I –TRENDS IN PHYSICAL PROFILE
Ongoing infrastructure development efforts in Palompon – including road construction, installation of electric power, setting up of communications facilities and rehabilitation of the sea port – will enhance the position of the town as a trading center for northeast Leyte, its traditional role the pre – and post – war era.
The terrain of Palompon, which is generally sloping, limits the agricultural potential of the municipality. The dominant soil type (faraon clay) is suited mainly for marginal upland crops, such as bananas, coconuts, and sweet potatoes.
The destruction of the forest and critical watershed an area contribute to ongoing soil erosion and poses a major threat to the water supply of the town and its barangays.
II – TRENDS IN PEOPLE PROFILE
Palompon has a very young population with 43.5% total population less than 20 years old. The population is equally balanced between females (50.3%) and males (49.7%).
Palompon is composed of 50 barangays, ten of which comparies the poblacion while the remaining forty are located along the coastal and interior parts of the municipality. Some 26% of the population resides in the poblacion barangays while the remaining 74% are found in rural areas.
Palompon is densely populated, with 3.92 persons per hectare. This is much higher than the population density of region VIII, which are 1.56 persons per hectare. Hpowever, population density is not evenly distributed among the barangays. The poblacion barangays are the most densenly populated (Central – II is ranked first at 682 persons per hectare) while the hinterland barangays are the most sparsely-populated (Hinagbuan ranked last with 1.22 persons per hectare).
Palompon had a literacy rate of 91.30% as per 1990 census. The municipality has as extensive educational system consisting of 45 elementary schools, 7 high schools and one state college (Palompon Institute of Technology), which is a weel-known and respected institution in the province.
The population growth rate has been relatively slow, averaging less than 1.4% annually during the period 1980-91, although this increased to 2.12% from 1991-95. The average percentage of deaths over births is 26.15 per 1,000, which is approximately one death rate and relatively slow increase in population, there appears to be a net out-migration of residents from Palompon. This is consistent with the overall trend of out-migration in Region VIII.
One form of out-migration occurs when Palomponganons leave their home town for Cebu, Manila or abroad where they can find well-paying jobs. The lack of well-paying job opportunities in Palompon encourage many skilled people. (e.g. seamen, carpenters, contractors, etc.) To leave the town. The education programs offered by the PIT, which focus on marine transportation and engineering, are also in favor of this trend.
A second (and more serious) form of out-migration occurs within Palompon itself where residents from the hinterland barangays migrate to the poblacion barangays. Many of these migrants join the rank of subsistence fisher folk while others become tricycle (or “trisikad”) drivers. The in-migration of these upland dwellers has given rise to slum communities, particularly in the poblacion barangays of Ipil—I, Ipil-II and Lili-on.
The community is known to be very peaceful. The crime rate in Palompon is very low compared to other towns in the Province and, so far, most are not considered serious. However, police officials expressed concern that criminality may be on the rise because of the progress being experienced by the town, which is attracting an increasing number of in-migrants to Palompon.
About 54% of the total population of Palompon belongs to the labor force, totaling 27,376 individuals. Of these, 13,963 are males (51%) while 13,413 are females (49%). Only about 1,390 workers (5% of total labor force) are employed in the so-called formal sector, which includes the schools, local government unit, national government agencies, the Phescem Industrials Corporation (150 direct and 250 contractual) and market vendors (120 with stalls). The remaining 95% of the labor force are employed in agriculture, fishing and the growing service sector within the poblacion town.
Some 15,096 residents of Palompon (about 30% of total population) have been identified as living below the poverty line. The poverty line in Palompon has been set at a monthly income of PhP2, 699.00 for a family with six members.
III – TRENDS IN AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK
In general, the growth and development of agriculture and the rural sector in the province of Leyte and including Palompon, has been hampered by the following problems: (i) poor and inadequate infrastructure; (ii) limited access to land, production inputs, credits and other resources among small agricultural producers; (ii) inadequate post-harvest facilities; (iv) inadequate government support; and (v) lack of irrigation facilities.
Palompon has substantial food consumption requirements in cereals (rice and corn), meat, eggs, milk and products, fish, sugar, vegetables, root crops and others. Despite the LGu’s plans to stimulate agricultural production to meet the above demand, Palompon must import many of the above commodities (mainly from Cebu) in near future.
Palompon is mainly a coconut producing area with 1,640 hectares devoted to coconut cultivation (30% of agricultural area). In contrast, rice is grown on only 794 hectares (394 has. Irrigated, 250 has. rainfed and 150 has. Upland). The irrigated farms average about 3.5 metric tons (70 canvans) per hectare per crop while the rainfed lowland and upland areas produce 2.5 metric tons (50 canvans) and 1.25 metric tons 25 canvans), respectively per hectare per crop. Corn production (500 hectares) is low because farmers prefer to plant the traditional varieties that taste although these have lower yields.
Farm sizes in the upland barangays tend to be small, ranging from one-fourth to two hectares. Farmers tilling these lands are considered as the poorest farmers who migrate to the poblacion barangays during the “slack period” from planting to harvesting in order to drive trisikads, hire themselves out as construction workers or go fishing.
There is one potential for shifting agricultural production from the low to higher-value crops such as fruit trees and vegetables. To do this successfully, however, far-tomarket roads, irrigation and other physical infrastructure will be required. At present, only a few barangays have water from spring sources and communal irrigation systems; the rest rely only on the rain for water for their crops.
The total area covered for distribution under the agrarian reform program is 2,784 hectares or about 50% of total agricultural lands. This covers 79% public land and 11% private land. Farm lot range from .2051 to 2.27 hectares. The major portion of Plaompon farmlands are owned by small landowners 920 hectares or less) who reside in the Palompon farmlands are owned by small landowners are reportedly teachers who have invested their life savings are considered last priority for re-distribution under CARL and it is likely that many of these may eventually be exempted because of the current retention limits.
IV – TRENDS IN FISHING INDUSTRY
The fish sanctuary project of the LGU has contributed greatly to maintaining the level of fish supply in the area.
Fisherfolk constitute a major segment of the population in the 18 barangays of Palompon that have access to the sea. According to DA data, some 26% of the population (1,230 out of 4,683 househol0ds) in these 18 barangays are fisherfolk. However, this estimate of fisherfolk population includes only those with bancas and od not include fisherfolk who rent boats or hire themselves out as laboares to fisherfolk-boat owners.
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Of these fisherfolk who own boats, 25% have motorized bancas while 75% rely on manual paddling. Because of their ability to venture out into the sea, fisherfolk with motorized bancas earn ten times as much as their colleagues with non-motorized bancas.
Marketing of fish in Palompon is organized around middlemen (local name: “alpor’) who provide the fisherfolk with basic commodities and fishing supplies in exchange for the preferential right to buy their catch. The middlemen earns in two ways: (i) the basic commodities are priced at 10% higher than acquisition costs; and (ii) the fish catch is priced lower by about 10-15% of the prevailing market price.
V– TRENDS IN COMMERCE AND TRADE
With the completion of ongoing port improvement and road construction efforts, Palompon will be in a strong position to enhance its role as the center of commerce and trade for the northwestern towns of Isabel, Kananga, Matag-ob, Villaba, tabango and San Isidro.
Despite the absence of these improvements, the cargo handled at the Palompon port has already posted a significant rise from 27,891.043 metric tons in 1993 to 47,474.724 metric tons in 1995. At the same time, Palompon, already ranked second in 1991 passenger traffic among four ports which include Maasin, Ormoc and San Jose, Samar.
The existing market in the center of the poblacion, which is considered large for a town with the size of palompon, is testimony to the role of the municipality as a trading center for the northwestern municipality of Leyte. A new and better planned public market may be required, however, once the port become fully operational.
The existence of a large number of commercial establishments in Palompon including sari-sari stores, shipping companies, special services – is further testimony to the role of the municipality as a center of commerce and trade.There are a number of flourishing labor-intensive industries within Palompon with the potential for expansion. Two of the more promising industries are (i) preparation of “boneless dried danggit” in the barangays Buenavista, Plaridel and Cantuhaon, (ii) mat-weaving in barangays Plaridel, Cruz, Duljugan, Cantuhaon, Tinabilan, Himarco, Sabang and Lomonon
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