Let's Adventure to Mindoro!

Apo’s reef fish can finally breathe easier now that a new resolution has been passed. Starting on the 2nd of October 2007, all extractive activities such as fishing, collection and harvesting of any life form will be completely banned from within the park. Ordinance No. 01 was the Apo Reef Protected Area Managemant Board's (PAMB) first law for 2007 and declares the whole of Apo Reef a ‘no-take zone’ – to allow the reef and its residents ample time to recover from years of fishing.

Mamburao is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro, Republic of the Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Occidental Mindoro. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 30,378 people in 6,259 households.

Mamburao belongs to REGION IV - B (also known as MIMAROPA) by virtue of being a member-municipality of the lone district of Occidental Mindoro. It comprises of 15 Barangays. Mamburao is classified as a 3rd Class, partially urban municipality under the administration of Ex - Mayor Alan T. Aquino.

Our municipality boasts of endless and beautiful shorelines which attracts most of our tourist. A great number of beaches and resorts are secluded in the best spots of our coastline to provide guests the best nature tripping experience our municipality has to offer. Townsfolks also exhibits our famous Filipino heritage of welcoming visitors and tourists. Mamburenyos are so delighted when they are having guest and tourists. Feel the pleasure of staying at Mamburao!

HISTORY

In the heart of the province of Occidental Mindoro, the municipality of Mamburao lies in the level area on the coastal shorelines of the South China Sea and extends far beyond into the interior at the foot mountain. The town is situated along the Mamburao Bay between Tubili point and Mamburao Reef and affords good anchorage. Mamburao River empties into the bay at Southward of Tayamaan and Westward of Balansay. The bay has a good anchorage from northerly and easterly wind, but it is exposed to southwest wind. The Mamburao Reef extends about 3 ¼ miles from Caraoisan point. The first settlement in Mindoro visited by the Spaniards was Mamburao, the Moro strong hold in the island then. On January 1, 1870, Legaspi dispatched his grandson Juan de Salcedo, with Panay forces in fifteen boats they sailed towards Mamburao and destroyed this Mohammedan town and demolished the pirate fort. Juan de Salcedo returned to Panay readily laden with spoils of war and covered with marital glory. On May 3, 1560, Juan de Salcedo and Martin de Goiti join another expedition to Mamburao.

In the early days of Christianity, the village of Mamburao belonged to the third convert district established in Cavite and Mamburao. After which, it became a “Colossal Empire” incorporating three towns and gave birth to the municipality. From the end of the Spanish era to 1902, Sablayan was a barrio of Mamburao. In 1905, Paluan and Abra de Ilog were annexed to Mamburaoas barrios under Republic Act no. 1280. Eventually, those places were created as separate municipalities. In 1949, Sta. Cruz, another barrio of Mamburao, was given an independent status as municipality.

Mamburao’s population at the turn of the century was very sparse due to Muslim invasions and piracy of seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Mamburao itself was made the base Muslim piratical raids of the coastal town of Mindoro, Luzon and Visayas. On the later part of the nineteenth century, migrants from Zambales occupied the locality. At the turn of the century, Tagalogs mostly from Lubang, Looc and Paluan and few from Batangas and Cavite, came to Mamburao.

In 1950, Mindoro province was divided into two, Occidental and Oriental. A year later, Mamburao was chosen the capital town of Occidental Mindoro. It begun to progress gradually in the field of agriculture which include fishing and grazing.

At present, Mamburao constituted of diverse culture, language and religious practice.