Geo-Physical Environment of Dumalag, Capiz

The physical data includes location, climate, soil, topography, political subdivision, general land use and natural resources.

1. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

As shown in the vicinity map, the Municipality of Dumalag is in Region VI, composed of six (6) provinces of Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique and Guimaras. It is strategically located in the southern interior portion of Capiz Province. It is bounded on the North by the municipalities of Mambusao, Sigma and Dao, on the Northwest, by the Municipality of Jamindan, and on the Northeast by the Municipality of Cuartero, on the East by the Municipality of Dumarao, on the Southwest by the Municipality of Bingawan, Iloilo and on the West by the Municipality of Tapaz. Its exact location is at coordinates 11 degrees, 18 minutes and 4 seconds North Latitude and 122 degrees, 37 minutes and 1.5 seconds North Longitude.

By bus or jeepney, Dumalag is approximately one to one hour and thirty minute drive and runs 45 kilometer distance from Roxas City. It is practically two and a half hour from Kalibo by the same means of transportation.

The municipality is accessible to all kinds of land vehicles. The old national highway which was used to be the main highway going to the province of Iloilo until the super highway in Tinaytayan Dumarao was opened, still serves motorist going to the Municipality of Tapaz and the Northwestern towns of the Province of Iloilo.

Panay River is the only natural barrier, which enters Dumalag from the municipality of Tapaz and passes southward along the eastern portion of the town joining Mambusao River in the municipality of Dao and Maayon. It empties into Sibuyan Sea passing through some 17,000 hectares of rice land and approximately 11,000 hectares of sugar land in the town of Panitan, Pontevedra, Panay and Roxas City. The Panay river including the Pontevedra river have a combined discharge rate of 1, 168 liters per minute.

2. TOPOGRAPHY AND ELEVATION

The Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of the Municipality of Dumalag indicates very clearly the terrain of the town. Unlike Sigma, Dao and Cuartero, the Dumalag topography is mostly hilly. The whole terrain is gently sloping like Tapaz and four hilly peaks are found in San Rafael Mount Agmasibis, San Martin – Mt. Agnato and portion of which is found in Mambusao. Dolores – Mt. Panginhira-on, San Miguel – Mt. Tag-ao and in Sta. Teresa – Mt. Agbadiang extending towards the Municipality of Tapaz.

3. SLOPE RANGE AND AREA COVERED

Generally, the slope range from 10.1 – 15% and over, which cover an area of 4,426.2 hectares or 39.40% of the total land area of the municipality. The lot level areas, slope category which is 0-2.5% in slope is only 18.18% of the total land area that is 1971.2 hectares. Slope Category B – 2.6 – 5% is 2,356.2 hectares or 21.46% and Slope Category C – 5.1 – 10% is 2.325.4 hectares about 21.18% of the total.

Of the 10,979 hectares total land area. Sixty Five Percent (65%) or 3,113 hectares is devoted to rice culture. Of this total only 30% or 928 hectares are irrigated in five identified barangays of the town. The rest are totally dependent on rain cultivation.

The higher portion of the hills is densely covered with trees and some trees and the inhabitants have freely cut some of which down. On the lower hills are mostly covered with thick growth of bamboos, bananas, coconuts, and other fruit trees. Open grassland is also utilized as pasture area for cattles which some remains cogonal.

Some rivers and creeks are found engrossing the agricultural areas of Dumalag. These provide enough water for irrigation purposes during the early months of the planting season, which enable farmers to plant three times a year, or five harvest every two years.

The urban core is centrally located on flat level area along the Panay River from the northeast to the southeast periphery of the Poblacion. Concentration of settlement that proliferates along the national road and cemented transport routes can be found in the western portion of Poblacion area opposite this area irrigated fields extending towards barangay San Miguel, the next adjacent barangay.

4. GEOLOGY

Based on the information gathered from the Provincial Development Office, the Municipality of Dumalag has metallic deposit known as titanium and pyrite while non-metallic are guano, limestone and rock phosphate. However, no recorded volume of this deposits are made available.

No mining exploration or quarrying venture exists in Dumalag, although there are areas with inherent potential for both undertaking. However, there are sand and gravel businesses operating. Its main source is the Panay River. Likewise, guano can be found particularly in Suhot and Langub Cave in Dolores and Brgy. San Miguel. At present there is an exploration Application at MGB in Barangays of Sta. Teresa, San Agustin, and San Martin.

The Municipality of Dumalag does not fall on fault lines or bedrock formation. Therefore no restrictions imposed on development of settlements anywhere.

5. SOIL

The soil classification of Dumalag as reflected in soil map revealed that are four types of soil found within the periphery of the municipality. Its corresponding type: area covered and percentage from the total land area of the municipality is as follows: Alimodian Clay Loam 5,632.2 hectares, that is 51.3% San Miguel Clay Loam 1,339.8 hectares – 12.3%, Maligaya Clay 1848 – 16.8% and Fara-0n Clay 2,156 – 19.6% of the total land area.

Generally, soil texture in this municipality varies from heavy to light clay soils. Mostly all soil types have thicker topsoil which favor the penetration of the roots of tropical crops. In the lowlands, specially areas near Panay River which is flooded during heavy rains, contained great quantities of fertile alluvial soil, which varies from clay to sandy loam. These soils can be found in barangays San Jose, Sto. Nino, Sto. Angel and part of Poblacion, San Roque and Dolores.

Soils carried by the water from the highlands make top soil of this area very fertile. Existence of forest trees can be found.

On the lowlands, the soil consistency is usually thick when wet. It absorbs and maintains plenty of moisture which favors lowland rice culture in large area of the municipality. When dry, cracks appear of the topsoil. While that in the highlands are Alimodian Clay Loam soils.

Mountain soils can be found in Mt. Pangin-raon in Brgy. Dolores, Mt. Tag-ao in Brgy. San Miguel, and Mt. Agmasibis in Brgy. San Agustin. On the rocky areas, soils color are very black, it is planted with Philippines Mahogany, fruit trees and other fruit trees.

The soils suitably recommend for agricultural crops for all soils types are as follows: San Miguel Clay Loam is suited for corn, legumes pike peanuts and root crops like cassava and camote. Maligaya Clay, Fara-on Clay Loam and Alimodian Clay Loam for rice, sugarcane, coconut, banana, vegetables and for mountain soils, fruit trees, coffee, ipil-ipil, cacao, and other forest trees, thrive very well.

6. WATER RESOURCES

The Panay River Basin is a major river basin in the province of Capiz with drainage area of 2,181sq.km. It starts from the hinterlands of the municipality of Tapaz passes the Municipality of Dumalag and empty its water to Tinagong Dagat Bay in the Municipality of Pontevedra and Capiz Bay in Roxas City. It serves as the main source of water supply for domestic, irrigation. Commercial and industrial use in the whole of Capiz while surface water or groundwater in Dumalag is characterized by a relatively high calcium and manganese content. They are non-toxic substances and are not harmful to human unless excessive quality. Generally, surface water is being used for socio-economic purpose considering that Dumalag is largely agricultural area. It is found in Brgy. Dolores (Small Lake Navaras River) and Brgy. San Miguel (Lobo and Jordan Spring). Aside from Panay river, the most common sources of water are springs/deep well reservoir with pipe connection.

7. FLOODING HAZARDS

In all agricultural areas all over the country, rain is both the lifesaver and destroyer. While it may give life to the plants that thrive on it when it comes in the right amount, it may destroy the same plants when it comes with all its force and in enormous quantity. The central plain of Capiz suffers from this very frequently during the rainy season. Dumalag is graced because the areas covered by water are not as wide as those found in Sigma, Cuartero, and Dao. Only the barangays near the Panay River are actually suffering from this onslaught of nature namely: Sta. Cruz, San Jose, Sto. Nino, San Roque, Sto. Angel and portion of Poblacion, Concepcion, Sta. Teresa, and Consolacion.

The total area severely affected is 510 hectares. These areas are regularly covered by water when heavy rains come which causes the Panay river to overflow damaging agricultural crops specially rice on the lowlands. But the water does not stay long since it is carried off towards the northeastern part of the province. Slightly flooded areas are 4,356.2 hectares and moderately flooded is 786.6 hectares. But the usual occurrence of such sometimes once every five or ten years.

No flood problems whatsoever come in slightly hilly areas in the neighboring barangays of the Poblacion.

8. EROSION POTENTIALS
As shown in the table, areas with no apparent erosion are only 18.18% of the total land area of the municipality, against the slightly, moderately affected areas.

Considering the terrain of the town is mostly hilly, the tendency of the lands to be washed away is always apparent specially during rainy days. But this is not much of a problem knowing that almost all highest peaks of the mountains are thickly covered with trees that help hold the soil.

Those critically affected areas can be found along the Panay River that divides the municipality into two parts. The rural barangays including the Poblacion is greatly affected. Therefore, remedial measures should be done like, putting up of river control and planting trees along the bank to prevent erosions.

Soil erosion in Dumalag is due to denuded river banks and mountains. Areas actually affected by severe erosion can be found in Brgy. San Martin, Brgy. Sta Teresa and Brgy. Concepcion as shown in the Map. Those with moderate erosion are Brgy. Duran, Brgy. San Agustin, Brgy. San Rafael, Brgy. San Roque, Brgy Sta. Carmen and Brgy. Sta. Rita while the rest of the area has no apparent erosion.

Dumalag However is not included in the list of Municipalities in the province of Capiz identified as prone to landslide by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

9. CLIMATE
The Municipality of Dumalag, is within the third type of climate. That is: seasons not very pronounced; relatively dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. The maximum rain periods are not very pronounced, with the short dry season lasting only from one to three months. It is only partly sheltered from the northerns and tradewinds and open to the Southwest Monsoon or at least to cyclonic storms.

Observations, however, of the climate’s behavior for the past ten years show, that the rainy and dry seasons in this municipality are no longer occurring on time as need to be. These seasons come either much earlier than they ought to be, or come too late-placing the farmers in a quandary and causing heavy damage on bridges, roads and farm crops.

The natural hydrological system of the town makes her a flood free area. However the lowland part of the town is flooded during prolonged rainy days. For years, these affected areas were beset with grave problem of sparing Panay River. During the rainy season, this river swells when the water from the upland portion of the town including rivers and streams overflowed its bank and posing great danger to agricultural crops.

The monthly average temperature in the municipality is 28.5 degree centigrade. Throughout the year temperature averages from 28.5 degrees centigrade in January to 31.5 degrees in April and May, with extreme values of 24.9 degrees centigrade in July, and 21.5 degree centigrade in June. The annual average humidity is 75.8% with a slight duration from normal throughout the year.

10. LAND CLASSIFICATION

Data taken from the province shows that Dumalag has a total land area of 11,240 hectares and ranked 9th in terms of total land area in the 17 municipalities of the province of Capiz of which 9,153 hectares are alienable and disposable lands of the public domain which have been the subject of the present system of classification and declared as not needed for forest purposes. About 2,087 or 2.22% are classified as forest lands or timberlands which include public forest and permanent forest or forest reserves.

11. GENERAL LAND USE

Land categories identified for the existing land use of Dumalag are built-up areas composed of residential, commercial, institutional, recreational and other urban uses comprised 1.18% of the total land area; institutional, covered by the municipal government, the church, private and public schools occupied an area of 0.16%; agricultural, planted to rice, sugar cane, corn, coconuts, fruits and vegetables covered 80.89% of the total land area; forest land, areas identified are Brgy. Dolores, San Miguel, San Agustin, part of Duran, San Roque, San Martin and Sta. Teresa with 18% and above slope covered 14.94% of the total land area; socialized housing, covers 0.18% of the area allocated therefore at Brgy. Sta. Cruz and Consolacion; Cemetery occupies 0.02% of the area for the Roman Catholic and the Municipal Cemetery including private burial ground; rivers and creeks cover 2.03% of the total in Municipal area; buffer strip legal easement along the bodies of water occupies 0.65% of the total land area; roads and bridges national, provincial, municipal and barangay roads occupies 0.68% of the total land area; and the closed open-controlled dumpsite in Sitio Utod, Brgy. San Miguel now converted into Material Recovery Facility and Residual Containment Area cover an area of 2 hectares comprising .02% of the total land area.

12. URBAN LAND USE

The Urban (Poblacion) land use is classified as follows; Residential area comprises 19.7500 hectares or 13.22% of the total urban area. An increase of about 35.45 hectares for the last five years has been used for residential. Expansion in residential area entails conversion of some agricultural areas within the poblacion; Commercial area includes wholesale and retail stores, general merchandize, restaurants, beauty parlors and other related activities cover an area of about 3.0740 has. or 2,06% of the total land area. The area allocated for this land use category is about 18.0535 has. or 12.08% of the total urban area. Agricultural areas within the urban area was converted to give way to the increase in commercial activity; Institutional includes schools, churches, health centers and other government centers occupies 15.400 has. or 10.31% of the total land area. This will comprise 11.24% of the total urban land use; Parks, Open Spaces, and Buffer Strips presently occupy 11.439 has. or 7.66% of the total urban area. An increase of about 1.58 has. is planned for this land use category; Agricultural area in the poblacion or urban area cover 74.0637 has. or 49.57% of the total urban area. There was a decrease of approximately 61.04 has. in the area due t conversion to other uses such as institutional, residential and commercial; Roads and Bridges within the Poblacion presently cover an area of 9.36 has. or 6.26% of the total Urban area. A total of 7.63% has. for new road network was assigned for the last five years; and Rivers and Creeks presently occupy 16.3150 has or 10.92% of the total urban area.