Semirara Island

Last updated
Semirara Island
Semirara island S2-2020.jpg
Composite satellite image of Semirara in 2020
Semirara Island
Geography
Location Tablas Strait
Coordinates 12°03′22.6″N121°23′07.1″E / 12.056278°N 121.385306°E / 12.056278; 121.385306
ArchipelagoCaluya
Area55 km2 (21 sq mi) [1]
Administration
ProvinceAntique
MunicipalityCaluya
BarangaysAlegria
Semirara
Tinogbok
Largest settlementSemirara(pop. 13,605)
Demographics
Population19,934 (2020) [2]

Semirara is an island in the Philippines located in the Caluya archipelago which is situated south of Mindoro Island. It is under the jurisdiction of the town of Caluya in the province of Antique. [3] It is a major site of coal mining in the Philippines. Other economic activities in the island include fishing, seashell gathering, and farming. [3]

Contents

History

A 1905 report documented the island as then being forested, and it was estimated that nearly half the trees were a species of Molave described as "wonderful hard wood", as "scarce along the coasts of the archipelago". This large and readily accessible supply was noted to possibly be of considerable importance. The report also documented a profusionn of wild grapes on the island, describing them as edible and similar in size to the Concord grape. and noting that a large quantity of seeds would be brought a forest reserve facility for experimentation aimed at producing a cultivatable variety. [4]

The island was declared a mineral reservation by President Manuel Quezon in 1940 through Proclamation No. 649. [5] Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SPMC) opened its first coal mine in the island in Unong in 1984 [6] which operated until 2000 and the area's vegetation and lake restored years later. The company then opened several more mines including the Panian Pit which operated until in October 2016 shortly after its coal deposits depleted. [7] SPMC also opened the Narra Pit and the Molave Pit in Semirara Island, both which started commercial operations in the same year. [7] [8]

Administration

Semirara Island is part of the municipality of Caluya in the province of Antique. The island itself consists of three barangays of Caluya: Alegria, Semirara, and Tinogbok. [3]

Geography

Semirara is an island which has a land area of about 55 square kilometers (21 sq mi). [1] The island also has a saltwater lake in its southeastern portion, which was the former site of the Unong mine. A freshwater lake also exists north of the island where the Panian mine used to be. [9]

Coal mining

There are two active coal mines operated by the Semirara Mining and Power Corp. as of January 2020; the Narra Pit and the Molave Pit, both of which are 400 hectares (990 acres) each. [7] Coal in Semirara is characterized as sub-bituminous C coal with a high moisture content based on ASTM. [10]

List of coal mines

Transportation

Semirara has an airstrip which serves chartered flights from Manila. The island is also accessible by boat, specifically from the town of San Jose in neighboring province of Occidental Mindoro. Motorized tricycles also provides a means of land transportation within the island. [11]

Environment

Semirara is host to 21 mangrove species which accounts for 60 percent of the total of 35 recorded mangrove species in the Philippines. Waste produced as a byproduct of coal mining in Semirara has been a concern by residents. [12] Waters adjacent to Semirara also host all recorded giant clam species in the Philippines. [1]

The Semirara Marine Hatchery Laboratory was set up in 2010 by SPMC in the island as the marine rehabilitation arm of the company as well as to develop marine-based livelihood for its host communities. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindoro</span> Island in the Philippines

Mindoro is the seventh largest and eighth-most populous island in the Philippines. With a total land area of 10,571 km2, it has a population of 1,408,454, as of the 2020 census. It is located off the southwestern coast of Luzon and northeast of Palawan. Mindoro is divided into two provinces: Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro. Calapan is the only city in the island while San Jose is the largest settlement on the island with a total population of 143,430 inhabitants as of 2015. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea. Mount Halcon is the highest point on the island, standing at 8,484 feet (2,586 m) above sea level located in Oriental Mindoro. Mount Baco is the island's second highest mountain with an elevation of 8,163 feet (2,488 m), located in the province of Occidental Mindoro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulu Sea</span> A sea in the Philippines between Palawan, the Sulu Archipelago, Borneo and Visayas

The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oriental Mindoro</span> Province in Mimaropa, Philippines

Oriental Mindoro, officially the Province of Oriental Mindoro, is a province in the Philippines located on the island of Mindoro under Mimaropa region in Luzon, about 140 kilometres (87 mi) southwest of Manila. The province is bordered by the Verde Island Passage and the rest of Batangas to the north, by Marinduque, Maestre de Campo Island, Tablas Strait and the rest of Romblon to the east, by Semirara and the rest of Caluya Islands, Antique to the south, and by Occidental Mindoro to the west. Its provincial capital Calapan, the only city in the island, is the most-populous in the province, and Mimaropa's regional center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antique (province)</span> Province in Western Visayas, Philippines

Antique, officially the Province of Antique, is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital and most populous town is San Jose de Buenavista. The province is situated in the western section of Panay Island and borders Aklan, Capiz, and Iloilo to the east, while facing the Sulu Sea to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Visayas</span> Administrative region of the Philippines

Western Visayas is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. The region comprises the islands of Panay and Guimaras. It consists of five provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo on Panay, and the island province of Guimaras. The region also includes one highly urbanized city, Iloilo City, which is the largest city and serves as the regional center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caluya</span> Municipality in Antique, Philippines

Caluya, officially the Municipality of Caluya, is a municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 38,908 people, making it the sixth most populous municipality in the province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malangas</span> Municipality in Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines

Malangas, officially the Municipality of Malangas ; Zamboangueño/Chavacano: Municipio de Malangas, is a municipality in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 32,022 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulalacao</span> Municipality in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines

Bulalacao, officially the Municipality of Bulalacao, is a municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 44,366 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindoro (province)</span> Former province of the Philippines

Mindoro was an island province of the Philippines from 1902 to 1950, when it was split into two provinces, Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro. It was located on Mindoro island, Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montenegro Lines</span> Batangas based shipping company

Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc. (MSLI) is a Philippine domestic shipping line based at Batangas City, Philippines. The office is located at Montenegro Corporate office, along Bolbok Diversion Road, Bolbok Batangas City. It operates passenger, cargo and RORO vessels to various destinations in the Philippines under the brands Montenegro Lines and Marina Ferries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine coucal</span> Species of bird

The Philippine coucal is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It is an insectivore.

DMCI Homes, Inc. is the real estate arm of DMCI Holdings through its wholly owned subsidiary DMCI Project Developers, Inc. (PDI). It was incorporated and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on April 27, 1995. It ranked #146 in the Business World Top 1000 Corporations for 2014 and Top 1000 Corporations in the Philippines: Capturing the Big Picture of the Country’s corporate scene cited by BusinessWorld.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coal mining in the Philippines</span>

Coal mining in the Philippines has a long history dating back to the 1800s during the Spanish colonization of the islands. The Philippines consumes more coal than it can produce and coal is the main source of electricity. 20% of the country's coal supply is used by the cement industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gina Lopez</span> Filipino environmentalist and philanthropist (1953–2019)

Regina Paz "Gina" La'o Lopez was a Filipino environmentalist and philanthropist who served as Secretary of the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in an ad interim basis under the Duterte administration. She was previously the Chairperson of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission under two consecutive administrations. Lopez was also a yoga missionary and a pioneer for corporate social responsibility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mararison Island</span> Island in Antique, Philippines

Mararison, also known as Malalison, is a small island and a barangay in Culasi in the Antique Province, on the island of Panay in the Philippines.

Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC) is a Philippine mining company based at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Metro Manila which primarily mines lateritic nickel ore.

Liwagao Island, also known as Libago Island or Libagao Island, is an island located southeast off the coast of Mindoro and northwest off Panay. The island is a disputed feature between the towns of Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro and Caluya, Antique with the latter exercising de facto administration over the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semirara Mining and Power Corporation</span> Philippines mining company

The Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) is a mining company based in the Philippines. The company, a subsidiary of DMCI Holdings, operates its main coal mine in Semirara Island and is the biggest coal producer in the Philippines accounting for 92 percent of the total national production as of 2015.

MT <i>Princess Empress</i> oil spill 2023 oil spill in the Philippines

On the morning of February 28, 2023, MT Princess Empress sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines, causing an oil spill in the waters of the provinces of Antique, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, and Palawan. En route from Bataan to Iloilo, the oil tanker was carrying 900,000 liters of industrial fuel oil before it sank.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gonzales, Iris (30 April 2017). "Unexpected treasures at Semirara". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  2. Census of Population (2020). Table B - Population and Annual Growth Rates by Province, City, and Municipality - By Region. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Burgos, Nestor Jr. (22 February 2013). "After disaster, Semirara life redefined". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  4. Report of the Philippine Commission to the Secretary of War. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1906. pp.  3-4 . Retrieved 2024-08-16.
  5. Burgos, Nestor Jr. (14 October 2019). "Review Antique islands' mining status, DENR asked". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  6. Inquirer, Philippine Daily (15 February 2013). "In the know: Semirara Mining Corp". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 Rivera, Danessa (18 January 2020). "Semirara to expand coal mine area in Antique". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  8. "Minutes of the Annual Stockholders' Meeting of Semirara Mining And Power Corporation" (PDF). Semirara Mining And Power Corporation. 2 May 2017. p. 3. Retrieved 28 March 2021. ...the Board of Investments approved the registration of Narra and Molave mine projects with full ITH incentives. Both new mines achieved commercial operation last October 2016.
  9. Domingo, Ronnel W. (8 August 2017). "Panian mine rehab efforts on track". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  10. The Current Status of Coal Mining (PDF) (Report). JICA. pp. 59–60.
  11. "EIS Summary For The Public Semirara Coal Mine Expansion Project" (PDF). Environmental Management Bureau. p. ES-2. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  12. "Semirara folk score pollution of coastal resources". GMA News. 28 February 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2021.