Panish Era: Guimaras

Guimaras
locally [ɡimaˈɾas], officially the Province of Guimaras (Hiligaynon: Kapuoran sang

Guimaras; Kinaray-a: Kapuoran kang Guimaras; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Guimaras) is an
island province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Jordan. The
province is situated in the Panay Gulf, between the islands of Panay and Negros. To the northwest
is the province of Iloilo and to the southeast is Negros Occidental. The whole island is part of
the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras, one of the twelve metropolitan areas of the Philippines.
The province consists primarily of Guimaras Island, and also includes Inampulugan, Guiwanon (or
Guiuanon), Panobolon, Natunga, Nadulao, and many surrounding islets.[3] Geologists[who?] have
concluded that the island once formed one landmass with Panay.
Guimaras, formerly known as Himal-us, was a sub-province of Iloilo until it was made an
independent province on May 22, 1992.
panish era[edit]
About 1581, Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, Spanish governor and Captain-General of the
Philippine Islands, established a settlement in Guimaras for the purpose of Christianizing the island's
natives. He and his subordinates organized the pueblicitos or villages of Nayup under
the patronage of Saint Peter the Apostle, and Igang with Saint Anne as patroness.
Evangelization of Guimaras occurred around the same time the friars were making inroads in Panay.
The Augustinians established the visitas (chapelries) of Nayup and Igang as subordinate to Oton,
Iloilo. Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas, the 7th Spanish Governor-General, noted in a 20 June 1591 report
to King Philip II that the friars of Oton made regular visits to the island.
In 1742, the island came under the jurisdiction of Dumangas – now known as Iloilo, until 1751 when
the Augustinian Order was replaced by the Jesuits, after which the Dominican order took over
Guimaras. The Jesuits, who had established a school in Iloilo and had missions in Molo and Arevalo,
took charge of the island. By 1755, it was organized into a regular parish. When the population
increased considerably, the island was given its municipal status with a seat of government at Tilad
(today Buenavista).
American era[edit]
Under American rule, the Guimarasnons were given the opportunity to elect their municipal president
in 1908.[4]
Douglas MacArthur, a fresh graduate from West Point as a Second Lieutenant at the age of 23,
came to Iloilo as the head of the company of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They constructed roads
and the Santo Rosario Wharf, presently named MacArthur's Wharf, which are still in use today. In
November 1903, while working on Guimaras, he was ambushed by a pair of Filipino brigands or
guerrillas; he shot and killed both with his pistol.[5]
In 1942, Japanese Imperial forces landed on Guimaras Island as the Empire of Japan began
its occupation of the country during the Second World War.[further explanation needed]
In 1945, the combined United States and Philippine Commonwealth forces landed on Guimaras
Island, attacking the Japanese and defeating them in the Battle of Guimaras, which led to the
liberation of the island.[6][further explanation needed]
Provincial status[edit]
Guimaras gained its status as a sub-province of Iloilo through Republic Act 4667,[7] which was
enacted by Congress on 18 June 1966. It was proclaimed as a regular and full-fledged province on
22 May 1992 after a plebiscite was conducted to ratify the approval of its conversion pursuant to
Section 462 of R.A. 7160.[8]
Shortly after Guimaras acquired its provincial status, President Fidel V. Ramos appointed Emily
Relucio-López as its first Governor.
The province of Guimaras was originally composed of three municipalities: Buenavista, Jordan,
and Nueva Valencia. In 1995, through Republic Act No. 7896 and Republic Act No. 7897,[9][10] the
municipalities of Sibunag and San Lorenzo were created. The two new municipalities officially
acquired their municipal status after the May 8, 1995 plebiscite held simultaneously with the local
election.
Ernesto L. Gedalanga was the first appointed mayor of Sibunag and Arsenio Zambarrano was also
appointed mayor of San Lorenzo. The temporary seat of government of the Municipality of Sibunag
is at Barangay Dasal while the temporary seat of Government of the Municipality of San Lorenzo is
at Barangay Cabano.
Guimaras oil spill[edit]

In August 2006, the Guimaras oil spill occurred. The 998-ton MT Solar 1, chartered by Petron (the
Philippines' largest oil refiner), carrying 2.4 million litres of bunker fuel, sank 17 kilometres (11 mi) off
the island's southern coast, contaminating 24 square kilometres (9.3 sq mi). The Philippine Coast
Guard called this the worst oil spill in the country's history. According to officials, 1,100 hectares
(2,700 acres) of mangroves were affected, including parts of the Taklong Island National Marine
Reserve.[11]
Geography

Panish Era: Guimaras

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Guimaras

locally [ɡimaˈɾas], officially the Province of Guimaras (Hiligaynon: Kapuoran sang

Guimaras oil spill[edit]

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