Romblon Province, Philippines

By James Barcelona

Tourist Attractions

Mt. Guiting-Guiting

Mt. Guiting-Guiting, Sibuyan Island, Romblon

Romblon's highest peak. It is an attraction to mountaineers and is the province's major source of timber and metallic products. It is also abundant with wildlife, plant species, and waterfalls.

Cantingas River, Taclobo, San Fernando, Romblon

Cantingas River

Known for its enchanting vistas. In its mountain are found the world's smallest bat, the endangered wild cat or the singalong, and the hardest wood, the mancogo or iron wood. Cantingas River Valley is known to have the second cleanest inland water in the region.

Busay Falls

Busay Falls, Panangcalan, San Fernando, Romblon

Isla de Gallo

Desciption: One of the last remaining untouched falls in the Philippines.

Isla de Gallo, Azagra, San Fernando, Romblon

The coral reefs around the island, with its white sands, are well known for good diving.

Lagting Falls

Lagting Falls River, Taclobo, San Fernando, Romblon

Lambingan Falls

Lambingan Falls, Magdiwang, Romblon

The natural crystal-clear pool is ideal for a dip. A favorite dating place among lovers.

Guyangan Caves, Banton, Romblon

Guyangan Cave

Centuries-old coffins made of hollowed logs were discovered in the caves. Guyangan caves was discovered in 1936 and not after the war.

Lis-Ong Cave, Colong-colong, Corcuera, Romblon

Lis-ong Cave

A cave with plenty of stalactites and stalagmites.

Cotta Tower, Pob. Corcuera, Romblon

The remains of a Spanish Fort constructed between 1860-1865 by San Agustin de Pedro to ward off Muslim pirates. It is situated on hill overlooking the town.

Cotta Tower

Romblon is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region in Luzon. The province consists of numerous islands sitting in the Sibuyan Sea. The three major islands are Romblon Island, Tablas Island and Sibuyan Island. Romblon is subdivided into 17 municipalities. Its capital is the municipality also named Romblon located in Romblon Island. The province lies south of Marinduque and Quezon, east of Mindoro, north of Aklan and Capiz, and west of Masbate.

The province of Romblon was formerly called Lomlom,which refers to an act of a hen nesting to warm her eggs. This is based on the fact that when a Spanish soldier was ordered to ask the natives the name of the island; he accidentally pointed to a place where a hen is nesting and the native answered lomlom, hence a misinterpretation. The name was later corrupted to the word Domblon. 

The majority of the inhabitants of Romblon are Visayan; some Negritos are found in the interior of the province. There are three distinct languages spoken as a native language by Romblon’s inhabitants; they are Romblomanon or Tiyad Ini including many variants of Sibuyanon dialects; Bantoanon or Asi; and Inunhan or Onhan. Hiligaynon, Tagalong and English are also used in the province. The people of the province are mostly Christians; about 75% belongs to Roman Catholic and 25% to other Christian denominations. 

Romblon is endowed with lush vegetation and mineral resources. It is the country’s leading producer of high-quality marble, comparable to that of Italy. Aside from marble, the province is also rich in granite, nickel, silica, mercury, zinc, copper, silver, limestone, sulfide, ores, kaolin, clay, magnesium and quartz. Gold panning sites have sprouted in some of the mountain stream areas in Magdiwang, Sibuyan Island. 

The fertile soil nurtures varied agricultural crops like coconut, rice, corn, bananas, rootcrops, fruit trees, vines and many others. Offshore, Romblon is a rich fishing ground. The islands lie in the migratory path of fishes from the Sulu and Visayan Sea, passing the Tablas Strait, Sibuyan Sea and Romblon Pass. 

The province of Romblon is classified as a third class province. Since it is situated at the center of the archipelago, Romblon links the supply areas of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The province is also an ideal location for supply distribution and light manufacturing ventures. The capital town of Romblon and the port town of Odiongan are the province’s trade and commercial centers.

Romblon is the country's leading producer of high-quality marble, comparable to that of Italy.