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GEOGRAPHY
Siocon Municipality is located in the southern part of the province of
Zamboanga del Norte. It lies on latitude 7o36" South, longitude 122o23"
East and 122o5" West. It is situated on the northern quadrant of Region
IX and North of Zamboanga City, the Regional Center. Siocon lies
Southwest of Dipolog City, the Provincial Capital of Zamboanga del Norte
and covers an area of 503.2 square Kilometers and with the latest
population count of 28,196 inhabitants.
SIOCON CHARTER
The local Government of Siocon attained its status as regular Local
Government Unit on December 23, 1936 by virtue of Executive Order No. 77
issued by the Department of Interior, Manila. However, the creation of
Siocon as a municipality duly acknowledged by the people was March 10,
1937. Henceforth, "Araw ng Siocon" is celebrated every 10th of March of
each year. Prior to the creation into an independent municipality,
Siocon was a part of the municipality district of Sibuco where the
president, the forerunner of the Municipality Mayor held office.
In December 18, 1989, pursuant to Batas Pambansa Bilang101, seven (7)
northern barangays were separated and was formed into another
municipality named Baliguian.
The first appointed Municipal Mayor of Siocon was the late Dionisio E. Riconalla. The first elected Municipal Mayor was the late Justiniano P.
Miranda on 1938-1941 and in the election that ensued, then Dionisio E. Reconalla was elected and lay his dedicated service as Municipality Mayor from 1942-1946. After the liberation of independence, service of
local Chief Executive was elected as follows, namely; Gregorio Alano,
1947-1951; Genaro Campaner, 1952-1956, Andres L. Micubo, Sr. 1957-1960, Angel B. Brillantes, 1961-1975 and Dr. Bernardo B. Cabral, from 1976 to
April, 1986. Prior to the election, just after the EDSA Revolution, the
former Chief of Police, Isabelo G. Torrefranca was appointed as
Office-In-Charge. For two months before the 1988 election, Bonifacio
Canama was appointed Officer-In-Charge. The election in 1988, Mrs. Jesus R. Pastor was proclaimed the winner and she finished her three terms =
until May 31, 1998. The 1998 Local election proclaimed Municipal Mayor =
Ceasar C. Soriano as the incumbent Municipal Mayor.
ORCHIDS - SIOCON MUNICIPAL FLOWER
On September 2, 1991, the Legislative Body of this municipality passed
and adopted a resolution adopting ORCHIDS as the Municipal Flower. It
symbolizes oneness. ORCHIDS Flower is composed of white flowers and
green leaves which represent the female populace. Aside from this, it is
a common flower found in this locality.=20
MUNICIPAL TREE
Narra is our national tree, red and white in color is the municipal =
tree. It represents the male populace. It could be found in the forested =
area of Siocon. Narra Timber is commonly found in this municipality and are commonly used as materials in building houses, furnitures, etc.
ANCIENT HISTORY
Ancient relics discovered and attested to the fact that this
municipality has been inhabited long before the coming of the Spaniards.
Some of these links to the past where China wares were excavated at
Kayatian Hill where a church facade was also found by the early
settlers. These settlers are farmers raising such staple crops as rice,
corn, camotes and other products such as abaca and coconut. It is
evident that the first settlers were the Subanons, Maguindanaos and
Kalibugans who occupied the hinterlands while the Tausog lived and
settled along the shorelines.
The inhabitants of this municipality considered Port Sta. Maria as
historical spot whereby Spaniards made their headquarters during the Spanish time.
MEANING OF SEAL
The official Seal of this municipality reflects the four (4) major =
source of income. Rice as one of the major resources considered Siocon
as the rice granary of the southern part of Zamboanga del Norte. With
its location facing the Sulu Sea. The place is an ideal fishing ground
that a fisherman riding his vinta can catch can feed more than enough of
his family. The virgin forest of this municipality where timber abounds
have offered job opportunities to the inhabitants. Siocon municipality
is a coconut producing municipality just like any other municipalities
in Mindanao.
BRIEF INFORMATION OF THE FOLLOWING
Economy
Siocon is primarily aagriculturalmunicipality with farming as the major
source of livelihood and income for the people. It absorbs a
considerable portion of the 70% of the labor force engaged in
agricultural related industries including fisheries, forestry and
hunting. The total agricultural area of 9,735 hectares of the total land
area of 50,320 hectares. This 9,735 hectares can be divided into crop
areas:
1. Rice lands - 2,016.5
2. Corn Land - 1,330
3. Coconut Land - 3,240
4. Vegetable/Fruits - 200.25
5. Other Crops - 2,948.25
Total 9,735.00
Fishing is the next largest source of livelihood in Siocon. There are
about 30 fishpond concessions operating in the area, covering
approximately 240 hectares. The two major types of fishery production in
this municipality are deep sea fishing and sustenance fishing.
The total Forest land in Siocon is 40.428 hectares. This constitute
80.34% of the municipal land area of 50,320 hectares.
Health Services
The health and medical problems of the municipality of Siocon is
primarily attended by the Siocon Health District Services. The said
hospital has twenty five (25) bed capacity. It's Medical Staff included
two (2) Physicians, seven (7) nurses and four (4) attendants. One(1)
private clinic is found here in Siocon owned by Dr. Bernardo B. Cabral
and Dr. Monina Cristina . Cabral. They are catering the needs of general medicine and pediatrics.
Aside from the above mentioned, the health needs of the municipality is
also being taken cared of by the Rural Health Unit which has one (1)
Main Health Unit is manned by a municipal Health Officer, one (1) Public
Health Nurse, six (6) Rural Health Midwives, one (1) Dentist, one (1)
Dental Aide, and one (1) Sanitary Inspector.
There are four (4) drugstores in the municipality: one (1) Hospital
Pharmacy and three (3) Private Pharmacies.
Sports Facilities
A Gymnasium is located in the Poblacion, which although unfinished has
been the vessel of numerous basketball leagues, social activities and
cultural presentations. It has a capacity of around 1,4000 spectators.
Playgrounds
Within the public plaza in the Poblacion is a multi-purpose pavement
with the tennis court, volleyball and basketball court. Practically, all
the barangays utilize their multi-purpose pavements as basketball courts, school grounds and serve as community playgrounds.
Protective Services
This municipality has a total PNP force of thirty two (32) policemen.
It has one (1) Police Headquarter complementing the police force in the
maintenance of peace and order in the area in the 3rd District PNP
Mobile Force, 33rd Army Battalion and several CAFGUs.
There are at least seven (7) firemen to cope with fire incidence in the
municipality.
Welfare Services
The welfare service needs of the people of this municipality is primarily served by the municipal social welfare and development.
Civic and Religious Associations
The inhabitants of this municipality is predominantly Roman Catholic followed by Protestants, Aglipayan, then Seventh Day Adventist and Islamic Religion.
Mode of Transportation
Siocon has 44 Kilometers Provincial Roads, 2 kilometers Barangay Roads,
14.645 kilometers Municipal Streets and 2.735 kilometers are concreted =
roads. The most common and popular means of land transportation in the =
municipality is the tricycle.
It is estimated that there are approximately 200 units of motored tricycle plying the Poblacion and nearby barangays. To barangays that do
not have roads, however, bull carts are still used by the people. Single motorcycles commonly known as habal-habal are also used in commuting from barangays. Water transportation is accessible in going to this municipality. During good weather condition, launches that ply the Siocon-Zamboanga and vice versa route will only unload at Port. Sta.
Maria, a newly completed 9x35 meters port located at Sta. Maria about 10 kilometers from Poblacion, Siocon.
Communication Facilities
1. The Municipalities of Siocon has one (1) government postal service =
station under the Bureau of Post.
2. There is one telegraphic service station which cater the needs of =
the constituents, the government owned Bureau of Telecomunication.
3. There are also single side band radios at the National Food Authority, Siocon District Health Hospital and the Philippine National Police.
4. There are at least 45 band held radios or ICOM, privately owned by the REACT and SMART and Local Government heads of offices and legislative body members. The extent of the communication is within Siocon only.
5. There is one Cable Station: The Siocon Cable Corporation with five (5) channels direct from Manila: Channel 2, 4, 7, 11 and 12.
Other Recreational Facilities
1. Cockpit -one of the major recreational activities during Saturdays and Sundays.
2. Betahouses- There are six (6) betahouses operating in this municipality.
3. Park - The town plaza serves as park for people who would like to
At present, no hotels, only lodging house or pension house is available in this municipality, however, private houses or residential homes can accomodate visitors or guests.
Topography
The topographic features of the municipality range form plain to nearly
Geology
Spreading within the geologic structure are the metamorphic supertine
schist, genesis and quartsite rocks. The volcanic rocks consisting of
basalt, tuff and agglomerate overlie the metamorphic rocks. These
sediments are interbedded in the coastal areas. The sedimentary rocks
formation that overlie the basement complex are thinly bedded,
suggesting low suitability alluvium which overlies limestone and loosely
consolidated formation with sand, gravel and clay. The attitude of the
bed generally plays north to northwest parallel with the coastline.
Climate
The municipality of Siocon like most of the municipalities of the
province of Zamboanga del Norte belongs to the fourth type of climate,
mild and moderate where rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the
year. There are two pronounced season in the municipality: the wet
starts from January to May. The highest rainfall was recorded in the
month of June at 68.1 mm and the lowest at 64.4mm. The average rainfall
therefore, is 66.3 mm. Fortunately, the municipality does not fall on
the typhoon belt and seldom experienced heavy floods.
Siocon including the whole of Zamboanga del Norte, being located at the
western part of Mindanao is paved by the country's tropical cyclones.
The recorded temperature of the municipality ranged from 26.4 degree
centigrade to 28.7 degree centigrade with January and May as the lowest
and highest recorded temperature respectively. As to its relative
humidity, the highest was on the month of November at 89% and the lowest is in January, March and April at 80%.
Demography
The 1995 Census on population showed that the municipality of Siocon has registered a population of 28,196 which constitute only 3.92% of the =
total population of the province of 676,024. Record shows that Barangay Poblacion Barangay Molambuhangin has the highest and lowest population respectively.
People
Its people consist of three groups, Christians, Muslims and Subanon. There are 18,243 Christians, 7, 692 Muslims and 2, 258 Subanuns (NCSO 1995). Christians contributes only 64.7% Muslims 27.28% and Subanuns
8.01% to the total population of the municipality. The people took along with them their local customs and practices, with in a large measure
enrich the cosmopolitan and multitribunal cultures being people together
in the new home of municipality of Siocon. Traditionally, the Christian people live in the lowland area to manage their lowland farming, trade
and commerce, then Subanen settled in the hinterlands, developed the upland farming as their main source of livelihood, and most of the muslim people live in the coastal area to concentrate on fishing
activities.
Among this three groups of people Cebuano (Visayan) language is predominantly spoken which is about 58.13 of the municipality's total population, then followed by Tausog 13.14% and Maguindanao of 11.60%
About 64.77%of the people in the municipality are Christians divided among religious such as Catholic, Protestants, Seventh Day, Adventist, Iglesia Ni Kristo, Jehova's Witness, Aglipays Alliance and the Assembly
of God.
Natural Resources
Forestry
The total forest and watershed area in the municipality as gathered from the Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
is 32, 605 hectares; 20, 699 hectares for unclassified public forest;
850 hectares for swamp and marshes; 8, 147 hectares for alienable and disposable land and there is no commercial forests as of the moment. Siocon has only one forest licensee or concessionare which is operating
on there public land with timber under depterocarp specie. Based on
records and on actual survey, the municipality still have the potential forest products although most of the portion of the forest were already
distroyed by Kaingineros.
Minerals
Just like in any areas of the country where minerals are abundant, the municipality has its mineral deposit which is found to be of commercial quantity. Coal is the major type of mineral deposit that is found and is presently the object
of interest for a large scale of exploitation.
Small scale mining exploitation of gold is now operated in the eastern
part of this municipality particularly in Sitio Canatuan and some
portion of Guinabokan, barangay Pisawak and Candiz. These barangays have
experienced a high influx of people coming from different places just to
earn their living through small scale mining. This potential mining area
has not been connection by roads from the Poblacion of this
municipality. People in this area transport their food supply by means
of a horse or some others got their supply from the Municipalities of
Tungawan and R. T. Lim Zamboanga del Norte which are found to be very far from that place. Small scale mining contributed much on the taxes
collected by this municipality.
Exploitation of these minerals is the past years has been hampered by the peace and order condition in the area. Other deposits such as silica
and lime stone can also be found in some area of the municipality.
Marine
Deep sea and sustenance fishing are the two major types of fishery resources in the municipality in the fishing grounds of Siocon Bay, Panubigan, A. L. Micubo, Sr., Latabon, Sta. Maria and Molambuhangin. These areas have proven to be rich of tuna, cravella, oceanic, bonito,
sailfish, skipjack, spanish mackerel, grouper, snapper, ceanic, spotted pomadasid, acolopsid, theraponid, nemipterid, strip rudder fish, javan saganid, alip mouth, spotted moon fish, round sead, two - finned rudder thread fish, barracuda, garfish, half - break, long eyed soad, stripped mackerel, Indian sardines, anchovies, Flying fish and other bethnic fishes. Fresh water catfish
striated murrel are to non - common species
caught in island fishing. Other marine products which have become the
sources of livelihood of hinterlanders are abalones lobsters, crabs and
oysters.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the dominant sector in the municipality's economy. The Municipality was able to produce a surplus in the net production of rice
and corn. But other crops, such as mango, vegetables, root crops and
other fruits could hardly meet the needs of the populace due to lack of applied modern technology in farming and the area was not extremely utilized in the planting of such crops. Production of coconut should be increased so that it can supply the demand of the newly operated oil
mill at the Municipality of Sirawai, a neighboring municipality of Siocon.
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