PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA

Business School
Department of Tourism Management ITM0002–Philippine Tourism, Geography and Culture

Topic I. Western Visayas Region (Region VI)

I. MAP LOCATION

II. REGION I A. Area and Location

ILOCOS REGION ● The region has a total land area for about 20,098 square kilometers.
● It is bounded by Cuyo East Pass, the Sibuyan Sea, Tañon Strait, the Visayan Sea, and Negros Oriental.

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B. Geographic Profile

● Two-thirds of the region is alienable and disposable land (predominantly classified as agriculture), while the rest is classified as forest land.

C. People

● As of 2007 the region had a total population of 6,843,643.

● The Visayan speak mainly Ilonggo but they can also speak and understand Tagalog and English.

D. Political Profile

● Eastern Visayas is composed of six provinces, namely: Negros Occidental, Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Ilo-ilo, and the newly created province of
Guimaras.

E. How to Get There

● Regular buses service the routes to provinces within Panay Islands.

● By air, major entry points to the region are the airports in Ilo-ilo, Bacolod, Kalibo, Roxas City, and Caticlan.
● Commercial airlines have a daily flight to these destinations.
● By sea, several shipping lines service the region from Manila and other provinces in the Visayas.
● To reach Guimaras, ferry services are available from Ilo-ilo City.

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III. PROVINCE/S A. Capital

1. AKLAN
Kalibo

B. Area and Location

● Aklan, the youngest of the four provinces of Panay Island, is situated at the centermost part of the Philippines archipelago.
● It is bounded on the northwest by the Sulu Sea, on the northeast by the Sibuyan Sea, on the west by the province of Antique, and on the south
by the province of Capiz.
● It has a total land area of 1,819.9 square kilometers.

C. Geographical Profile

●The province experiences very slight differences in temperature.

●The northern part is dominated by rolling terrain while the southwestern portion of the province has mountains and dense vegetation.

D. How to get there

● The province can be reached by air through Kalibo and Caticlan.

● Daily flights are available from Manila to these entry points.
● By sea, several shipping line service routes going to this province from Manila.
● Travel time is about 50 minutesand about 13 hours by sea.

E. Tourist Attractions

Name and Location Description Picture

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 1. Afga Beach ⮚ This is a two-kilometer stretch of white-sand
Tangalan beach with rocky promontories.
⮚ There is also a picturesque fishing village
where nets of various colors are often hung
out to dry.

2. Agwaton Hill ⮚ This site was the last line of defense of the
Balete Filipino revolutionary forces against the
Spanish colonizers.
⮚ It also serves as a camp for Filipino guerillas
during the Japanese occupation.

3. Aklan Freedom Shrine ⮚ This landmark was built to commemorate the

Kalibo bravery of the Aklanons who fought during
World War II.
⮚ Included in the shrine are armaments and
other relics from the.

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 4. Aklan State College of ⮚ Situated at the base of Manduyog Hill, the 63-
Agricultural hectare college grounds include green fields
Banga for pasture, rice fields, and several tropical
tree plantations.

5. Ati-atihan Festival ⮚ This is perhaps one of the most celebrated

events in the Philippines, wherein the
lowlanders imitate their Ati brothers by
rubbing their entire bodies with charcoal to
blacken their skins.
⮚ Street dancing and spontaneous revelry
dominate the event, which is held every third
week of January.

6. Boracay Island ⮚ Boracay Island is perhaps the most celebrated

attraction in the Philippines.
⮚ It’s sugar-fine white sands, calm emerald
waters, and gently sloping seabed make it
one of the best tourist attractions the
Philippines can offer.
⮚ It has been voted in the international
magazines as one of the best beaches in the
world.

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 7. Kalintaw Shrine ⮚ This historical marker stands on the original
Bataw site of Datu Kalantiaw’s seat of government in
Batan.
⮚ An old school building nearby has been
converted into a museum housing a
photostat of the purportedly original
Kalantiaw Code.

8. Manduyog Hill ⮚ The hill was named after a pre-Hispanic datu.

Batan ⮚ It features life-size statues depicting the 14
stations of the cross, a chapel, and a huge
cross located at the summit which overlooks
the municipalities below.

9. Pink Sisters Convent ⮚ The convent belongs to the contemplative

New Washington Order of the Holy Spirit.
⮚ It is unusual because almost everything in it is
colored pink, from the building’s facade and
interiors to the sisters’ habit.
⮚ The site is great for meditation.

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 10. Tigayon Hill ⮚ Tigayon Hill stands solidarity on the flatlands
Kalibo alongside Aklan River.
⮚ At its base is a cave, wide and airy cave with
numerous limestone formations.
⮚ Dotting the hillside are 14 Stations of the
Cross, leading to a chapel at the summit.

2. ANTIQUE A. Capital

San Jose

B. Area and Location

● Antique is in Panay Island in Western Visayas.

● It is bounded on the north and east by Aklan, along with Capiz and Ilo-ilo; on the west is bounded by
the Cuyo East Pass, and on the south by the Panay Gulf.
● The province has a total land area of approximately 2,522 square kilometers.

C. Geographical Profile

● Shaped like a seahorse, Antique is the oversized serrated hemline of the western border of the three-cornered
scarf-like land mass that is Panay.
● It is approximately 155 kilometers long and 33 kilometers at its widest.
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 D. How to get there

● There are daily flights available from Manila to Ilo-ilo.

● From there, buses leave hourly for a two-and-a-half-hour trip to San Jose. By sea, San Jose is 20 hours away from Manila.
● Antique is also accesible by land from other provinces within Panay Island.

A. Tourist Attractions

Name and Location Description Picture

1. Bato Cueva ⮚ This cave is located on a hilltop near a forest

La Union, San Remegio nursery.
⮚ On a clear day, one can see from this point
San Jose, Sibalom, and Mount Madia-as in
Culasi

2. Binirayan Festival ⮚ Binirayan commemorates the landing in

San Jose Malandong in the mid-13th century of the 10
⮚ Malay datus who set up the first Malayan
settlement or barangay in this country.
⮚ Binirayan is celebrated every December 28 to
30.

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 3. Camp Autajay ⮚ Situated on a 10-hectare lot along Piña Beach,
San Jose this camp features an orchard of mahogany
trees, nipa sheds, benches, and an array of
cottages.
⮚ The place is ideal for camping, swimming, and
live-in seminars or conferences.

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 4. Danao Lake ⮚ Heavy rains do not raise the water level of
Mountains of San Remegio this lake, which is about a hectare in
diameter.
⮚ Monkeys and wild chickens live in the nearby
jungle ideal for nature tripping.

5. Estaca Hill ⮚ This 200-foot hill offers a view of the sea and
Bugasong hills surrounding Bugasong.
⮚ It was once the site of a watchtower that
guarded the people against Muslim pirates.

6. Macalbag Waterfalls ⮚ This 50-foot-high waterfall has several caves,

Barbaza one of which is believed to have seven rooms.

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 7. Manglamon Beach and Cave ⮚ The walls of mossy rocks and its floor is
of Tiguis covered with cogon grass, which cannot be
Tibiao seen from outside unless one shines a torch
or a flashlight near the entrance.
⮚ From the ceiling hang numerous stalactites.
Near the cave is Manglamon Beach where
sands sparkle like gems.

8. Mt. Madia-as ⮚ Just to get to a village at the foot of Mt.

Culasi Madia-as, one would have to trek for 15
kilometers through a rock trail leading to a
dry riverbed, cross an improvised wood-
bamboo bridge over a boulder-strewn river
and hurdle numerous hills.

9. Patadyong Weaving ⮚ The famous Bugasong patadyong (a colorful

Bugasong native fabric) is the only one of its kind in
the Visayas and is well known throughout the
islands.

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 10. Tibiao River Tibiao River is considered one of the premier white-
Tibiao walker kayaking destinations in the Philippines , and
is often visited by tourists vacationing in Boracay.

3. CAPIZ ` A. CapitaL

Roxas City

B. Area and Location

● Capiz is located in the northeastern part of Panay Island in Western Visayas, 375 miles southwest of Manila,136 kilometers northwest of Iloilo
City, and 86 kilometers east of Kalibo, Aklan.
● It is bounded by the Sibuyan Sea on the north, by Iloilo on the east and south, by Antique on the west, and by Aklan on the northwest.
● It has a total land area of 263,39 hectares or 2,633.2 square kilometers.

C. Geographic Profile

● Palay, corn, coconut, vegetables, and sugarcane are grown in the province.
● The Land is also rich in zinc, aluminum, gold, iron, purite, and copper deposits.
● About half of the province is forested dotted with mountains and limestone areas.

D. How to Get There

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 ● From Manila, the province is only 45 minutes away by plane.
● Several shipping lines also service routes to this province from Manila.

E. Tourist Attractions

Name and Location Description Picture

1. Baybay Beach ⮚ The waters of this black-sand beach are ideal

Roxas City for water skiing.
⮚ Beach houses and motorboats for boating
and fishing are available for rent.

2. Casanayan Beach ⮚ Vast fields of sugarcane, rice and corn lie

Barangay Casanayan, Pilar beside the three-kilometer road from the
highway to this beautiful stretch of gray-sand
beach.
⮚ Nearby is ah fishing village where patis and
ginamos are made.

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 3. Gugma Beach ⮚ The waters of this quiet and unspoiled beach
Sapian are so clear that one can easily see fishes
swimming beneath.
⮚ Gugma means love and the place is indeed an
ideal place for lovers.

4. Halaran Festival ⮚ The festival depicts the colorful history and

Roxas City culture of the Capizenos, which particularly to
the landing and settlement of the Bornean
datus.
⮚ Legend has it that the datus gave as a
halaran, meaning gift or offer, to the original
settlers in the area, the Aetas.
⮚ The event is usually held every first weekend
of October.

5. Mundo Dance ⮚ This is the dance of the mountain tribe known

Tapaz as Mundo, a vanishing remnant of the pre-
Malayan Indonesian immigrants to Panay.
⮚ The dance retains to this day the original
choreography arranged around ancient
Indonesian fertility rites.

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 6. Pan-ay Church ⮚ This awe-inspiring-church-monument to a
Pan-ay past Spanish grandeur in Pan-ay town is
about 250 feet long and 80 feet wide with 9-
foot thick walls of coral blocks.
⮚ Its central altar, and elaborately sculptured
retablo, are m ade of silver.

7. Pilar Cave ⮚ Several years ago, the townspeople

Pilar discovered earthen pots with intricately
incised designs inside this cave, which must
have been a burial site of the pre-Spanish
Filipinos.
⮚ Nearby are the Balisong Caves, where the
Capiz revolucionarios routed the Spanish
soldiers.

8. Quipot Cave ⮚ Wild birds, deer and wild ducks abound near
Brgy. Burias,Mambusao this cave, which consists of many chambers of
different levels and sizes.

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 9. Sinadya Festival ⮚ This festival is held every December 5 to 8 in
10. Roxas City commemoration of the Feast of the
Immaculate Concepcion.
⮚ Highlights of the affair include a grand
fireworks display.

4. GUIMARAS A. Capital

Jordan

B. Area and Location

● Guimaras lies southeast of Panay Island and northwest of Negros Island in Western Visayas.
● It is bounded on the north and northwest by the Iloilo Strait, on the north by Iloilo City, on the east by Bacolod, and on the west and south by
Panay and the Panay Sea.
● The province’s total land area is 60,465 hectares or 604.65 square kilometers.

C. Geographic Profile

● Guimaras is the only island province in Western Visayas with lands fit for agriculture.
● The coastline is a contrast rugged cliffs and white beaches, and the island itself is surrounded by breathtaking islets.
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 D. How to Get There

● The Guimaras mainland is close to the Iloilo harbor and can be reached in15 minutes by motorboats or ferry boats that service the island from six
in the morning to six in the evening daily.
● Motorboats to the different islets are also available on special arrangement.

E. Tourist Attractions

Name and Location Description Picture

1. Alubijod Beach ⮚ Alubijod Beach is one of the most popular beach

Nueva Valencia areas in the province and is frequented by many
locals and Iloilo residents.

1. Guisi Beach ⮚ This white-sand beach has a long shoreline ideal

Nueva Valencia for sunbathing, swimming, picknicking, and
excursions.
⮚ Seashells are abundant in the area during high
tide.

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 1. Inampulugan Island ⮚ This crocodile-shaped island has an area of 1,067
Sibunag hectares.
⮚ It has rolling mountains, virgin forests, bamboo
and coconut groves, and clean white-sand
beaches surrounded by crystal-clear waters in
rich in marine life.

1. Isla Naburot ⮚ This 2.5-hectare islet has a white-sand beach rich

Sinapsapan, Jordan in coral and marine life.
⮚ It is ideal for fishing, boating, swimming,
snorkeling, island hopping, and scuba diving.

1. Macopo Falls ⮚ Cottages built near the waterfalls provide

San Miguel, Jordan excursionists with a scenic picnic venue.

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 1. Manggahan sa Guimaras ⮚ This festival is every May 15 to 22 which
Festival commemorates the establishment of Guimaras
Jordan as a province.
⮚ The highlight of the event is the karosahan, a
parade of beautiful muses on karosas or floats
and of people dressed in colorful mango
costumes.

1. Oro Verde Mango Plantation ⮚ This 240-hectare mango plantation is owned by

Buenavista the Marsman-Drysdale Group of Companies.
⮚ It is the second largest mango plantation in the
world with thousands of fruit bearing mango
trees.

1. Pagtaltal ⮚ A reenactment of the Passion of Jesus Christ

Brgy. Rizal, Jordan patterned after Germany’s Oberammergu. It
focuses on the scene where Christ’s body was
removed from the cross and laid on His mother’s
lap.

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2. Siete Pecados San Miguel, ⮚ According to legend, these were seven young
Buenavista virgins who, because of disobedience, were
cursed by their parents and turned into these
small islands.
⮚ Also known as the Isles of the Seven Sins, the
islets lie in the sea across Roca Encantada.

3. Santiago Island ⮚ The island is rich in corals that team with marine
Bolinao life, thus making it a haven for scuba diving
enthusiasts

4. Sual Beach ⮚ This is a long expanse of sandy beach dominated

Sual by several fishing communities
⮚ It has not yet been developed for tourism

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 5. Umbrella Rocks ⮚ These are mushroom-shaped stone boulders at
Sabangan, Agno the mouth of the Balincaguing River

5. Iloilo E. Capital

Iloilo City

F. Area and Location

● Iloilo is located in the southern part of Panay Island in Western Visayas, at the center of the Philippines archipelago.
● It is bound by Capiz on the north, by the Visayas Sea and Guimaras Strait on the east, by Antique of the west, and the Panay Gulf and the Iloilo
Strait on the south.
● It has a total land area of 5,324 square kilometers.

G. Geographical Profile

● Mountain ranges with peaks as high as 7,000 feet provide natural boundaries that separate Iloilo from Antique on the west and from Capiz on
the north.
● The rest of the mainland is composed largely of plains interspersed with highlands.

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 H. How to get there

● Commercial flights are available daily from Manila and Cebu.

● Shipping lines also service routes to this province from Manila and other provinces in Visayas and Mindanao.
● One can also get there by land from the other provinces within Panay Island.

I. Tourist Attractions

Name and Location Description

1. Asilo de Iloilo ⮚ An orphanage where church vestments,
Iloilo City barongs, handkerchiefs, and other items are
made and hand embroidered by orphanage
girls.

2. Balaring Beach ⮚ An abundance of colorful stories are

San Francisco scattered all over this beach.

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3. Bulabog-Putian ⮚ Bulabog-Putian is a 500-hectare natural area
National Park whose main feature is a cave system that
Dingle harbors endemic wildlife, and is an important
ecosystem in the area.
⮚

4. Dinagyang ⮚ This colorful cavalcade is held every fourth

Street of Iloilo City weekend of January in honor of the Holy
Child Jesus.

5. Feast of the Our Lady ⮚ The biggest and most opulent religious
of Candles pageantry in Western Visayas, this festival
Jaro, Iloilo City features agro-industrial exhibits, garden
shows, carnivals, and grand cock derbies
among others.

⮚ It is a symbol of Iloilo's affluence and love for

great celebrations.

⮚ The feast is celebrated every February 2.

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6. Guimbal Beaches ⮚ There are a number of beaches in Guimbal
but very none of them have been developed
Guimbal
by tourism.

7. Jaro District ⮚ Only three kilometers from the city proper

stands old colonial houses owned by sugar
Northern part of Iloilo barons and other members of the elite.
City ⮚ This is the Jaro District, considered the seat of
Catholicism in Western Visayas.

8. Miag-ao Church ⮚ The Miag-ao Church, which was built in 1786,

40 kilometers was declared a national landmark in 1973 and
southwest of Iloilo City is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

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 9. San Joaquin Beaches
San Joaquin
⮚ These beaches are among the numerous
natural attraction in municipality of San
Joaquin that have not yet been fully
developed for tourism.

10. Sicogon Island ⮚ The 1,104-hectare island is lined with coconut

palms and white-sand beaches stretching 350
Estancia
feet beyond the shoreline.

6. Negros Occidental J. Capital

Bacolod City

K. Area and Location

● Bounded on the north by the Visayan Sea, on the east by Negros Occidental, on the west by the Panay Gulf, and on the south by Tanon Strait.
● Its total land area is 7,926.1 square kilometers.

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 L. Geographical Profile

● Bacolod, the capital city, lies in the northwestern part of Negros Occidental, in the sprawling, 16,000-hectare coastal plain surrounded by
sugarcane plantations, prawn farms, and rice field.

M. How to get there

● Commercial flights are available to Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

● Shipping lines also service routes to this province from Manila and other provinces from Visayas and Mindanao.

N. Tourist Attractions
Name and Location
1. Balay Negrense
5 de Noviembre St. Silay City
Description
⮚ This house is originally owned by Victor
Gaston, the eldest son of the Frenchman,
Yves Germaine Leopol Gaston, who develop
the sugar industry in Northern Negros during
the 19th century.
⮚ It was donated by Msgr. Guillermo Gaston to
the Negros Cultural Foundation.

2. Chapel of Cartwheels ⮚ Among the unique features of this chapel are

Manapla an image of Christ portrayed as a farmer and
crucified on a cartwheel, an altar made from
solid rock, and an image of Virgin Mary
carved out of a bark of a santol tree.

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3. Danjugan Island
Danjugan
4. Hofilena Ancestral House
14 5 De Noviembre St. Silay
City.
5. Masskara Festival
Bacolod City
⮚ Aside from the being a dive site, Danjugan
Island is also an excellent place for bird-
watching
⮚ Its forests teem with warblers, flycatchers,
bulbuls, weaverbirds and sunbirds, as well as
migrating swallows, swifts and kingfishers.
⮚
⮚ This old building houses a collection of rare
art pieces, antiques and paintings done by
Luna, Rizal and Hidalgo, as well as earliest
known wood prints in Negros.
⮚ This famous festival began in 1980. Masskara,
means “mask,” which symbolizes the happy
disposition of Negrenses despite adversities
in life.
⮚ The highlight festivity is a Mardi Gras parade
participated in by people wearing smiling
masks.
⮚ This grand event is usually held on the third
weekend of October.
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6. Mt. Kanlaon ⮚ Rising 2,435 above sea level, Mt. kanlaon
Northern section of Negros offers the best climbs in this part of the
Occidental country.
⮚ It has two craters--Margaja Valley, is dead,
white the other crater is active and
occasionally spews forth volcanic materials.
⮚ Anyone who is interested in climbing the
volcano will have to first check with the
Department of Environment and Natural
Resources whether it is open for trekking.
⮚ Mt. Kanlaon is situated in a 24,577-hectare
national park rising to a height of 8,056 ft.
⮚ It is a home for rare species such as bleeding
heart pigeon and the Negros fruit dove.
7. San Antonio Abad Church ⮚ A crown-shaped church featuring the
San Antonio Abad masterpiece, The Risen Christ, by the national
artist Solomon Saprid

8. Yulo Ancestral House ⮚ The residence of Don Alfredo Yulo, the mayor
Bacolod City of Bacolod at the onset of World War II. It
was built in the early 1900s

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