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Location
Masbate is one of the provinces in the Bicol Region. It is located in central part of the Philippine Archipelago between latitudes 11 43' north and 21 36' north and 123 09' cast and 124 15'east. With its geographical condition, it serves as a gateway of Luzon to Cebu and Panay Island. The Capital town of Masbate is one hour and twenty minutes ride from Manila by plane and twelve hours from Cebu City by ship.
Political Subdivision and
Land Area
Composed of three big islands-Masbate, Ticao and Burias, the province is politically divided into twenty-one municipalities, three (3) congressional districts and 550 barangays. It has a total area of 404,707 hectares, which is roughly 23% of the Bicol Region and over 1% of the natural land area.
Topography
The general surface configuration of the province ranges from slightly undulating to rolling and from hilly to mountainous. In each island, the rugged topography is concentrated in the north-northeastern and gradually recedes to blunt hills and rolling areas in the south, southeast and southwest.
Slope
The topography of the main island is characterized by rolling hills and discontinuous ranges of highlands and relatively broad bands of lowlands. On its northwestern tip are limestone cliffs that rise almost perpendicularly from the waterline. Several bays indent the coast of the islands; the most important of which are Port Barrera and Masbate Bay.
A fairly continuous rangeof hills rises steeply from a narrow plain on the western prong of Masbate Island. The larger arm of the island is not a continuous range but is broken by two traverse valleys; one between Milagros and Port Palanog and the other one, south of Uson.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Being an agricultural province, Masbate remains a net importer of consumer and industrial products. The supply of goods came from Metro Manila, Cebu, Panay and Bicol Provinces. Construction materials, particularly cement are sometimes sourced as a far as Iligan City in Mindanao.
To meet the needs of growth and expansion of the industries, the infrastructure in most part of the province is continually being upgraded. These include the road and its network, transportation, communication facilities, seaports, airport and other support services.
The road and road network, particularly in Mainland Masbate, has kept on improving annually. Road structure is mostly cemented and/or asphalted and timber bridges have been concreted.
As a result, transportation sector has been a growing industry. Aircon minibuses and jeepneys are regularly plying in the two road sections of Mainland Masbate, which made transportation available round-the-clock for the need of the people and industries.
GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE
The boundaries of Masbate consist of the Burias Pass and Ticao Pass on the north; Visayan Sea, south; Simbuyan Sea, west; and on the east by the Samar Sea. Mainland Masbate has a short dry season while Ticao Island lies in the center of the Philippine fault, it is also in the direct path of typhoons.
Hydrology
Masbate is the driest province of Bicol Region. It has an annual rainfall of 2,692 mm/ with surface run-off of 8,106 MCM. The ground water capacity is 1,803 MCM with surface run-off of 1,606 MCM and safe water level of 531 MCM. Based on geological considerations, about 80 sq. kms. or 2% of the provincial area are categorized under shallow well areas. Deep well areas cover about 2,350 sq.kms. or 58%. The static water level for deep well area is greater than 6 meter. The remaining 1,600 sq. kms. or about 40% are considered difficult areas.
The eastern, northwestern and the two islands of Ticao and Burias are deep well areas, while the central portions are difficult areas. Only small portions of shallow well areas are located in the towns of Mobo, Mandaon and part of Cawayan.
POPULATION
& LANGUAGES
Masbatenos numbered 653,852 as of the 1995 census. Masbateno is the predominant medium of communication with a mixture of Bicolano. Waray or Cebuano is spoken in the southwestern towns. Masbatenos are also conversant in Tagalog and English.
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Masbate is one of the provinces in the Bicol Region. It is located in central part of the Philippine Archipelago between latitudes 11 43' north and 21 36' north and 123 09' cast and 124 15'east. With its geographical condition, it serves as a gateway of Luzon to Cebu and Panay Island. The Capital town of Masbate is one hour and twenty minutes ride from Manila by plane and twelve hours from Cebu City by ship.
Political Subdivision and
Land Area
Composed of three big islands-Masbate, Ticao and Burias, the province is politically divided into twenty-one municipalities, three (3) congressional districts and 550 barangays. It has a total area of 404,707 hectares, which is roughly 23% of the Bicol Region and over 1% of the natural land area.
Topography
The general surface configuration of the province ranges from slightly undulating to rolling and from hilly to mountainous. In each island, the rugged topography is concentrated in the north-northeastern and gradually recedes to blunt hills and rolling areas in the south, southeast and southwest.
Slope
The topography of the main island is characterized by rolling hills and discontinuous ranges of highlands and relatively broad bands of lowlands. On its northwestern tip are limestone cliffs that rise almost perpendicularly from the waterline. Several bays indent the coast of the islands; the most important of which are Port Barrera and Masbate Bay.
A fairly continuous rangeof hills rises steeply from a narrow plain on the western prong of Masbate Island. The larger arm of the island is not a continuous range but is broken by two traverse valleys; one between Milagros and Port Palanog and the other one, south of Uson.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Being an agricultural province, Masbate remains a net importer of consumer and industrial products. The supply of goods came from Metro Manila, Cebu, Panay and Bicol Provinces. Construction materials, particularly cement are sometimes sourced as a far as Iligan City in Mindanao.
To meet the needs of growth and expansion of the industries, the infrastructure in most part of the province is continually being upgraded. These include the road and its network, transportation, communication facilities, seaports, airport and other support services.
The road and road network, particularly in Mainland Masbate, has kept on improving annually. Road structure is mostly cemented and/or asphalted and timber bridges have been concreted.
As a result, transportation sector has been a growing industry. Aircon minibuses and jeepneys are regularly plying in the two road sections of Mainland Masbate, which made transportation available round-the-clock for the need of the people and industries.
GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE
The boundaries of Masbate consist of the Burias Pass and Ticao Pass on the north; Visayan Sea, south; Simbuyan Sea, west; and on the east by the Samar Sea. Mainland Masbate has a short dry season while Ticao Island lies in the center of the Philippine fault, it is also in the direct path of typhoons.
Climate
Roughly 28% or 1,150.42 sq. kms. are moderately sloping or rolling; 26% or 1,068.25 sq. kms. is very gently sloping to gently rolling; 15% or 616.30 sq. kms. are nearly level and only 8% or 328.69 sq. kms., are hilly to mountainous. About 231.25% sq. kms. have slopes greater than 50% and need to be permanently covered by forest vegetation. Burias and Ticao islands and western central parts of mainland Masbate are covered by climate characterized by no very pronounced maximum rain period with a short dry season. The southeastern part of Masbate Island have rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. The rainfall distribution is influenced by the air streams, tropical cyclones, inter- tropical convergence zone and topography.
Hydrology
Masbate is the driest province of Bicol Region. It has an annual rainfall of 2,692 mm/ with surface run-off of 8,106 MCM. The ground water capacity is 1,803 MCM with surface run-off of 1,606 MCM and safe water level of 531 MCM. Based on geological considerations, about 80 sq. kms. or 2% of the provincial area are categorized under shallow well areas. Deep well areas cover about 2,350 sq.kms. or 58%. The static water level for deep well area is greater than 6 meter. The remaining 1,600 sq. kms. or about 40% are considered difficult areas.
The eastern, northwestern and the two islands of Ticao and Burias are deep well areas, while the central portions are difficult areas. Only small portions of shallow well areas are located in the towns of Mobo, Mandaon and part of Cawayan.
POPULATION
& LANGUAGES
Masbatenos numbered 653,852 as of the 1995 census. Masbateno is the predominant medium of communication with a mixture of Bicolano. Waray or Cebuano is spoken in the southwestern towns. Masbatenos are also conversant in Tagalog and English.
