Facilities:
Guiuan’s airport has a 2.8 km. runway which could service light private planes,
chartered cargo and military planes.
It also has a municipal and national seaport operational throughout the year.
Telephone companies operating in the municipality includes TELECOM, Globelines and Bayantel. Smart and Globe
cellular phone companies are also operational.
In 2004, Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative (ESAMELCO) was able to energize Guiuan, Calicoan Island up to
Sulangan covering 37 out of 60 barangays. Island barangays are served with electricity through generator sets either privately-owned
or operated by the barangay council.
Financial Resources.Guiuan is classified as fourth income class municipality.
In 2003, its Total Financial Resources amounted to 33.5 million pesos. Its Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) represents 96.1%
of its total financial resources.
Adventure Spot Calicoan Island boasts of miles of white sand beaches. With powerful swells rolling in from
the Pacific over the 10,000 meters Philippine Deep, Calicoan is a surfer's paradise. The season for the best waves is generally
from October to March.
Adventure Spot Calicoan Island boasts of miles of white sand beaches. With powerful swells rolling in from
the Pacific over the 10,000 meters Philippine Deep, Calicoan is a surfer's paradise. The season for the best waves is generally
from October to March.
Demography. Guiuan recorded a total population of 38,694 in 2000, the second
largest population in Eastern Samar with the highest population density of 220 persons per sq. km. among the twenty-three
(23) municipalities. Majority or 97.7% of the Guiuananons speak the "Waray" dialect. Less than 3.0% speak Cebuano, Tagalog
and Boholano. A large percentage though can converse in the English language.
Socio-Economic Activities . Being a fishing community and the only municipality with the most number of
island barangays, the town is rich in fishery and aquatic resources. It is considered by the fisheries authorities as the
best fishing belt in the region.
The coastal waters offer almost all speciesof marine life: euchuema, abalone,ornamental fish, lobster and
the GoldenCowry (known for its extraordinary goldensheen). They also offer delicacies, shellcraft products as well as fresh
andprocessed marine products.
Existing land use indicates a predominanceof agriculture use which covers 38.2% ofthe total land area. Most
of the agriculturallands are dominantly planted with coconuttrees
The rich diversity of the area is evident when one sees the exotic species being sold. The surrounding waters
support several marine based industries such as fish, seaweed, and pearl farming.
Getting There. Calicoan island is readily accessible by land, sea and air. Chartered flights can land
in Guiuan's airport, a 5 minute drive from Calicoan. The nearby regional capital of Tacloban is only two to three hours away.
Several buses and vans on regular schedules shuttle passengers to Guiuan via a scenic two-lane coastal highway which runs
past mountains, steep cliffs, distant rock islands and boat-filled bays. Tacloban is regularly serviced by scheduled flights
from Manila. Alternatively, several bus companies have daily trips to Guiuan from Manila. Travel time is approximately twenty-one
hours.
In the middle of the island are six lagoons ringed by forest, the largest being 30hectares in size.
At the cliff side margin of Calicoan's forests are dozens of caves.
On the northern tip of Calicoan are wet lands like the Everglades, teeming with fish, shrimp, and crabs.
Calicoan Island is envisioned to become the surfing capital and a top tourist destination in Eastern Visayas. |