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PROVINCIAL PROFILE OF GUIMARAS
FAST FACTS
Click Here To View The List Of Towns.
LOCATION
Guimaras is an island province in Western Visayas between the islands of Panay and Negros. It is separated from Iloilo by Iloilo Strait and from Negros Occidental by Guimaras Strait.
THE LAND
The province is one broadflat land. Mounts Acdan and Pandin are the only highlands. Several coral islets lie off the southern coast and coral reefs line the eastern shores. The weather is fair during most of the year.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Archaeologists and geologists believe that Guimaras was once connected to the Panay mainland. As far as historical documents can attest, Guimaras was known as "Himal-us" during the pre-Spanish period. Guimaras was an integral part of the Iloilo province established by the Spaniards.
During the Filipino-American War, the U.S. Army maintained a military reservation, known as Camp Jossman, in Buenavista as headquarters of the American forces in Panay. During this period, General Douglas Mac Arthur, then a first lieutenant, built the wharf at Buenavista. Guimaras was created as a sub-province of Iloilo by Republic Act No. 4667 on June 18, 1966. It became a separate through a referendum held on May 11, 1992.
THE PEOPLE
Hiligaynon is widely spoken among the inhabitants. Residents of some barangays in Jordan and Nueva Valencia speak Kinaray-a, Hiligaynon variant.
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
The economy is largely agricultural and the major crops are rice, coconut. and fruits. especoally cashew nuts, mango, and kalamansi, a variety of citrus. In the country's only Trappist Monastery located outside Jordan, the monks grow kalamansi. A plant in Jordan processes mango into juice, jam, and preserves. The town is also the site of a sugar refinery and bulk-loading sugar and molasses terminal. Mango production and processing has triggered the recent establishment of agri-business ventures in the island. Limestones also abounds, used by a cement plant in Buenavista. Other industries include fishing, charcoal - and basket-making, and hat - and mawt-weaving from pandan and buri plans.
Information gathered from:
League of
Provinces
by:Roberto C. Arellano
This page last revised:February 08, 1999.
