Central Visayas Central Visayas, designated as Region VII, is a region of the Philippines located in the central part of the

Visayas island group. It consists of four provinces Bohol, Cebu,Negros Oriental, and Siquijor and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City. The region is dominated by the native speakers of Cebuano. Cebu City is its regional center. The land area of the region is 15,875 km. As of the 2007 census, it has a population of 6,398,628, making it the 5th most populous of the country's 17 regions. Provinces and independent cities The Central Visayas region is composed of 4 provinces and 3 independent cities:

of the country's 17 regions. The population density was 403.1 people per square kilometer (6,129.4/mi). The census showed an average annual population growth rate of 1.59% from 2000 to 2007, significantly less than the national average of 2.04%.[3] Cebuano is the dominant language of the region. Boholano is a dialectal variant of Cebuano spoken in Bohol. In the Camotes Islands, which is part of Cebu, Cebuano language is spoken in the towns of Tudela, Pilar and San Francisco. Except the town of Poro, in which,Porohanon is spoken (a variation or mixture of Cebuano, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) and Masbateo language, with 87% Cebuano vocabulary).Tagalog, English and Spanish are also spoken in this region. Bohol

Province/City Capital

Population Area (2010)[2] (km)

Pop. density (per km)

Bohol

Tagbilaran 1,255,128 City Cebu City 2,619,362

4,117.3

304.8

Cebu Negros Oriental Siquijor

4,800.11 545.7

Bohol (Cebuano: Lalawigan sa Bohol), Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Bohol, is a first classisland province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting ofBohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands.[1] Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of 4,117.26 square kilometres (1,589.68 sq mi) and a coastline 261 kilometres (162 mi) long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines.[2] To the west of Bohol is Cebu, to the northeast is the island of Leyte and to the south, across the Bohol Sea is Mindanao. The province is a popular tourist destination with its beaches and resorts.[3] TheChocolate Hills, numerous mounds of limestone formation, is the most popular attraction. Panglao Island, located just southwest of Tagbilaran City, is famous for its diving locations and routinely listed as one of the top ten diving locations in the world. Numerous tourist resorts dot the southern beaches and cater to divers from around the world. The Philippine Tarsier, considered the second-smallest primate in the world, is indigenous to the island. Boholanos refer to their island homeland as the "Republic of Bohol" with both conviction and pride.[4] A narrow strait separates the island of Cebu and Bohol and both share a common language, but the Boholanos retain a conscious distinction from the Cebuanos. Bohol's climate is generally dry, with maximum rainfall between the months of June and October. The interior is cooler than the coast. It is the home province of Carlos P. Garcia, the eighth president of the Republic of the Philippines (1957 1961) who was born in Talibon, Bohol Early history Bohol was first settled by Australoid people, like the rest of the Philippines. They still inhabit the island today and are known as the Eskaya tribe, their population also was absorbed into the Austronesian or MalayoPolynesian peoples who later settled the islands and form the majority of the population. The Austronesian people living on Bohol traded with other islands in the Philippines and as far as China and Borneo. The people of Bohol are said to be the descendants of a group of inhabitants who settled in the Philippines called pintados or tattooed ones.[6] Boholanos already had a culture of their own as evidenced by the artifacts dug at Mansasa, Tagbilaran, and in Dauis and Panglao. Bohol is derived from the word Bo-ho or Bool.[2] The island was the seat of the first international treaty of peace and unity between the native king Datu Sikatuna, and Spanish conquistador, Miguel Lpez de Legazpi, on March 16, 1565 through a blood compact alliance known today by many Filipinos as theSandugo.[7]

Dumaguete 1,286,666 City Siquijor 91,066

5,402.3

238.2

343.5

265.1

Cebu City Lapu-Lapu City Mandaue City

866,171

280.2

3,091.3

350,467

64.22

5,457.3

331,320

34.87

9,501.6

Although Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City are often grouped under the province of Cebu for statistical purposes by the National Statistics Office, as highly urbanized cities, they are administratively independent from the province. Component cities

Bais City, Negros Oriental Bayawan City, Negros Oriental Canlaon City, Negros Oriental Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental Tanjay City, Negros Oriental Bogo City, Cebu Carcar City, Cebu Danao City, Cebu Naga City, Cebu Talisay City, Cebu Toledo City, Cebu Tagbilaran City, Bohol

Demographics As of the 2007 census, Central Visayas had a population of 6,398,628, making it the 5th most populous

Geography Mainland Bohol is oval-shaped, having a gentle, rolling terrain. Bohol's mountainous interior is home to rare and endangered flora and fauna. At certain points, hills drop steeply to the coast from a maximum elevation of 870 metres (2,850 ft) above sea level. The interior uplands are fit for agro-forestry and high value agricultural production. The central and northern lowlands have also fertile grounds and abundant water supply. Over a hundred caves have been identified, the biggest of which is found in the eastern part which makes Bohol ideal for spelunking adventures.[13] Hills dominate the island of Bohol. Two ranges run roughly parallel on the northwest and the southeast. An interior plateau is dominated by limestone hills. In Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan, these hills form near perfect cones in great numbers and are collectively referred to as the Chocolate Hills. The Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol are considered one of Philippine's natural wonders and Bohol is often referred to as the Jewel of the Philippines. They are hills made of limestone left over from coral reefs during the ice age when the island was submerged. They turn brown during the summer, hence their name. White sandy beaches dot the coast of the island. The sand is often of such high quality that it is exported to other beaches in the world. The most well known of these beaches are in Panglao Island, and there, numerous islets have similar, yet untouched and pristine beaches. There are four main rivers that run through Bohol with Loboc River being the most famous for its river cruises, running from the center of the island to the southeastern coast. The largest, Inabanga River, runs in the northwestern part of the province. The Abatan River in the southwest, and Ipil river in the north. Numerous waterfalls and caves are scattered across the island, including the beautiful Mag-Aso falls in Antequera. Mag-Aso meanssmoke in the native tongue. The water is cool and often creates a mist in humid mornings which can hide the falls. Economy Tourism plays an increasing role in the island's economy. An international airport is currently planned for Panglao which houses the most-visited and accessible beaches in the province. Proponents of the scheme hope that the new airport will increase Bohol's reputation as an international tourist destination although the plan has been dogged by ongoing criticism.[16] Labor force The results of the Labor Force Survey conducted in 1999 by NSO in Bohol show that the province's potential labor force increased to 691 thousand of which 66.4% are in the labor force. Employment rate, at the end of 1999, increased to 90.5% from 85.35% in 1998. However, an increase in underemployment was noted by 6.7 percentage points, from 5% in 1998 to 11.7% in 1999.[3] Festivals

Suroy sa Musikero (December 25 - February 2) Loboc, Bohol Bohol Fiestas (month of May) Ubi Festival (January)[18] Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan or TBTK - "A gathering of Boholanos from different parts of the world and the name for such a grand event"[19] Hudyaka sa Panglao (August 2728) Panglao, Bohol Sinulog (3rd Saturday of January) - Valencia, Bohol

Cebu Cebu Province (Cebuano: Lalawigan sa Sugbo, Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Cebu, Tagalog pronunciation: ['sebu]) is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Boholislands. Cebu is a long narrow island stretching 225 kilometers from north to south, surrounded by 167 neighbouring, smaller islands, which include Mactan, Bantayan,Malapascua, Olango and the Camotes Islands. Cebu has narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus and coastal plains. It also has rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island. Cebu's highest mountains are over 1000 meters high. Flat tracts of land can be found in the city of Bogo and in the towns of San Remigio, Medellin and Daanbantayan at the northern region of the province. Its capital is Cebu City, the oldest city in the Philippines, which forms part of the Cebu Metropolitan Area together with four neighboring cities which include Danao City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Talisay City and eight other municipalities.Mactan-Cebu International Airport, located in Mactan island, is the second busiest airport in the Philippines. Cebu is one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines, with Cebu City as the main center of commerce, trade, education and industry in the Visayas. Cond Nast Traveler Magazine named Cebu the 7th best island destination in the Indian Ocean-Asia region in 2007,[1] 8th best Asian-Pacific island destination in 2005, 7th in 2004 and in 2009. In a decade it has transformed into a global hub for furniture making, tourism, business processing services, and heavy industry. History Between the 13th and 16th century Cebu then known as Zubu[6] (or Sugbo) was an island inhabited by Hindu, animist and Muslim[7] ruled [8] by Rajahs and Datus. It was a kingdom of the defunct Rajahnate of Cebu. The Rajahnate of Cebu was a native kingdom which used to exist in Cebu prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. It was founded by Sri 'Lumay' otherwise known as 'Rajamuda Lumaya', a native prince of the Chola dynasty which had invaded Sumatra in Indonesia. He was sent by the Maharajah to establish a base for expeditionary forces to subdue the local kingdoms, but he rebelled and established his own independent Rajahnate instead.[9] The arrival of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 established a period of Spanish exploration and colonization.[10][11] Losing favor for his plan of reaching the Spice Islands from king Manuel I of Portugal, by sailing west from Europe, Magellan offered his services to king Charles I of Spain. On September 20, 1519, Magellan led five ships with a crew of 250 people from the Spanish fort of Sanlcar de Barrameda en route to Southeast Asia via the Americas and Pacific Ocean. They reached the

Sandugo Festival (July 131) Tagbilaran City Fiesta (May 1) Bolibong Kingking Festival (May 2324) - Loboc, Bohol Pana-ad sa Loboc (Holy Thursday & Good Friday) Loboc, Bohol SidlaKasilak or Festival of Lights -Loon (Fiesta Week: August 30 to September 8) Sambat Mascara y Regatta Festival (1st Saturday of December) - Loay, Bohol

Philippines on March 16, 1521. Rajah Kolambu the king of Mazaua told them to sail for Cebu, where they could trade and have provisions. Arriving in Cebu City, Magellan, with Enrique of Malacca as translator, befriended Rajah Humabon the Rajah or King of Cebu and persuaded the natives of allegiance to Charles I of Spain. Humabon and his wife were given Christian names and baptized as Carlos and Juana. The Santo Nio was presented to the native queen of Cebu, as a symbol of peace and friendship between the Spaniards and the Cebuanos. On April 14, Magellan erected a large wooden cross on the shores of Cebu. Afterwards, about 700 islanders were baptized. Magellan soon heard of Datu Lapu-Lapu, a native king in nearby Mactan Island, a rival of the Rajahs of Cebu. It was thought that Humabon and Lapu-Lapu had been fighting for control of the flourishing trade in the area. On April 27, theBattle of Mactan occurred where the Spaniards were defeated and Magellan killed by the natives of Mactan[12] in Mactan Island. According to Italian historian and chronicler, Antonio Pigafetta, Magellan's body was never recovered despite efforts to trade for it with spice and jewels. Magellan's second in command, Juan Sebastin Elcano took his place as captain of the expedition and sailed their fleet back to Spain, circumnavigating the world. Survivors of the Magellan expedition brought tales of a savage island in the East Indies with them when they returned to Spain. Consequently, several Spanish expeditions were sent to the islands but all ended in failure. In 1564, Spanish explorers led by Miguel Lpez de Legazpi sailing from Mexico arrived in 1565 and established a colony.[13] The Spaniards fought the King Rajah Tupas and occupied his territories. The Spaniards established settlements, trade flourished and renamed the island to "Villa del Santssimo Nombre de Jess" (Town of the Most Holy Name of Jesus). Cebu became the first European settlement established by the Spanish Corts in the Philippines. In 1595, the Universidad de San Carlos (University of San Carlos) was established and in 1860, Cebu opened its forts to foreign trade. The first printing house ("Imprenta de Escondrillas y Cia") was established in 1873 and in 1880, the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion (College of the Immaculate Conception) was established and the first periodical The Bulletin of Cebu ("El Boletin de Ceb") began publishing in 1886. In 1898, the island was ceded to the United States after theSpanish-American War and PhilippineAmerican War. In 1901, Cebu was governed by the United States for a brief period, however it became a charter province on February 24, 1937 and was governed independently by Filipino politicians. Cebu, being one of the most densely populated island in the Philippines, served as a Japanese base during their occupation in World War II which began with the landing of Japanese soldiers in April 1942. The 3rd, 8th, 82nd and 85th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was reestablished on 1942 to 1946 and the 8th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary was reestablished again on 1944 to 1946 at the military general headquarters and the military camps and garrisoned in Cebu City and Cebu Province and started by the Anti-Japanese military operations in Cebu from April 1942 to September 1945 and helping Cebuano guerrillas and fought against the Japanese Imperial forces. Almost three years later in March 1945, combined Filipino and American forces landed and reoccupied the island during the liberation of the Philippines. Cebuano guerrilla groups led by an American, James Cushing is credited for the establishment of the Koga Papers which is said to have changed the American plans to retake the Philippines from Japanese occupation in 1944, by helping the combined United States and the Philippine Commonwealth Army forces enter Cebu in

1945. The following year the island achieved independence from colonial rule in 1946. Events Sinulog is a religious festival celebrated every third Sunday of January. The feast is held in honor of the patron saint, Seor Santo Nio de Ceb (Lord Holy Child of Cebu) and the arrival of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the Philippines. The Fiesta Seor(Festival Lord) converge a procession and take part in a Mardi Graslike parade. All cities and municipalities in the province have their own different respective cultural festivals. Only the municipalities of Asturias, Compostela, Pilar and Tabogon have no designated annual celebrations. Cities

Pintos Festival - Bogo City Karansa Festival - Danao City Garbo sa Lapu Lapu Festival - Lapu-Lapu City Mantawi Festival - Mandaue City Halad Inasal Festival - Talisay City Dagitab Festival - Naga City Hinulawan Festival - Toledo City Kabkaban Festival - Carcar City

Negros Oriental Negros Oriental (Cebuano: Sidlakang Negros), also called Oriental Negros or "Eastern Negros", is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayasregion. It occupies the south-eastern half of the island of Negros, with Negros Occidental comprising the north-western half. It also includes Apo Island a populardive site for both local and foreign tourists. Negros Oriental faces Cebu to the east across the Taon Strait and Siquijor to the south east. The primary spoken language is Cebuano, and the predominant religious denomination is Roman Catholicism.Dumaguete City is the capital, seat of government, and most populous city. History Negros Island, the third largest island in the Philippines, is believed to have once been part of the island of Mindanao, but was cut off by rising waters at the end of the lastice age.[3] Among the early inhabitants of the island were Negritos, as well as Han Chinese andMalays.[4] They called the island "Buglas", a native word which is believed to mean "cut off".[3] Spanish explorers on the expedition of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi first came to the island in April 1565. Legazpi dropped anchor in Bohol and sent his men to scout the island.[4] Because of the strong currents of the Taon Strait between Cebu and Negros, they were carried for several days and forced to land on the western side of the island. They reported seeing many dark-skinned inhabitants, and they called the island "Negros" ("Negro" means "black" in Spanish). The island was sparsely settled at the time, except for a few coastal settlements including Ilog and Binalbagan. In 1571, Legaspi assigned encomiendas on the island to 13 of his men.[4] Augustinianfriars began the Christianization of the island the next year. The island was administered as part of the jurisdiction of Oton until 1734 when it became a military district, and Ilog became the capital of the island. The capital was transferred toHimamaylan in 1795. Negros became a politico-military province in 1856 and the capital was transferred to Bacolod. eastern Due to its proximity to Mindanao, the south coast of Negros was in constant threat

from Moro marauders looking for slaves, and watchtowers were built to protect the Christian villages. The Moro raids and Negros Oriental's distance from the Negros capital in Bacolod induced 13 Recollectionist priests to petition for the division of the island in July 1876.[4] The island of Negros was then divided into the provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental by a royal decree executed by Governor General Valeriano Weyler on January 1, 1890. Dumaguete City was made the first capital of Negros Oriental. In 1892, Siquijor became a part of Negros Oriental, having previously been administered by Spain under the politicomilitary province of Bohol. The Philippine Revolution reached the province in 1898, disrupting government functions but without bloodshed. Revolutionary troops in the province were composed mostly of farm laborers and other prominent people of the Negros Oriental province who were organized and led by Don Diego de la Via. The Spanish government in Dumaguete was overthrown on November 24, 1898. Later, the Negros Occidental area under the leadership of Gen. Araneta only, in contrast to the Negros Oriental area under the leadership of Don Diego de la Via, formed the Cantonal Republic of Negros, a separate government from the more familiar Malolos Republic established inLuzon.[5] In 1901 the Negros Oriental province was reorganized by the United Statesand a civil government was established with Demetrio Larena as governor. The American government made Siquijor a "sub-province" of Negros Oriental. Negros Oriental became a province under the American civil government on March 10, 1917. In 1934 Negros Oriental became a corregimiento, a separate military district. Under the American colonial government, transportation infrastructure was developed with improvements of roads and new bridges.[6] During World War II, the province was invaded by Japanese forces and many residents were forced to flee to the mountains to escape. Negros Island was taken back from the combined Filipino & American troops with the local Negrosanon guerillas attacked Japanese on August 6, 1945. The 7th, 73rd, 74th and 75th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was establishment on 1942 to 1946 and the 7th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary was active on 1944 to 1946 at the Military General Headquarters in Negros Oriental. Started the engagements of the Anti-Japanese Imperial Military Operations in Negros Oriental on 1942 to 1945 against the Japanese Imperial forces. When the Filipino soldiers of the 7th, 73rd and 75th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 7th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary was started the Liberation of Negros Oriental in 1945 and fought against the Japanese forces. On September 17, 1971, Siquijor finally became an independent province by virtue of Republic Act No. 6396. (See Province of Siquijor) Culture Each town in Negros Oriental celebrates an annual town fiesta, usually dedicated to a saint who is the patron of the town. In some of the larger towns, there are particular fiestas for specific neighborhoods or barangays. Additionally, the Buglasan Festival, which was revived in 2001, is celebrated annually in October in the provincial capital of Dumaguete and is hailed as Negros Oriental's "festival of festivals".[15] It is a week-long celebration where you can see unique booths of each town and city in Negros Oriental featuring their native products and tourist attractions. The highlight of the occasion is the float parade and street dancing competition.[16] Economy

With its vast fertile land resources, Negros Oriental's major industry is agriculture. The primary crops are sugarcane, corn, coconut and rice. In the coastal area, fishing is the main source of income. People are also involved in cattle ranches, fish ponds and logging. There are also mineral deposits like gold, silver and copper. Negros Oriental is emerging as a technological center in Central Philippines with its growing business process outsourcing (BPO) and other technology-related industries. Negros Oriental is also becoming a notable tourist destination in the Visayas. Siquijor Siquijor (Tagalog pronunciation: [siki'hor], (Cebuano: Lalawigan sa Siquijor), (Tagalog:Lalawigan ng Siquijor) is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor. To the northwest of Siquijor are Cebu and Negros, to the northeast is Bohol and to the south, across theBohol Sea, is the island of Mindanao. Siquijor is the third smallest province in the country, in terms of population as well as land area (after Camiguin and Batanes). For a time it was part of Negros Oriental. During the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines, the Spaniards called the island as Island of Fire (Spanish: Isla del Fuego). Siquijor is commonly associated with mystic traditions that the island's growing tourism industry capitalizes on. History The island was first sighted by the Spaniards in 1565 during Miguel Lpez de Legaspi's expedition. The Spaniards called the island Isla del Fuego or Island of Fire, because the island gave off an eerie glow, which came from the great swarms of fireflies that harbored in the numerous molave trees on the island.[citation needed] A folk legend also has it that many years ago, when the magical island of Siquijor was still nowhere on the face of the earth, a great storm engulfed the Visayan region, and a strong earthquake shook the earth and sea. Amidst the lightning and thunder arose an island from the depths of the oceans womb which came to be known as the island of Siquijor, hence the name Isla del Fuego, or "Island of Fire." Oddly enough, in modern times, highland farmers have unraveled giant shell casings under their farm plots, supporting the theory that Siquijor is indeed an island that rose from the sea.[3] Esteban Rodriguez of the Legazpi Expedition in 1565 led the first Spaniards to discover the island. He was captain of a small party that left Legazpis camp in Bohol to explore the nearby islands which are now called Pamilican, Siquijor, and Negros. The Spaniards were drawn by the vision of the firefly illumination and as one version of the legend recounts, they met the islands ruler the legendary King Kihod while they were docking their ship at one of Siquijors bays. When asked his name, the king replied si Kihod (I am Kihod). The Spaniards, thinking he meant it as the name of the island, adopted the name Sikihod which was later changed to Siquijor because the Spaniards found it too difficult to pronounce.[3] Founded in 1783 under the administration of secular clergymen, Siquijor became the first municipality as well as the first parish to be established on the island. Siquijor was, from the beginning, administered by the diocese of Cebu. As for civil administration, Siquijor was under Bohol since the province had its own governor. The first Augustinian recollect priest, Father Vicente Garcia, arrived in Siquijor in 1794. Several years thereafter, a priest of the same order founded the parishes of Larena (initially called Can-oan), Lazi (formerly Tigbawan), San Juan

(Makalipay), and Maria (Cang-meniao). With the exception of Enrique Villanueva, all of the present six municipalities were established as parishes in 1877. From 1854 to 1892, Siqiujor became part of the province of Negros Oriental, and became a sub-province in 1901. At the turn of the century, Spanish sovereignty in the Philippines came to an end and at the Treaty of Paris in 1898, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States. Siquijor island felt the presence of American rule when a unit of the American Cavalry Division came and stayed for sometime. The American Military Governor in Manila appointed James Fugate, a scout with the California Volunteers of the U.S. Infantry, to oversee and to implement the organization and development programs in Siquijor Island. Governor Fugate stayed for 16 years as lieutenant governor of Siquijor. While it was not at the center of military action, Siquijor was not been spared by World War II. Japanese detachments occupied the island between 1942 and 1943. The Japanese announced their arrival to the island with heavy shelling. On November 10, 1942, Japanese warships started shelling Lazi from Cang-abas Point. In Lazi, a garrison was established in the old Home Economics Building of the Central School. Philippine guerrillas engaged in sabotage and the interaction during this time to cause havoc on the Japanese lives and properties. During this period, Siquijor was briefly governed by Shunzo Suzuki, a Japanese civilian appointed by the Imperial Japanese Forces until he was assassinated in October 1942 by the guerrilla forces led by Iluminado Jumawanin, of Caipilan, Siquijor. Mamor Fukuda took control of Siquijor from June 1943 until the Japanese forces abandoned the island when the liberation forces came in 1944. At the outbreak of World War II, Siquijor, then a sub-province of Negros Oriental, was headed by Lieutenant Governor Nicolas Parami. Refusing to pledge allegiance to the Japanese Imperial Forces, Lt. Governor Parami was taken by Japanese soldiers from his residence at Poo, Lazi one evening and brought to the military headquarters in Larena. He was never heard from again. In 1943, the Japanese puppet government appointed Sebastian Monera of San Juan governor of Siquijor. His administration however was cut short when he was executed presumably by Filipino guerrillas operating in the mountains of Siquijor. On September 30, 1943, the United States submarine USS Bowfin SS-287 delivered supplies to the people of Siquijor and evacuated people from the island.[4] On February 21, 1945, the destroyer USS Renshaw (DD-499), part of Task Unit 78. 7. 6, was escorting a convoy of about 50 various Landing Ship types (LSTs, LSMs, LCTs) with 12 other escorts. At 1059, Renshaw's lookouts sighted a torpedo wake, then a submarine's periscope and part of a conning tower. The Renshaw was attacked by a Japanese Imperial midget submarine off the coast of Siquijor, which caused extensive damage to the ship and killed nineteen of the crew.[5] United States WW2 B-17 pilot Captain Stanley M. Sabihon was born on Siquijor and later raised in Hawaii. He commanded a nine-man B-17 crew in 51 missions over Europe, tallying 280 combat hours, and was the first naturalized citizen from the Philippines to achieve an officer's rank in the U.S. Army Air Corps.[6] In mid-1945, local Filipino soldiers and officers under the 7th, 71st, 75th and 76th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army arrived and liberated the islands of Siquijor alongside the recognized guerrilla fighter groups. Both groups fought side by side against the Japanese Imperial forces at the end of World War II. On September 17, 1971, Siquijor became an independent province by virtue of Republic Act No. 6398.[7] The capital, formerly Larena, was transferred to the municipality of Siquijor in 1972 with Proclamation No. 1075. Political subdivisions

Siquijor is subdivided into 6 municipalities. Siquijor is the capital and most important port. Six municipalities comprise the province.

Enrique Villanueva Larena Lazi Maria San Juan Siquijor