Siquijor

Overview
The exotic island of Siquijor is a small island midway between the Visayas and Mindanao islands. It is located 30 kilometers from Negros and about 565 aerial kilometers from Manila.

It is bounded in the north by the islands of Cebu; Bohol is to the northeast, to the west is Negros Island, to the east is Camiguin, to the south is mainland Mindanao.

Siquijor was declared a marine reserve and tourist zone in 1978 by virtue of Proclamation No.1810 as issued by then President Ferdinand Marcos.

As such, the island-province will be developed into a major tourist destination under the supervision of the Philippine Tourism Authority.

The serenity of the province makes it ripe for a perfect getaway. It lures nature lovers to climb up Mount Bandilaan, its highest peak at the center of the island, its natural spring and swimming pool at San Juan town, and a never-ending stretch of white sandy beaches all 102 kilometers of shoreline surrounding the island. Dive fathoms below and witness a splendid array of coral reef formations.

A tour of Siquijor province also provides a trip to the past with the presence of the old Cangisok house, the St Francis de Assisi Church and the St. Isidore Labrador Convent which is reputed to be one of the country’s largest convents..

More tourist oriented facilities are being encouraged for development to absorb an influx of domestic and foreign tourist arrivals.

Basic Facts
Capital: Siquijor
Municipalities: 6 muncipalities (Siquijor, Larena, Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi and San Juan).
Land Area: 34,350 hectares or 343.50 square kilometers Population: 73,756 (As of September 1995)
Language/ Dialects: Cebuano, Tagalog, Pang-Hiligaynon, English, Spanish
Literacy Rate: 92.5%
Labor Force: 44,000
Arable Area: 18,514 hectares
Industrial Establishments: wood furniture, food processing, metalcraft, limestone quarrying
Leading Domestic Items Traded: Agricultural/aquatic/fishery, raw peanuts, livestock and cattle, copra, baskets, wood furniture, processed foods, peanut delicacies and limestone
Land Classification: Certified alienable and disposable -26,700.576 ha Classified forest - 1,160.424 ha.
Agricultural products: corn, coconut, cassava, playa, peanuts, banana, mongo, legumes
Power Capacity: 1,948 kw
Water Supply : 57,615 cubic meter (1996 monthly average)
Road Network: 368.455 km.
Seaports: Larena Port, Lazi Port, Siquijor Wharf, Solong-on Wharf, Tambisan Wharf
Airports: Siquijor Airport at Cang-alawang, Siquijor, Siquijor
Land Transportation: Jeepneys, motorcycles, tricycles, car rental (for hire)

Communications
Telephone companies - 4
Cable stations - 1
Telegraph - 2
Telex - 5
Post Office - 7
Messengerial / Courier - 2
Local Publications - 1
Hand Held Radios - 58

Financial Systems
Commercial banks - 2
Government banks - 1
Rural banks - 1
Lending firms - 3
Pawnshops - 4

Land Area
It has total land area of 34,350 hectares or 343.50 square kilometers, which represents 2% of the total land area of Central Visayas and 0.11% of the land area of the country.

It has six municipalities: Siquijor, which is the capital town, San Juan, Lazi, Maria, Enrique Villanueva and Larena.

It has 134 barangays and one (1) congressional district.

Coastal
The coastal zone around the island is 84.46km. Mangrove area is 3.82km, shore area is 1549km and coral reefs is 800 km.

Aquatic
Major fishing grounds are found throughout Siquijor Sea, Tanon Strait, Bohol Strait and Mindanao Sea. Inland fishery includes fresh and brackish water.

The province has fifteen hectares of fishponds; seventy-one hectares of swamp lands.

Topographical Characteristics
The coastal zone around the island is 84.46km. Mangrove area is 3.82km, shore area is 1549km and coral reefs is 800 km. Major fishing grounds are found throughout Siquijor Sea, Tanon Strait, Bohol Strait and Mindanao Sea. Inland fishery includes fresh and brackish water.

The province has fifteen hectares of fishponds; seventy-one hectares of swamp lands.Siquijor Island is mostly made up of limestone rock material and fringed by coral reefs.

It has approximately 102 kilometers of shoreline.With the exception of relatively flat coastal plains in Lazi and San Juan, most of the interior of Siquijor island is either hilly or mountainous.

The center of the island is elevated, the highest point of which is the 557 meters high Mount Bandila-an.Most of the island’s soils are Bolinao, Lugo, Faraon or Mandaue series clays which have developed from corraline limestone.

Limesone outcrops are frequently observed at the surface all over the island.Areas at higher elevations and slopes of about 25% are eroded down to the subsoil and even to the bedrock in many places. Only 2.54% of these soils are Guimbon clay, which is volcanic in origin, and 2.5% are hydro soils and beach sand.

Climate
In most parts of the province, it is dry from January to May and wet the rest of the year. The southern most part of the province is dry from November to April and wet the rest of the year. Annual rainfall is 1.305 millimeters, with mean temperature of 27.8C and humidity of 78%.

Siquijor Island is mostly made up of limestone rock material and fringed by coral reefs. It has approximately 102 kilometers of shoreline. With the exception of relatively flat coastal plains in Lazi and San Juan, most of the interior of Sqiuijor island is either hilly or mountainous.

The center of the island is elevated, the highest point of which is the 557 meters high Mount Bandila-an.Geographical HighlightsMost of the island’s soils are Bolinao, Lugo, Faraon or Mandaue series clays which have developed from corraline limestone.

Limesone outcrops are frequently observed at the surface all over the island.. Areas at higher elevations and slopes of about 25% are eroded down to the subsoil and even to the bedrock in many places.

Only 2.54% of these soils are Guimbon clay, which is volcanic in origin, and 2.5% are hydro soils and beach sand.

Tourism
Considering that the whole island of Siquijor is a marine reserve and tourist zone, the province will be developed into a major tourist destination under the supervision of the Philippine Tourism Authority.

The serenity of the whole province makes it ripe for a perfect getaway. It lures nature lovers to climb up Mount Bandila-an, enjoy the natural spring water at San Juan town, explore its never-ending stretch of white sandy beaches and dive fathoms below to witness a splendid array of coral reef formations.

Each municipality in Siquijior is home to beach resorts matching in beauty with the country’s best. All municipalities also have its own social centers which can accomodate multiple functions other than for convention purposes.


Competitive Advantage
Ideal Location - Siquijor is strategically located because of its proximity to Cebu, the region's business hub.

Competitive Labor Cost - Compared to other provinces, the prevailing labor rate is relatively lower. This minimizes operating cost of business.

Stable Peace and Order- Siquijor boasts of a stable peace and order situation. The whole province' crime rate is among the lowest in the whole Philippines.

History
Very little is known about Siquijor and its inhabitants before the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century. During its occupation, however, caves in the island yielded old China wares which would mean Chinese traders had arrived earlier.

It is thought that the island was once thickly covered with molave or “tugas”, thus the island was called Katugasan by early folks. The lush vegetation in the hilly lands attracted great swarms of fireflies, thus trees were all lit up with the luminous creatures.

Perplexed by the trees aglow with fireflies, the Spaniards called the place Isla del Fuego or Island of Fire. The inhabitants on the other hand believed that the island rose from the sea amid fire, thunder, and lightning, hence the name Isla del Fuego.

Esteban Rodriguez of the Legazpi Expedition in 1565 led the first Spaniards to officially “discover” the island. He was captain of a small party that left Legazpi’s camp in Bohol to explore the nearby islands which are now called Pamilican, Siquijor, and Negros.

Founded in 1783 under the administration of secular clergymen, Siquijor became the first municipality as well as the first parish to be established on the island.Siquijor was, from the beginning, administered by the diocese of Cebu.

As for civil administration, Siquijor was under Bohol since the province had its own governor.The first Agustinian recollect priest, Father Vicente Garcia, arrived in Siquijor in 1794. Several years thereafter, a priest of the same order founded the parishes of Larena (initially called Can-oan), Lazi (formerly Tigbawan), San Juan (Makalipay), and Maria (Cang-meniao). With the exception of Enrique Villanueva, all of the present six municipalities were established as parishes in 1877.

From 1854 to 1892, Siquijor became part of the province of Negros Oriental, and became a sub-province in 1901. In 1971, Siquijor became an independent province by virtue of Republic Act No. 6398.

The capital was officially transferred from Larena to Siquijor in 1972 through a plebiscite held on November 8, 1971 and confirmed through Proclamation No. 1075. (wowphilippines)