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55-476: Gigmoto is 51 kilometres (32 mi) from Virac . The name "Gigmoto" originated from the Bicol word himbot that means “just in time”. This is supposedly related to the romantic venture of a young man from Baras seeking to court a maiden from the town of Viga. Competing with several other suitors, the man traveled northbound to win the love of the maiden. He was overtaken by the night, so he slept in that place. In

110-720: A Japanese word, the “H” was changed to “G” – thus the name Gigmoto. The first families to settle there were the Tanaels, followed by the Dayawons, both from Baras. The Tolledos, the Tatings and the Tatads came next. Other families from Baras, Bato and from the town of Virac had come and ultimately made Gigmoto the biggest barrio of the Municipality of Baras. The town was created from the barrios of Sicmil and Sioron from Viga and

165-579: A consequence of the rapid development of Southeastern Luzon initiated by the Malay settlers. Virac, the capital town of the island province of Catanduanes, started its primitive annals in pre-Spanish times when tribal chieftain Lumibao, scion of Datu Dumaguil who came to the Philippines with the 10 Bornean datus and his wife Milbigan settled near Vidak spring and founded the first civilized settlement with

220-704: A policy to end the method in the state. Some American civilizations, like the Maya, have used slash-and-burn cultivation since ancient times. American Indians in the United States also used fire in agriculture and hunting . In the Amazon, many peoples such as the Yanomami Indians also live off the slash and burn method due to the Amazon's poor soil quality . Slash-and-burn techniques were used in northeastern Sweden in agricultural systems. In Sweden,

275-414: A ring of bark completely around the trunk of coniferous trees like pine or spruce or felling them, allowing them to dry, setting fire to the dried forest and growing crops on the fertile ash-covered soil. The resulting ash was highly fertile, but only for a short period. The clearing was initially planted to rye as soon as the ash had fully settled and sufficiently cooled. When the rain came, it packed

330-515: A score of servant followers and their wives. It was the Spanish conquistador Juan de Salcedo who first brought Spanish galleons to the waters of Catanduanes in 1573. His purpose then was to capture and punish pirates who carried on their nefarious trade in Camarines Sur , Sorsogon and Western Catanduanes. His galleon returned a few weeks later – this time, his mission was to spread

385-403: Is a farming method that involves the cutting and burning of plants in a forest or woodland to create a field called a swidden . The method begins by cutting down the trees and woody plants in an area. The downed vegetation , or "slash", is then left to dry, usually right before the rainiest part of the year. Then, the biomass is burned, resulting in a nutrient-rich layer of ash which makes

440-480: Is bounded on the east and south by the Pacific Ocean and Bato town, on the north by high and green mountain ranges of San Miguel , and on the west by the gently rolling hills of San Andres . Virac has a Type II climate. It has no dry season and an average precipitation of between 2,500 and 3,000 millimetres (98 and 118 in) annually. Virac's position in the middle of the typhoon belt means that it

495-448: Is heavily affected by typhoons from July to October. The region's dependence on agriculture means that economic development has always been hampered by these weather disturbances. Virac is politically subdivided into 63 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios . The growth of Virac in terms of governance peaked in 1972. From the original 34 barangays in 1960, Virac established 29 new communities to increase

550-446: Is most unsuitable for the production of cash crops . A huge amount of land, or a low density of people, is required for slash-and-burn. When slash-and-burn is practiced in the same area too often, because the human population density has increased to an unsustainable level, the forest will eventually be destroyed. Tribal groups in the northeastern Indian states of Tripura , Arunachal Pradesh , Meghalaya , Mizoram and Nagaland and

605-748: Is now the municipal building and the Virac Parish Church area. On February 8, 1945, the battle started at Km. 4 at Barangay Calatagan at about 12 noon, and ended with the Filipino guerrillas of the Catanduanes Liberation Force taking full control of the Japanese barracks. On April 20, 1945, Florencio Tacorda, the only three-term municipal president, some two and a half decades before the war, was designated mayor of Virac. He served for six months and twenty-five days during

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660-637: Is the single biggest monocrop culture planted in an aggregate area of 1,019 hectares, which is about thirty three percent of the total lowland agricultural land area. Three hundred seventy five hectares are devoted to vegetables production. Upland farms are essentially utilized for cash crops such as abaca, tubers and coconut. Vegetables and other food crops are raised in the low lands on mostly seasonal basis. For 2011, annual harvests approximate 7,849 MT of palay, 3.00 MT of vegetables, 59.75 MT of corn, 7.98 MT of root crops, 1.6 MT of legumes and other perennial crops 5.445MT. Unprocessed abaca fiber and copra represent

715-481: The Bangladeshi districts of Rangamati , Khagrachari , Bandarban and Sylhet refer to slash-and-burn agriculture as podu , jhum or jhoom cultivation. The system involves clearing land, by fire or clear-felling, for economically important crops such as upland rice , vegetables or fruits. After a few cycles, the land's fertility declines and a new area is chosen. Jhum cultivation is most often practiced on

770-708: The Old Norse word sviða , which means "to burn". This practice originated in Russia in the region of Novgorod and was widespread in Finland and Eastern Sweden during the Medieval period. It spread to western Sweden in the 16th century when Finnish settlers were encouraged to migrate there by King Gustav Vasa to help clear the dense forests. Later, when the Finns were persecuted by the local Swedes, svedjebruk farming

825-524: The United States and fled to the mountains. In the later part of 1898, when Don Leon Reyes was the incumbent Capitan Municipal [town mayor] of Virac, the revolutionary troops who refused American Administration, came down from the mountains to rally for the common cause. Don Leon Reyes readily welcomed the revolutionists and financed their cause in fighting the Americans. This state of affairs

880-421: The soil fertile , as well as temporarily eliminating weed and pest species . After about three to five years, the plot's productivity decreases due to depletion of nutrients along with weed and pest invasion, causing the farmers to abandon the field and move to a new area. The time it takes for a swidden to recover depends on the location and can be as little as five years to more than twenty years, after which

935-585: The 2020 census, it has a population of 76,520 people. It is most populous and fifth largest in land area in Catanduanes. Civilization first touched the island province of Catanduanes in the thirteenth century, with the arrival of the scions of ten Bornean datus who were then traversing through the islets of the Philippine Archipelago . By the middle of the fourteenth century, organized communities could be seen throughout Catanduanes –

990-481: The 2020 census, the population of Gigmoto was 8,712 people, with a density of 48 inhabitants per square kilometre or 120 inhabitants per square mile. Poverty incidence of Gigmoto Source: Philippine Statistics Authority Virac, Catanduanes Virac , officially the Municipality of Virac , is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Catanduanes , Philippines . According to

1045-417: The Amazon, are nutritionally extremely poor, slash-and-burn is one of the only types of agriculture which can be practiced in these areas. Slash-and-burn farmers typically plant a variety of crops, instead of a monoculture, and contribute to a higher biodiversity due to creating mosaic habitats. The general ecosystem is not harmed in traditional slash-and-burn, aside from a small temporary patch. This technique

1100-640: The Catholic faith. While at bay, the port guard saw smoke rising from the mountain Eli . After dropping anchor, the Spaniards tracked down footprints from the shore which reached a sitio called Vidak. They eventually came upon a large kaingin in Timbean, situated between the barangays of Danicop and Calatagan. The chieftain of the village had his hut built a little above a spring which still exists today. There

1155-612: The Philippine Civil Affairs Unit regime. From 1958 to 1970, Salvador Surtida took over followed by Jorge Arcilla from 1970 to 1986, two of the longest reigning local executives in the history of Virac. This period witnessed the ascendancy to national prominence of the Alberto brothers, Juan, Jose and Vicente, who brought progress and influenced the massive physical transformation of the municipality when Salvador Surtida and Jorge Arcilla were mayors. Foremost among

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1210-422: The ash around the rye. The rye germinated and grew prolifically, with anywhere from 25 to 100 stalks (or straws), each with multiple grains. Only two tools were required, the axe and the sickle. The axe cut the trees to start the cycle. When the rye had ripened, it was harvested with a sickle , which could reach among the rocks and stumps where a scythe would have been ineffective. In the second and third year

1265-651: The bank of Macacao, was converted to Christianity with the name of Mariano. Records regarding the Christianization of Virac were lost, reportedly due to vandalism by the Moros . The history of this capital town began to be accurately recorded only from the year 1755. Moros from Mindanao conducted raids on Catanduanes. Knowing the strength of the coastal batteries of the Virac harbor, the vintas divided into groups and landed at various places or points farther from

1320-572: The barrios of San Vicente, Gigmoto, Biong and Dororian from Baras . On June 15, 1951, the government officials for the newly created town were appointed by the then Congressman Severiano de Leon who authored the bill creating the municipality with the approval of President Elpidio Quirino . Mr. Juan Q. Sarmiento who happened to be the first public school teacher became the first mayor with Andres Dayawon as Vice Mayor. Messrs. Maximo Tapalla, Apolinar Tatad, Marcelino Dayawon and Apolinar Joson were then appointed municipal councilors. Mr. Candido Tuboro became

1375-516: The border area, but did not do so because it was judged they were too poor to survive if evicted. This type of agriculture is discouraged by many developmental or environmentalist organisations, with the main alternatives being promoted are switching to more intensive , permanent farming methods, or promoting a shift from farming to working in different, higher-paying industries altogether. Other organisations promote helping farmers achieve higher productivity by introducing new techniques. Not allowing

1430-443: The burnt trees help farmers by providing nutrients for the soil. In low density of human population this approach is very sustainable but the technique is not scalable for large human populations. A similar term is assarting , which is the clearing of forests, usually (but not always) for the purpose of agriculture. Assarting does not include burning. Historically, slash-and-burn cultivation has been practiced throughout much of

1485-532: The exception of the unused 11.2 hectares in Palnab classified as industrial area in the 1978 Official Land Use Plan and the 20-hectare declared site of the proposed Provincial Agro-Industrial Center at Casoocan. Manufacturing and processing activities are dominated by micro-industry enterprises. Of the existing industries, furniture making, being primarily wood-based, faces the gravest threat of extinction due to global concern for forest protection and conservation. Rice

1540-420: The field would be sown with turnips or cabbages . It then might be grazed for several years before being allowed to return to woodland. Svedjebruk required felling new forest and burning a new area every year. It was necessary to allow the former fields to regrow with forest for 10–30 years before repeating the cycle. As a result, the dwellings were often many kilometers from the fields. Furthermore, since

1595-460: The first municipal treasurer. Fr. Andres Tablizo was the parish priest and Mr. Serafin Rodulfo was the first principal. Gigmoto is politically subdivided into 9 barangays .   Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios . Gigmoto has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round and with extremely heavy rainfall from October to December. In

1650-604: The first president of the First Philippine Republic took his oath of allegiance to America after losing in the Philippine–American War , a battleship dropped anchor in Virac. The American soldiers were on a mission to expedite the surrender of the local Revolutionists or Katipuneros . Not eager to relinquish their hard-fought freedom, the Katipuneros refused to recognize the sovereignty of

1705-451: The former field. After a few decades, another family or clan may then use the land and claim usufructuary rights . In such a system there is typically no market in farmland, so land is not bought or sold on the open market and land rights are traditional. In slash-and-burn agriculture, forests are typically cut months before a dry season. The "slash" is permitted to dry and then burned in the following dry season. The resulting ash fertilizes

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1760-682: The helm. The town was once a vicarship of the Archdiocese of Caceres and later, the Diocese of Legazpi . The patron of the town is the Immaculate Concepcion with the feast day celebrated on December 8. Poverty incidence of Virac Source: Philippine Statistics Authority The economy of Virac is sustained primarily by agriculture - the farming of rice , corn , bananas and root crops . The production of copra and abaca also provide additional income for

1815-635: The major export products. In 2012, Virac's locally generated income reached ₱ 32.6 million, with total income (including IRA) at ₱ 117.9 million. The five major income sources: Virac is served by the Virac Airport . The town also has a seaport, with daily ferry trips from Tabaco City, Albay . Provincial buses coming from Metro Manila often board ferries bound for Catanduanes, either going directly to Virac or passing through neighboring San Andres . Kaingin Slash-and-burn agriculture

1870-659: The many infrastructure projects were the Catanduanes State Colleges and the Eastern Bicol Medical Center which made Virac a major educational and health center in the Bicol Region. The growth of Virac in terms of governance peaked in 1972. From the original 34 barangays in 1960, Virac was able to establish 29 new communities to upgrade to the present composition of 63 barangays. The EDSA Revolution in 1986 that toppled down

1925-552: The more than two decades of Marcos regime had a domino effect on the political structure of Virac. The replacement of the elected officials by appointed officials was in accordance with the Freedom Constitution which predominated during the revolutionary government from 1986 to 1992. Rodulfo Sarmiento, a doctor by profession, led the municipal government. The early nineties saw the alternate changing of local governance between Rodulfo Sarmiento and Jose "Cito" Alberto II,

1980-470: The morning he proceeded to Viga, arriving there just before nightfall. After staying for a period of time in Viga, the man from Baras won the heart of the woman. When the lovers were bound for Baras, they stayed overnight at Gigmoto – “just in time” for their first romantic night of being together. As years went by Himbotan was changed to Higmoto. Years thereafter, believing that with the “H” Higmoto seemed to be

2035-432: The natives with gesture of friendship. A piece of "onchita" was offered to the chieftain as a gift; but this was rejected by the chieftain when his wife said “we have many pieces of gold in our kingdom”. A silver piece was next offered, but this was similarly rejected by the chieftain and his wife. Reaching for some refined sugar , the Spaniards let the natives taste the sweetness of the substance. The chieftain's wife liked

2090-407: The number of barangays to the present 63 barangays. In the 2020 census, the population of Virac was 76,520 people, with a density of 500 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,300 inhabitants per square mile. Catholicism is a deeply rooted institution in this town with 98% of the people embracing the faith. Virac is the seat of an independent diocese with Bishop Luisito Audal Occiano , D.D., at

2145-465: The people. Its annual income in 1979 was a little more than ₱ 980,000.00 and the projected income for 1990 is more than a million pesos. Fishing is also an essential industry, together with mining and lumber . Lately, some home industries have been established while other sources of income are business and employment from the government and private sectors. This capital town has a total land area of 0.30 hectares devoted to industrial undertakings with

2200-426: The plot can be slashed and burned again, repeating the cycle. In Bangladesh and India , the practice is known as jhum or jhoom . Slash-and-burn is a type of shifting cultivation , an agricultural system in which farmers routinely move from one cultivable area to another. A rough estimate is that 250 million people worldwide use slash-and-burn. Slash-and-burn causes temporary deforestation . Ashes from

2255-585: The practice is known as svedjebruk . Telkkämäki Nature Reserve in Kaavi , Finland, is an open-air museum where slash-and-burn agriculture is demonstrated. Farm visitors can see how people farmed when slash-and-burn was the norm in the Northern Savonian region of eastern Finland beginning in the 15th century. Areas of the reserve are burnt each year. Svedjebruk is a Swedish and Norwegian term for slash-and-burn agriculture derived from

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2310-481: The process was man-power intensive, extended families tended to work together and live in compact communities. The svedjebruk farming approach required a large area. When forest was plentiful, the Finns were very prosperous. As population grew and restrictions were placed on the forest which could be burned, it became increasingly difficult. By 1710, during the conflict with Sweden, because of their suspect loyalties Norwegian authorities considered expelling them from

2365-488: The range of the coastal batteries. Some landed at Cadaculaan and others way out to points east and west of Virac. Don Matias Soliman, a famous Moro fighter, engaged in battle and killed a Moro Datu named Mohammed Abu after a bloody encounter in sitio Hopog of Barrio Santo Domingo, Virac. He was aided by the swift-handed and hoarse voiced Don Alipio Alejandro alias Paas. The non-Christian invaders were superior in arms and number until Don Alipio, with an exotic force, turned

2420-436: The slashed vegetation to burn completely and ploughing the resultant charcoal into the soil ( slash-and-char ) has been proposed as way to boost yields. Promoters of a project from the early 2000s claimed that slash-and-burn cultivation could be reduced if farmers grew black pepper crops, turmeric, beans, corn, cacao, rambutan and citrus between Inga trees, which they termed ' Inga alley cropping '. A method of improving

2475-427: The slopes of thickly-forested hills. Cultivators cut the treetops to allow sunlight to reach the land, burning the trees and grasses for fresh soil. Although it is believed that this helps fertilize the land, it can leave it vulnerable to erosion . Holes are made for the seeds of crops such as sticky rice , maize, eggplant and cucumber. After considering jhum ' s effects, the government of Mizoram has introduced

2530-440: The soil and the burned field is then planted at the beginning of the next rainy season with crops such as rice, maize, cassava, or other staples. This work was once done using simple tools such as machetes , axes , hoes and shovels . This system of agriculture provides millions of people with food and income. It has been ecologically sustainable for thousands of years. Because the leached soil in many tropical regions, such as

2585-479: The son of Congressman Jose Alberto. The municipality of Virac occupies the southern tip of the island province. It has a total land area of 18,778.4 hectares (46,402 acres). Of its total, 9,359.15 hectares (23,127.0 acres) or 49.84% is forestland while 9,419.25 hectares (23,275.5 acres) are classified as alienable and disposable. Almost half of the area is rugged and mountainous, with hills and plains dotted with marshy land, rocky jutting cliffs and crags. The town

2640-571: The southern portion of Virac in the morning of December 12, 1941, while vessels dropped anchor near Nagngangang Buaya Point, Cabugao Bay. At 9:30 in the morning of said day, towns were totally evacuated. Bombs were soon strategically dropped. Later, garrisons were established in town and the municipal building was also used as a garrison. No school was regularly opened during the Japanese Occupation. Guerrilla organizations came and went. The Liberation of Catanduanes took place in what

2695-420: The taste. Thus begun the “sweet” relation between the natives and the Spaniards. Soon after the first encounters, the Spaniards started giving the natives provisions not found in the chieftain's hut, such as more sugar and clothing. After the seed of friendship had taken roots, the Spaniards began spreading their message of Christianity . Lumibao was baptized as Jose and Milbigan as Maria. Their son, who lived at

2750-535: The tide. The Moros could not move further, hence, they retreated in defeat. On the eastern end of Virac, the Moros succeeded in gaining a beach-head in Catanduanes and from there, attacked the town from the east. The Cabeza de Barangay of Francia, Don Pedro Tolentino alias Pantino , lost no time in giving their all against the enemy. This was the first time the people of Virac totally and successfully resisted an organized invasion. A few months after Emilio Aguinaldo ,

2805-479: The woodlands was once a common form of society in European prehistory . The extended family burned and cultivated their swidden plots, sowed one or more crops, and then proceeded on to the next plot. Slash-and-burn fields are typically used and owned by a family until the soil is exhausted. At this point the ownership rights are abandoned, the family clears a new field, and trees and shrubs are permitted to grow on

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2860-865: The world. Fire was already used by hunter-gatherers before the invention of agriculture, and still is in present times. Clearings created by the fire were made for many reasons, such as to provide new growth for game animals and to promote certain kinds of edible plants. During the Neolithic Revolution , groups of hunter-gatherers domesticated various plants and animals, permitting them to settle down and practice agriculture, which provided more nutrition per hectare than hunting and gathering. Some groups could easily plant their crops in open fields along river valleys, but others had forests covering their land. Thus, since Neolithic times, slash-and-burn agriculture has been widely used to clear land to make it suitable for crops and livestock. Large groups wandering in

2915-418: Was a reception hall conveniently shaded by a tree known as sambong . This tree eventually served as the guidon to the couple's place. It is said that the Spaniards could not approach the hut of the chieftain because of three huge fierce-looking dogs and several guards who had their spears drawn toward the foreigners. However, the Spaniards determined to succeed in their mission, returned the threatening acts of

2970-573: Was spread by refugees to eastern Norway , more specifically in the eastern part of Solør , in the area bordering Sweden known as Finnskogen ("the Finnish woods"). The practice also spread to New Sweden in North America. Reinforced by the use of fire in agriculture and hunting by American Indians , it became an important part of pioneering in America. Svedjebruk involved stripping

3025-598: Was tactfully handled by the Capitan who spent almost all of his fortunes for the cause. For his patriotic zeal, he was manacled, chained and sentenced to hard labor by the Americans in 1901. The American occupation ended in 1934 before the establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935. Catanduanes was not spared by the forces of the Kamakura Regiment. Airborne planes were cited at

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