Romblon (island)

The Province of Romblon

Romblon

Romblon Island
Geography
Location	South East Asia
Archipelago	Romblon
Country
Philippines
Municipalities	Romblon, Romblon
Largest settlement	Romblon, Romblon
Demographics
Population	36,612

Romblon is an island and a province of the region of Mimaropa, Philippines. The capital has the same name, Romblon. One of its municipalities, the Banton, is the geographical heart of the Philippines, as it is the most central of the country.

Geographical context

Romblon province is composed of many islands of the Sea of Sibuyan. It is located south of Marinduque and Quezon City, east of Mindoro, Aklan north of and west of Masbate. The three main islands are self Romblon Island, where the capital is located; Tablas Island, the largest of the province; and Sibuyan Island, the easternmost. There are also four smaller isulas: Banton, Simara, Range Master and Carabao.

Approximately 187 nautical miles (346 km) south of Manila, Romblon islands are located in the Sibuyan Sea, south of the island of Marinduque and north of Panay. To the east is the island of Masbate and Mindoro in the west.

12°33′06″N 122°17′14″E

History

The province of Romblon was formerly called LOMLON (mean nest to warm the eggs of a bird. It is due to the arrival of the Spaniards when to ask his name the island and accidentally point the finger at a place where a bird I was nesting, native responded Lomlom, hence the misunderstanding.). Later the name would change to the word Domblon. Prehispanic times. The first inhabitants of Romblon were Negritos tribes of Panay and Mindoro Mangyan tribes. The discovery of abundant artistic material in caves of the island of Banton demonstrates the existence of a rich and ancient civilization and Aboriginal culture. In 1635 the island of Romblon is evangelized by Spanish Recollect becoming dependent on the Captaincy General of the Philippines. But soon the first secluded island, Father Pedro de San José Rojas was forced to escape and hide in the bush before the assault of the Moors, stealing and burning convent, church and enslaving many Christians. Faced with these attacks we decided to build a fortress with artillery in three strongholds. The fortified church is the present cathedral of Romblon. The two forts, San Andrés and Santiago are now in ruins.

Romblon is one of the three major islands of Romblon Province in the Philippines; the other two are Sibuyan Island and Tablas Island. The island is part of Romblon Municipality, which is the seat of government for the province of Romblon.