ROMBLON
(by Soledad Montiel)

The negritoes were the aborigines of the island comprising the province of Romblon. The Mangyans were among the first settlers. Today, these groups of inhabitants are almost extinct with only a few scattered remnants of their descendants living in the mountains of Tabls and in the interiour of Sibuyan Island. A great portion of the present population descend from the Nayons and the Onhans who immigrated to the islands from Panay and the Bicols and Tagalogs who came from Luzon as early as 1870.

In his accounts of his visit to the Philippines in 1582, Loarca made mention of the islands of Donblon (Romblon), Simara, Banton and Osingan (Tablas). It was during this visit when the miraculius image of the Patron Saint Sto. Nino was left in Romblon after Loarca's ship failed seven times in its attempt to sail out of
Romblon Bay.

From the beginning of the Spanish sovereignty up to 1635, the islands were administered by the secular clergy. When the Recollect Fathers arrived in Romblon they found some of the inhabitants already converted to Christianity. In 1637, the Recollects established seven missionary centers at Romblon, Badajos, Cajidiocan, Banton, Looc, Odiongan and Magallanes (Magdiwang).

In 1646, the Dutch attacked the town of Romblon and inflicted considerable damage. This was, however, insignificant compared with the injuries the town of Romblon and other towns in the province sustained in the hands of the Moros, as the Moslems of Mindanao were then called, during the Moro depredation when a good numver of the inhabitants were held captives.

In 1818 Romblon was incorporated into the province of Capiz. In 1853, the islands were organied into a politico-military commandancia administered from Capiz and continued to be so until the end of the Spanish rule in 1898.

When the revolutionary government took control of Romblon in 1898, Colonel Diego de Dias, then commander of the revolutionary forces, ruled the province embracing the municipalities of Azagra, Badajos, Banton, Cajidiocan, Corcuera, Looc, Magallanes, Odiongan, Despujols and Sta. Fe. On March 16, 1901, the American civil government was established and in 1907 Romblon became a sub-province of Capiz. In February 1918, it was again organized as a regular province and it remained so until 1940 when it was organized into four special municipalities under the direct control of the Department of the Interior by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 581, sponsored by the Assemblyman Leonardo Festin.

Romblon was occupied by the Japanese forces on March 21, 1942. The islands became the center of considerable rsistance movement under the direction of General Macario Peralta, Jr., from his Panay headquarters. One of the most exciting incidents of the Pacific War took place in the waters of Romblon - the naval-air battles between Japanese Admiral Kurita's Fleet from Singapore and Admiral Halsey's carrier planes from the American Third Fleet then stationed east
of the ÄPhilippines.

Romlon was liberated on March 12, 1945 under the command of Colonel Clifford and on January 1, 1947, about a year and a half after the liberation, 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.


HOW ROMBLON GOT ITS NAME? A legendary tale tells of how Romblon Island got its name. When Loarca's expidition touched sand in Romblon, one of the soldiers rambled along the beach. Tired of strolling, he felt thirsty; went up a house and asked for a drink. The low-built hut where he went up was a primitive one-room shelter. Inside it was a hen's nest somewhere in the top of a post near the window. A hen was hatching eggs therein.

The Castillan soldier inquired if he could get the chicken for free. The house occupant, a young woman, did not comprehend what the visitor said so she answered in the dialect "Nagalomlom", meaning the chicken was brooding. Perplexed, the Spanish soldier left the house muttering in disgust the
word "Nagalomlom".

Then when he returned to the ship he was asked where he had been and he answered mockingly - "Nagalomlom". When the Iberians left, they named the island "Nagalomlom", meaning where the chicken was brooding, until it was corrupted to "Domblon", and later on modified to ROMBLON. Since then, the group of islands scattered in the sorrounding water area were named ROMBLON.

Of the three main islands, Romblon, Tablas and Sibuyan, Romblon is the smallest one with 32 square miles. The provincial capital is located here and new beach resorts have sprung up. The port town, a quaint mixture of colonial-style architecture and nipa-roofed houses, is surrounded by steep bluffs and noted as one of the safest natural harbors in the Philippines. During typhoon season, it serves as a haven for ships crossing the busy Sibuyan Sea. Romblon town, with its population of about 30,000, does not take long to explore. Major points of interest include a lively market, the 1726 cathedral with its fine interior and the hilltop
Fort San Andres.

Built by a Spanish friar as a watchtower against pirates, it is now a navigational station for the Weather Bureau Strolling through town you may see people polishing and laminating their marble products. Browse through the many workshops and stores and check out the various souvenirs crafted from marble. A 25-mile road circles the island. However, a good part of it requires hiking, unless you manage to secure a tricycle or jeepney. Romblon’s pristine state is its primary attraction. Visitors to the island are ill-advised if they expect to find grand resorts and deluxe transportation. The seasons are not strongly pronounced here and the months between January to May are supposed to be relatively dry. ical Paradise.

Romblon, which is the name of the island and the town, is one of three main islands in this group located in the Sibuyan Sea and Tablas Strait. Its strategic position made it an important way station on the sailing lanes between Manila and the Visayas. The Spaniards visited Romblon as early as 1582. The ruins of Spanish watchtowers and forts testify to the islands’ vulnerability to the raids of slave-seeking Moro pirates. Dutch warships also attacked the islands during the early Spanish era. Much later, Romblon became a separate province. Amid beautiful landscapes and seascapes, the island offers beaches, snorkeling and hiking. It is often called Marble Island; the marble deposits form the basis of Romblon’s local industry. In fact, the Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia with commercially viable marble deposits; most of these are in Romblon.

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