province is bounded by mountain ranges its mainland is made up of vast plains with fertile soil favorable to farming. There are 150 rivers and creeks throughout the province. These rivers provide enough water to supply the ricefields of the different municipalities. The Jala-ud River which winded its way through the municipalities of Dumangas, Barotac Nuevo and Pototan supplies water to the said municipalities.

        We have also some falls which helped increase our food production. These are the Puruguan Falls in Sara, Iloilo; the 60-foot high Nadsadjan Falls in Barangay Passi, Igbaras, Iloilo; and the Darangkulan Falls of Ajuy, Iloilo.

        A unique, salty “Paet Spring” in Maasin, Iloilo, is nature’s handiwork which when developed could be one of the said town’s tourist attractions.

        Every year, our province yields not less than 10 million metric tons of rice because of our improved irrigation system and scientific method of farming. The latest rice production of the province was 528, 983 million metric tons planted in 158, 920 hectares of land.

       Our rice-producing municipalities are Pototan, Pavia, Oton, Sta. Barbara, Dingle, San Miguel, New Lucena, Lambunao, San Enrique and Leganes. Pototan is considered the “Rice Granary of Iloilo.” Almost every year we have an excess in rice production which were exported to other countries except on October 1989 to May 1990 when the province experienced a long drought causing the President of the Philippines to declare Iloilo as a calamity area. This is again repeated in December 1990 to March 1991 when Iloilo was declared as one of the drought-stricken areas of the country.

       The district of Jaro in Iloilo City is a mass supplier of green onions to the people of the city and the surrounding towns. Likewise the municipalities of Igbaras, Tubungan, Pavia, Oton, San Miguel, Alimodian and Leon are rich sources of fresh vegetables coming from their barangays. High valueds crops like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and strawberries are being cultivated and produced by Alimodian’s “Seven Cities”.

       Fishing is also one of the means of livelihood of the people in the coastal towns. Such fishing communities are the towns of Estancia, Carles, Balasan, San Dionisio, Batad, Concepcion, Banate, Barotac Viejo, Ajuy, Tigbauan, Guimbal, San Joaquin, and Miag-ao. In fact, Estancia is called “Alaska of the Philippines” because of its voluminous fish supply such that big fish sellers and vendors flock to Estancia for their fish supply . At Tigbauan, there is the Southeast Asia Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) which helped develop the fishing industry of the province.

       If you like to eat sweet, ripe mangoes, there are plenty in Guimbal, Tubungan, Leon and Alimodian. There are also plenty of camachiles in Igbaras, San Joaquin, and Leon; siniguelas from San Joaquin, Tubungan, and Igbaras; and sweet, varied bananas from Alimodian. Our province has a total annual production of 2, 915 metric tons of these fruits planted in 524 hectares of land.

       Iloilo ranked second to Bacolod in sugar production. Green and brownish sugarcanes are converted into sugar in four huge sugar centrals in Calinog, Lambunao and Passi. Sugar was our number one dollar earner which amounted to $30.424 million annually, or 63.2% of the total exports which included molasses, copra and others.

      Livestock and poultry raising are another sources of income for food production. The Egger Farm at San Jose, San Miguel, Iloilo, is a poultry farm which serves a number of municipalities in the province of Iloilo. The livestock markets at Leon, San Joaquin, and Cabatuan are concrete examples of a thriving livestock industry. Cottage industries are also found in our municipalities like weaving in Miag-ao and Arevalo, ceramics and metalcraft in Pavia, and woodcraft in Estancia.

      Infrastructure projects were briskly constructed in Iloilo the newer ones like the flyovers, Iloilo International Airport, Provincial Capitol and Iloilo City Hall, widening of highways, national and local roads, the construction of barangay roads and public markets, and the concreting or asphalting of national and provincial roads in the different municipalities. All these brought the accessibility of transportation, encouraged investment, and established more trade, business and industry which improved the economic condition of the province. Tourism is just high during the festivals and events like Dinagyang Festival, Paraw Regatta and Chinese New Year and could not sustain tourists and earnings from tourism all year round due to lack or absence of creative ideas from the people most especially from Department of Tourism Region VI Regional Director Edwin Trompeta.

     The substantial annual increase in the production output aided by the continuous growth of the infrastructure projects will spur the fast growth of business and industry that will further contribute to make Iloilo truly the Foodbasket of the Philippines.

CAPIZ: The Home of the Sunshine Industry

          The province of Capiz is situated in the heart of the Philippine Archipelago. It is bounded by Sibuyan Sea in the north, the province of Antique in the west, and the province of Iloilo in the south. It has a total land area of 263, 319 hectares or 2,729.2 sq. km representing 13 percent of the total land area of Western Visayas and 0.9 percent of the country’s total land area. Roxas City is around 10, 196 hectares.

When Miguel Lopez de Legaspi entered Pan-ay, a town of Capiz, 1569, he made Capiz as a Spanish settlement. It was made into a separate encomienda in 1570 and was later organized as a politico-military province in 1716, embracing the neighboring island of Romblon, Nuestra de Ocampo, Tablas and Sibuyan. On April 15, 1901, the Americans established a civil government there with William Howard Taft as its first honorary municipal president. On May 12, 1991, the town of Capiz was converted into the city of Roxas in honor of its most illustrious son, Manuel A. Roxas, the first President of the Philippine Republic. In the 1954, by virtue of R.A. 1414, Capiz was separated from Aklan and was made into an independent province.

          Capiz is considered as one of the richest province in Western Visayas. It is because of its favorable climate and fertile soil. The irregular coastline of the province serve as excellent fishing grounds and sites for ports and docking facilities.

          In agriculture, the total land area cultivated for palay is 93,622 hectares (35% of the total land area); for sugarcane, 13,739 hectares; for corn, 7,100 hectares; for coconut, 7,039 hectares; and for vegetables, 3, 298 hectares. Sugarcane used to be the important, dollar-earning crop of the province but due to the imposed U.S. quota restrictions and the stiff competition in the world market, sugar production had been greatly reduced.

         The coastal waters of Capiz constitute one of the richest fishing grounds in the whole Western Visayas region – that’s why it is often called “Seafoods Capital of the Philippines”. Among its enormous catch are crustaceans, slip mouth, nemopterid, oysters, mussels, litog, diwal, and other varities of sea foods. Fishponds also abount in Capiz covering a total land area of about 20,000 hectares. Prawn raising is considered by the Capicenos as their Sunshine Industry.

         Besides farming and fishing, there are other industries such as poultry raising, livestock, handicraft, metalcraft, shellcraft, ceramics, lime processing, abaca-slipper making, food processing, fish and prawn processing, cane milling, cassava flour milling, furniture and boat making.

         Part of the higher income derived by the people from agriculture came mostly from increased rice production.

        The effective irrigation system comes from the four big rivers of Capiz namely Mambusao, Pan-ay, Badbaran, and Maayon, whose combined discharge rate of 1, 182, 000 liters per minute is enough to water all the ricefields within their area of coverage. As for the potable water used for household consumption, seven (7) out of the sixteen (16) municipalities plus the city of Roxas are served by effective waterworks system.

        The water level of the four large rivers of Capiz is maintained mainly by the vast tracts of virgin forests and forested areas along the mountain of Capiz bordering, These forests also serve as sanctuary for wildlife.

        Copper formation was discovered in Pilar in 1935. That same year, reserve deposits of manganese were found in Ivisan.

        A well-paved, thickly asphalted national highway connects the province of Capiz with Iloilo, particularly Roxas City to Iloilo City.

        Capiz has one airport in Roxas City serving passengers bound for Manila. Cebu or any part of the country.

        The province has sixteen (16) municipalities. They are Dumalag, Dumarao, Ivisan, Jamindan, Maayon, Mambusao, Pan-ay, Panit-an, Pontevedra, Pilar, Pres. Roxas, Sapian, Sigma and Tapaz.

Untapped Potentials of Antique

      Antique is composed of 18 municipalities with a total of 590 barangays. It has a total land area of 251, 757 hectares or 2,729.2 sq. km., 83% of which is upland and 17% is lowland. It is mostly an agricultural province where majority of its people derive their income from agriculture. The 1989 survey showed 130, 387 metric tons of palay was produced followed by copra with 11,600 metric tons. The lowest is cacao with only 15.85 metric tons.

       Antique is a mountainous province which accounts for the majority of its area (83%) as upland. Thus, the land produce is not sufficient to meet the basic needs of the Antiquenos. Therefore, various development programs and projects were implemented to sped up the economic development of the province such as the Evelio B. Javier Upland Development Project and others.

       For livestock production, the province has produced hogs, cattle, carabao, goats while they produce chickens for their poultry production.

       Fishing is another major industry of the province especially among the coastal towns of Antique. On average, an estimated 10,536.2 metric tons of fish is produced annually. Fish is exported to Iloilo and Manila. Crustaceans also abound in the province especially in the island town of Caluya, where robber crab known locally as “Tatus” is plenty.

       Coal and marble are the two major minerals found in Antique. Huge reserves of coal are found in Semirara Island, one of the six islets of Caluya. In fact, it has the second largest coal deposit in the Philippines. Marble is found in the mountains and quarries of Pandan and Libertad. The multi-colored marbles extracted from these places are exported to the different parts of the country.

       Antique has two distinct climates: dry and rainy. The dry season extend from December to May while the rainy season starts from June to September. The months of October and November are characterized by alternate sunny and rainy weather.

       Antique is shaped like an elongated stretch of land along the entire west coast of Panay bounded by the province of Aklan on the north and northeast, Capiz on the east, Iloilo on the south and southeast and the Cuyo East Pass on the west.

       Because of its long, entrail-like shape, with rugged, hilly and mountainous terrain, the most important concern of the Antiquenos is their road. Going to any towns of Antique by bus from Iloilo City is really a trying experience. All the towns in northern Antique could be reached only through the capital town of San Jose except Hamtik. Other towns in southern Antique like Anini-y and Tobias Fornier could be reached via a separate road. The total road network of the province is 1,442.672 kms.

      San Jose is 97 kilometers away from Iloilo City – that would take around one hour and a half travel by bus. Being the capital town of the province, San Jose is the central point by which the distance of each town in Antique is based. The farthest, Libertad, is 143 kms. from San Jose, followed by Pandan (123 kms.), Sebaste (108.9 kms.), Culasi (89.5 kms.), Tibiao (73 kms.), Barbaza (61.30 kms.), Valderrama (57.17 kms.), Laua-an (55.1 kms.) Bugasong (43 kms.), Anini-y (40.46 kms.), Tobias Fornier (28.20 kms.), Patnongon (25 kms.), San Remigio (21.7 kms.) Belison (15.56 kms.), Sibalom (10 kms.), Caluya Island could be reached only by ferry boat on a one to two hour drive from the port of Culasi.

         Most of the towns of Antique are fishing communities. Out of the 10 municipalities, 14 are coastal towns and 1 is an island of six islets. Only 3 are inland towns. These coastal towns are: Anini-y, Tobias Fornier, Hamtik, San Jose, Belison, Patnongon, Bugasong, Laua-an, Barbaza, Tibiao, Culasi, Sebaste, Pandan and Libertad. The inland towns are Sibalom, San Jose, San Remegio and Valderrama. Caluya is an island with six islets.

         Going to the different towns of Antique from Iloilo City is done through a bus but from San Jose to the different municipalities, jeepneys could be used. Travel by ship to Manila from San Jose and vice versa using RORO or other ships are regularly scheduled. There is also a ferry boat which ferries passengers to the neighboring province of Palawan and vice versa at least thrice a week.

         There are two ports and two small airports in Antique for the ocean-going vessels and similar aircraft. One port and an airport is located in San Jose while the other port and an airport is located in Semirara Island, Caluya owned by the Semirara Coal Corporation, a private mining firm. There are also two subports in Antique which serve small ships and other sea-going vessels. One is located in the town of Culasi which serve as departure and entry point for small vessels plying the Caluya-Mindoro route. The other one is situated in Jinalinan, Pandan, which serve also as another departure and entry point for ships sailing the Pandan-Cagayan de Oro and Manila route. There are several big bus companies and airline companies and ships sailing alternately twice a week to and from the province, besides the numerous jeepneys, tricycles and trisikads which cater to the transportation needs of the Antiquenos.

           Mails, telegrams and packages are handled not only by government’s postal service system and the Department of Transportation and Communications but also local and international couriers. Telephone companies like PLDT, Globe Telecoms, Islacom and cellphone networks like Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, Sun Cellular among others provide the telecommunication needs of the natives.

There are quite a few number of radio stations in Antique and one or two local newspaper.

Improved economic productivity was facilitated by the electric power provided by the Antique Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ANTECO) to the more than 200,000 consumers of the 18 towns of the province with an average daily consumption of 10,987.83 kilowatts. The northern towns of Pandan and Libertad are served by the Aklan Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AKELCO).

           One important factor for increasing economic productivity is water for irrigation and consumption. Of the total potential irrigable area of 26,650 hectares, only 14,251 hectares, or 60.26 percent are served by irrigation systems. The sources of water supply in Antique are as follows: deep or shallow walls and improved springs (Level I); piped water system with communal faucets (Level II); piped water system with service direct to the consumers (Level III). The total number of households served by potable water in 1989 is 59,613 or 75.50 percent.

ANTIQUE: Legendary Land of Mythical Madia-as

      The province of Antique is oftentimes called the “Binirayan Country” because every year every month of December, Binirayan festival is being celebrated in the capital town of San Jose de Buenavista. This festival is a reenactment of the landing of the ten Bornean datus from Borneo under the leadership of Datu Puti. The first Malayan settlement was established in Panay at a place called Malandog, now called Hamtik, in Antique during the 13th century.

      Mt. Madia-as, the tallest peak in Panay with a peak of 6,945 feet (2,117 meters) can also be found in the province. This mountain acts as a natural boundary and spans the three provinces of Antique, Aklan and Capiz. It is situated west of the serene town of Culasi across the turbulent waters of the Carit-an River. This imposing mountain covered almost 12,000 hectares of dense forest thats more or less one half of Culasi’s total land area.

      Mt. Madia-as is a strange combination of enchanting beauty and unfathomed mystery. One would find it fascinating to watch its summit glow like solid gold at sunset. You would be amazed looking at its 24 waterfalls, several lakes and lagoons, “tinagong dagat (hidden sea)” and vast rice terraces winding around the foot of the mountain. Its forest protectively conceals and shelters the more than 100 species of orchids, the floral aristocracy of the wood lands, various ferns, wild herbs and moss. Added to these are the abundant growth of dwarf fir trees, Benguet pines and other species of flora and fauna. Mt. Madia-as serves as the best sanctuary for wildlife from the pernicious and ruthless hunters and poachers.

      Historically, Madia-as was the seat of the first organized regional political organization – the Confederation of Madyaas – under Datu Sumakwel sometime in the 12th century . In the mythical lore the mountain was called “Orang Madya-as,” an active volcano 2,300 meters high. It is believed to be the legendary home of Bulalakaw, the supreme deity of the early Malayan pagan settlers. It is also considered as the mythical abode of the spirits of our early ancestors such that sacrificial offerings for the “anitos (tribal gods)” were held at its deadly crater to appease the angry forces of nature believed to be caused by these ancient deities.

        The imposing mountain peak pose a thrilling challenge to adventurous mountain climbers. Some people do penance during the Holy Week by scaling the peak.

Scaling Mt. Madia-as is difficult and dangerous. Some of its slopes are steep as 80 to 90 degrees. Its. Steep ravines, damp grounds and moldy rocks can prove treacherous. Besides, one has to climb a gut-wrenching tightrope, walk on a narrow bridge floating on a sea of cloud and clamber up the sharp vertical slopes while holding on to slippery rocks and roots of trees a thousand feet high above could mean certain death. Also, one has to endure a 15-kilometer trek along a stony road leading to a dry river bed, brave the several improvised wooden and bamboo bridges over a boulder-strewn river and hurdle numerous hills before reaching a village at the foot of the mountain where the ascent actually starts. Still many climbers braved the hazards just to conquer the magnificent peak of this legendary mountain.

AKLAN: Acres Of Calm and Comely Beauty

       There was once a group of ten Bornean datus headed by Datu Puti who escaped from the oppressive rule of Makatunaw, the sultan of Brunei. They landed in the island of Panay which was then inhabited by aborigines known as the “Ati” (Negritoes) with Marikudo as their king. Datu Puti purchased Panay with gold “sadok” and a golden necklace known as “Manangyad.” A feast was held in celebration of the barter. The Ati-atihan festival is a celebration of that historic event. Datu Bangkaya settled in Panay in 1213 and their first settlement was in Magyanos, now called Marianos, Numancia, Aklan, which at the same time became the capital.

        In the 14th century, the capital of Aklan was moved to Batan by Datu Dinagdagan, its ruler. Batan was later overrun by the son of Kalantiaw. He was later defeated by Manduyog, the son of Datu Dinagdagan.

        In 1901, Aklan delegation petitioned the Taft Commission asking for a separation from Capiz. It was granted only on April 25, 1956 and Aklan became a province.

       Aklan is the smallest of the provinces in the region with an estimated land area of 181, 789 hectares or 1, 821.4 sq. km. and with 17 municipalities having 327 barangays. Of all its municipalities, Ibajay has the largest population while Balete has the smallest.

       Aklan is bordered on the northwest by Sulu Sea, on the northeast by Sibuyan Sea, on the west by Antique, and on the south by Capiz. Lapuz-lapuz is the northernmost point while Libacao is the southernmost. Some towns are founded near the sea while some towns are separated from each other by mountain ranges.

      Boracay, the famed beach not only in Western Visayas but throughout the Philippines, was acclaimed by the BMW Tropical Handbook of the Fourth Estate of London as the world’s best beach. They also have Ob-ob Hill where one can view from the top a breathtaking scenery. They also have other beaches like Lambingan beach, Bougainvillea beach, Afga, Navitas and Camanci. You can also enjoy swimming and the feel of the rushing of water on your body from their waterfalls such as the Jawili Falls in Tangalan, the Mampahon Falls, the Tindog Falls, the Agnaga Falls, and the Tigis Falls. All of these are well-developed but still retain its naturalness and freshness. Another beautiful panoramic hill is Manduyog Hill in Banga. Tigayon Hill and the Fatima Hill also have chapels on their summit. The religious folks of New Washington are proud of the Convent of the Pink Sisters. Tourists who are interested about Aklan’s rich cultural and historical heritage can go to Museo et Akean to see its rich collection of priceless relics and antiques or visit the Kalantiaw Shrine in Batan, east of Kalibo.

       The renowned Ati-atihan festival started since the 13th century is being held annually every 3rd week of January to honor the holy child Jesus and to celebrate the original tribal dance of the original ancestors of Panay – the aborigines called Ati or Negritoes. Tourists both local and foreign flock to Kalibo on this date to have a mardi gras type of merry making and dancing.

Beauty Enshrined and Enfolded

Miag-ao Church


Gigantes Island located in the northwestern most point of Panay and part of Carles, Iloilo


Nelly Gardens in Iloilo

       With its scenic tropical environment teeming with animal and plant life, a colorful history and a rich cultural heritage, Western Visayas is a captivating tourist package offering enriching experiences to visitors. A thrilling bird-watching experience await bird watchers at Taklong Island in the southern tip of Guimaras and in Semirara Island off Caluya Island in Antique. Crowds of beach lovers are drawn irresistibly to the white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters of Boracay in Aklan, in Sicogon Islands in Estancia and Gigantes Islands in Carles. For mountain climbers, the 7,989 feet (2,435 meters) summit of Mt. Kanlaon or the 6,945 feet (2,117 meters) peak of Mt. Madia-as promises to be an exhilarating experience.

         Evidences of the long colonial presence of Spain in the region are old Spanish churches and the old colonial mansions of sugar barons in Negros Occidental and in Iloilo City. Most famous of these churches are the UNESCO World Heritage Site Miag-ao Church and Alimodian Church in Iloilo and the Pan-ay Church in Capiz with its century-old bell made out of copper, silver and gold. It is said to be the largest in Asia. Other historical edifices include monuments and shrines of World War II.