Region 4B

MIMAROPA

- An administrative region.
- One of the two regions of the Philippines having no land border with other region.
(The other region is Eastern Visayas)
- “Treasure Trove of Southern Luzon”
- Food Basket of Southern Luzon
- Eco Tourism Hub

MI - Occidental & Oriental Mindoro

MA – Marinduque

RO – Romblon

PA – Palawan

Calapan City – Regional Center

Languages

Tagalog – Widely spoken in the region.

Mindoro – Iraya, Alangan, Tawbuid, Hanunoo, Tadyawan, Buhid, & Ratagnon.

Romblon – The three main languages are Romblomanon, Asi, & Onhan.

OCCIDENTAL MINDORO

Capital : Mamburao
 • Home of the Indigenous Mangyans.

Location

North – Batangas

South – Mindoro Strait

West – West Philippine Sea

East – Oriental Mindoro

Historical Places, Scenic Spots & Tourist Attractions

Lubang Island – Located in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

Known for being the hiding place of Hiroo Onoda, the Japanese World War II straggler
who made the island his home and battleground long after the war is over.

Ambulong Island – Located in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

Has a powdery white sand beach, calm and clear waters and beautiful sights of limestone
cliffs. This island is also good for snorkeling since one can find beautiful coral gardens
and plenty of marine lifeforms.

Apo Reef National Park – Located in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro

Recognized as the second largest contiguous reef system in the world next to Great
Barrier Reef in Australia, it is being considered as the number one dive site in the
Philippines.

Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park - a protected area surrounding the Mount Iglit and Mount
Baco located in the central interior of Mindoro.
 - Habitat of the endemic tamaraw in the ph (currently one of the most seriously
endangered animals in the world

White Island – Called as Manadi Island which means “Sudden Appearance” due to its
sudden appearance decades ago.

- a small island and an ideal destination for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and
fishing.

FESTIVALS

Arawatan Festival - founding anniversary that is celebrated in the province of Occidental

Mindoro every November 15th.

- Came from the Mangyan word Arawatan that means Unity.

Saknungan Festival - held every fourth week of April in San Jose, Mindoro Occidental.

The festival commences with the annual celebration of the blessings of the province.

- Saknungan is a Mangyan word that means bayanihan, the spirit of cooperation and
unity at work, which is practiced by the people of Mindoro.

ORIENTAL MINDORO

Filipino; ‘Silangang Mindoro’, ‘Eastern Mindoro’

- Composed of 14 municipalities, with 1 city (Calapan City) serving as the

provincial capital.

Location

North – Batangas

South – Semirara Caluya Islands and Antique

West – Occidental Mindoro

East – Romblon

Historical Places, Scenic Spots & Tourist Attractions

Mount Halcon - one of the most storied hiking destinations in the Philippines located in
Oriental Mindoro.

- 8, 484 feet above sea level making it the 18th highest mountain peak in the country.
“most difficult mountain to climb in the Philippines”
- (Boundary) Naghahati ng Oriental & Occidental Mindoro.

Tamaraw Falls - one of Puerto Galera’s most popular attractions.

- has a height of 423ft (128.3m) which can be compared to a tall building.

- It has a unique Y-shape due to its twin falls merging together.

Arigoy River Kayaking - Known for its crystal-clear waters, rich plant life, and clean
environment, it is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike who seek to experience
the beauty of the island.

- home to a variety of plant and animal species, providing a unique opportunity for
nature lovers to explore the region’s biodiversity.

Puerto Galera - One of the most remarkable features of Puerto Galera is its natural
beauty. The coastline boasts an array of stunning beaches, including Sabang Beach,
White Beach, and Talipanan Beach, each with unique charm and appeal. The beaches
are surrounded by lush green forests and towering mountains that add to the overall
natural beauty of the area.

Tukuran Falls - a small waterfall but the surroundings are astonishing and very refreshing.
Most vacationers climb the high rocks for cliff jumping and some prefer just to swim and
go into the cascading waters to have some waterfall massage.
 FESTIVALS

Sulyog Festival - Celebrated every 15th of March.

"Sulyog" is a combination of the Mangyan term “suli” meaning banana and the Tagalog
word “niyog” for coconut. Said products are the main agricultural crops of Bongabong.

MARINDUQUE

- Considered the geographical center of the philippine archipelago by the luzon

datum of 1911, the mother of all philippine surveys.
- The province is a heart-shaped island.

LOCATION

North – Tayabas Bay

South – Sibuyan Sea

West – Mindoro

East – Quezon

Historical Places, Scenic Spots & Tourist Attractions

Boac Church - Roman Catholic church and cathedral in the town center of Boac,
Marinduque. Built as a fortress in 1792, the Boac Cathedral became a relevant part of the
Marinduqueños colorful history and culture since its construction in the Spanish era.

Bathala Caves - said to be mystical and a repository of psychic power emanating from
various points of the universe.

- It is believed that there are seven caves within the complex. Only four of these
caves have so far been explored. PYTHON CAVE, SIMBAHAN (CHURCH) CAVE,
SECRET CAVE, UNDERGROUND CAVE, CEMETERY CAVE
Paadjao Falls - The hidden cascade gently flows from a 15-foot tall rocky cliff down to a
6-feet deep basin with cold and jade-green waters.

Tres Reyes Islands - Barangay Pinggan in Gasan, Marinduque.

- also called the "Three Kings,” is a chain of three islands off the coast of Gasan.
- The name of the islands is originally derived from the three Kings of the Nativity:
Gaspar, Melchor, and Baltazar

Blessed Biglang Awa Miraculous Shrine - MOTHER OF IMMEDIATE SUCCOR OR INA

NG BIGLANG AWA is the patron saint of Marinduque.

In 1621, the Jesuits brought an image of the Immaculate Conception. Her intercession
has saved its residents on many occasions.

FESTIVALS

Moriones Festival - an annual festival held on Holy Week on the island of Marinduque,
Philippines.

- The "Moriones" are men and women in costumes and masks replicating the garb
of biblical Roman soldiers as interpreted by local folk.
- Morion means "mask" or "visor," a part of the medieval Roman armor which covers
the face.

Bila-bila Festival - held annually during the town fiesta of Boac on December 8th.

- derived from the local term for butterflies, this street dancing competition.

ROMBLON

- An island province in the Philippines. Due to its geography, the province is

endowed with lush vegetation and mineral resources.
- The country’s leading producer of high-quality marble, comparable to that of italy.
- Mining is a lucrative industry due to its vast mineral resources.
 Location

North – Marindoque Island

South – Panay Island

West – Mindoro

East – Masbate

Historical Places, Scenic Spots & Tourist Attractions

Fort San Andres - stands in the coastal Romblon town and overlooks the local port.
Portuguese religious leaders started constructing the fortress on San Antonio Hill in the
15th century along with another stronghold called Fort Santiago atop Calvary Hill.

St. Joseph Cathedral and Belfry - locally known as the Romblon Cathedral, is a Baroque-
style church that sits along Rizal Street in the provincial capital of the province.
Portuguese Recollect members began construction of the cathedral in the 15th century.

Tinagong Dagat "Hidden Sea" - a saltwater lake situated in the northernmost tip of Tablas
Island and is a top Calatrava, Romblon tourist spot. The lake is surrounded by limestone
cliffs covered with thick foliage that makes it impossible to see from a boat.

Bonbon Beach - best known for its long white sandbar that stretches up to 2 kilometers.
At sunset, this beach is also among the most picturesque and romantic travel destinations
on the island.

FESTIVALS

Biniray Festival - Romblon’s prestigious festival participated by Rombloanon every

second week of January in honor of Señor Santo Niño. It is just the same as the Sinulog
Festival of Cebu which also depicts the strong faith of the residents to Roman Catholicism.
Kanidugan Festival - (Coconut Festival which derived from a word “Nidog” or Niyog in
Filipino or Coconut in English)

- an annual festival celebrated in every month of April, foundation day of Odiongan

and to honour Saint Vincent Ferrer (the patron saint of Odiongan, Romblon.)

PALAWAN

Capital: Puerto Princesa City

- Largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction.

- Lies between the west philippine sea and the sulu sea.
- Named after its largest Island, Palawan Island measuring 450 kilometers long,
and 50 kilometers wide.
- Palawan covers the Cuyo Islands in the Sulu Sea. The Spratlys Island are also
considered part of Palawan and is called “Kalayaan Group of Islands.”
- 3 major crops: Palay, Corn, & Coconut.
- The only oil-producing province in the country.

Location

Northeast – Busuanga Island, Coron Island and Culion Island

Southwest – Balabac Island

West – Durangan Island

Historical Places, Scenic Spots & Tourist Attractions

El Nido Marine Reserve - one of the exotic and must-visit tourist destinations in Palawan.
This park is stretched over an area of about 96,000 hectares sporting a very wide and
diverse ecosystem. The blessed ecosystem of El Nido comprises magnificent limestone
cliffs, pristine beaches, dense rainforest, mangroves, wildlife etc.
Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park - holds a place in the New7Wonders of
Nature, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1999. It is also
famously known as the Puerto Princesa Underground River.

Coron - Coron's town proper is smaller and quieter than El Nido's. CORON is a separate
group of islands from the main Palawan island. All of the islands here are part of the
Calamian Archipelago in Northern Palawan.

Tubbataha Reefs National Park - one of the best diving spots in the Philippines and the
world. This beautiful area can be found in the waters of the Cagayancillo town and is also
recognized as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Philippines.

Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary - Housing of thousands endangered and
endemic species.

CALAUIT SAFARI PARK remains to be the Philippines' only game reserve and wildlife
sanctuary. Its resident species include African animals that were transported from Kenya
in 1976, including the reticulated giraffe and the world's most endangered zebra species.