East of the Province of Oriental Mindoro are two smaller provinces, Romblon and Marinduque. Romblon, a separate province since 1921, has a population of 263,000 in seventeen towns on several islands with a total land area of 1533 sq.km. The town of Romblon (on an island of the same name) is the capital. The province is famous for its marble quarries and marble products. It also produces wood and wood products, and agricultural products and fish. Here, as in so many other places, Moro slave-raiding forced the development of a coastal defense system, which seems to have been successful; a large Moro force attacked Romblon town in 1753, and was driven off. Several parts of the fortification can still be seen.
John Ayer, 9 March 2001
The province of Romblon was created by Act 2711 on 10 March 1917. The flag is orange with the seal. In the seal is white with a map of the province. The white is for the marble quarries found in the islands of Romblon and for which it was known. The province include several islands (Tablas, Sibuyamm Romblon, Banton, Simara, Carabao, Alad, Logbon, Cobrador and number of scattered islets). The first Christian mission was founded by Recollects in 1635 in Banton Romblon and Cajidiocan. In 1646 it suffered an attack by the Dutch. A fort was built in Romblon in 1650 and another in Banton Island by the Recollects. In 1818 it was united with the province of Capiz and 1853 the "Comandancia político militar de Romblon" was created. In 1898 the region was under the rule of a Spanish army officer with the rank of captain, and in 1899 was under control of the Philippino revolutionary leader General Mariano Riego de Dios, head of the revolution in the Visayas, in the struggle against America. A civil colonial government was established by the Americans on 16 March 1901. In that year it became a regular province, but due to insufficent income, it became a sub-province of Capiz in 1907 until 7 December 1917 when act 2724 restablished the former province. Reorganization on 8 June 1940 resulted in the formation of four municipalities (Tablas, Romblon, Banton and Sibuyan). A Japanese garrison was established in 1942 which was surrendered after the Sibuyan Battle, 25 October 1945. On 1 October 1946 the province was abolished and four special municipalities were created. (act 581), but on 1 January 1947 the provincial status was restored (Republic act nº 38), sponsored by Congressman Modesto Formilleza. A new municipality was created (Santa Fe).
Romblon is more identified with marble than any other province. In the province there are historical and tourist landmarks, such as the ruins of Spanish forts, the beach of Romblon and the waterfalls of San Andres and Odiongan