Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro

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**Municipality of Abra de Ilog**
Location
Map of Occidental Mindoro showing the location of Abra de Ilog.
Government
Region	MIMARO (Region IV-B)
Province	Occidental Mindoro
District	Lone District of Occidental Mindoro
Barangays	9
Income Class:	4th class municipality
Founded	1902
Mayor
Official Website	elgu2.ncc.gov.ph/caintarzl
Physical characteristics
Area	533.70 km²
Population Total (2000) Density	22,212 41.6/km²

Abra De Ilog is a 4th class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 22,212 people in 4,590 households.

[edit] History

Abra de Ilog was formerly a small settlement founded by Spanish religious missionaries sometime in the early part of the 17th century. According to folk history, its former name was Abre de Ilog. The name was derived from the Spanish verb abrir (to open) and the Tagalog noun ilog (river). Later on, the name evolved into its present name: Abra de Ilog, a Chabacano-like terminology which can be loosely translated as yacap ng ilog, or "embrace of the river." This can be attributed to the numerous rivers and creeks that traverses, or "embraces", strategic areas of the municipality.

In 1902, during the American Occupation the town was officially organized. Abra de Ilog's first "municipal president" was Rosaleo Miciano. But with the passage of Republic Act No. 1280 (An Act Reducing the Fifteen (15) Municipalities of Occidental Mindoro into Eight (8) Municipalities) on January 4, 1905, Abra de Ilog was made a barrio of the Municipality of Mamburao.

Five years later, in 1910, Abra de Ilog regained its status as a municipality. On June 13, 1915, the government under US Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison approved Rep. Act 505 creating the "New Province of Occidental Mindoro". This new province comprised the municipalities of Abra de Ilog, Looc, Lubang, Mamburao (now the capital of Occidental Mindoro), Paluan, Sablayan, San José and Santa Cruz.

Today, remote parts of Abra de Ilog is occasionally caught in the skirmish between government armed forces and the communist New People's Army. However, the conflict is much lighter compared to other communist-infested areas of the Philippines.