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Note: This is a
consolidated article lifted from June- 1998 publication of the NSO Provincial
Office, publications of the Office of the Governor, Office of the Provincial
Planning and Development Coordinator and Department of Trade and Industry
- Romblon, and a draft of plans and programs for 1999 and onwards as
furnished by Vice-Governor Jose A. Fonte with some paraphrasing and
minor additions.
Geographical
Profile
Romblon consists of three major islands and several islets. Tablas is
the biggest, followed by Sibuyan and then Romblon. It is completely
surrounded by deep waters, and lies on the Sibuyan Sea between the islands
of Masbate and Mindoro. It is situated almost at the center of the Philippine
Archipelago. It has a land area of 1,355.9 square kilometers, comprising
only of 2.89% of the region and 0.45% of the country's total land area.
A fifth class province, Romblon is made up of 17 municipalities namely
Romblon, the provincial capital, Odiongan, Banton, Corcuera, Concepcion,
San Fernando, San Jose, Cajidiocan, San Agustin, Calatrava, Alcantara,
San Andres, Magdiwang, Looc, Sta. Fe, Ferrol and Sta. Maria. It has
219 barangays.
In terms of land area, San Fernando and Cajidiocan are the two largest
municipalities, both covering an area of 201.9 sq. km. Odiongan follows
with an area of 137.9 sq. km. Romblon has a land area of 72.3 sq. km.
Concepcion is the smallest with 19.8 sq. km.
Demography
Result of the 1995 Census of Population (POPCEN) placed the population
of Romblon at 244,654. By population size, it ranked 9th among the eleven
provinces of the region comprising 2.46% of the region's population.
Density is measured at 180 persons per square kilometer. Average household
size for the province was computed at 4.91% or approximately 5 members
per household.
Odiongan is the most populous municipality with a total population 35,527
(14.52%). Romblon followed with 34,290 (14.02%). San Agustin ranked
third with 20,160 (8.24%).
Population increases by 17,033 or 7.48% from 1990. This corresponds
to an annual growth rate of 1.45% down from the 1.65% growth rate registered
from 1980 - 1990. Sta. Maria has the highest growth rate at 3.56%, followed
by Romblon with 2.55%. Banton and Looc incurred a negative growth of
2.84% and 0.09% respectively.
Other important demographic indicators (compared with the region for
better appreciation) are as follows: Dependency Ratio: 88.40% (70.54%);
Male-Female Ratio - 101.53% (101.79%); Crude Birth Rate - 2.54% (2.80%);
Crude Death Rate - 0.71% (0.56%).
Economics
Poverty incidence in 1997 was placed at 85.6%, an increase from the
79.50% incidence in 1994. This is way above the 1994 regional poverty
incidence rate of 29.50%.
The average annual income of all families in Romblon in 1994 was estimated
at P 26,000.00, 5.8% less than the P27,387.00 recorded in 1991. The
corresponding average expenditure was measured at P 24,000.00, an increase
of 3.5% over the 1991 level.
Food which represents the largest share in the family budget increased
its share from 54.8% of total expenditures in 1991 to 57.0% in 1994.
Likewise, housing expenses increased from 6.9% to 7.4%.
The Labor Force Survey conducted in July, 1997 showed a labor force
participation rate of 63.2%. Employment figure was registered at 91.4%,
the males with a higher rate at 91.9% than the females with 90.2% rate.
Employment rate was also higher in the rural areas (93.8%) than the
urban areas (85.7%). Around 54.8% of the total employed persons in the
province were engaged in agriculture, fishery and forestry. About 32.2%
were employed in the service sector while 12.9% were in the industry
sector.
The local government provided employment to 2,403 persons as of the
first quarter of 1997, 34.1% of which was provided by the provincial
government.
Social Service
Indicators
Housing. There was a total of 43,593 occupied housing units in 1990.
With 43,923 households, this gave a ratio of almost one household per
housing unit. Most of the units were made up of cogon, nipa or anahaw
for roofing (71.2%) and for outer walls (52.6%).
Census results also showed that about three-fourths (74.7%) of the housing
units in Romblon had limited floor area of less than 30 sq. meters.
Approximately 18.0% measured 30 - 69 square meters.
Education. There were 416 educational institution in the province
as of the school year 1994 - 1995, 403 (96.9%) of which were government-owned.
By level, there were 187 pre-schools, 191 elementary schools, 187 secondary
schools and 3 colleges. Teacher-pupil ratio in state-owned schools for
the same school year in the elementary level was 1:32, almost the same
as the 1:30 ratio in the secondary level.
Based on the 1994 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey
(FLEMMS), simple literacy, which is the ability of a person to read
and write with understanding a simple message in any language or dialect,
of individuals from 10 to 64 years of age was placed at 96.56%. This
is lower than the regional (97.52%) but higher than the national (95.02%)
simple literacy rates.
In terms of functional literacy, the survey yielded a rate 85.92%, 2.09%
higher than the region's. Functional literacy includes not only reading
and writing but also numeracy skills of persons who have not graduated
in high school.
Health. As of 1995, the province had eight (8) hospitals, all
government-operated with total bed capacity of 280. Bed-to-population
ratio was computed at 1: 881.
During the same year, there were 280 government health personnel in
the province (excluding barangay health workers): 39 of them (13.9%)
were physicians, 101 (36.1%) were nurses, 80 (28.6%) were midwives and
60 (21.4%) were other health personnel. Barangay health workers totaled
1,637.
Per MBN survey, malnutrition prevalence rate in 1997 was 23.0%. Pre-schoolers
malnutrition prevalence rate was placed at 6.33% to sustain the improvement
in 1997 (8.00%) from 10.70% in 1996.
The ten leading causes of morbidity in 1998 were bronchitis, diarrhea,
influenza, pneumonia, TB, typhoid fever, heart diseases, hypertenive
vascular disease, dengue and viral hepatitis. The leading causes of
mortality on the other hand were hypertensive vascular diseases, TB,
heart diseases, cancer, pneumonia, coronary artery diseases, liver diseases,
peptic ulcer, accidents and kidney diseases.
Infrastructure
Facilities and Services
Roads & Bridges. The road network of the province has a total
of 1,443 kilometers. Road pavement varies from concrete to asphalt or
gravel. About 55 bridges span various creeks and rivers, which are built
of concrete, bailey or timber material.
Transportation Amenities. Land transport within the province
is facilitated by 2,085 private and public utility vehicles. Cargo trucks
offer direct transport and cargo service from Odiongan, San Agustin
and Romblon to Manila and the CALABARZON area.
Twelve municipal seaports complement the 3 national seaports located
in Odiongan, San Agustin and Romblon which service passengers and cargoes
going to and from Mindoro, Batangas and Manila. Ports in Sibuyan Island
also serve passengers and cargoes to Manila, Batangas, Lucena, Masbate
and Panay Island while the ports of Sta. Fe and Looc serve as takeoff
points to Boracay. Seven shipping companies operate liners for passengers
and cargo shipments to major cities - Manila, Cebu, Batangas, Capiz
and Iloilo.
Air transport used to be provided by Asian Spirit which is servicing
the Manila-Tablas-Manila route four times a week has been suspended.
Other than the airport located in Tugdan, Alcantara, the province has
another airport situated in Azagra, San Fernando in Sibuyan Island.
Power Supply. The province's power supply is generated by the
National Power Corporation and serviced by two electric cooperatives
- TIELCO and ROMELCO. Generating 2.5 megawatt of power, the former provides
power in the 9 municipalities of Tablas Island. ROMELCO, on the other
hand, provide power to the capital town of Romblon and Sibuyan Island.
Water Supply. The entire province has seven level-3 gravity-fed
water supply being administered by respective local government units.
The island municipalities derive potable water through level 1, 2 and
3 using water supply trunk pipelines and water collectors with built-up
reservoirs.
Telecommunication. The province has eight operating telecommunication
exchanges namely RCPI-Bayantel, PT&T, PLDT, Kayumanggi, Romblontel,
the Telecommunication Office (TELOF) Telegraph System, Public Calling
Stations under DOTC and the Provincial Communication's redio transcievers
and receivers. Two mobile phone have expressed interest in putting up
cell sites in the province.
Banking Facilities. Four banks operate branches in Odiongan namely,
Land Bank of the Philippines, First Allied Savings Bank, Development
Bank of the Philippines and Philippine National Bank which has also
a branch in the capital town. Rural banks also operate in Romblon, San
Agustin, Odiongan, Cajidiocan, Looc, San Fernando, Sta. Fe and Alcantara.
Government Programs
All indicators - demographic, economic, social service, and the current
state of infrastructure facilities point to the poverty of the province.
No doubt, it is one among the poorest provinces of the country, if not
the poorest.
Authorities attribute poverty to the socio-economic structural flaws
(lack of jobs, low utilization level of agricultural land, low food
supply, few and low-value export products, low utilization of capital),
physical and natural constraints (inaccessibility due to inadequate
transportation and communication facilities, inadequate infrastructures,
environmental degradation), inadequate social infrastructure (inefficient
delivery of social services), inadequate institutional infrastructure
(few number yet weak cooperatives ) and poor outreach to the marginalized.
In response to the above problems and in pursuit of its vision of "a
united, peaceful, self-reliant and ecologically-balanced province",
the provincial government formulated a five-point program as follows:
1. Capability building: organization, training and assistance to target
sectors; establishment of at least one cooperative in every barrio and
provision of credit and technological aid to cooperatives
2. Environmental rehabilitation: protection/rehabilitation of remaining
forest covers and marine resources; waste management
3. Promote industry growth: marble, fishing, fish-processing, sea-weeds
farming, marine culture, livestock dispersal and farming, handicrafts,
wood-processing, coconut processing, eco-tourism
4. Provision of Support Facilities: improvement in the delivery of social
services, physical infrastructure, shelters
5. Agricultural development: expansion of irrigation system, improvement
of technology, provision of post harvest facilities, promotion of livestock
industry, promotion of marine culture.
To encourage investment in the province, the provincial government has
also embarked on an information campaign. In its publications, it presented
an excellent and peaceful environment, abundant supply of cheap and
skilled labor, growing consumer population, strategic location, and
vast tourism areas.
The government
programs are easier written than done. Probably, same programs have
been planned and tried to be implemented by previous leaders of our
province only to see Romblon still at the top of the list of economically
depressed provinces of a country still reeling from the the recession
that hit the region the past few years.
People can always put the blame to its leaders. But there's not much
difference having someone to blame. At the end of the day, what counts
most is the suya (viand) served in each meal - whether it is still pakasam
(bago-ong / salted fish) or not.
As Romblomanons, we can do a lot to help in the development of our home
province. Our future is in our hands. Let's not pin all our hopes to
our leaders.
Tourism Landmarks and Destinations
Romblon Harbor
This remarkable landlocked harbor offers a perfect shelter for storm-bound
vessels even during the pre-Hispanic times. As its claim to history,
Romblon boasts of a sunken galleon and the wreck of a Japanese battleship
lying just off the bay.
St. Joseph Cathedral
and Belfry
The cathedral is Romblon's oldest Roman Catholic church made out of
coral blocks and bricks built by the Recollect Fathers in the 15th century.
It features a byzantine altar and houses a veritable collection of antique
icons and religious paintings. The church's campanille is made of materials
as that of the cathedral constructed between 1640 and 1726 and still
contains the old copper bell.
Twin Forts of
San Andres and Santiago
The forts at 1 ft. above sea level overlook the whole town and harbor.
These sentinels of a bygone era served as bastions to protect the people
against Moro raiders and Dutch pirates. The weather station is presently
situated there. A romantic viewing deck atop the forts provides a breathtaking
panorama of the town, the surrounding verdant hills and the picturesque
bay.
Villa del Mar
Msgr. Nicolas Mondejar, Romblon's first bishop constructed Villa del
Mar out of clay bricks, serving as an unofficial residence.
Nagoso and Guyangan
Caves
The caves of Nagoso in Romblon and Guyangan in Banton Island are believed
to be the burial sites of Romblomanon ancestors. Centuries-old coffins
made of hollowed logs and presence of ancient artworks were discovered
in these caves.
Hot Springs (Banton
and Corcuera)
You can take a hot bath too like an ancient feudal Japanese warlord.
Northward in the islands of Banton and Corcuera are hot springs known
for their healing power.
Mt. Guiting-Guiting (Sibuyan Island)
Mt. Guiting-Guiting is Romblon's highest peak at a little more than
6,000 ft. above sea level. It is considered among the most formidable
yet beautiful mountains in the country with its unusual rugged terrain
that presents a challenge to mountaineers.
Tinagong Dagat
(Calatrava)
This inland lake is a circular pool of salty water about 10 meters from
the sea. According to local folks, the lake defies the law of gravity
for it rises when the tide is low and subsides during high tide.
Tropical Beaches
and Natural Falls.
The province also boasts of tropical beaches with dazzling stretches
of white sand and turquoise crystal waters that await the avid nature
tripper of every taste and inclination. Some of these beaches are already
developed into resorts with facilities for conventions, seminars, meetings
and trainings as well as diving lessons. Most frequented are Marble
Beach in Ginablan, tiamban Villas in Lonos, and Palje Beach Resort in
Palje, of which are located in Romblon Island and Poctoy Beach Inn and
Resort in Odiongan. The archipelago has also a number of waterfalls
worth visiting and river resorts close to virgin forests that could
calm the raging spirits of a daring traveler. Famous of these are the
Cawa-cawa Falls and the Cantingas River Resort in Sibuyan Island.
Coves and Deserted
Islets
Countless private coves and deserted islets could be found in the province.
Three notable places to explore are the islands of Logbon, Alad and
Cobrador where one could gaze at endless fathoms of coral reefs and
observe exotic ocean flora as gigantic aquarium.
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