REGION 4B

• MIMAROPA is an acronym derived from the provinces of

the region, namely: MIndoro (Oriental and Occidental),
MArinduque, ROmblon, and PAlawan. Located at 10.67º
N and 119.5º E, this region is only one of the two regions
in the Philippines which have no land borders, the other
one being Eastern Visayas. It is rather bounded by
different bodies of water: West Philippine Sea on the west,
Sulu Sea on the south, Sibuyan Sea on the east, and
Tayabas Bay on the north. The entire region only has two
cities, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan and Calapan City
in Mindoro Oriental, with Calapan City being the
administrative center of the region.
• MIMAROPA was not always MIMAROPA. Back in the
days, it was part of a larger region, the Southern Luzon
region, which also happened to be the largest region in
the Philippines. The Southern Luzon region was
comprised of today’s MIMAROPA and CALABARZON
together with the province of Aurora. Due to the region
spanning large distances, accessibility to regional centers
and distribution of goods and public services were difficult
back then. With that, former President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo decided to make a move.
THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF MIMAROPA

• The Region of MIMAROPA has a total land area of

2,745,601 ha, which is about 9.15% of the Philippines’
land area. About 1/5 of its land area is an agricultural land
area while the rest of the region is forests, mountain
ranges, and coastal areas. With the forests and coastal
areas greatly outnumbering the agricultural area, the
region is very rich in biodiversity, not only terrestrial
biodiversity but also marine biodiversity. Before we begin
to discuss the topography and land cover of the region, let
us first discuss the climate.
• The region’s land cover is composed of 17 different
categories of land. However about 64% of this is considered
as forest land and only 36% are considered alienable and
disposable land. The dominant type of land covers include:
Closed Forest, Broadleaved, Open Forest, Broadleaved,
Cultivated Annual Crop and Perennial Crop, Natural
Grasslands, and Wooded Shrub lands and Grasslands.

• Aside from its forests and fields, the region of MIMAROPA

also has 31,850 ha of water bodies. Mindoro Oriental, which
contains the Apo Reef, contains the largest water area in the
region with its 13,627 ha of water while Romblon owns the
smallest with only 3,618 ha.
THE HUMAN GEOGRAPHY OF MIMAROPA
Population:

• As of the 2010 census, the region has a total population

of 2,744,671 representing 2.93% of the total population of
the Philippines which was 93.44 million back then. Even
with the population increase of about 200,000 people, the
region remains to be one of three regions with the lowest
population, bigger only than the CARAGA region and the
Cordillera Administrative Region.
Economy

• The region of MIMAROPA contributed 1.65% to the

country’s GDP. In 2013, the GRDP of MIMAROPA grew
by 1.68%. The Agriculture, Fishing, Hunting, and Forestry
sector contributed the most to the region’s GRDP totalling
43.2%. This is an increase from the 2009 data where the
Industry sector leads with 42.16% contribution to the
GRDP.
Culture:

• Aside from the region’s biological diversity, the region is

also culturally diverse, with each province housing
multiple indigenous groups of its own.

• Mangyan is the generic term for the eight indigenous

groups in Mindoro. These indigenous groups include the
Hanunuo, the Alangan, the Tau-Buid, the Bangon, the
Tadyawan, the Ratagnon, the Iraya, and the Buhid. Each
tribal group has its own language, customs, and rituals.
Their population is estimated at 100,000.
Mangyans. Source: http://www.lionhearttv.net
• In Palawan there are many cultural groups as well:
Cuyonon & Agutayon, considered the ethnic elite of the
province; Muslim groups such as Molbog, Jama Mapun
and Tausug live in the southern coast; Tagbanuas the
largest indigenous group inhabiting the central portion;
And there are even smaller cultural communities like
Pala’wan, Taut batu, Batak, Ken-uy and Kalamian
Kalamian Tagbanua. Source:
http://www.thejoysofjourneying.wordpress.com
Romblon, because it is near the Visayas has three main
languages, Romblomanon, Asi and Onhan – they belong to
the Visayan language family.

Marinduque has no indigenous groups except Tagalogs, but

many descendants of the Asi tribe live in the southern part
of the island and they are known to still cling to their roots in
Banton. Tagalog spoken in Marinduque has been carefully
studied and it has been concluded that the language
spoken here is the root from which modern national forms
of speech have sprung. (1914 study by Cecilio Lopez).
• Aside from being the roots of our modern form of
language, Marinduque is also home to Moriones festival,
an annual festival celebrated during the holy week. With
this, the province is popularly called “the Lenten Capital of
the Philippines”. In the festival, townspeople dress up as
roman soldiers and other biblical figures to represent their
religion.
TOURIST SPOTS

• The region of MIMAROPA has all kinds of scenic spots

one can ask for. From forests, to white sand beaches, to
rock formations and mountain peaks, to diverse marine
life– this region has it all. Here are some of the most
known spots in MIMAROPA that is hard to miss.
Mindoro
Other Tourist Spot in Mindoro

• Occidental Mindoro • Oriental Mindoro

• • Apo Reef, Sablayan, Occidental
Mindoro • • Puerto Galera, Oriental
• • Pandan Island, Sablayan, Mindoro
Occidental Mindoro • • Varadero Bay, Puerto
• • Grace Island, San Jose,
Occidental Mindoro
Galera, Oriental Mindoro
• • Calawagan Mountain River, • • Aras Cave, San Teodoro,
Paluan, Occidental Mindoro Oriental Mindoro
• • Tayamaan Beach, Mamburao,
Occidental Mindoro • • Naujan Lake, Oriental
Mindoro
Marinduque
• Marinduque
• • Malbog Sulfur Spring,
Buenavista, Marinduque
• • Tres Reyes Islands,
Gasan, Marinduque
• • Paadjao Falls, Mogpog,
Marinduque
Romblon
Romblon

• • Cresta de Gallo Islet,

Sibuyan Island, Romblon
• • Looc Fish Sanctuary,
Looc, Romblon
• • Mt. Guiting-Guiting,
Sibuyan Island, Romblon
• • Aglicay Beach Resort,
Alcantara, Romblon
Palawan
Palawan

• • Coron Island, Palawan • • Caluit Island Wildlife

• • Tubbataha Reef Marine Sanctuary, Calauit Island,
Park, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
Palawan • • Palawan Crocodile Farm,
• • Puerto Princesa Puerto Princesa City,
Subterranean River Palawan
National Park, Puerto • • El Nido Marine Reserve
Princesa City, Palawan Park, El Nido, Palawan
Festivals

• Baragatan Festival
• Baragatan celebrates the
foundation of the civil government
of Palawan. The festival derives its
name from a Cuyunon terms that
means 'meeting', and true to its
meaning Baragatan is a
convergence and coming together
of the people of Palawan to
celebrate its history and rich culture.
Marinduque

• What is Bila-Bila festival?

• Locally called “Bila-Bila Festival,”
this colorful affair is held to highlight
major occasions in the island
province, notably town and
community fiestas, provincial
anniversary, and other equally
important events. The
Marinduquenos' Bila-Bila Festival is
akin to Baguio City's Panagbenga
or Flower Festival.
Romblon- Binaray Festival
• The festival is being held to respect the town's
supporter holy people Peter and Paul, a method
for thanksgiving for the endowments from the
ocean. The festival begins in the early long
stretches of the morning, with a flotilla of
complicatedly designed pontoons that circles
Bulalacao Bay and met by the townsfolk at it
arrives on the shore. Walking proceeds in the
city with symbols of the two holy people
welcomed in religious behavior by the
enthusiasts. A parade is done later at dusk and
finishes at the congregation ground. The
conventional putong delegated of the
benefactors finish the last ceremonies in the
midst of tunes and moves by grown-ups and
youngsters alike.
Marinduque

• The origin of Moriones Festival

dates back to 1807 when the
parish priest of Mogpog town,
Father Dionisio Santiago,
organized it for the first time.
The Moriones Festival is a re-
enactment of the biblical story
of a Roman soldier whose one
eye was blind named
Longinus.
Mindoro Occidental

• Karakol Festival of Mamburao

Occidental Mindoro is celebrated
every 10 th of October in honor of
the town’s patron saint Nuestra Se
ñ ora Del Pilar. This parade is a
festive celebration in the streets of
the town wherein the parishioners
joyfully carry the patron saint with
jovial music while dancing and
praising with the belief that they will
be blessed with prosperous life and
good health.
Mindoro Oriental

• The Pandang Gitab Festival, coined

from the Filipino folk dance
Pandango sa Ilaw (Dance of Lights),
is a far cry from the loud, usual
drummed beats of older and much
famous festivals in the
Philippines.But for the people of
Oriental Mindoro, that unique
aspect adds to the annual festival's
allure. Set at night, the event lit up
the streets of Calapan City in
Oriental Mindoro province .
Mangyan Customs and Beliefs

• Among the Mangyans in the southern end of Oriental Mindoro, courtship takes a romantic
flavor. Under the magic splendor of the moonlight, young man takes his native guitar and
blanket, goes to the girl’s hut, and sings to her. The girl comes out and goes with him to a
forest. There, in some secluded spot, the man spread out a mat. The girl lies on it, while her
suitor sits at her side pouring out his feelings in love songs the whole night through. The
maid answers him in songs also.

• During major feasts, young men and women court by exchanging love songs. A man will be
accompanied by fiddles, guitars, nose flutes, and harps, as he sings a song expressing his
affection for the young woman. The woman answers with a song of her own. Marriages are
arranged only after the families of the couple have given their mutual consent. The husband
goes to live with his wife’s family in order to repay the debt he has incurred by marrying their
daughter.
HANUNUO

• Hanunoo believe the kalag are pleased when customary legal rules are
strictly followed. Should the people stop sacrificing or observing customs, the
kalag will allow evil spirits called labang to afflict the Hanunoo. The labang
attack a person’s soul, causing illness or even death.

• To combat illness, the Hanunoo call in a shaman, or priest, known in their

language as a balyanan. The balyanan has control over the spirits living in
rocks; the balyanan sends these rock spirits to attack the evil spirits causing
the illness.
Wedding

• WEDDING

• Mindoro Wedding Traditions is the same with the other tagalog regions.
• There are still many traditional customs or superstitions that are being
followed by Filipinos or those people who wish to have a Filipino style
wedding. As time pass by, this beliefs started to fade slowly but not totally
gone.

• Marrying in the Philippines, as we all know, are truly remarkable and special.
The wedding day will never be forgotten, thus, it will be treasured and
remembered forever.
• Filipinos have many age old traditions make for a
beautiful and exciting event. Filipino weddings, also
known as kasalan, are among the most beautiful and
intricate celebrations in the world because of the Filipino
culture’s high regard for the sanctity of marriage making
the event a lengthy and ceremonious occasion to remind
everyone attending—especially the bride and groom—
that the bond connecting the couple is expected to
become permanent.
• Filipino bride dress up in a traditional all-white wedding gown and
the groom is handsomely clad in the traditional barong. In addition
to the gown, the bride often wears a veil and carries a bouquet of
flowers. A garter may also be worn and removed by the groom
during the reception.
• The groom wears a barong, a traditional hand embroidered formal
shirt made from specially hand-loomed jusi or pina (pineapple
fiber) cloth. You will be able to see some men wearing the Barong
Tagalog at the wedding, a thin and transparent dress, most of the
time white of color with a shirt under it. Now, even men go for
black tuxedo.
BELIEFS

• Filipinos still adhere to numerous widely-held folk beliefs that have no scientific or logical basis but
maybe backed-up by some past experiences.
• Brides shouldn’t try on her wedding dress before the wedding day or the wedding will not push through.
• Giving arinola (chamberpot) as wedding gift is believed to bring good luck to newlyweds.
• Altar-bound couples are accident-prone and therefore must avoid long drives or traveling before their
wedding day for safety.
• If it rains during the wedding, it means prosperity and happiness for the newlyweds.
• – A flame extinguished on one of the wedding candles means the one on which side has the unlit
candle, will die ahead of the other.
• Throwing rice confetti at the newlyweds will bring them prosperity all their life.
• The groom must arrive before the bride at the church to avoid bad luck.
• It is considered bad luck for two siblings to marry on the same year.
• Breaking something during the reception brings good luck to the newlyweds.
• The bride should step on the groom’s foot while walking towards the altar if she wants him to agree to
her every whim.
• A bride who wears pearls on her wedding will be an unhappy wife
experiencing many heartaches and tears.

• An unmarried woman who follows the footsteps (literally) of the newlyweds

will marry soon.

• Dropping the wedding ring, the veil or the arrhae during the ceremony spells
unhappiness for the couple.

• In early Filipino custom, the groom-to-be threw his spear at the front steps of
his intended’s home, a sign that she has been spoken for. These days, a ring
suffices as the symbol of engagement.
Palawan Customs and Beliefs

• The principle on which the Palawan base their life is called ingasiq, meaning
‘compassion’. This underlies all their actions and emphasizes the importance
of behaving with generosity and sympathy towards others.

• Their ceremonies, prayers, chanting and healing dances are all part of what
they call adat et kegurangurangan, or ‘the customs of the ancestors’.

• For the Palawan, the universe is vertical and divided into fourteen different
layers. The souls of the beljan(shamans) are able to travel to these other
levels in order to ‘heal the world’ and to re-establish the cosmic balance.
• Shamans are not seen as special or sacred people, but are those who, either
in a trance or dream, are able to enter the invisible world and contact super-
human beings. They can see and extract impurities that are causing sickness
from a patient’s body. They are also usually experts in the use of medicinal
plants.

• Good health is dependent on a balance between the body and its ‘life force’
(kuruduwa). The loss of kuruduwacreates a disturbance, which makes the
body vulnerable to illness and attacks by malevolent beings.

• The supreme being for the Palawan is known as Empuq, (the Lord or Owner)
and he is believed to be the creator of all things in the world. Other
benevolent beings live in the higher mountains.
• The Palawan believe that the forest is home to a large
number of demons. Demons known as lenggam are
believed to be the caretakers of poisonous and biting
animals such as scorpions and snakes.

• Over-hunting or harvesting certain trees can cause these

creatures to attack humans.
Social Laws
• ALYOG is a process to determine if the parents of the boy agrees to his marriage to a
chosen girl. The parents of the boy will bring their son to the house of the girl and talk with
her parents. Usually, the parents of the boy bring an elder or Ginoo, to witness the
conversation and final agreement between both sides. The Ginoo as witness is usually a
member of the recognized traditional leadership.
• LIWAG is a fine upon a son-in-law who twice committed disobedience of his in-laws.
• SALA is a fine upon a boy given to the parents of the girl who has been deflowered by him.
Marriage will follow.
• SURUGIDEN is a process whereby the traditional leaders usually meet together with the
involved parties for purposes of discussing/hearing of conflict cases among the Batak such
as marriage, adultery, disrespect to in-laws, thefts, and other violations of traditional laws and
to imposed penalties to the guilty.
Ritual Conducted by the Batak’s

• LAMBAY is the Batak honey festival marking the onset of seasonal honey gathering, usually
done in the month of March. The purpose is to make bee colonies to produce plenty of honey.
This ritual is traditionally done by their baylan. They will also effect “lambay” ceremony to ask
for rain if there is long dry-season and to ask for sunlight if there is long rainy season. In the
ceremony they will offer live chicken for the spirits.
• SAGKAT is a ritual performed by the baylan for the kaingero, prior to field clearing, to give
respect to the goddess spirits within the forest, considering that the Batak believe that big
trees are homes of forest spirits. In this process they will talk to the said spirits to ask
permission to clear the area. If, within three days and nights they could not dream of any
signs of disagreement, then clearing will be done, if there is, then they will not pursue the
clearing.
The Batak Marriage System

• The ancient Traditional marriage system of the Batak still exist up to now.
Before person can be married, the boy with his father or elder relatives will
attend a “surigiden” for consultation of the prospective marriage partner with
her elder and family of the groom. Upon consensus of the elders that
marriage should be consecrated. The boy accompanied by a Ginoo or Tribal
leader will make arrangement with the brides parents. The brides parents will
ask a certain amount from the groom called “bandi” as guarantee. The groom
also will provide the elders who witnessed in the Surugiden a certain amount
as gratitude and thanks to their presence. Then drinking of rice wine, “tabad”,
will follow to celebrate and facilitate good luck for the good future of the newly
wed.