Amlan started as a settlement before the turn of the 19th century. By 1800, people from the provinces of Cebu and Bohol migrated to the wide fertile valleys of the municipality pursuing the Aetas, its original inhabitants, to the hills.
In 1840, the place was cleared for a community. At that time guavas called “Alman” were found abundant in the place. From the word “Alman” was derived the name “Amlan” for the settlement.
Father Pedro Bracamonte who was then the parish priest of Tanjay came to oversee the settlement and the establishment of the community. For eight (8) consecutive years the settlement was under Tanjay.
The first Parish Priest in Amlan was Father Copaz de Patroceno, who came on August 17,1848. He was replaced on September 18,1851 by Father Matias Villamayor de Antonio who erected the convent the following year. In accordance with the new catalog of 1833, Father Matias changed the surnames of the people in the community.
Father Vilcher, the successor of Father Matias, who came on November 7, 1857 was among the well- loved priests. Active and industrious, he served the town for sometime. Although he died in the Municipality of Tanjay, he was buried in Amlan.
Education of the natives then was under the tutelage of the friars and classes were held in the convent. Among the early native teachers were Maestro Sabel, and Maestro Urliano. During those times the children did nothing during classes except to memorize and recite prayers. Absentees were punished severely by the priest.
The first Captain of Amlan who was noted for his cruelty was Don Juan Soreño. Other captains who had served Amlan were Don Celestino Bandoquillo, Don Marcelo Rabanal, Don Sabino Ybeas and Don Celestino Sedillo.
There was a time when raids by Muslim Pirates, then known as Moros, were frequent. For a warning look out, a tower was built at the convent. At one time, the pirate raids were so frequent that the town seat was moved to an interior barrio now called Guilongsoran. Among the Moro captives were Teniente Anoy, Capitan Patricio Reasol and several others including women.
When the revolution broke out at the turn of the 20th century, Captain Panchong Villamil was appointed Jefe Militar or Military Chief of Amlan.
The Americans began the reorganization of the municipal governments when they took-over the Philippines in the early 1900s.
In 1953, Amlan was split into two and a new town was created which is now the adjacent municipality of San Jose.
Before the war, a government enterprise was established in Amlan called National Coconut Corporation (NACOCO). This was destroyed during the war. After the war, other enterprises were established. They were the Amlan Desiccated Coconut Corporation, the Buswang Salt Factory and the Legarda High School. However, all these ventures did not prosper.
The outstanding landmark in Amlan today is the multi-million hydroelectric plant of the National Power Corporation at Pasalan Falls, Barangay Silab, the TRANSCO power switch board at Tandayag, Amlan that provides power distribution toward Occidental, Negros, even up to Ilo-ilo Island and the submersible power cable to Cebu Island.
Today, although still considered as fourth class town, Amlan continues to grow and contributes to the economic progress of the province with its coconut, sugarcane, and other high value crops like mango. A roro port at Tandayag Wharf that serves traders from Oriental Negros to the Urban Center of Cebu and vice-versa.
The town observes its annual fiesta every 30th of November, the Patron Saint being St. Andrew. On that day, all roads lead to the municipality, as it is a National Holiday, being Andres Bonifacio Day. On the other hand, the town can equal if not excel other municipalities in social as well as in cultural affairs. Modesty aside, Amlan has been chosen as the cleanest and greenest town of the Oriental Negros and certified healthy municipality by the Regional Health Office.
Amlanganon’s favorite dish is Binakhaw-raw fish in a soup of condiments. For liquors, most folks like tuba- the native coconut wine. People in town maintain their love for singing and dancing balitaw.
PHYSICAL FEATURES
Geographic Location
Municipality of Amlan comprises one of the twenty (20) municipalities and five (5) cities in the province of Oriental Negros, which is one of the two provinces of the Negros Island. The island is located south of Manila in a NNE-SSW positions and west south west of the regional capital - Cebu City. The other part of the island, Occidental Negros, belongs to the Western Visayas Region with the former occupying the southeastern and three-fourths of the eastern section of the island. The two provinces are separated on the north and west by a series of rugged mountains. The
province’s southern boundaries are defined by the Mindanao and Sulu Seas, while on the east is the Tañon Strait separating it from Cebu.
Municipality of Amlan is situated on the Eastern coast of Negros Island. It lies 21 kilometers North of Dumaguete City, the provincial capital of Oriental Negros.
Amlan is bounded on the East by Tañon Strait, on the West by the towns of Sibulan and Pamplona, on the South by San Jose, and on the North by Tanjay City.
The municipality, which has eight barangays, lies within geographic polar coordinates between 123º 06” and 123º 15” east longitude and 09º 22” and 9º 29” north latitude. It can be reached through a well - paved national road along the eastern coast of the island from Dumaguete City in 30 minutes.
The town can be also accessed from Cebu by motor boats that ply the Town of Oslob (Cebu Province) - or the Bato,Santander – Tandayag Wharf route.
Climate
The climate in Amlan, like the rest of the cities and municipalities in Oriental Negros, belonged to the third type. This type is characterized by not very pronounced maximum rainfall with a short dry season from one to three months and a wet season of nine to ten months. The dry season starts in February and lasts up to April sometimes extending up to the middle of May. The coolest months are November and December while the hottest is between March and April. The heaviest rainfalls are from June to August and the rest of the year have no pronounced rain period.
The temperature is relatively uniform that ranges from 26.2 to 27.7 degrees centigrade with a maximum of about 34.8° and a minimum of approximately 20.9° centigrade. In 1993, Amlan recorded an annual rainfall of 1,019.35 centimeters from a total of 116 rainy days.
Relative humidity in the province ranges between 77 to 80% with an annual average humidity of 78%. From June to September, the prevailing wind is Southwest Monsoon and from November to February, the prevailing wind is Northeast Monsoon. Variable winds come in the months of March to May.
Typhoons visit the province occasionally. Those that hit the Bicol region or Central Luzon in a northeasterly direction usually raise a storm signal No. 1or does not affect much part of the province at all.
Slope
Amlan is composed of various landforms. These include coastal, alluvial, rolling to hilly, and mountainous areas. Coastal zones are the active tidal flats with nipa, mangrove, and pagatpat vegetation. Alluvial landforms are the level and nearly flat lands fringing the coastal zones, having slopes categories ranging from zero to three percent, with an elevation of five to ten meters above sea level. This slope category covers a little more than 14% of the total land area of the municipality. Rolling and hilly landforms include undulating, gently sloping, rolling and hilly relief. Escarpments, foot slopes, side slopes, river terraces, and in-filled valleys are the major types of rolling and hilly landforms found in Amlan. Rugged high peaks and ridges have slope of forty percent or over and elevated at 200 meters above sea level.
Seventeen percent or about 1,096.3 hectares of the total land area of Amlan has a slope between 0 to 8 percent which are from level to undulating land. These areas are considered highly suitable for the production of annual crops, but also ideal for settlements. Land areas with slopes ranging from 8-18%, which covers 30.90% of the town’s land area, is characterized by moderately sloping to rolling terrain. This type of land can still be cultivated but requires intensive soil conservation measures to abate erosion. Wide areas under this slope category are found in barangays Jantianon and Silab.
These are lands that are hilly to rolling; this type of land is recommended for production forest or commercial tree plantation. Lands bearing this slope are found in the middle portion of the municipality covering large portion of barangay Tandayag.
The remaining portion of land covering about 2,723.74 hectares, representing 41.26 percent of the total land area of the municipality has a slope range of 30 – 50 percent and above. These lands are highly restricted for crop production or animal raising and is recommended for permanent forest cover.
Table 2.1
Land by Slope Category
|
Slope Category |
Area (in has.) |
Percent Distribution |
|
Level to Nearly Level (0-3%) Gently Sloping to Undulating (3-8%) Moderately Sloping to Rolling (8-18%) Strongly Sloping to Moderately Steep (18-30%) Steep Hills and Mountainous (30-50%) Very Steep Hills and Mountainous (50% >) |
939.90 156.40 2,040.93 743.00 1,106.79 1,616.95 |
14.23 2.37 30.90 11.25 16.76 24.48 |
Source: BSWM
Soil Characteristics
Four types of soil cover the lands of Amlan. These soils, which are generally clayey, are the following: Mandaue Silty Clay Loam, La Castellana Clay Loam, Guimbalaon Clay Loam and Hydrosol. The table below describes the aforementioned soils.
Table 2.2
Soil Type Characteristics|
SOIL TYPE |
CHARACTERESTICS |
|
MnGA Mandaue Silty Clay Loam
|
Mandaue silty clay loam is found in the level lands of the municipality. It is predominant in barangays Jugno, Bio-os, Poblacion and covers the low-lying areas of Tambojangin and part of Tandayag. The soil is generally covered with full bearing coconuts. Patches of these areas are also used for residential, the market center, government and learning institutions and the NAPOCOR plant. This type of soil is highly suitable for rice, feed grain, legumes, vegetables and root crops owing to its good filth and moderate fertility level. Percent organic content is adequate as well as sufficient amount of potash element. Soil pH is slightly acidic to near neutral. Phosphorous element is likewise slightly deficient and can be supplied with single element fertilizer (0-20-0) at the rate of 6 bags per hectare. Soil moisture is adequate for corn and feed grain except for lowland rice. |
|
LcHC
|
La Castellana clayloam, 2.0 to 8.0 percent slopes, 214.95 hectares. The single mapping unit is located in the areas of Barangay Siapo. The soil occurs on the gently sloping and gently undulating topography. It is moderately acidic (pH 5.7 – 6.7) with sufficient amount of potash element. Phosphorous is likewise deficient wherein single element fertilizers such as solophos (0-20-0) is highly recommended. Basaltic stones are frequent in the surface about 10 to 25 percent. Corn and feed grain can be grown, however a costly farm labor will be incurred due to the existence of such stone and some boulders on the surface that will obstruct in the land preparation. Planting the area to coffee, cacao, fruit trees along the contour permanently is highly recommended. |
|
LcHD
|
La Castellana clayloam, 5.0 to 8.0 percent slopes. This soil area is mapped in two locations in the municipality. The first mapping unit is located in the mid portions covering some areas of barangays Silab and Jugno. The other unit is located along the boundary of the west covering a greater portion of barangay Jantianon. The topography ranges from gently sloping to slightly rolling with some dissections formed by creeks. The soil is friable clay loam, moderately well drained and moderately acidic (pH 5.5-5.7); stones and rock outcrops are frequent that would cause obstruction in the farming operation. The presence of these rocks and boulders impede the growth of plants thus affecting its yield. |
|
LcHE
|
La Castellana clayloam, 8.0 to 18.0 percent slopes. This is the moderately sloping or rolling soil area occupying portions of barangay Tandayag extending towards barangay Tambojangin. Another small unit is located southwest of Poblacion, Amlan. The soil is shallow, moderately acidic (pH 5.2-5.6), low organic matter content and slightly eroded. Industrial establishments exist and these are confined along the coastal road of municipality.On the other hand, the agricultural crops are marginally cultivated such as corn, legumes and root crops, which are only for household consumption. Some areas are left idle where grasses are grown for pasture. Permanent crops such as fruit trees, coconuts, ipil-ipil are fitted and highly recommended. Cover cropping by colopogonium, kudzu and centrocema is also a must to conserve them from erosion; and to replenish the fertility depleted from erosion and crop removal. |
|
LcHF
|
La castellana clay loam, 18.0 to 25.0 slopes. This is the strongly sloping or strongly rolling type of mapping unit identified in the upper and lower areas of barangay Silab. This includes some embankments and moderate dissections from creek and rivers. The area has a very shallow soil with stones and rocks on the surface. Vegetative growth of coconuts and other plants are retarded and less productive. Owing to such soil limitation planting, of fruit trees is highly recommended to prevent erosion hazards. |
| GbHG |
Guimbalaon clay loam, 25.0 to 40.0 percent slopes. This mapping unit is within the area of the mountainous relief. This covers the steeply rolling and hilly types of landform. Included in this unit are the high embankments form rivers and creeks. The soil is very shallow, rocky and very susceptible to severe erosion. Planting the area to staple crops is not recommended owing to its severe limitations. Planting of fruit trees, ipil-ipil and some forest species are the appropriate vegetations required to maintain and conserve the soil from erosion and denudation. |
|
GbHI
|
Guimbalaon clay loam, 60.0 percent slopes and above. These are mountainous and rugged terrain units located at the farthermost barangay in the municipality located in barangay Silab. This unit includes the moderately dissected high peek, long ridges and steep hills. Presently the area is covered with forest vegetations (primary and secondary) and served as the watershed of the municipality. The hydroelectric power of the NAPOCOR is within this unit. Therefore, kaingin and cutting down of trees and other similar activity in this area is strictly prohibited. Maintenance of this forest zone is a must to maintain the watershed and preserve the ecological balance of nature in the area. |
|
Hydrosol |
Active tidal flats, Nipa, Mangrove, Fishpond. The only kind of landform in the coastal zone vegetated with nipa and some mangroves. Some areas are converted to fishpond and other marine life. These are submerged level land all throughout the year. Drainage, salinity problem, high cost of inputs and labor to reclaim the area are some of the constraints in developing such unit to agricultural development. |
Source: Bureau of Soils, Dept. of Agriculture
Erosion Potentials
By definition, soil erosion, is the process by which soil particles are detached and transported primarily by run off water. The principal factors that affect soil erosion are: character of the soil, slope, vegetative cover and rainfall intensity.
The erosion map obtained from the Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM) illustrates the status and extent of soil erosion in the municipality under the following categories:
Table 2.3
Erosion Potential Categories and Area Covered|
SYMBOL |
DESCRIPTION |
AREA
(In Has.) |
% |
| E0 |
No apparent erosion – Deep to very deep; no occurrence of gullies, rill, sheet and steambank erosion. Land is utilized to planting of major crops such as coconut, paddy rice, corn, sugarcane, and forest and fruit trees. Generally it lies on a level to nearly level slope (0-3%). Areas utilized for mangrove, nipa and fishpond fall under this class. |
174.83 |
2.65 |
|
E1C |
Slightly eroded, cultivated–deep soil; less than 50% of the area is affected with sheet erosion, less than 10% is affected with rill erosion, occurrence of not more than one gully for every 100 meters distance between natural drainage. It lies on gently sloping to undulating slope (3-8%). The area is utilized to planting of major crops such as coconut, corn, paddy rice, banana, sugarcane & root crops. |
5,345.04 |
80.94
|
|
E2C |
Moderately eroded, cultivated – Moderately deep soil; less than 50% of the area is affected with sheet and rill erosion, occurrence of 2-5 gullies for every 100 meter distance between natural drainage; not more than 50% of the area in clean cultivated crops. Generally it lies on a moderately sloping to strongly sloping topography (8-30%) |
1,036.44 |
15.69 |
| EU |
Unclassified erosion – Areas which could not be classified, this includes river wash, built- up areas, quarries, road construction and landslide. |
47.62 |
0.72 |
Source: BSWM
Only a very small portion of the total land area of the municipality is flat. Except for plains along the coastline, the terrain of the municipality is generally hilly and mountainous. There is, therefore a tendency of the soil to be carried down by the water during heavy rains. The silting of waterways, channels, roads and harbors evidenced this. Improper farming practices and indiscriminate cutting of trees on the mountainsides can further aggravate the erosion problem.
Based on the Erosion Map of Amlan, 15.69 percent or about 1,036.44 hectares of the total land area of the municipality is moderately eroded. These areas covered almost the entire barangays of Jantianon and Silab it also affects a large portion of barangay Tandayag, Jugno and Tambojangin. Slightly eroded lands occupy a small portion of barangay Jugno, Tambojangin and Jantianon. On the other hand, areas that have no apparent erosion at all are those, which are found in the low-lying areas of the municipality, these are found in coastal barangays namely, Bio-os, Jugno, Mag-abo, Poblacion and Tandayag.
The table below shows that of the total land area of Amlan, only a little over 2% or about 174.83 hectares has not been affected by erosion. These areas are mostly found along the coastal barangays where slope is generally flat.
The parts most affected by accelerated soil erosion are the upland soils intensively cultivated to clean-tilled crops. Most severe erosion occurs on the Guimbalanon Clay Loam and Castellana Clay Loam. Soil erosion is much worse on steeper slopes where the land is principally utilized as cropland. The Mandaue Clay, and hydrosol soils have, in general, slight to no apparent erosion. All the lowland soils, have good to excellent porosity, which prevents the concentration of run-off soils.
Inland Waterways
The town has two major waterways, the Amlan River and the Bio-os River. Amlan River has its headwaters in barangay Silab and traverses through barangays Tambojangin, Tandayag and Poblacion. On the other hand, Bio-os River originates from barangay Jantianon and flows down through Bio-os and Jugno. Ongon and Naupas creeks serve as tributaries to the Bio-os River.
Aside from these waterways, there are also creeks found in Amlan: Buswang Creek in Bio-os and the Mag-abo creek. The rivers and creeks also serve as the major drainage in Amlan.
