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Port of Romblon |
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Gulf of Romblon |
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Biniray |
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Ati - Atihan Festival |
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Romblon History: |
Legend has it that when the Spanish Conquestador Martin de Goiti's expedition touched sand in southern coastal tip of Romblon Island at Sitio Aglumyom sometime in late 1569, ( formerly a barrio dusring Spanish time ) now part of barangay Sablayan, his men wandered along the beaches searching for food and water. One of his men saw a low built hut and feeling thirsty, he sought the owner of the hut only to find in his surprise a hen's nest settled somewhere on top of the post near a window. The Castellan upon noticing the house occupant sitting nearby asked if he could get the checkin free. A young woman, not understanding a single word he was saying as he pointed to the hen, answered in the vernacular " nagalumyom " which meant that the hen was brooding some eggs. Perplexed, the Spaniard left the hut muttering in disgust the word " nagalumyom ". Asked upon his return to the ship from where he comes, he mockingly answered " nagalumyom ". When the Iberian left, they name the Island " Nagalumyom " which later was corrupted to " Lomlom " and later, officially to " Donblon " , the name mentioned and reported by Loarca in 1582, until it finally rested on its present name ROMBLON to sought the Spaniards pronounciation. Similaryly, the place where this incident happened was name " Aglumyom " fromthe name " Nagalumyom ".
The Negritoes were the aborigines of the islands comprising the province of ROMBLON.
The Mangyans were among the first settlers. Today, these groups of inhabitants are almost extinct with only few scattered remnants
of their descendants living in the mountains of Tablas and in the interior of Sibuyan Island. A great portion of the present
population descend from the Nayons and Onhans
who immigrated to the islands from Panay and the Bicols
and Tagalog who came from Luzon.
In his accounts of his visit of the Philippines in 1852, Loarca made mention of the island of DOBLON(ROMBLON),
SIMARA,BANTON,OSINGAN(TABLAS),
It was during this visit when the miraculous image of the Patron Saint. Ni�0 was left in Romblon after Loarca's ship failed seven times in it's attempt to sail out of
Romblon Bay.
In 1646, The dutch attacked the town of Romblon and inflicted considerable damage and in 1818 Romblon was incorporated in the Province of Capiz. In
1853, the island were organized in to a Politico-Military Commandancia administered from Capiz. On March 16, 1901, the American civil goverment was establised and in 1907 Romblon
became a sub-province of Capiz. In 1940 when it was organized into four special municipalities under the direct control of the Department of Interior by the virtue of Commonwealth Act
No. 581, sponsored by then Assemblyman Leonardo Festin.
Romblon was occupied by the Japanese forces on March 21, 1942 and was liberated on March 12, 1945 by the units of the 24th Infantry Division under the command of
Colonel Clifford and on January 1, 1947 Romblon was again reconstituted into a regular province by virtue of Republic Act No. 38 which was authored and
sponsored by Hon. Modesto Formilleza, then Congressman for the only Congressional District of Romblon.
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Biniray Festival: |
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The "BINIRAY" takes place on the Saturday following the "TONTON". The Biniray is a fluvial procession of the boats gaily decorated with colorful buntings with the lead boat carrying the image
of the STO.NI�O. It goes around the romblon Bay seven times, symbolic of the seven attempts of the expedition of Loarca to sail out of the poblacion. After unsuccessful attempt, the image
is returned by the joyful crowd triumphantly back to the church for the traditional whole day "PAHAYOC". People who join the Biniray paint their bodies with soot to achieve the black
coloring of the "ATI". They adorn their bodies with an assortment of vines and flowers and dance to the incessant cacophony of gongs, drums, bamboo tubes and sticks. This has been the
town's tradition way of welcoming the Sto. Ni�0 feast day.
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