Bountiful Bohol

Sometimes the best

experiences in traveling are the
unexpected finds. And so it is
with Bohol, that island province
that is nestled in the heart of
Central Visayas and is aptly
called "God's Little Paradise"
by those who are caught off-
guard by its mystery and
charm.

Located southeast of
Cebu and southwest of Leyte,
Bohol is comprised of 47
towns and its capital,
Tagbilaran City. Oval in shape
like the proverbial ubing
kinampay or purple yam, its
total land area is 411,726
hectares including 73 other
islands and islets.

Upon hearing about

Bohol, most people would
surmise it to be a typical
uncolorful province with only
the world-famous Chocolate
Hills as its attraction. But the
marvelous 1,001 nature-
perfected conic hills aren't all
there is. Blessed with Mother
Nature's bounty, Bohol has
numerous natural attractions
that will captivate a person,
hold him in breathless
admiration and beckon him to
keep coming back for more.

Bohol's beauty lies in its

unpolluted waters and
shorelines of white sand
beaches. Lovers of scuba
diving can explore the depths of
Bohol's waters which are rated
among the best diving havens
in the world and famous not
only for its richness in marine
life and corals but also for its
being the home of the world's
rarest shells such as the Gloria
Maris and the Golden Cowry.

Bohol is also the home of

the tarsier, the big-eyed insect
insect-eating primate whose
size is smaller than one's fist.
Scientists regard the tarsier as
the oldest mammal now
inhabiting the earth.

Other added attractions

are waterfalls amidst verdant
forests, caves with stalagmites
and stalactites, natural parks,
exotic wildlife, centuries old
churches, and many historical
landmarks. Delicacies too,
which are truly Boholano like
the sticky concoction in a
coconut shell called calamay,
mouth-watering peanut
kisses, hojaldres, kinatloan and
many more.

Bohol has a rich

historical and cultural
heritage. History tells us that
the first international peace
treaty, otherwise known as the
"Blood Compact" between
Sikatuna and Legazpi, was
made on the island.

Boholanos are said to be

valiant in character as
accounted for by the Tamblot
and Dagohoy rebellions. At the
same time they are peaceful,
self-reliant and deeply
religious. But the peace-loving
Boholanos are not docile, weak
or submissive people when
their rights are trampled or
provoked.

Determined to go with
the national trend towards
progress, the province has now
joined the bandwagon of urban
and countryside development.
Industries have sprouted along
continuous improvement of
infrastructure and other
physical resources. Like her
booming neighbor Cebu,
Tagbilaran is already fast
becoming highly
commercialized with increased
trading activities. And with the
recent declaration of Panglao
Island as the first tourism estate
in the country, investors keep
pouring in.

It's only a matter of time,

given the necessary impetus for
economic development, that
progress for Bohol will finally
be achieved. And this dream is
not far behind considering the
resiliency and industry of the
Boholano people.

Come to Bohol and taste

a different kind of experience
as its surprises unfold to
pleasure and thrill.
FACTS AND FIGURES

History

 Bohol province was

created on March 10,
1917 by virtue
of Republic Act No.
2711.
 Tagbilaran became a
city on July 1, 1966 by
virtue of Republic Act
No. 4660.
 Two significant revolts
against Spanish rule: the
Tamblot Rebellion in
1621 and the Dagohoy
Revolt from 1744 to
1829.
 Home of President
Carlos P. Garcia, fourth
president of the
Republic (1957-1960).

Geography

 Located in central
Philippines southeast of
Cebu and southwest of
Leyte and consisting of
an oval-shaped
island (411,726
hectares) with 73 islets
around it.
 The 10th largest island
in the country.
 Tagbilaran City, the
capital, is 630
kilometers from
Manila and
72 kilometers from
Cebu.

Political Subdivision
  Consists of 47
municipalities and one
city.
 Has 1,114 barangays.
 A first-class A province.

Population

 1992 Census count was

948,315.
 Tagbilaran's population
is 56,363
 75% of the population
live in rural areas.

Langauge/Dialects

 The top three household

dialects are Binul-anon,
Cebuano and Tagalog.
 Filipino and English are
widely understood and
spoken.

Climate

 Relatively warm and

dry along the coast; the
interior is cool and
humid.

Natural Resources

 Approximately 255,900
hectares (62% of total)
are agricultural lands.
 Forests cover 6% of the
land area.

Agricultural Resources

 Major crops are

coconut, rice, corn,
rootcrops,
 banana, cassava and
vegetables.
 Leads central Visayas in
production of food
grains.
 Site of the largest
livestock
breeding center in the
country: the Ubay
Stock Farm.

Fisheries and Aquatic

Resources

 Surrounding waters
considered one of the
major fishing grounds
in the country.
 Major commercial fish
species are tuna, round
scad, parrot fish, half
beaks, flying fish, and
devil rays.
 Minor sea products are
seaweed, oysters, sea
cucumbers and shells.
 Has the capability to
harvest 100,000 metric
tons of fish annually.
 500 hectares are
cultivated for
aquaculture.

Mineral Resources

 Major minerals are

manganese, limestone,
guano, gold, silver,
copper, silica, chromite
and phosphate.

Industry and Trade

 Industrial component is
composed mainly of
 micro and cottage type
industry.
 Top exports are
galvanized iron, copra,
native products, rice,
prawns, cooked fish,
cattle, silica, fruits,
cassava starch, nipa
shingles, coffee beans,
phosphate, hogs
and cassava.

Top imports are

cigarettes, dry goods,
wine and
liquor, lumber, flour,
fertilizer, refined and
brown sugar,
beverages, vehicles,
grocery items, corn grits
and cement.
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