The Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape is a protected landscape area of forested limestone hills, grasslands and natural springs in the island province of Bohol in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines . It is the largest remaining tract of natural forest in Bohol and one of the Philippines' top birdwatching sites. The park was initially gazetted a national park in 1987 covering approximately 9,023 hectares (22,300 acres). In 2000, it was reestablished as a protected landscape under the National Integrated Protected Areas System covering its present area of 10,452.6 hectares (25,829 acres). The park is one of the island's major tourist attractions located just south of the famous Chocolate Hills . It was named after the Bohol chieftain who entered into a blood-compact with Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi on the island in 1565.
22-473: The Rajah Sikatuna park occupies the low mountain range in the south of Bohol island which corresponds geographically with the municipalities of Carmen , Sierra Bullones , Garcia Hernandez , Valencia , Dimiao , Bilar , Loboc and Batuan . It is characterized by rolling hills with remnants of natural forest on steep limestone terrain surrounded by plantation forest, denuded hills and grasslands. The park has an average elevation of 400 metres (1,300 ft) and
44-589: A barangay government is the mandate of the mayor and the Sanggunian of the component city or municipality of which the barangay in question is a part. Provinces are classified according to average annual income based on the previous 4 calendar years. Effective July 29, 2008, the thresholds for the income classes for cities are: A province's income class determines the size of the membership of its Sangguniang Panlalawigan , and also how much it can spend on certain items, or procure through certain means. When
66-511: A camping area and a swimming pool. At the summit of Bilar Peak, an observation tower has been constructed providing panoramic views of the park and surrounding countryside, including the nearby island of Panglao and even Cebu . Near the park's entrance is a tunnel that leads to Magsaysay Park, a cleared area situated next to a ranger station and the Logarita spring. The park charges an entrance fee of P100. The Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape
88-487: A major geographic landmark in Carmen. The origin of its name comes from the fact that the hills turns brown in the hot summer days. Carmen is 59 kilometres (37 mi) from Tagbilaran . Carmen is politically subdivided into 29 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios . Poverty incidence of Carmen Source: Philippine Statistics Authority Philippine Province In
110-482: A patron saint as well as a Spanish name, who are celebrated in an annual barangay fiesta. In World War II, Carmen served as the stronghold of the guerrilla resistance movement and the local civil government because of its strategic location. In 2013 a magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook Central Visayas region, with its epicenter within Carmen municipality. Carmen is located in the heart of Bohol Island. The Chocolate Hills , composed of 1,776 cone-shaped karst hills, are
132-506: Is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bohol , Philippines . According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 49,191 people. Carmen celebrates its fiesta on January 17, to honor the town patron Saint Anthony de Abbot . Carmen was originally part of the municipality of Bilar and called Imbaya, after the name of a stream in the settlement. During the Spanish time, it was inhabited by not more than fifty families. In 1868,
154-852: Is an important bird area being home to over 120 bird species, many of which are endemic to the Philippines, which include the endangered streaked reed warbler and Philippine cockatoo , as well as the Philippine hawk-eagle , Visayan broadbill , Samar hornbill , Mindanao bleeding-heart , Philippine eagle-owl , Philippine oriole , Philippine frogmouth , azure-breasted pitta , rufous-tailed jungle flycatcher , rufous-lored kingfisher , southern silvery kingfisher , yellow-breasted tailorbird , yellow-bellied whistler , black-crowned babbler , Philippine hanging parrot , Philippine fairy-bluebird , Philippine trogon and Philippine leaf warbler . The park also supports six species of large mammals namely,
176-514: Is composed of 60% limestone forest, 15% grassland, 5% plantations, and 10% permanent agricultural areas. It also contains the Bilar Peak, one of the highest in the province at 1,673 feet (510 m) above sea level, as well as 4 mountain springs that supply water to the surrounding communities namely, the Logarita, Anislag, Mabugnao and Aghuban springs. The park has more than 30 kilometers of marked trails for wildlife observation, over 100 caves,
198-465: Is determined by its income class. First- and second-class provinces are provided ten regular SP members; third- and fourth-class provinces have eight, while fifth- and sixth-class provinces have six. Exceptions are provinces with more than five congressional districts, such as Cavite with 16 regularly elected SP members, and Cebu , Negros Occidental and Pangasinan which have twelve each. Every SP has designated seats for ex officio members, given to
220-536: Is elected at an at-large basis and not apportioned through territory-based districts. Those classified as either "highly urbanized" or "independent component" cities are independent from the province, as provided for in Section 29 of the Local Government Code of 1991. Although such a city is a self-governing second-level entity, in many cases it is often presented as part of the province in which it
242-402: Is geographically located, or in the case of Zamboanga City , the province it last formed part the congressional representation of . Local government units classified as "component" cities and municipalities are under the jurisdiction of the provincial government. In order to make sure that all component city or municipal governments act within the scope of their prescribed powers and functions,
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#1732793366498264-737: Is governed by an elected legislature called the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and an elected governor . The provinces are grouped into eighteen regions based on geographical, cultural, and ethnological characteristics. Thirteen of these regions are numerically designated from north to south, while the National Capital Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region , the Southwestern Tagalog Region (Mimaropa),
286-518: Is governed by two main elected branches of the government: executive and legislative. Judicial affairs are separated from provincial governance and are administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines . Each province has at least one branch of a Regional Trial Court . The provincial governor is chief executive and head of each province. Provincial governors are elected to a term of three years and limited to three consecutive terms and appoint
308-659: Is limited by the Philippine Constitution. The President of the Philippines however coordinates with provincial administrators through the Department of the Interior and Local Government . For purposes of national representation, each province is guaranteed its own congressional district . One congressional representative represents each district in the House of Representatives . Senatorial representation
330-884: Is located approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of the island's capital and largest city, Tagbilaran . It is easily accessible via an 8-kilometer road from the Loay Interior Road in Bilar which also leads to the Chocolate Hills, from either the Tagbilaran–Corella–Sikatuna–Loboc Road or the Tagbilaran East Road from Panglao. Carmen, Bohol Carmen , officially the Municipality of Carmen ( Cebuano : Munisipalidad sa Carmen ; Tagalog : Bayan ng Carmen ),
352-670: The Negros Island Region , and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are only designated by acronyms. Each province is a member of the League of Provinces of the Philippines , an organization that aims to address issues affecting provincial and metropolitan government administrations. A provincial government is autonomous of other provinces within the republic. Each province
374-435: The Philippine tarsier , long-tailed macaque , Philippine flying lemur , Malayan civet , Asian palm civet and Philippine warty pig . It is also a habitat of some rodent species, such as the Philippine forest rat , rice-field rat and Mindanao hairy-tailed rat . The more than 100 caves also hold several species of bats and swiftlets . Its forest cover is dominated by native dipterocarp trees such as molave . The park
396-542: The Philippines , provinces ( Filipino : lalawigan or probinsiya ) are one of its primary political and administrative divisions . There are 82 provinces at present, which are further subdivided into component cities and municipalities . The local government units in the National Capital Region , as well as independent cities , are independent of any provincial government. Each province
418-507: The Local Government Code mandates the provincial governor to review executive orders issued by mayors, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to review legislation by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) or Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council), of all component cities and municipalities under the province's jurisdiction. The provincial government does not have direct relations with individual barangays. Supervision over
440-482: The directors of each provincial department which include the office of administration, engineering office, information office, legal office, and treasury office. The vice governor acts as the president for each Sangguniang Panlalawigan ( SP ; "Provincial Board"), the province's legislative body. Every SP is composed of regularly elected members from provincial districts, as well as ex officio members. The number of regularly elected SP members allotted to each province
462-521: The people of Carmen petitioned for its independence since its population grew to an unprecedented number. The town of Carmen was founded on 1 March 1869 by final order of Governor General Jose de la Gandara and renamed at the same time in honor of the Lady of Carmel of Spain. In 1874, Carmen had its separate parish with Father Pedro Nolasco San Juan as the first parish priest. Due to the influence of Spanish culture and tradition, all barangays of Carmen have
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#1732793366498484-476: The respective local presidents of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), Philippine Councilors' League (PCL), and Sangguniang Kabataan ( SK ; "Youth Council"). The vice governor and regular members of an SP are elected by the voters within the province. Ex officio members are elected by members of their respective organizations. National intrusion into the affairs of each provincial government
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