Located on the western portion of the island of Mindoro, Sablayan occupies the largest portion of Occidental Mindoro, on the western part of the island. To the west of the municipality is the Mindoro Strait, meaning that Sablayan is a coastal settlement. The municipality has a lot going for it, and seventy thousand residents all living and working in the area. Sablayan is one of the first-class municipalities in the country, making it one of the leading in the province.

Sablayan Geographic Conditions

From the local word “Sablay” that the name Sablayan traces its roots from, the nature of the municipality’s geographic conditions has waves crossing paths, coming in from the both the North And South China sea. To the north of the municipality lies Sta. Cruz, its neighboring municipality, and to the south is the municipality of Calintaan. The eastern side is bordered by the Oriental Mindoro province. Baco, Socorro, Naujan, and Victoria are all part of Oriental Mindoro. Sablayan however is part of Occidental Mindoro, which is a distinct province in the island.

The climate pattern in Sablayan is much like the rest of Occidental Mindoro, with two distinct seasons forming the general weather pattern for the area, namely the wet and dry seasons. This is a typical tropical weather pattern exemplified by the surrounding area, with occasional storms passing through the countryside during the wet season. This rainy period begins during the latter half of May, increasing in frequency until the peak of the wet season around late August or early September.

The signal of the peak of the rainy season is the frequency of storm systems passing directly over the municipality and much of the province. The dry period of the year on the other hand begins in November, and lasts until the peak of around March or April, when the ground begins to get parched because of the high temperatures and low amount of rainfall.

Economy of Sablayan

The economy throughout much of occidental Mindoro, including the municipality of Sablayan is based mainly on agriculture and food production. The staple crop in Sablayan is rice, with much of the land area devoted to planting this crop, which is during the start of the peak rainfall during July, until the harvest time during October. This is a big part of the economic background of the municipality, and much of the population is involved in the planting and harvest of rice, at around eighty percent. There is a lot of effort currently being expended toward the immigration and fertilization of rice plantations in the area, because of irrigation difficulties due to increased demand for water. Outputs are also not at optimum levels and with the high cost of capital for input, one would have a large financial hurdle to overcome when engaged in growing rice.

The agricultural patterns here in Sablayan is also calibrated to match the seasonal variances in temperature, and during the dry season crops that are not heavily dependent on water but more on sunlight exposure like onions and tobacco. These other agricultural products along with rice as the main output are exported to other parts of the country.

Though agriculture is perhaps the single biggest industry throughout Sablayan and much of occidental Mindoro, there are still some other industry types that offer a large contribution to the economy. Mining is one, with gold and silver among the valuable ores being extracted from within the area. Quality hardwood timber is one other lucrative industry though its output is lessened in an effort to let the forest regain its natural size and prevent deforestation in the area. This is a big and very sensitive issue to tackle throughout the entire province of Mindoro, because reduced tree cover has led to erosion, and a reduction in the area of watersheds, a critical source of water for irrigation use.

Investing In Properties within Sablayan

A lot of property investment opportunities are free for the taking in Sablayan. Whether its farmland properties, vacation residences, or coastal properties for diving enthusiasts, you can take your pick when you choose to invest in any of these to have your money grow in the municipality. The strong tourism background and the nice atmosphere make Sablayan a desirable location to put up rental properties catering to expatriates coming into the province for a bit of rest and recreation. The relaxed pace of life gives the municipality a good aura for vacation renters.

Putting up a vacation residence does not cost much in Sablayan, with many residential property lots going for one thousand pesos per square meter or even less. It’s fair game for those that are able to find properties costing far less than if they were to build residences in more urbanized environments. The cost of building a house in Sablayan is also not so much of a financial deterrent and for a vacation villa that commands high prices, your five million peso budget in putting up a large home will go a long way towards materials and labor. Prices are constantly changing though, especially with concrete being adjusted to fit in with the new costs of production. During these times it’s better to wait it out until material prices stabilize.

For the most part though, investing in a vacation property located in Sablayan is easy, especially with the many listings online for Philippine vacation properties. There is a growing demand for rental homes for vacations everywhere, and rent income throughout the year is stable except during the peak of the rainy season where storms deter tourist activities. Storm occurrences apart, Sablayan has much to offer to tourists, with coastal areas and rich natural environments that will truly make their vacation stay pleasant, a laid-back atmosphere, and friendly locals all combine to make renting a property in Sablayan an easy choice. You’ll have your choice of properties in this area, so act now and have a vacation home for yourself that will still be earning for you even while you’re away.