Guimaras
Encyclopedia
Guimaras ɡimaˈɾas 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 Panay Gulf
, between the islands of Panay
and Negros. To the northwest is the province of Iloilo and to the southeast is Negros Occidental
.
The province includes the islands of Guimaras
and Inampulugan
and many smaller islands.
Guimaras was a sub-province of Iloilo
until it was made an independent province on May 22, 1992.
, Spanish governor and captain-general of the Philippine Islands, established a settlement in Guimaras for the purpose of the Christianization of the natives of the island. He and his subordinates organized the pueblicitos or villages of Nayup, with San Pedro Apostol as the patron saint, and Igang, with Sta. Ana as the patroness.
Evangelization of Guimaras occurred around the same time the friars were making inroads in Panay
. The Augustinians established the visitas of Nayup and Igang dependent on Oton, Iloilo. Gov. Gen. Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas 20 June 1591 report to the king noted that the friars of Oton made regular visits to the island.
In 1742, the island came under the jurisdiction of Dumangas – now known as Iloilo
, until 1751 when the Augustinian Order was replaced by the Jesuits, after which the Dominican order
took over Guimaras. The Jesuits, who had established a school in Iloilo and had missions in Molo and Arevalo, charge of the island. By 1755, it was organized into a regular parish. When the population increased considerably, the island was given its municipal status with a seat of government at Tilad (now known as Buenavista). In 1908, during the American period, the Guimarasnons were given the opportunity to elect their municipal president.
Douglas MacArthur
, a fresh graduate from West Point
as a Second Lieutenant
at the age of 23, came to Iloilo
as the head of the company of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They constructed roads and the Sto. Rosario Wharf, presently named MacArthur's Wharf, which are still in use today. In November 1903, while working on Guimaras, he was ambushed by a pair of Filipino brigands or guerrillas; he shot and killed both with his pistol.
In 1942, Japanese Imperial forces landed on Guimaras Island.
In 1945, the combined United States
& Philippine Commonwealth forces landed on Guimaras Island, attacked the Japanese Imperial forces, defeating them in the Battle of Guimaras, which led to the liberation of the island.
Guimaras first gained its status as a sub-province of Iloilo
by virtue of R.A. 4667, which was enacted by Congress on 18 June 1966. It was proclaimed as a regular and full-fledged province on 22 May 1992 after a plebiscite was conducted to ratify the approval of its conversion pursuant to Section 462 of R.A. 7160.
Shortly after Guimaras acquired its provincial status, President Fidel V. Ramos
appointed Emily Relucio-Lopez as its first Governor.
The province of Guimaras was originally composed up of 3 municipalities. In 1995, by virtue of Republic Act No. 7896 and Republic Act No. 7897, the municipalities of Sibunag
and San Lorenzo
were created in the province of Guimaras. The two new municipalities officially acquired their municipal status after the May 8, 1995 plebiscite held simultaneously with the local election.
Mayor Ernesto L. Gedalanga was the first appointed mayor of Sibunag and Mayor Arsenio Zambarrano was also appointed mayor of San Lorenzo. The temporary seat of government of the Municipality of Sibunag is at Brgy. Sabang while the temporary seat of Government of the Municipality of San Lorenzo is at Brgy. Cabano.
The island province suffered an ecological disaster
in Aug. 2006, after 998 ton gross weight M/T Solar 1, chartered by Petron, the Philippines’ largest oil refiner, carrying 2.4 million litres of oil sank 17 kilometrres off the coast, contaminating 24 km2.http://bulatlat.com/news/6-28/6-28-spill.htm Cleanup was estimated to take at least two years. The Philippine Coast Guard called this the worst oil spill in the country’s history. According to officials, 1,000 hectares of mangrove forests were affected, including parts of the Taclong Island Sanctuary, a feeding and breeding ground for fish and other species.
and Kinaray-a as it was once a sub-province of Iloilo
. Hiligaynon is the major language spoken, although the people can understand and speak Tagalog
and English
.
, Guimaras is separated physically from Iloilo
by a narrow channel, which takes about fifteen minutes to cross by pumpboat from the Ortiz landing on Iloilo
to Jordan
. There are two other ways to get there, the Parola wharf in Iloilo
to the municipality of Buenavista
. The Parola wharf is used exclusively whenever the water is rough. There also is a roll on roll off (RORO) ferry that travels around five times a day and is used by the Iloilo bicycle clubs on Sunday to travel to Guimaras. Geologists opine that the island formed one landmass with Panay
in the past. Guimaras was formerly known as Himal-us.
Guimaras is also famous for its beaches. Clear blue waters, white sand and marine life rivals that of Boracay. Commonly visited ones are at Roca Encantada, Alubihod and Puerto del Mar.
livestock, poultry and fishing as major products. Its major industries are tourism, fruit processing, coconut processing, fish farming, handicrafts making, mining, quarrying and lime production.
Guimaras is well-known for its agricultural crops, particularly mango
es, where some 50,000 of these trees are planted. The Guimaras Island is famous for producing the sweetest mangoes in the world. Guimaras mangos are reportedly served at the White House
and Buckingham Palace . Guimaras' largest event of the year is The Manggahan Festival (the Mango Festival). The variety of mangoes produced are also best for making dried mangoes, jam and other delicacies.
Governor: Felipe Hilan Nava
Vice Governor: Aurelio Tionado
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
located in the Western Visayas
Western Visayas
Western Visayas, one of the regions of the Philippines, is designated as Region VI. It consists of six provinces; Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo and 16 cities making it the region with the highest number of cities. Iloilo City is the regional center...
region
Regions of the Philippines
In the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions that serve primarily to organize the provinces of the country for administrative convenience. Currently, the archipelagic republic of the Philippines is divided into 17 regions...
. Among the smallest provinces, its capital is Jordan
Jordan, Guimaras
Jordan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Guimaras, and it considered to be the gateway to the province....
. The island is located in the Panay Gulf
Panay Gulf
Panay Gulf is an extension of the Sulu Sea, reaching between the islands of Panay and Negros in the Philippines. The gulf contains the island-province of Guimaras and extends into the Santa Anna Bay between Panay and Guimaras and into Guimaras Strait, between Guimaras and Negros...
, between the islands of Panay
Panay Island
Panay is an island in the Philippines located in the western part of the Visayas. Politically, it is divided into five provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo, all in the Western Visayas Region. It is located southeast of the island of Mindoro and northwest of Negros, separated by the...
and Negros. To the northwest is the province of Iloilo and to the southeast is Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Bacolod City and it occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half...
.
The province includes the islands of Guimaras
Guimaras Island
Guimaras is an island of the Philippines.It is the main island of Guimaras Province....
and Inampulugan
Inampulugan
Inampulugan is an island in the Philippines. It is part of Guimaras Province. The mountainous island is forested with hardwood, bamboo and coconut and dotted with centuries-old mangroves around its coast. It has beach coves, a cave, a mini zoo, a giant turtle sanctuary, a man-made seawater lake, a...
and many smaller islands.
Guimaras was a sub-province of Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
until it was made an independent province on May 22, 1992.
History
About 1581, Gonzalo Ronquillo de PeñalozaGonzalo Ronquillo de Peñaloza
Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa , sometimes spelled as Gonçalo Ronquillo Peñaloza was the fourth Spanish governor and captain-general of the Philippines from April 1580 until his death in 1583...
, Spanish governor and captain-general of the Philippine Islands, established a settlement in Guimaras for the purpose of the Christianization of the natives of the island. He and his subordinates organized the pueblicitos or villages of Nayup, with San Pedro Apostol as the patron saint, and Igang, with Sta. Ana as the patroness.
Evangelization of Guimaras occurred around the same time the friars were making inroads in Panay
Panay Island
Panay is an island in the Philippines located in the western part of the Visayas. Politically, it is divided into five provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo, all in the Western Visayas Region. It is located southeast of the island of Mindoro and northwest of Negros, separated by the...
. The Augustinians established the visitas of Nayup and Igang dependent on Oton, Iloilo. Gov. Gen. Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas 20 June 1591 report to the king noted that the friars of Oton made regular visits to the island.
In 1742, the island came under the jurisdiction of Dumangas – now known as Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
, until 1751 when the Augustinian Order was replaced by the Jesuits, after which the Dominican order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
took over Guimaras. The Jesuits, who had established a school in Iloilo and had missions in Molo and Arevalo, charge of the island. By 1755, it was organized into a regular parish. When the population increased considerably, the island was given its municipal status with a seat of government at Tilad (now known as Buenavista). In 1908, during the American period, the Guimarasnons were given the opportunity to elect their municipal president.
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
, a fresh graduate from West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
at the age of 23, came to Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
as the head of the company of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They constructed roads and the Sto. Rosario Wharf, presently named MacArthur's Wharf, which are still in use today. In November 1903, while working on Guimaras, he was ambushed by a pair of Filipino brigands or guerrillas; he shot and killed both with his pistol.
In 1942, Japanese Imperial forces landed on Guimaras Island.
In 1945, the combined United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
& Philippine Commonwealth forces landed on Guimaras Island, attacked the Japanese Imperial forces, defeating them in the Battle of Guimaras, which led to the liberation of the island.
Guimaras first gained its status as a sub-province of Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
by virtue of R.A. 4667, which was enacted by Congress on 18 June 1966. It was proclaimed as a regular and full-fledged province on 22 May 1992 after a plebiscite was conducted to ratify the approval of its conversion pursuant to Section 462 of R.A. 7160.
Shortly after Guimaras acquired its provincial status, President Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel "Eddie" Valdez Ramos , popularly known as FVR, was the 12th President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. During his six years in office, Ramos was widely credited and admired by many for revitalizing and renewing international confidence in the Philippine economy.Prior to his election as...
appointed Emily Relucio-Lopez as its first Governor.
The province of Guimaras was originally composed up of 3 municipalities. In 1995, by virtue of Republic Act No. 7896 and Republic Act No. 7897, the municipalities of Sibunag
Sibunag, Guimaras
Sibunag is a 5th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 20,104 people in 3,843 households.-Barangays:Sibunag is politically subdivided into 14 barangays.* Alegria* Ayangan* Bubog...
and San Lorenzo
San Lorenzo, Guimaras
San Lorenzo is a 5th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 20,168 people in 3,809 households.-Barangays:San Lorenzo is politically subdivided into 12 barangays.* Aguilar* Cabano...
were created in the province of Guimaras. The two new municipalities officially acquired their municipal status after the May 8, 1995 plebiscite held simultaneously with the local election.
Mayor Ernesto L. Gedalanga was the first appointed mayor of Sibunag and Mayor Arsenio Zambarrano was also appointed mayor of San Lorenzo. The temporary seat of government of the Municipality of Sibunag is at Brgy. Sabang while the temporary seat of Government of the Municipality of San Lorenzo is at Brgy. Cabano.
The island province suffered an ecological disaster
Guimaras oil spill
The Guimaras oil spill is a massive oil spill at the Guimaras Strait, the Philippines that started on August 11, 2006. It is the worst oil spill ever in the Philippines.-Background:...
in Aug. 2006, after 998 ton gross weight M/T Solar 1, chartered by Petron, the Philippines’ largest oil refiner, carrying 2.4 million litres of oil sank 17 kilometrres off the coast, contaminating 24 km2.http://bulatlat.com/news/6-28/6-28-spill.htm Cleanup was estimated to take at least two years. The Philippine Coast Guard called this the worst oil spill in the country’s history. According to officials, 1,000 hectares of mangrove forests were affected, including parts of the Taclong Island Sanctuary, a feeding and breeding ground for fish and other species.
People and culture
The people of Guimaras are considered as Guimarasnon and their languages are HiligaynonHiligaynon language
Hiligaynon, often referred to as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian language spoken in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.Hiligaynon is concentrated in the provinces of Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Capiz but is also spoken in the other provinces of the Panay Island group, including Antique,...
and Kinaray-a as it was once a sub-province of Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
. Hiligaynon is the major language spoken, although the people can understand and speak Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Geography
Located southwest of PanayPanay Island
Panay is an island in the Philippines located in the western part of the Visayas. Politically, it is divided into five provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo, all in the Western Visayas Region. It is located southeast of the island of Mindoro and northwest of Negros, separated by the...
, Guimaras is separated physically from Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
by a narrow channel, which takes about fifteen minutes to cross by pumpboat from the Ortiz landing on Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
to Jordan
Jordan, Guimaras
Jordan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Guimaras, and it considered to be the gateway to the province....
. There are two other ways to get there, the Parola wharf in Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
to the municipality of Buenavista
Buenavista, Guimaras
Buenavista is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines.The town acts as a cheaper link between Panay and Negros, as opposed to taking a ship directly between the two islands....
. The Parola wharf is used exclusively whenever the water is rough. There also is a roll on roll off (RORO) ferry that travels around five times a day and is used by the Iloilo bicycle clubs on Sunday to travel to Guimaras. Geologists opine that the island formed one landmass with Panay
Panay
Panay may refer to*Panay Island*Panay *Panay, Capiz*Panay River*Panay Gulf* USS Panay *Panay incident...
in the past. Guimaras was formerly known as Himal-us.
Guimaras is also famous for its beaches. Clear blue waters, white sand and marine life rivals that of Boracay. Commonly visited ones are at Roca Encantada, Alubihod and Puerto del Mar.
Economy
The province is basically agricultural with palay, coconut, mango, vegetables,livestock, poultry and fishing as major products. Its major industries are tourism, fruit processing, coconut processing, fish farming, handicrafts making, mining, quarrying and lime production.
Guimaras is well-known for its agricultural crops, particularly mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
es, where some 50,000 of these trees are planted. The Guimaras Island is famous for producing the sweetest mangoes in the world. Guimaras mangos are reportedly served at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and Buckingham Palace . Guimaras' largest event of the year is The Manggahan Festival (the Mango Festival). The variety of mangoes produced are also best for making dried mangoes, jam and other delicacies.
Government
House of Representatives: JC Rahman NavaGovernor: Felipe Hilan Nava
Vice Governor: Aurelio Tionado
Municipalities
- BuenavistaBuenavista, GuimarasBuenavista is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines.The town acts as a cheaper link between Panay and Negros, as opposed to taking a ship directly between the two islands....
- JordanJordan, GuimarasJordan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Guimaras, and it considered to be the gateway to the province....
- Nueva ValenciaNueva Valencia, GuimarasNueva Valencia is a 4th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 30,716 people in 6,043 households. This is the site of Guimaras oil spill since August 2006...
- San LorenzoSan Lorenzo, GuimarasSan Lorenzo is a 5th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 20,168 people in 3,809 households.-Barangays:San Lorenzo is politically subdivided into 12 barangays.* Aguilar* Cabano...
- SibunagSibunag, GuimarasSibunag is a 5th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 20,104 people in 3,843 households.-Barangays:Sibunag is politically subdivided into 14 barangays.* Alegria* Ayangan* Bubog...
External links
- Guimaras Island Information on Tourist Attractions/What To Do
- Provincial Government of Guimaras
- WWF News Bulletin on the Disaster
- Oil Spill near Guimaras Island at NASA Earth ObservatoryNASA Earth ObservatoryNASA Earth Observatory is an online publishing outlet for NASA which was created in 1999. It is the principal source of satellite imagery and other scientific information pertaining to the climate and the environment which are being provided by NASA for consumption by the general public...
- The hidden jewel that is Guimaras
- Guimaras grabs tourism alternative