Philippine E-Journals

A Report on the Economic History of Occidental Mindoro

Lariza L. Lañada

Discipline: Economics, History, Political Science

 

Abstract:

Occidental Mindoro lies on the western part of the seventh largest island in the Philippines. It is located south of the province of Batangas in Southern Luzon and northeast of the Visayas. This is directly facing the China Sea. The province is bounded on the east by its sister province of Oriental Mindoro. It is separated from the eastern sector by a central chain of mountains from Cape Calavite in the north to Mt. Alibug in the south. Including the smaller islands, it has a land area of 588,350 hectares. This is approximately four times bigger than Bataan or twice the size of Tarlac province. It is about twelve and five tenths (12.5) of the total land area of Region IV-A. The province is composed of eleven (11) municipalities: Abra de Ilog, Calintaan, Looc, Lubang, Magsaysay, Mamburao (capital), Paluan, Rizal, Sablayan, San Jose and Sta. Cruz. Sablayan is the largest municipality in the Philippines in point of area. Most parts of the province are mountainous. The coastal plain extending from Mamburao to San Jose and some small valleys or stretches of flat land surrounding the mouth of rivers account for practically all of the arable land of the province. These constitute about five percent (5%) of the total land area or about 32,422 hectares. The mountain ranges are rugged. The highest are Mt. Halcon (8,489 ft.) and Mt. Baco (8,160 ft.). Some of the imposing peaks are Tandrak Peak in Mamburao, Mitchell Peak in Sablayan and the Hagdanan Peak in San Jose.