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Tablas Island (Philippines)
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Between Tablas Strait and Sibuyan Sea |
| Archipelago | Romblon Group of Islands |
| Highest elevation | 665 m (2,182 ft) |
| Highest point | Mount Payaopao |
| Country | |
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Philippines
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| Region | IV-B - MIMAROPA |
| Province | Romblon |
| Municipalities | Alcantara, Calatrava, Ferrol, Looc, Odiongan, San Agustin, San Andres, Santa Fe, and Santa Maria. |
| Largest city | Odiongan |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 154,413[1] (as of 01 Aug 2007) |
Tablas is the largest of the islands that comprise the province of Romblon in the Philippines.
Odiongan, on the west central coast of the island, is a major port and the largest municipality of Romblon in terms of population.[1] Tablas is administratively subdivided into the municipalities of Alcantara, Calatrava, Ferrol, Looc, Odiongan, San Agustin, San Andres, Santa Fe, and Santa Maria.
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The island lies about 50 kilometres (31 mi) east from the southern part of Mindoro Island. The northern tip of Tablas is about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Romblon Island. Mount Payaopao (also known as Tablas Summit on old maps) at the northeastern extremity of the island, is the highest peak on the island at 2,182 feet (665 m) high and the second highest in the province (after Mount Guiting-Guiting).[2][3]
A wooded central range of hills traverses the length of Tablas. The west coast is formed by the western slope of the central mountain ridge, which is narrow and well defined. The summits in the middle of the island are 1,600 to 2,000 feet high. In the center of the island is Bitaogan Peak, 2,164 feet (660 m) high, which appears as a rounded knob from east and west and sharp from north and south. Mount Lunas, at the back of Looc Bay, is a black ridge 1,556 feet (474 m) high, long and rounded from east and west and sharp from north and south; with it the range breaks off to the low pass from Looc Bay to the town of Alcantara on the east coast. The southern part of Tablas is a group of many sharp conical hills, all bare and grassy except Malbug Hill, 904 feet (276 m) high, and Calaton Point, 835 feet (255 m) high, on the east coast, which are dark and wooded. The shore line is largely mangrove, with many beaches of coral sand and some limestone cliffs. The shore reef is continuous except off Guinauayan Point.[4]
There is no good natural harbor except Looc Bay, a large indentation on the west side, but sheltered anchorage may be found on either side of the island, according to the season of the year.[4]
Cabalian Point, the southern extremity of Tablas Island, is low and sandy and hard to distinguish at night, a lighthouse was built during the American Colonial period.
Romblon State University is a premier institution for higher education in the MIMAROPA Region. The University has a large campus in Odiongan town and a few more around Romblon province.
Tablas is relatively undeveloped with only light industry. Main occupations are rice farming and fishing. Most college graduates leave Tablas to work in Batangas or further afield.
The Asi language is a Visayan language spoken, along with the Romblomanon and Onhan languages, in the province of Romblon, Philippines.[5] Tagalog is spoken by the locals as the second language. Foreigners are a welcome diversion for college students, who are the main part of the population who can speak English.
Tablas has been little impacted by tourism, accommodations and resorts, though, are available around the island.[6]
Tablas, among its natural attractions, include caves, waterfalls and beaches.
Access to Tablas is usually by ferry from the Port of Batangas City in southern Luzon and disembarking at the Port of Odiongan in Barangay Poctoy.[9]
Montenegro Lines serves Odiongan from the Port of Batangas City six days per week with Roll-on/roll-off vessels, then heading to Romblon Island from Poctoy and returning the next day. Travel time from Batangas to Poctoy takes about 8–10 hours. Travel time from Poctoy Pier to Odiongan town is about 10 minutes by motorcycles. Tricycles are also readily available.
The main commercial airport of the province of Romblon is Tugdan Airport (IATA: TBH – ICAO: RPVU) located in the southeastern coast of Tablas in Barangay Tugdan, in the town of Alcantara, .
From Manila, South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) serves Tugdan, three times a week and Zest Airways, also three times a week.[10][11]
