Catanduanes

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Province of Catanduanes
Provincial seal of Catanduanes
Map of the Philippines with Catanduanes highlighted
Region	Bicol Region (Region V)
Capital	Virac
Divisions
- Independent cities	0
- Component cities	0
- Municipalities	11
- Barangays	315
- Congressional     districts	Lone district of Camarines Norte
Population
- Total (2007)	232,757 (66th out of 80) including independent cities: 232,757 (66th out of 80)
- Density	156.0/km² (48th out of 80) including independent cities: 156.0/km² (51st out of 80)
Area
- Total	1,492.2 km² (71st out of 80) including independent cities: 1,492.2 km² (71st out of 80)
Founded	September 26, 1945
Spoken languages	Northern Catanduanes Bicolano, Tagalog, English, Southern Catanduanes Bicolano, Central Bicolano, English, Tagalog, English
Governor	Joseph Cua (Independent)

Catanduanes is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Virac and the province lies to the east of Camarines Sur across Maqueda Channel. As of 2007, the population of the province is 232,757.

[edit] Geography

Catanduanes is situated in the easternmost fringe of Luzon: 13.3 to 14.1 degrees north latitudes and between 124.1 to 124.3 degrees east longitudes. The island bounded on the West by the Maqueda Channel, on the South by Lagonoy Gulf, and on the North and East by the Philippine Sea (Map 1). Several islands compose the province, but majority of these are physically small to be of relative significance. Its aggregate land area totals approximately 1,511.5 square kilometers or 151,150 hectares. The coastlines, that stretch to almost 400 kilometers are mostly embayed and coiffed.^[1]

[edit] Political Divisions

Catanduanes is subdivided into 11 municipalities.

[edit] Area

Catanduanes.^[2] as the 12th largest island in the Philippine Archipelago represents roughly one-over-two hundredths of the Country’s area. It is also smallest in the Bicol Region representing 9 percent in land area. Its aggregate land area totals approximately 1,511.5 km². and the coastlines that stretch to almost 400 kilometers, are mostly embayed and coiffed. In terms of land area, municipality of Caramoran and Sioron of LGU Gigmoto are the largest among the municipalities and barangays of the province, respectively. Similarly, the municipality of Bato and the barangays San Juan and San Jose Poblacion has the smallest area. Coastal lowland comprises merely 7 percent of the land area where majority of the people are living.

[edit] Topography

Mountain Ranges, Upland/Lowland - The topography is rugged and mountainous, becoming more pronounced towards the central portion of the island. The highest mountain peak is in Boctot and found between the municipality of Virac and San Miguel with an elevation of 803 meters above sea level. It is the premier mountain range with broadly spread old growth forests and watershed which exerts widespread influence over its immediate environs that include the municipalities of Virac, Bato, and San Miguel. Other prominent mountain forms with important significance include the ranges: Obi in Caramoran, Cagmasoso in San Andres, and the Summit and Magsumoso ranges within the Viga and Gigmoto areas.

The lowlands include the Virac Plain, Viga Plain, San Andres Plain and the Bato River Flood Plain. The coastal municipalities with limited lowland agricultural areas are Pandan and Caramoran. The more extensive lowlands are found in the southern parts of the province. The largest coastal plain is the contiguous wetlands of Viga, Panganiban and Bagamanoc over which lays the widest area of rice paddies and nipa mangroves.

Slopes - The province is mostly rugged and mountainous terrain. Its slope characteristics are 13% gently sloping to undulating, 1% classified rolling to hilly, 2% very hills and mountains, 47% level to very gently sloping, 32% steep hills and mountainous, and 5% undulating to rolling. Ten of the eleven municipalities of the province are situated along the coastal fringes, over which locate its mostly fractured plains. The only landlocked municipality has its poblacion sitting in a location entirely devoid of flat lands. The majority of the built-up areas occupy zones that are classified as flat to rolling.

Location Located in the Pacific coast, southeast of the main island of Luzon. It lies between 13.5 and 14.1 degrees north latitudes and extends from 124.0 to 124.5 degrees east longitudes. It is bounded on the west by Maqueda Channel, on the south by Lagonoy Gulf, and on the north and east by the Philippine Sea.

Land Area Catanduanes as the 12th largest island in the Philippine Archipelago occupies an area 1,511.5 km². or 151,148 hectares. It is 8.6% of the total area of the region.

Land Use As of 1999, 26,832 has. forestland composed of dipterocarp (23,062 has.), mossy (972 has.) and mangroves (2,798 has.); 4,633 has. plantations composed of protection forest (3,324 has.) and production forest (1,309 has.); 82,688 has. extensive land use composed of grasslands (47,836 has.) and brushlands (34,852 has.); 15,443 has. mixed crops and 21,552 has. other land use.

Population As of May 2000, its total population* is 215,356 with an annual growth rate of 1.3% from 1995-2000 and a population density of 142 per sq. kilometer.

Number of Households The number of households totaled 41,019 with an average household size of 5.25.^[3]

[edit] Brief History

The framing of the history of Catanduanes revolves around the story of Philippine evangelization because the best source of historical information on Catanduanes, was lost or destroyed during one of the many incursions of Moro pirates in this part of the Bicol Region.

In addition to the historical facts from church chronicles, some pieces of information handed down by word of mouth, were woven into the historical matrix if only to document the shades of the past of this beautiful and happy island. This explains to some extent why very little is known of Catanduanes’ early beginnings.

“Isla de Cobos” was Catanduanes’ first adopted name. It was earned as such during the early part of 1573 when Spanish conquistadores came upon several tribes living in the thatched huts called cobos.

Catanduanes, is a hispanized term derived from the word tandu, a native beetle and the samdong tree, which were both found in abundance throughout the island. Common reference to “katanduan” or “kasamdongan”, meaning a place where the tandu or the samdong tree thrives in abundance, led to the coining of the word Catanduanes.

Still some historians point that katandungan is a Malay word which means “a place of refuge in time of danger”, for indeed, this island has always been the refuge of mariners, especially during stormy weathers.

The actual Christianization of the island started some twenty years later. The conquistadores, after subjugating the Bicol mainland, came back to the island with Franciscan missionaries. From 1600 to 1857, the colonizers were able to put up nine centers of local governments through the establishment of parishes. The province, formerly known as "Catanduan, "Catandongan", and finally "Catanduanes", derived its name from the "tando" trees.

The early settlers of this island were said to be scions of the Datus of Borneo. Juan de Salcedo arrived in this island in 1573, hunting for pirates, and conquered and Christianized the natives. Three years later, a galleon expedition from Acapulco was shipwrecked near the island and the survivors were either killed or made servants. The Batalay Church in Bato, just several kilometers from the capital town of Virac, marks that historical event.

The scions of the ten Bornean Datus who had moved on the island of Panay and then, spread out throughout the archipelago were the first settlers to have set foot in Catanduanes.

Meanwhile, the Spaniards came on the island province in 1573. Juan de Salcedo and his other conquistadores, together with some friars who were to Christianize the island later, landed on the island in search for local pirates who were plying their nefarious trade between Camarines Sur, Sorsogon and Western Catanduanes. As they moved along, the friars also conquered the inhabitants through the gospel.

Catanduanes was not spared from the adventurous raids of the Moros who came from the island of Mindanao. Because of these destructive raids, many records of the past were destroyed and lost. Thus, the complete details of the history of the island was cut short. The only record made to proclaim about the past was in 1755.

During the American regime, the local insurgents refused to recognize the sovereignty of the United States. Most of them fled to the mountains. The American occupation did not last long. In 1934, the Americans had ceased control of the island.

During World War II, Catanduanes was not spared by their invasion. Garrisons were erected in different parts of the island. The guerilla movement was intensely active during this time of crisis.

On February 8, 1945, the liberation of the island province was proclaimed. In its place, a municipal building at Virac was constructed and also the town's Parish church.

The free atmosphere has calmed the people. The Allied Philippine Commonwealth ground troops and the recognized guerrilla resistance forces controlled the barracks vacated by the Japanese forces was liberated in Catanduanes.

On October 26, 1946, three months after the Philippine independence from the Americans, the island was finally recognized as a separate and independent province. Commonwealth Act No. 687 was enacted to create the island of Catanduanes as one of the six provinces of the Bicol Region.

Commonwealth Act No. 687 established Catanduanes as a province independent from Albay. It was approved by Congress on September 26, 1945, signed into law by President Sergio Osme?a, Sr. on October 24, 1945, and took effect on October 16, 1945.^[4]

[edit] Vision

In the third millennium, Catanduanes is an ecologically stable community enjoying social amenities, peace and equity under a vibrant economy

[edit] Mission

To make a difference, we commit to foster public participation in governance with a clear understanding of the requisites of development and concern for the environment in the pursuit of an aggressive agro-industrial growth while providing for the basic social and infrastructure services and amenities

[edit] Goals

• Vibrant Economy
• Developed Human Resources
• Sustainably Managed Physical Resources
• Adequate Infrastructure Support

[edit] Social Cultural

[edit] Dialects

Two tongues are being spoken locally. The northern accent has a very pronounced letter R that becomes a diphthong of non-vowel letters L and R in the southern towns. In written form, the conventional mainland Bicol dialect is used. Tagalog, by virtue of its being officially taught in schools and the affinity of most Bicolanos to it, is the second most common dialect and easily the most understood by people of all walks of life. The English language is the normal medium used in primary communications. Curiously, the Spanish and Chinese tongues, which have been around for quite a number of years are slowly being eased out and unlearned.

[edit] Ethnic Groups

More and more people from the neighboring regions are finding peace and security in Catanduanes. Migrants from Visayas and Mindanao regions far outnumber other ethnic groups. The only or natural born or naturalized ethnic group of note are the Chinese nationals, a great number of them have managed to maintain purity of race, customs and traditions, although some practically assimilated into the local mainstream.

[edit] Citizenship

Almost all of the people of the province are natural born citizens. Naturalized citizens mostly Chinese and some other nationalities is only about one per cent of the population.

[edit] Traditions

Traditions and inherited lifestyles are being slowly supplanted brought about by a high degree of exposure to the western culture. Significant shift in values, beliefs, morals and customs and outlook in life of younger and future generation will likely take place with the advent of digital information age. State-of-the-art technologies in Communication and Information unheard of in the last decade bring a wide range of information to an increasing number of island residents. Television sets link to satellite cable television system are now common in households notably in areas where local television broadcasts are not accessible, computers linked to the internet, satellite phone and cellular phone services are some of these technologies.

[edit] Folk Festivals

The folk festivals celebrated as part of the local religious rituals are with unique traces of the Spanish colonization. Among these festivals is the Kalbaryo or Calvary which is commonly staged during the Holy Week is a reenactment of the passion of Christ’s way of the cross; the Kagharong which is a native depiction of the nativity scene held every year during the yuletide season; Pantomina is purely a native dance, popular on occasions of importance. It is a dance interpretation (pantomime) of a rooster courting a hen. Pantomina dance is mostly practice in rural areas, and the “Padadyao sa Tinampo, a purely a native cultural presentation of street dancing held every 24th of October to commemorate the province‘s founding anniversary.

The very recent Sugbo Festival of the seven (7) sugbo or tiger grass producing barangays of Hitoma area in the municipality of Caramoran is a notable contemporary event which is an addition to these traditional festivals. Its celebration every month of May coinciding with the celebration of Hitoma barangay fiesta is being institutionalized with the support of the provincial government, LGU of Caramoran and national line agencies to promote the commercial development of the local lasa or tiger grass industry and to create a signature product from tiger grass.

[edit] Peace and Order

By comparison, the prevailing peace and order situation in the province is much better than that of the other provinces in the region. This is attributed to the inherent affable character of the Catandungeño, the all-out government support and a vigilant religious hierarchy. To arrest attempts of criminal elements to make the province a market for illegal drugs, the police force with the support of LGUs launched a massive information campaign for a better-informed citizenry.

Police Services - The Philippine National Police in the province is composed of the local police force and the fire brigade’s services. Among its objectives, the PNP organizes missions to protect lives and property, enforce laws and maintain peace and order; to prevent crimes and to investigate the commission of all crimes and offenses and to bring the offender to justice; And finally, to take the necessary measures to prevent and control fires and to maintain public safety.

The prevailing peace and order remains the best argument for promoting the province. The province crime rate is 6.39 in 2006. Crime volume over the same period was 191.

[edit] 2007 Local Elections

[edit] Weather and Climate

Without a pronounced dry season, precipitation is distributed fairly well throughout the year becoming wetter in the last quarter into the early months of the first quarter, when tropical disturbances and monsoon wind bring in heavy rains. Other months are characterized by short periods of dryer days and fine weather except in July and August, when the dry and gusty northwest monsoon winds intensify.

[edit] Transportation

By air, it is less than an hour’s flight by commercial jet from Manila or an hour by propeller plane. Over land a 10-hour bus ride from Manila to Tabaco connects a three and a half hour’s sea ferry to San Andres or Virac.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website of the Provincial Government of Catanduanes
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2007 Philippine Census Information
• Discover Catanduanes
• Catanduanes Information Online

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Coordinates: 13°50′N 124°15′E / 13.833°N 124.25°E / 13.833; 124.25