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Bicol at a glance
Composition
A region rich in history and
natural resources, it is the home to the world famous Mayon Volcano.
The world’s almost perfect cone volcano, whose name is derived
from the Bicol word magayon, meaning beautiful. Region V is also
known for its natural resorts, white beaches, butanding and the
water sports complex. Talk about the place of sili (chili), pili
(pilinut), and the Virgin of Peñafrancia (religious festival),
and you will be directed to the Bicol Region. Location and Area The Bicol peninsula is located at the mid-section of the country, situated at the southernmost tip of the Luzon landmass between 11° - 30’ to 14° - 20’ North latitude and 122° - 20’ to 124° - 30’ East longitude. Northwest, it is bounded by Quezon province, East by the open seas of the pacific, Southeast by Samar Sea and Southwest by Sibuyan Sea. The Region has a total land
area of roughly 18,130.4 square kilometers, 6.0 percent of the
country’s total land area. It comprises three major islands
and several islets. Around 68.47% or two thirds of the region’s
land area is part of mainland Luzonn while the rest (555,922
hectares is the combined land area of the island provinces of
Masbate and Catanduanes.Camarines Sur has the largest area with
526,682 hectares or 29.87% of the regional area while Catanduanes
has the smallest with 151,151 hectares or 8.57 percent. Prominent
elevations mark its landmass foremost of which is the famous
Mayon Volcano with an elevation of 2,462 meters above sea level.
Other volcanoes and mountains dominating the countryside are
Mt. Malinao (1,548 meters), Mt. Masaraga (337 meters) and Mt.
Catburawan (473 meters) in Albay; Mt. Isarog (1,966 meters) and
Mt. Iriga (1,143 meters) in Camarines Sur and Bulusan Volcano
(1,560 meters) in Sorsogon. Climate Bicol’s climate is tropical,
with a normal average year-round temperature of 27.4°C to
29.6°C. Two pronounced seasons — dry and wet.The prevailing
types of climate in the region are the second and fourth types.
The second type is characterized by a very pronounced maximum
rainfall (November-January) and no dry season, Catanduanes, Sorsogon,
Eastern Albay and Eastern and Northern Camarines Sur and Camarines
Norte exhibit this weather type. Coconut
Rice
Corn
Abaca Pili Pineapple
Other high value commercial
crops produced include: banana with 5,676 hectares planted with
recorded yield 73,512.08 metric tons; mango, 409.56 ,and coffee
334.57 metric tons. For vegetables eggplant produced recorded
at 6,833 MT, squash 32,957 MT, tomato 3,542MT, ampalaya 2,945
MT, sitao 11,034 MT, gourd 3,309.01MT, pechay 13,752 MT and okra
1,776.60 MT. Livestock and Poultry
Agricultural Input Dealers/Distributors The Seed Quality Control Services of the DA reported a total of 335 registered inbred palay seed growers in the region for 2009 with a total area of 2,141.5 hectares. The province of Camarines Sur has 146 seed growers covering 1,013 hectares followed by Albay with 61 seed growers covering 416.75 hectares and Sorsogon with 28 seed growers covering 317.3 hectares. Meanwhile, the region also registered 22 corn seed growers covering 92 hectares. Meanwhile, the Fertilizer and
Pesticide Authority reported a total of 294 fertilizer, pesticide,
household, wood preservatives dealers in the same year. Likewise,
there were 3 registered pesticide distributors, 6 fertilizer
distributors,.Under the product registration there were 6 organic
fertilizer manufacturer registered. Farm Machineries, Production and Post Harvest Facilities and Irrigation
Farmers Rural Women and
Youth Association Fishery Resources
Meanwhile the fisheries production of the region for 2009 BAS data totalled 273,563.45 metric tons or 3.98% change over that of 2008 ; 65,364.23 for commercial fisheries ; 139,165.3 for municipal fisheries and 69,033.88 for aquaculture. |
Coconut
is predominantly planted in the region. It occupies 447,743 hectares
of the total cultivated area of the region. About 292,671 farmers
are dependent on coconut. The coconut industry contributes 33.4
percent of the regional Growth Domestic Product (GDP).
Grain crops rank second among the agricultural
crops. For 2009, the area harvested to rice is 313,602 hectares.
Of these 206,060 hectares are irrigated and 107,542 are rainfed.
Production of this crop was recorded at 1,045,501 metric tons
of which 739,995 metric tons were produced from irrigated areas
while 305,506 metric tons were produced from rainfed areas. For
the same year, the region obtained an average yield of 3.33 metric
tons per hectare. The province of Camarines Sur has the biggest
rice area with 158,348, hectares. followed by Albay with 48,638
hectares. Masbate ranks third in terms of area devoted to rice
with 39,148 hectares; Sorsogon 33,804 hectares, Camarines Norte
20,671 and Catanduanes 12,993 hectares. 
The
region’s total area planted to both yellow and white corn
for 2009 totalled 106, 715 hectares. Yellow corn produced was
recorded at 146,682 metric tons while white corn recorded a total
of 50,292 metric tons or a total of 197,116 metric tons. The
province of Camarines is still the leading producer of corn in
the region followed by Masbate.
The region’s total area planted
to both yellow and white corn for 2009 totalled 106, 715 hectares.
Yellow corn produced was recorded at 146,682 metric tons while
white corn recorded a total of 50,292 metric tons or a total
of 197,116 metric tons. The province of Camarines is still the
leading producer of corn in the region followed by Masbate.
Pili on the otherhand, is the
region’s flagship commodity under the high value commercial
crops. The region is the largest producer of pili in the country
with an estimated share of 82% domestic production. It has an
existing area of 1,763 hectares with 139,068 bearing trees. The
volume of production for 2009 was recorded at 4,930.59 metric
tons. There are seven NSIC accredited varieties of pili namely:
Magnaye, Orolfo, Laysa, Magayon, Lanuza, Mayon #1, and Mayon
#2 varieties. Likewise 74 promising cultivars/selections were
identified and planted at the DA’s station scion grove.
Pineapple
is another crop Bicol could be proud of. The queen variety of
pineapple noted for its sweet , juicy and crispy taste is grown
abundantly in the province of Camarines Norte. For 2009, about
3,115 hectares were planted to pineapple with a total production
of 109,967 metric tons.
The region’s cattle population
in 2009 was recorded at 82,502 head, hogs with 1,477,641 head,
goat 200,469 head and carabaos with 275,144 head. Meanwhile,
the recorded poultry population in 2009 was 12,024,582 head.
As
of 2009, the Department of Agriculture constructed a total of
135 diversion dams and small water impounding projects in the
region, 1,673 units of shallow tube wells and 37 units pump irrigation
systems in open source. Aside from this, postharvest facilities
were distrbuted this include: 1,202 units of multi-purpose drying
pavement; 89 units mini warehouse; 99 corn shellers; 202 units
threshers; 32 recirculating mechanical dryers; 11 outdoor storage;
164 units flatbed dryers. Under its farm mechanization program
DA was able to distribute 308 units hand tractors; 31 floating
tillers; 15 reapers and 18 unit 4WD tractors.
For
2009 the 4-H club - the youth organization of the region has
108 organized club with a total membership of 3,275 members.
The Rural Improvement Club (RIC) totalled 371 clubs with 9,827
members. There are 9 commodity boards organized in the region
six provincial agriculture and fishery council and 93 municipal
agriculture councils. Meanwhile the BFAR has organized 108 municipal
city and integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management
Committees (FARMCs).
Bicol has 94 coastal municipalities
with 1,067 coastal barangays. The region’s coastline measures
3,116.1 kilometers. It has four major fishing grounds the San
Miguel Bay, Ragay Gulf, Lagonoy Gulf and Sorsogon Bay measuring
a total of 1,666.28 square kilometers. For commercial fisheries
, BFAR has recorded a total of 1,264 licensed fishermen; 139
licensed gears; 250 operators and 389 fishing vessels. Under
the municipal fisheries it has recorded 102,058 fishermen; 20,678
motorized banca, 32,045 non-motorized banca. The fishing gears
commonly used include: bagnets, purse seine, Danish seine trawl
and ring net.