San Fernando, Romblon Explained

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Pushpin Map Caption:Location within the
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Philippines
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Type2:Province
Subdivision Type3:District
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1636
Established Title1:Incorporated
Established Date1:January 1, 1947
Parts Type:Barangays
Parts Style:para
P1: (see Barangays)
Leader Name:Nanette B. Tansingco
Leader Title1:Vice Mayor
Leader Name1:Domeng Marin
Leader Name2:Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona
Leader Title3:Councilors
Leader Name3:
  • Jezrel Aquino
  • Romel Repil
  • Cmyt Renion
  • Rodelio Relox
  • Dante Marin
  • Cynthia Rios
  • Dax Rios
  • Robert Relox
Leader Title4:Electorate
Leader Name4: voters (electorate_point_in_time}}|)
Elevation Max M:2013
Elevation Min M:0
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Blank1 Title:Households
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Demographics Type1:Economy
Demographics1 Title2:Poverty incidence
Demographics1 Info2:%
Demographics1 Title3:Revenue
Demographics1 Title4:Revenue rank
Demographics1 Title5:Assets
Demographics1 Title6:Assets rank
Demographics1 Title7:IRA
Demographics1 Title8:IRA rank
Demographics1 Title9:Expenditure
Demographics1 Title10:Liabilities
Demographics Type2:Service provider
Demographics2 Title1:Electricity
Demographics2 Title2:Water
Demographics2 Title3:Telecommunications
Demographics2 Title4:Cable TV
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Blank1 Info Sec1:Romblomanon
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San Fernando, officially the Municipality of San Fernando, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Romblon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 24,171 people.

Etymology

It was formerly known as Pueblo de Cauit. In 1882, the town was renamed to Fernando, in honor of Ferdinand Magellan.

History

Early history

The town of San Fernando was established in 1636 as Visita de Cauit in what is today Barangay Azagra. It is one of two visitas in Sibuyan Island, the other being Cajidiocan. In 1744, Cajiodiocan was turned into a pueblo (town) which included Visita de Cauit.[1] [2]

The first villages or barrios of Visita de Cauit were Pag-alad, Cangumba, Mabolo or San Roque, Canjalon, España or Canago, Agtiwa, Cangumon and Otod. After Romblon was made a separate district in 1853, and the local government reorganization of 1855, 17 new pueblos were created including Visita de Cauit. On 3 February 1868, Pueblo de Cauit was renamed Pueblo de Azagra. One of Azagra's villages, Visita de Pag-alad was renamed Visita de San Fernando in 1882, in honor of Ferdinand Magellan.[1] [2]

Modern era

When civilian government was introduced to the province by the Americans on 16 March 1901, Azagra was one of 11 new municipalities created. However, by the end of the year, the seat of the municipality was transferred from Azagra to San Fernando village, thereby, changing the town's name.[1] [2]

On 8 June 1940, the passage of Commonwealth Act No. 581, sponsored by Congressman Leonardo Festin, created the special municipality of Sibuyan. It abolished San Fernando and was annexed to the new town whose seat of government was in Cajidiocan. The special municipality of Sibuyan was abolished by Republic Act No. 38, authored by Congressman Modesto Formilleza and enacted on 1 October 1946.[3] It effectively restored San Fernando into its former status as an independent municipality.[1] [2]

In 1958, San Fernando High School, the town's highest institution of learning was converted into a national school for arts and trades known as Romblon National Vocation School under Republic Act No. 2428.[1] [2]

On 21 June 2008, MV Princess of the Stars, the flagship inter-island ferry of Sulpicio Lines sank in the waters of San Fernando after during the onslaught of Typhoon Fengshen (locally known as Typhoon Frank).[4] Of the ship's 862 passengers and crew, only 48 survived while 67 were confirmed dead and 747 remain missing. A massive search-and-rescue, and then recovery and salvage operation, took place in the waters of San Fernando to remove remaining dead bodies and potentially dangerous cargo from the sunken ship. The wreck of the MV Princess of the Star still remains in the town's coastal waters.[5] [6]

Geography

San Fernando is a coastal town which lies on the south-western portion of the Sibuyan Island and is the biggest among the three towns comprising the island, the other two being Magdiwang and Cajidiocan. It has a total land area of . making it the largest municipality in the province, surpassing Odiongan by more than . I The municipality has an irregular coastline broken by beautiful, long stretches of sandy beaches.

The municipality has high and steep mountain ranges as it is located at the foot of Romblon's tallest peak, Mount Guiting-Guiting. Other mountains are Mount Sibuyan and Mount Conico. Much of its territory is part of Mount Guiting-Guiting Natural Park made up of lush tropical rainforest where unique flora and fauna thrive, giving Sibuyan the nickname, "The Galapagos of the Philippines".

Barangays

San Fernando is politically subdivided into 12 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Demographics

According to the 2015 census, San Fernando has a population of 23,271, which makes San Fernando the 3rd most inhabited town in the province of Romblon. The variant Romblomanon language locally called Sibuyanon dialect (Sibuyanon Magdiwang-España Style) is the native language in 4 eastern barangays of the municipality, while the rest speaks Sibuyanon (Sibujanon Azagra-San Fernando Style). The town has a Majority of Catholics and a few INC, Born-again Christians, and other religions.

Economy

The municipality has various establishments including general merchandise stores, construction and welding shops, furniture outlets, funeral homes, rice mills, bakeshops, catering services, and one cable TV station. Fishing and Agriculture provides the main source of livelihood for the residents in San Fernando. The Sibuyan Sea and Cresta de Gallo serve as a fishing grounds due to its abundant marine animals like mackerel, sea quartz, tuna, dilis, tanguigue, lapu-lapu, and tropical fish to name a few.The Agriculture sector of San Fernando is Mainly Rice and Corn Planting.

Infrastructure

Utilities

National Power Corporation operates a 650-kW plant and 1,025-kW substation in San Fernando.It also have a Mini Hydro Power Plant in Cantingas.ROMELCO, the local electric cooperative, also implements power supply on the households. For its water supply, the town uses the Cantingas irrigation system, which services some 384 hectares of farmland. Some households depend on individual potable distribution which comes from jet pumps and springs.[1]

Transportation and communication

Tricycles are always available to carry passengers to town center or to the other places on the island when a ship is scheduled to arrive.There are also plans to open charter flights in Azagra Airstrip in the Town.There are also pumpboats that docks in the port of the town centre going to Roxas City.There are also pumpboats travel from agtiwa to Romblon Island.

From Azagra jeepneys and tricycles are always available to carry passengers to town center or to the other places on the island when a ship is scheduled to arrive.There are also plans to open charter flights in Azagra Airstrip in the Town.There are also pumpboats that docks in the port of the town centre going to Roxas City.There are also pumpboats travel from agatiwa to Romblon Island

PLDT offers telecommunication services in San Fernando. Cellular phone services from Smart and Globe are available as well. Terrestrial and cable television services have become available too. The Sibuyan Circumferential Road is the main thoroughfare that traverses the coastline of San Fernando. This road connects San Fernando with the other Sibuyan Island towns of Cajidiocan and Magdiwang. Means of transportation include jeepneys, light vehicles, truck, motorcycles, and tricycles. Globe and Smart cellular also has 3G internet connection in San Fernando.

Education

The San Fernando branch of Romblon State University offers a number of tertiary education courses for the local residents as well as students coming from all over the island. There are also 12 public elementary schools and two privately owned schools. There are also four government-ran secondary schools, and one privately owned school.

Tourism

Because of its untouched mountainous landscape, several rivers,springs,falls, and freshwater lakes can be found in San Fernando.[1] [2] These include:

Government

Local government

See main article: Philippine municipality. As a municipality in the Province of Romblon, government officials in the provincial level are voted by the electorates of the town. The provincial government have political jurisdiction over local transactions of the municipal government.

Pursuant to Chapter II, Title II, Book III of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991,[7] the municipal government is composed of a mayor (alkalde), a vice mayor (bise alkalde) and members (kagawad) of the legislative branch Sangguniang Bayan alongside a secretary to the said legislature, all of which are elected to a three-year term and are eligible to run for three consecutive terms.

Barangays are also headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. The barangays have SK federation which represents the barangay, headed by SK chairperson and whose members are called SK councilors. All officials are also elected every three years.

Elected officials

The incumbent mayor of San Fernando, Romblon, is Salem R. Tansingco and the incumbent vice mayor is Arben Rosas.[8]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Profile: San Fernando, Romblon . Milex . Fabula . Romblon Travel Guide . 2001 . 13 August 2014.
  2. Web site: San Fernando, Romblon . The Official Website of the Provincial Government of Romblon . 13 August 2014.
  3. Web site: R.A. No. 38: An Act Repealing C.A. No. 581, Entitled, "An Act Abolishing the Existing Municipal Governments and the Provincial Government of Romblon, and Creating Instead Four Special Municipalities," Restoring the Regular Provincial Government and Municipalities of the Province of Romblon, and Creating the Municipality of Santa Fe. The Corpus. Juris. 1 October 1946. The Corpus Juris.
  4. News: Hundreds missing as ship capsizes . BBC News . 22 June 2008 . 22 June 2008.
  5. News: 700 people aboard drifting ferry in Philippines . Radio Australia . 22 June 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140814094350/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2008-06-22/700-people-aboard-drifting-ferry-in-philippines/37482 . live . 14 August 2014.
  6. News: Ortiz . Margaux . Salaverria . Leila . Ill-starred ship pride of Sulpicio . Philippine Daily Inquirer. 24 June 2008 . 18 December 2012.
  7. Web site: The LawPhil Project. An Act Providing for a Local Government Code of 1991 . 8th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines . 21 April 2014.
  8. Web site: San Fernando, Romblon Elections. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160530134638/http://ph.rappler.com/local/region/Mimaropa/Romblon/San-Fernando . 2016-05-30 .