An Overview of the Beautiful Lubang Islands

The Lubang Island group consists of about four (4) islands and some islets is located northwest of the northern end of Mindoro Island, west of Batangas and offshore west-south-west of Manila. It is bounded on the west by vast South China Sea and on the South by the Calavite Passage. Separating Lubang Island from Mindoro is the Calavite Passage and from Batangas the Verde Passage.

The largest island is Lubang, 30 km by 10 km in area, and up to 417 meters high on Mount Gonting. Close east of Lubang lies Ambil Island, oval shaped with mean diameter of 6 km and 645 m high on Mount Benagongon.

The second largest island is Golo Island, situated close southeast of the southern end of lubang. In the northern most end of Lubang lies Cabra Island. Lubang group of islands were discovered in the 16th century by Spanish sailors. They found the islands as inhabited, except Ambil, where a volcanous activity was reported.

In 1694, the Spain passenger ship "San Jose" run on the south coast of Lubang reef, and sunk, about 150 settlers and 15 sailors were killed. It was reported that during Spanish time two ships sunk off the coast of the island.

In 17th century Mindoro was administered from Bonbon, now known as Batangas. In 1902 the island of Lubang, which was formerly part of Cavite, was annexed to Mindoro. In the same year Mindoro and Lubang were annexed to Marinduque when the latter became a regular province. Mindoro became a regular province in 1921. On November 15, 1950, Mindoro was divided into two provinces, Occidental and Oriental Mindoro by virtue of Republic Act No. 505.

Lubang Island comprises of two municipalities, Lubang and Looc, broken down into 25 barangays. Lubang and Looc municipality are two of the eleven municipalities of Occidental Mindoro.

It was in this island where a Japanese soldier named Hiroo Onoda, was found in 1974. He surrendered as a prisoner of war after 30 years of hiding in the mountains. From then on Lubang Island was known around the world as the place where the last Japanese soldier surrendered.

The surrounding of Lubang Islands can be best viewed at Gozar Air Station of the Philippine Air Force on top of Mt. Ambulong. The island is served by an airport and sea port.