Oriental Mindoro
Encyclopedia
Oriental Mindoro is a province
of the Philippines
located in the island of Mindoro
under MIMAROPA region
in Luzon
, about 140 km southwest of Manila
. The province is bordered by the Verde Island Passage and the rest of Batangas
to the north, by Marinduque
, Maestro del Ocampo Island, Tablas Strait and the rest of Romblon
to the east, by Semirara and the rest of Caluya Islands, Antique to the south, and by Occidental Mindoro
to the west. Calapan City
, the only city in the island, is the provincial capital.
Oriental Mindoro is touted as the country's emerging eco-tourism destination. In 2005, the Philippines was found to be the center of marine fish biodiversity and the home of the most diverse marine ecosystem in the world, by American biologists Kent Carpenter and Victor Springer. Most of the endemic species in the Philippines are found in the Verde Island Passage between Mindoro island and the main island of Luzon. The passage houses 2,983 individual species of algae, corals, crustaceans, mollusks, fishes, marine reptiles, and marine mammals, based on a study conducted by scientists Carpenter and Springer in 2005.
UNESCO, declared Puerto Galera a biosphere reserve under its Man and the Biosphere Programme in the 1970s. The Verde Island Passage is at the apex of the so-called Coral Triangle – the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia – which has the distinction of being the "global center of marine biodiversity".
The province is largely rural, with 70% of the population engaged in agriculture and fishing and with only 30% living in urban centers. Tagalog is widely spoken in the province. Other languages spoken are Ilocano and Cebuano. Dialects of the Mangyan language are Arayan, Alagnan, Buhid, Hanunoo, and Tadyawan. Most of the population are of Roman Catholic stock.
, standing 2582 m above sea level, is the 18th highest mountain in the country and is the province's and island's highest peak. Lake Naujan, the fifth largest lake in the country with an area of approximately 8,125 ha of open water, is located at the northeastern part of the island and the province.
Oriental Mindoro's rich and arable land is suitable for agriculture. It is producing large quantities of rice
, corn
, coconut
, vegetables and fruits like calamansi, banana
, rambutan, marang or uloy, lanzones and durian
. For that, Oriental Mindoro is also known as the Rice Granary and Fruit Basket of Southern Tagalog. It still is the Banana King and Calamansi King of the region. Its total agricultural area is 169, 603.34 hectares. Based on agricultural statistics, 85, 244 hectares are devoted to palay production while 21, 671 hectares to coconut plantation. The province, for the past years, registered an average of 1 to 2 million cavans as surplus in rice production.
wrought heavy damages, death and pain to the people of Mindoro. However, social conditions continued to exist without any definitive changes. After the war, reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure and economy took place which ended with the division of the island into two provinces of Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro on June 13, 1950, by virtue of the Republic Act No. 505.
In the decades after the war, the island continued to become one of the preferred areas of new settlers coming from the overpopulated provinces in the Philippines in search of the new land. Apart from the hope to become landowners or to have better tenancy conditions, the guerrilla war (Huk rebellion) in Central Luzon was an important factor for migration. Under the settlement program of the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA) which was founded on June 18, 1954, families from Central Luzon were settled in the Bongabong-Pinamalayan area. This project ended in 1956 after the settlement of 606 families (3,636 people) on 8,600 hectares of public land. Since then new settlers have incessantly migrated to Mindoro until today.
Access from Luzon thru the Batangas ports mostly goes thru the Verde Island Passage to reach the key entry point of Oriental Mindoro - Puerto Galera. In November 2004, Puerto Galera was voted a member of the UNESCO affiliated ‘The Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World'. PG is blessed with one of the world's most beautiful natural harbors which also protects ships, yachts and bancas from strong typhoons sweeping in from the Pacific during the rainy season. The Puerto Galera Yacht Club is likewise based here, and runs
the Sailing Scholarship Fund, financed by donations and the proceeds from regattas, for the training of more than 100 local children who have brought in medals and awards in the yearly yacht and small boat events. PGYC runs yearly yachting and national dinghy events open to the local and international sailing community to promote the sport of sailing and responsible sailing tourism in the islands.
Puerto Galera, known for lovely white sand beaches and the unfortunate accompanying honky tonk bar scene on some key beaches, is more famous for its exquisite dive sites with a biodiversity of marine life in and around the coral reefs. Interesting UW rock formations and coral gardens are home to colorful marine life, like the numerous species of nudibranch, mantis shrimp, sea anemone, moray and sea fan sea horses. The seas off the coast boast passing dolphin pods, the rarer whaleshark and is part of the migratory small whale route from the Visayas.
Towering 8,488 feet above sea level, Mt. Halcon in Baco, is the country's third highest peak. It is a favorite mountain climbing destination for ecologically aware groups. Oriental Mindoro is also perfect for birdwatching activities of local and migratory species, and is home to mammals like the Tamaraw
, an endemic straight-horned water buffalo, reptiles and plant species found nowhere else. Oriental Mindoro is also called and known now as the LUPAIN NG MAHALTA. Tamaraw
(TA), various flora and fauna found on slopes of Mount Halcon
(HAL) and the native Mangyans (MA), all together add vibrancy to the colors and the richness of nature and culture of the province.
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 island of Mindoro
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
under MIMAROPA 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...
in Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, about 140 km southwest of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. The province is bordered by the Verde Island Passage and the rest of Batangas
Batangas
Batangas is a first class province of the Philippines located on the southwestern part of Luzon in the CALABARZON region. Its capital is Batangas City and it is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island Passages to the south is the...
to the north, by Marinduque
Marinduque
In 1945, combined American and Philippine Commonwealth troops attacked from the Japanese Troops liberated to the Battle of Marinduque in the Second World War.-Archaeology:...
, Maestro del Ocampo Island, Tablas Strait and the rest of Romblon
Romblon
Romblon is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region. It lies south of Marinduque and Quezon, east of Mindoro, north of Aklan and Capiz, and west of Masbate. Its capital is also named Romblon....
to the east, by Semirara and the rest of Caluya Islands, Antique to the south, and by Occidental Mindoro
Occidental Mindoro
Occidental Mindoro is a province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region in Luzon. "Home of the Indigenous Mangyans". Its capital is Mamburao and occupies the western half of the island of Mindoro, on the west by Apo East Pass, and on the south by the Mindoro Strait; Oriental Mindoro is...
to the west. Calapan City
Calapan City
Calapan City is a 3rd class city in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. It is the capital city of Oriental Mindoro and known as the "Gateway to the Golden Isle". According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 116,976 people in 20,929 households.The city's economy is dependent on...
, the only city in the island, is the provincial capital.
Oriental Mindoro is touted as the country's emerging eco-tourism destination. In 2005, the Philippines was found to be the center of marine fish biodiversity and the home of the most diverse marine ecosystem in the world, by American biologists Kent Carpenter and Victor Springer. Most of the endemic species in the Philippines are found in the Verde Island Passage between Mindoro island and the main island of Luzon. The passage houses 2,983 individual species of algae, corals, crustaceans, mollusks, fishes, marine reptiles, and marine mammals, based on a study conducted by scientists Carpenter and Springer in 2005.
Our study indicates, however, that there is a higher concentration of species per unit area in the Philippines than anywhere in Indonesia, including Wallacea... Special attention to marine conservation efforts in the Philippines is justified because of the identification of it as an epicenter of biodiversity and evolution.
UNESCO, declared Puerto Galera a biosphere reserve under its Man and the Biosphere Programme in the 1970s. The Verde Island Passage is at the apex of the so-called Coral Triangle – the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia – which has the distinction of being the "global center of marine biodiversity".
Demographics
Based on the 2007 Census of Population, Oriental Mindoro has a population of 735,769 which makes it the most populous province in the region. This is higher by 53,951 from the year 2000, resulting in an annual population growth rate of 1.06% during the seven-year periodThe province is largely rural, with 70% of the population engaged in agriculture and fishing and with only 30% living in urban centers. Tagalog is widely spoken in the province. Other languages spoken are Ilocano and Cebuano. Dialects of the Mangyan language are Arayan, Alagnan, Buhid, Hanunoo, and Tadyawan. Most of the population are of Roman Catholic stock.
Indigenous People
The indigenous people of Oriental Mindoro are the Mangyans (Manguianes in Spanish, Mañguianes in Old Tagalog), consisting of 7 distinct tribes. They occupy the interior, specially the highlands. Mangyans have inhabited the island since pre-history. They are believed to have originally traveled from Indonesia and settled down for good in the island.Education
Higher Education Institutions in the province:- Abada College
- ACMCL College
- Beulah's Kiddie Kollege by gio
- AMA CLC College of Calapan (ACLC College)
- Clarendon College
- CLCC Institute of Computer, Arts & Technology
- Dalubhasaan ng Lungsod ng Calapan (City College of Calapan)
- Divine Word College of CalapanDivine Word College of CalapanThe Divine Word College of Calapan is a Catholic institution of higher learning run by the Society of the Divine Word in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.It was established as Mindoro Junior College on April, 1946 The first year was in normal education, liberal arts, pre-law,...
- Eastern Mindoro College
- Eastern Mindoro Institute of Technology and Sciences
- Filipino Academy of Scientific Trades
- Grace Mission College
- Innovative College Of Science in Information Technology
- IATEC Computer College
- John Paul CollegeJohn Paul CollegeJohn Paul College may refer to:* John Paul College , Queensland, Australia* John Paul College , New South Wales, Australia* John Paul College , Western Australia, Australia...
- Luna Goco Colleges
- Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology
- Southwestern Maritine Institute Foundation
- Simeon Suan Vocational and Technical college
- St. Anthony College Calapan City, Inc.
Political
Oriental Mindoro is composed of 14 municipalities, with one city, Calapan City serving as the provincial capital.Municipalities
| * Baco Baco, Oriental Mindoro Baco is a 4th class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 30,167 people in 5,717 households.-Location:Baco is located on the northern part of Oriental Mindoro... * Bansud Bansud, Oriental Mindoro Bansud is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 35,664 people in 7,351 households.-Barangays:Bansud is politically subdivided into 13 barangays.... * Bongabong Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro Bongabong is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.- Officials of the Municipality:*MAYOR: Hercules A. Umali*VICE-MAYOR: Alfonso A. MontalboCOUNCILORS:*Jeremy I. Enriquez*Robert H. Sosa*Evelyn B. Alea... * Bulalacao Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro Bulalacao is a 4th class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 27,698 people in 5,227 households.-History:The name Bulalacao is legendary in origin... * Gloria Gloria, Oriental Mindoro Gloria is a municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 54,122 people in 10,170 households. It is in the 3rd class under the Philippine income classification.... * Mansalay Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro Mansalay is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 39,041 people in 7,316 households.-History:... * Naujan Naujan, Oriental Mindoro Naujan is a 1st class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. It covers a land area of 52,804.15 hectares accounting for 12 % of the province’s total land area.... |
* Pinamalayan Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro Pinamalayan is a 1st class Municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. The name Pinamalayan comes from the word "ipinamalay", meaning "made aware or made known". According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 77,119 people in 14,326 households.- History :A group of... * Pola Pola, Oriental Mindoro Pola is a 4th class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 31,938 people in 6,400 households.... * Puerto Galera Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro Puerto Galera is the northwesternmost municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. It is located at the southwestern end of the Isla Verde Passage, about south of Manila.-Demographics:... * Roxas Roxas, Oriental Mindoro Roxas is a 3rd class Partially Urban municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 46,711 people in 8,057 households with 24,025 registered voters as of 01 Aug 2007.-History:... * San Teodoro San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro San Teodoro is a 4th-class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2010 Census of Population and Housing, it has a total population of 15,039, household population of 15,027, and 3,281 households... * Socorro Socorro, Oriental Mindoro Socorro is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 37,176 people in 7,355 households. An inland town at the junction of the Pola Road, Socorro has developed into a progressive and dynamic municipality. In the... * Victoria Victoria, Oriental Mindoro Victoria is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 42,873 people in 8,514 households.- Barangays :Victoria is politically subdivided into 32 barangays.* Alcate... |
Physical
The province has a total land area of 4,238.4 km²; with the western portion of the province being mountainous or rugged, hills and flood plains are widely distributed in the eastern portion. Mount HalconMount Halcon
Mount Halcon is a mountain located in the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. Its height of 2,586 meters makes it the 18th highest peak in the Philippines. Its slopes has earned it the title to be the most difficult mountain to climb in the country.Mt. Halcon is home to the indigenous Alangan...
, standing 2582 m above sea level, is the 18th highest mountain in the country and is the province's and island's highest peak. Lake Naujan, the fifth largest lake in the country with an area of approximately 8,125 ha of open water, is located at the northeastern part of the island and the province.
Oriental Mindoro's rich and arable land is suitable for agriculture. It is producing large quantities of rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
, vegetables and fruits like calamansi, banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
, rambutan, marang or uloy, lanzones and durian
Durian
The durian is the fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio and the Malvaceae family . Widely known and revered in southeast Asia as the "king of fruits", the durian is distinctive for its large size, unique odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk...
. For that, Oriental Mindoro is also known as the Rice Granary and Fruit Basket of Southern Tagalog. It still is the Banana King and Calamansi King of the region. Its total agricultural area is 169, 603.34 hectares. Based on agricultural statistics, 85, 244 hectares are devoted to palay production while 21, 671 hectares to coconut plantation. The province, for the past years, registered an average of 1 to 2 million cavans as surplus in rice production.
Climate
Oriental Mindoro has no distinct wet or dry seasons. Average temperature ranges from 26 to 32 degrees celsius. The province experiences maximum rainfall during the months of June to October. Relative humidity is registered at 81%.Creation
World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
wrought heavy damages, death and pain to the people of Mindoro. However, social conditions continued to exist without any definitive changes. After the war, reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure and economy took place which ended with the division of the island into two provinces of Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro on June 13, 1950, by virtue of the Republic Act No. 505.
In the decades after the war, the island continued to become one of the preferred areas of new settlers coming from the overpopulated provinces in the Philippines in search of the new land. Apart from the hope to become landowners or to have better tenancy conditions, the guerrilla war (Huk rebellion) in Central Luzon was an important factor for migration. Under the settlement program of the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA) which was founded on June 18, 1954, families from Central Luzon were settled in the Bongabong-Pinamalayan area. This project ended in 1956 after the settlement of 606 families (3,636 people) on 8,600 hectares of public land. Since then new settlers have incessantly migrated to Mindoro until today.
Armed conflict
There is currently a war going on between the Military and insurgents. On March 6, 2010, eleven soldiers were killed in a gunbattle with insurgents in Oriental Mindoro.Tourist attractions
Oriental Mindoro evokes images of a genuine tropical paradise – white sand, crystal clear water, lush green forests covering majestic mountains and splendid waterfalls. With its largely unspoiled natural beauty, the province has much to offer in terms of tourism and other economic opportunities. Special interest tours such as mountain climbing, trekking, camping, caving, bird watching, island exploration, adventure trips, windsurfing, scuba diving, tek diving, scuba macro photography, snorkeling, keelboat and dinghy sailing are among the exciting recreational activities possible.Access from Luzon thru the Batangas ports mostly goes thru the Verde Island Passage to reach the key entry point of Oriental Mindoro - Puerto Galera. In November 2004, Puerto Galera was voted a member of the UNESCO affiliated ‘The Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World'. PG is blessed with one of the world's most beautiful natural harbors which also protects ships, yachts and bancas from strong typhoons sweeping in from the Pacific during the rainy season. The Puerto Galera Yacht Club is likewise based here, and runs
the Sailing Scholarship Fund, financed by donations and the proceeds from regattas, for the training of more than 100 local children who have brought in medals and awards in the yearly yacht and small boat events. PGYC runs yearly yachting and national dinghy events open to the local and international sailing community to promote the sport of sailing and responsible sailing tourism in the islands.
Puerto Galera, known for lovely white sand beaches and the unfortunate accompanying honky tonk bar scene on some key beaches, is more famous for its exquisite dive sites with a biodiversity of marine life in and around the coral reefs. Interesting UW rock formations and coral gardens are home to colorful marine life, like the numerous species of nudibranch, mantis shrimp, sea anemone, moray and sea fan sea horses. The seas off the coast boast passing dolphin pods, the rarer whaleshark and is part of the migratory small whale route from the Visayas.
Towering 8,488 feet above sea level, Mt. Halcon in Baco, is the country's third highest peak. It is a favorite mountain climbing destination for ecologically aware groups. Oriental Mindoro is also perfect for birdwatching activities of local and migratory species, and is home to mammals like the Tamaraw
Tamaraw
The Tamaraw or Mindoro Dwarf Buffalo is a small, hoofed mammal belonging to the family Bovidae. It is endemic to the island of Mindoro in the Philippines and is the only endemic Philippine bovine. It is believed, however, to have once also thrived on the greater island of Luzon...
, an endemic straight-horned water buffalo, reptiles and plant species found nowhere else. Oriental Mindoro is also called and known now as the LUPAIN NG MAHALTA. Tamaraw
Tamaraw
The Tamaraw or Mindoro Dwarf Buffalo is a small, hoofed mammal belonging to the family Bovidae. It is endemic to the island of Mindoro in the Philippines and is the only endemic Philippine bovine. It is believed, however, to have once also thrived on the greater island of Luzon...
(TA), various flora and fauna found on slopes of Mount Halcon
Mount Halcon
Mount Halcon is a mountain located in the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. Its height of 2,586 meters makes it the 18th highest peak in the Philippines. Its slopes has earned it the title to be the most difficult mountain to climb in the country.Mt. Halcon is home to the indigenous Alangan...
(HAL) and the native Mangyans (MA), all together add vibrancy to the colors and the richness of nature and culture of the province.
External links
- Official Website of the Province of Oriental Mindoro http://www.ormindoro.gov.ph
- Provincial Tourism Website http://www.ormindoro.gov.ph/Provincial%20Tourism%20Website/index.htm
- Department of Tourism Website http://www.wowphilippines.com.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?