History
Brief History
An account by Demy Sonza, a noted Ilonggo historian says that archeologists believed that Guimaras Island was once a part of the Panay Island. Geologically speaking, the two islands are of the same age. Insofar as available historical documents can attest, the Pre-Spanish Ilonggos knew Guimaras as Himal-us. During the Spanish Era, the beautiful sceneries in the island struck the Spaniards headed by Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa who established the Spanish settlement in Arevalo. The verdant mountains of the island were covered with forest timbers for building purposes. The island is rich in limestone and has also has excellent hunting and fishing grounds.
The Christianization of the people of Guimaras started almost simultaneously with that of Iloilo. For this purpose, the Spaniards organized the pueblocitos or villages of Nayup with San Pedro Apostol as the patron saint and Igang whose patron saint was Santa Ana. For a long time, these small villages formed a “visita” of Oton, Iloilo. The Governor at that time, General Dasmariñas reported to the King of Spain on June 20, 1551 and that one of the two friars of Oton was assigned to Guimaras who made his visits from time to time.
According to Don Pedro Armengol, an Ambasador of Spain wrote that a Spanish missionary may have named the island after a peninsula in Portugal called Guimaraes, or from names of places in Spain such as Guimaran in the provinces of Leon and Galeria, Guimera in Catalonia, Gomera in the Canary Islands, and Guimaras in another province.
In 1742, the island fell under the jurisdiction of Dumangas until 1751 when the Jesuits replaced the Augustinian Order. Then the Dominicans took over Guimaras. By 1755, it was organized into a regular parish. Finally, when the population had increased considerably, the island was given its municipal status with a seat of government at Tilad, now Buenavista. The old town site was in the place known today as Old Poblacion.
The American regime brought more rapid progress to the island. In 1908, Guimarasnons were given the right to elect their municipal president. One great American left an indelible mark in the island, Douglas MacArthur, fresh from West Point as a Second Lieutenant at the age of 23, came to Iloilo as the head of the company of Corps of Engineers. They constructed roads and the Sto. Rosario Wharf, presently named as McArthur’s Wharf, which are still in use today.
Guimaras first gained status as a Sub province of Iloilo by virtue of RA 4667, which was enacted by Congress on June 18, 1966. Prior to 1966, the three municipalities: Jordan, Buenavista and Nueva Valencia comprising the island were part of the 2nd congressional district of Iloilo. Despite its apparent nearness to Iloilo City, Guimaras’ municipalities lagged behind in development.
Thus, in 18 June 1966, RA 4667 was passed creating the sub – province of Guimaras in the Province of Iloilo was passed. The sub – province was established to provide an apprenticeship for self government for the people and its leaders. Once this capacity is achieved, Guimaras is expected to graduate to a regular provincial status.
Then Nueva Valencia Vice Mayor Antonio Ortiz was appointed as the first chief executive of the sub – province. The title of the position was then Lt. Governor. Three years later, RA 5682 was passed changing the position title of Lt. Governor to Governor. Governor Ortiz continued to serve his provincemates until his death in 1984.
By then the country has been under martial law for about a dozen years. No democratic elections were held during the period, and no election was expected in the foreseeable days. Gov. Ortiz was succeeded by an appointee of Malacanang in the person of Mr. Leopoldo Locsin. There was hardly any activity towards Guimaras provincehood as intended by the RA which created the sub – province.
Then, in February of 1988, following a quick succession of events resulting from the lifting of martial rule, Dr. Catalino G. Nava assumed office as governor of the sub-province. It was the period of great changes. The 14-year military rule (martial law) was just lifted; we had a new president and a new constitution. With such a mandate, Dr. Nava immediately set forth to put in place his campaign promise that was to make Guimaras a full fledged and independent province.
Barely half a year in office, Gov. Nava was able to convince his colleagues of the necessity of creating an independent Province of Guimaras, and that a Resolution was passed by the League of Provinces supporting the move. A separate resolution of the same nature was handed in by the league of vice governors and vice mayors in July 1988, this time through the efforts of then vice governor Cesar Galila.
The Regional Development Council (RDC) through Resolution No. 14, s 1988, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Iloilo through Resolution No. 146 s. 1988, Provincial Development Council (PDC) Guimaras through Resolutions No. 3 and 10, s 1988, and Municipal Development Council (MDC) Resolutions (Jordan, Nueva Valencia and Buenavista).
But it took more than resolutions to get the movement to full throttle. Negotiations with the late Cong. Monfort were made to sponsor a bill in Congress. Similar efforts for a parallel move in the senate with the office Sen. Guingona were initiated. Then we got news that both chambers were soliciting inputs for a Local Government Code which was being framed. Representations were made with the offices of Rep. Herminio Aquino and Rep. Hilario de Pedro, as well as that of Senator Pimentel, then the chair of the Senate Committee on Local Governments.
Gov. Nava authorized Board member Bonilla to invite the members of the committee to have a dialogue with Guimarasnons. As a result, Senator Pimentel visited Guimaras and held a consultation at the Barangay Training Center. BM Bonilla also gave inputs on how Section 462 of the Local Government Code would be worded.
With the passage of the LGC, the task shifted to a campaign for a YES vote in the plebiscite to be conducted for Guimaras provincehood. Guimaras was then proclaimed as a regular and full-fledged province on May 22, 1992 after a plebiscite was conducted to ratify the approval of its conversion pursuant to Section 462 of RA 7160. Shortly after Guimaras acquired provincial status, President Fidel V. Ramos appointed Emily Relucio – Lopez as its first Provincial Governor.
In 1995, by virtue of RA 7896 and RA 7897, the municipalities of Sibunag and San Lorenzo were created respectively. The two new municipalities acquired their municipal status after May 8, 1995 plebiscite held simultaneously with the local election.
Geography
Guimaras is composed of five (5) municipalities and ninety-eight (98) barangays with Jordan as the capital town. Hiligaynon is the native dialect. Anchored on agriculture for its economy, Guimarasnons derive their livelihood from the bounties of the land and its surrounding seas. Farm or agri – tourism destination is being set by the province of Guimaras for its definitive tourism image in Western Visayas by diversifying its agriculture and introducing tourism related activities supplementing or enhancing agricultural areas.
LOCATION: Southeast of Panay and Northwest of Negros Islands in Western Visayas, Philippines.
TOPOGRAPHY: Generally gently sloping to rolling with land elevation ranging from 0 -300 m above sea level
LAND AREA: 60,457 hectares (604.57 sq. km)
