Alcantara, Romblon

Alcantara
Municipality
Seal
Map of Romblon with Alcantara highlighted
Alcantara Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 12°16′N 122°03′E / 12.267°N 122.050°ECoordinates: 12°16′N 122°03′E / 12.267°N 122.050°E
Country	Philippines
Region	MIMAROPA (Region IV-B)
Province	Romblon
District	Lone district
Established	1730 (as La Lauan), 1870 (as Alcantara)
Barangays	12
Government[1]
• Type	Mayor-council
• Mayor	Eddie C. Lota (NP)[2]
• Vice Mayor	Jovito Gamul (NP)[3]
• Councilors[4]	Frankie Galin (NP) Miriam Estrada (NP) Jose Luis Morales Genelito Coching Jr. (NP) Joey Martino (Ind.) Ermar Martinez Jurie Francisco (NP) Tito Anecito
Area[5]
• Total	60.12 km^2 (23.21 sq mi)
Population (2015)[6]
• Total	16,351
• Density	270/km^2 (700/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
Zip Code	5509
Dialing code	42

Alcantara is a fifth class municipality in the province of Romblon, Philippines.

History

Alcantara was first established in 1730 as La Lauan, a barrio of Looc town by migrants from Panay Island led by Don Ciriaco Alcantara. In 1855, the barrio was annexed from Looc and converted into a pueblo or town. However, in 1868, it was abolished and annexed as a barrio of Guintigui-an town (renamed Badajoz, now San Agustin) after a reorganization of municipalities resulting from the creation of Romblon province.^[7][8]

In 1870, due to continuous intimidation from Muslim pirates, as well as the rugged terrain, the residents of La Lauan led by a certain Gaspar Guevarra transferred from its former site in Daan Banwa (or Old Town) and established a new barrio down south called Alcantara, after Don Ciriaco Alcantara. In 1885, it was annexed back as a barrio of Looc, and would remain so until after World War II.^[7]

Alcantara was elevated to municipality status on 16 March 1961 by virtue of Executive Order 4276 signed by then President Carlos P. Garcia.^[7][8]

Geography

Alcantara lies in the southeast portion of Tablas Island. It is bounded to the north by the municipality of Santa Maria, to the west by Looc, to the south by Santa Fe, and to the east by the Sibuyan Sea. Most of Alcantara lies in plains along the coast with mountains in the interior to the west.^[7][8]

Barangays

Alcantara is politically subdivided into 12 barangays:^[5]

• Bonlao
• Calagonsao
• Camili
• Comod-om
• Madalag
• Poblacion
• San Isidro
• Tugdan
• Bagsik
• Gui-ob
• Lawan
• San Roque

Demographics

Population census of Alcantara
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1960	6,394	—
1970	7,991	+2.25%
1980	9,351	+1.59%
1990	11,061	+1.69%
1995	12,246	+1.93%
2000	14,144	+3.14%
2007	15,370	+1.15%
2010	15,428	+0.14%
2015	16,351	+1.11%
Source: National Statistics Office[6]

According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 16,351 people.^[6] Just like in the neighboring municipality of Santa Maria, majority of the population speaks the Alcantaranon variant of Inunhan or Onhan where /l/ is used instead of /r/.^[9]

Local government

Pursuant to Chapter II, Title II, Book III of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991,^[10] 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.

Period	Mayor	Vice Mayor
30 June 2013 - 30 June 2016	Eddie Lota	Robert Galindez
30 June 2016 - incumbent		Jovito Gamul

Eddie C. Lota and Jovito Gamul, both from the Nacionalista Party, are Alcantara's incumbent mayor and vice-mayor, respectively.^[11]

Economy

Farming and fishing are the major sources of income in Alcantara. Fishing grounds along the coastal areas of the municipality abound with mackerel, sea bass, tuna, anchovies, tanguigue, sapsap, and commercial tropical fish for aquariums. Forest products such as nito and huwag are abundant in some of its barangays.^[7]

Infrastructure

Utilities

The Tablas Island Electric Cooperative (TIECO) and NAPOCOR supply 57.75 percent of the 2,740 households Alcantara with electricity. As for water supply, Alcantara has one irrigation service with 37 service areas and three community irrigation with 75 service areas. Potable water supply comes from jet pumps, open wells, artesian wells and springs.^[7]

Transportation and communication

Alcantara is home to Romblon's sole airport in Barangay Tugdan. Fil-Asian Airways offers four weekly flights, while SkyJet offers charter flights from Manila to Alcantara.^[8]

Visitors going to Alcantara can reach Tablas Island via Odiongan where RORO vessels from Manila, Batangas City, and Roxas, Oriental Mindoro regularly stop by. From Odiongan, Alcantara is just an hour or two by jeepney.^[8]

People in the town take public utility jeepneys (PUJ), pedicabs, tricycles, and motorcycles to and from neighboring towns. The Tablas Circumferential Road connects Alcantara with neighboring municipalities. PLDT, Smart, and Globe provide landline and cellular phone services in the municipality.^[7]

Tourism

Because much of Alcantara's interior is made up of mountains covered in lush tropical rainforest, it is being promoted as a hiking destination for backpackers. There are freshwater springs located in Camili, Calogonsao, Bonlao, San Isidro, and Madalag which tourists can enjoy. Other tourist spots in Alcantara include:^[7][8]

• Calagonsao Beach: Located beside the National Highway in Barangay Calagonsao. The beach has a pebble-covered shoreline. Its ocean floor is sandy and dips abruptly about 6 meters from the shoreline. A cluster of boulders jutting from the shore to about 10 meters into the sea provides for a perfect diving spot.
• Aglicay Beach Resort: This beach has a fantastic, scenic view. With palm-fringed white sand and clear blue waters.
• Dranville Beach Resort: Located at Barangay Gui-ob. A place where you can feel fresh air and see the clear waters of the sea.
• Tugdan Beach: This pebble-covered beach in Tugdan has a wide shoreline. The waters in this part of island are calm with a deep ocean floor.
• Binay-we Beach: It is located 1.2 km from the town proper of Alcantara. It is located in a small cove with fine white sand and calm waters the whole year around. It is partly shielded from the public’s prying eyes by huge boulders.

References

1. "Municipalities". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
2. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/eleksyon2016/results/local/REGION+IV-B/ROMBLON/ALCANTARA?tfb_a
3. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/eleksyon2016/results/local/REGION+IV-B/ROMBLON/ALCANTARA?tfb_a
4. "Partial, Unofficial Results: 2013 Elections". Rappler. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
5. "Province: Romblon". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
6. "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
7. Fabula, Milex (2001). "Profile: Alcantara". Romblon Travel Guide. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
8. "Alcantara, Romblon". The Official Website of the Provincial Government of Romblon. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
9. Zorc, R. David Paul (1977). "Inonhan". Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology: Glottolog Languiod Catalogue. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
10. "An act providing for a local government code of 1991". 8th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
11. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/eleksyon2016/results/local/REGION+IV-B/ROMBLON/ALCANTARA?tfb_a

External links

• Municipality of Alcantara. Official Website of the Province of Romblon.
• Alcantara. Biyahero Philippine Travel Portal.
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System