AKLAN 

    Aklan is believed to be the first portion of Panay Island to be settled by immigrants from Borneo. From 1716 to the end of the Spanish regime, Aklan and Capiz were organized into politico-military provinces.

    Aklan is associated with a datu named Bendahara Kalantiaw who was the country�s first lawgiver. The name of the province is also linked with the famous Ati-Atihan Festival held in Kalibo, the provincial capital. The festival commemorates a peace pact held in the 13^th century between the aborigines and the early Malay immigrants. 

Former Name: None

Land Area: 1,817.9 square kilometers

Capital: Kalibo

Population: 324,563 (1980)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo and Aklanon

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None 

No. of Municipalities: 17 (Altavas, Balete, Banga, Batan, Buruanga, Ibajay, Kalibo, Lezo, Libacao, Madalag, Makato, Malay, Malinao, Nabas, New Washington, Numancia, and Tangalan) 

No. of Municipal Districts: None 

Topography: The province has a long coastline and is surrounded by a number of bays and coves that provide good anchorage for fishing boats. Majority of the people live in the Aklan Valley and the coastal plains. 

No. of Principal Rivers: None

No. of Mountains: 19 

Climate: Dry season from December to May and wet season the rest of the year. Heaviest rainfall is usually in December. 

Average Annual Rainfall: 114.3 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice and corn

Industries: Fishing (major industry) 

Mineral Resources:  Gold, copper, chromite, manganese, and silica

Forest Resources: Timber, nipa, buri and bamboo 

Tourist Attractions: Buswang Beach in Kalibo, Tigayon Cave, and Boracay

 Governor: Corazon L. Cabagnot

Congressman: Ramon B. Legaspi  

ANTIQUE 

    Antique is considered as the �Home of the Sacadas�, a major source of migrant labor for the sugarcane fields of Negros Occidental. The marble deposits found in the municipalities of Pandan and Libertad are considered to be superior in quality than the marbles of Romblon.

   The official seal of Antique depicts mountain ranges signifying the greatness and strength of its people. It also shows what Antique is famous for: copra which is the major product of the province; sugar, rice and corn which are the major staple produce; the Sulu Sea which provides the people�s fishing industry; and the five fishes which represent the five datus who stayed in Antique out of the ten who left Malay for the Island of Panay. 

Former Name: Hamtic

Land Area: 2,522.0 square kilometers

Capital: San Jose de Buenavista

Population: 344,879 (1980)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo and Hamtikan

Income Classification: Fourth Class Province

No. of Cities: None 

No. of Municipalities: 19 (Anini-y, Barbaza, Belison, Bugasong, Caluya, Culasi, Tobias, Fornier, Hamtic, Lawa-an, Libertad, Pandan, Patnongon, San Jose, San Remigio, Sebaste, Semirara, Sibalom, Tibiao, and Valderama) 

No. of Municipal Districts: None 

Topography: Characterized by rugged mountains running parallel to the coastline, this narrow stretch of land is made up of narrow villages and low fertile plains. Fourteen (14) of its municipalities are along the coastline. 

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 

No. of Mountains: 28 (Mt. Madya-as and Mt. Baloy are the highest) 

Climate: Dry season from November to April, rainy season during the rest of the year. Its greatest rainfall is from June to October. April and May are the hottest months.

Average Annual Rainfall: 143.45 inches 

Principal products/crops: Rice, corn, sugarcane, mongo, and copra 

Industries: Fishing (major industry), hat and mat weaving 

Mineral Resources: Copper, marble, clay, phosphate, and coal 

Forest Resources: Timber 

Tourist Attractions: Mararison Island, Bato Cueba, Canagan Waterfalls, Limpatan Rock, Jurao-Jurao Island and the shining beaches along the Antique shorelines. 

Governor: Jovito C. Plameras Jr.

Congressman: Exequiel B. Javier 

CAPIZ

       Capiz is one of the four provinces constituting the island of Panay (the three others  are Iloilo, Aklan and Antique). At first, there was only the island of Panay with an Iloilo district. Eventually, Panay became known as Iloilo. In 1716, its northern sector was organized into a politico- military province and was named Capiz.

   When the Americans came at the turn of the century, Capiz was still a politico-military province embracing the islands of Romblon, Maestro de Campo, Tablas and Sibuyan.

    On April 5, 1901, the Americans established a civil government in Capiz. 

Former Name: None

Land Area: 2,633.2 square kilometers

Capital: Roxas City

Population: 492,231 (1980)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo and Hiligaynon

Income Classification: Third Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Roxas) 

No. of Municipalities: 16 (Cuartero, Dao, Dumalag, Dumarao, Ivisan, Jamindan, Ma-ayon, Mambusao, Panay, Panitan, Pilar, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Sapian, Sigma, and Tapaz) 

No. of Municipal Districts: None 

Topography: The western side of the province is hilly, while the northern part is dominated by plains. The sea adjacent to its Coastline, which is about 80 kilometers long, is one of the richest fishing grounds in the region. 

No. of Principal Rivers: 3 (Panay, Mambusao and Ma-ayon)

No. of Mountains: 12 

Climate: Not different from that of neighboring Aklan- characterized by a short season (January to April), and a wet season the rest of the year.

Average Annual Rainfall: 110.32 inches 

Principal products/crops: Rice and corn other crops are sugarcane, coconut, tobacco, cacao, coffee, mongo, abaca, and vegetables. 

Industries: Fish (major industry), mat and slipper making, banana and camote chip preparations and poultry raising

 Mineral Resources: Gold, limestone, phosphate, guano and clay

Forest Resources: Timber 

Tourist Attractions: The Bridge of Suhut with its bubbling springs of sulphurous waters, the caves of Bumanlag, the many waterfalls and springs in Jamindanao and Mambusao, and the 50-hectare man-made rice terraces in Panitan town. 

Governor: Jose E. Borda

Congressman: Derardo A. Roxas Jr., Cornelio T. Villareal Sr. 

ILOILO 

    Originally, Iloilo province included Antique, Aklan and Negros Island. The first Malay settlement in Iloilo was founded in the 13^th century.

    From 1572 to 1825, the Augustinians founded mission centers in 21 towns of Iloilo. Arevalo was the capital town of Iloilo in 1582. In 1569, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi settled in Arevalo and in 1572, a mission center was established in Oton.

    Iloilo has many  good harbors and rich fishing grounds. It is a commercial center in the Western Visayas, particularly Iloilo City, Jaro, Oton, and Pototan. Once the leading sugar producer, Iloilo is now the country�s largest producer of export rice, and the leading source of fish in the Visayas. 

Former Name: Irong-Irong

Land Area: 5,324 square kilometers

Capital: Iloilo City

Population: 1,433,641 (1980)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo and Hiligaynon

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 1 (Iloilo) 

No. of Municipalities: 46 (Ajuy, Alimodian, Anilao, Badiangan, Balasan, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Bingawan, Buenavista, Cabatuan, Calinog, Carles, Concepcion, Dingle, Duenas, Dumangas, Estancia, Guimbal, Igbaras, Janiuay, Jordan, Lambunao, Leganes, Lemery, Leon, Maasin, Miagao, Mina, New Lucena, Nueva Valencia, Oton, Passi, Pavia, Pototan, San, Dionisio, San Enrique, San Joaquin, San Miguel, San Rafael, Santa Barbara, Sara, Tigbauan, Tubungan, and Zarraga) 

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: Iloilo is mountainous and hilly on its northern and southern fringes, with a broad and fertile plain wedged between the elevated portions. This portion of flat and is the largest lowland area of Panay. Guimaras Island which is separated by the Iloilo Strait is rugged and hilly, reaching its greatest elevation of 251.8 m. in Mt. Bontoc, located at the center of the island. 

No. of Principal Rivers: 3

No. of mountains: 57 

Climate: With a more or less uniform climate, the province experiences a pRonounced dry season from one to two months. The climate is characterized by the absence of a pRonounced rainy season. 

Average Annual Rainfall: 28.8 inches

Principal products/crops: Rice, sugarcane, coconut, corn, mongo, banana and cassava. 

Industries: Fishing (major industry), sugar milling and refineries, cement manufacturing and softdrinks bottling. 

Mineral Resources: Non-metallic minerals such as China clay, refractory clay, feldspar, and phosphate rock.

Forest Resources: Timber 

Tourist Attractions: Sicogon Island, Jaro District, Roca Encantada where a �Garden of Eden� was built, Colegio de San Jose, the Fort of Nuestra Senora del Rosario, the Miagao church in San Joaquin, and the uninhabited islands of the Seven Sins (Isla de Siete Picados) 

Governor: Simplicio C. Grino

Congressman: Oscar G. Guarin, Alberto J. Lopez, Licurgo P. Tirador, Narciso D. Monfort, Niel D. Tupas, Rafael Y. Lopez-Vito  

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 

    Negros Occidental is located in the western portion of Negros Island. Known as the �Sugar Bowl of the Philippines�, the province produces 65 percent of the country�s total output of sugar. Because of its high per capita earning, Negros Occidental is highly urbanized and industrialized. The province boasts of 12 commercial banks, 12 radio stations and 3 television stations. 

Former Name: �Buglas�

Land Area: 7,926.1 square kilometers

(including Negros del Norte)

Capital: Bacolod City

Population: 1,130,301 (1980)

Principal Dialect: Ilonggo and Hiligaynon

Income Classification: First Class Province

No. of Cities: 3 (Bacolod, Bago and La Carlota) 

No. of Municipalities: 18 (Binalbagan, Candoni, Cauayan, Himamaylan, Hinigaran, Hinobaan � Asia, Ilog, Isabela, Kabankalan, La Castellana, Moises Padilla (Magallon), Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Sipalay, Talisay and Villadolid) 

No. of Municipal Districts: None

Topography: The topography is divided into two geographical regions- the intensive plateau, called the Tablas on the southwestern side of the province, and a broad belt of lowland plains, one of the country�s largest, on the western portion. Cutting across the broad plains are three big rivers.

No. of Principal Rivers: 3

No. of Mountains: 1 (Mambucal) 

Climate: The central plain experiences two distinct seasons: dry during the early part of the year and wet during the latter part. In the plateau, there is a short dry season but no maximum rain period. 

Average Annual Rainfall: 109.92 inches

Principal products/crops: Sugarcane, coconut, rice and corn 

Industries: Sugar milling, fishing (major industries), and logging 

Mineral Resources: Copper, iron, silica and phosphate

Forest Resources: Timber 

Tourist Attractions: Mt. Mambucal�s 13 waterfalls, the Diolas Rose Garden and the Jaro beach resort in Bago City. 

Governor: Daniel Lacson Jr.

Congressman: Salvador S. Laguda, Manuel H. Puey, Jose Carlos V. Lacson, Edward M. Matti, Mariano M. Yulo, Hortensia L. Starke.

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