Sorsogon: A Beauty yet to be Discovered

Sorsogon is the southernmost province in the island of Luzon. It is divided into fourteen municipalities with Sorsogon City as its capital, making it the center of industry, commerce and education in the province. Like every place in the Philippines, Sorsogon also boasts a lot of beautiful scenic spots. Little has seen the beauty of this province which has captivated every tourist who has seen it to come back.

Sorsogon's written history started in 1570 when two Augustinian friars, Alonzo Jimenez and Juan Orta, accompanied by a Captain Enrique de Guzman reached Hibalong, a small fishing village near the mouth of Ginangra River, and planted the cross and erected the first chapel in Luzon. It was from this village that Ibalong, referring to the whole region, came to be. Moving inland with a northwesterly direction they passed by the territory known as Pilar, before they reached Camalig, Albay. The establishment of Abucay - Catamlangan Mission later was ample proof of this. The early towns established here were: Gibalon in 1570 (now sitio of Magallanes); Casiguran-1600; Bulusan-1631; Pilar-1635; Donsol-1668; Bacon-1764;Juban and Matnog-1800; Bulan-1801; Castilla-1827; Magallanes-1860; Sorsogon-1866 and Irosin-1880. The province was eventually separated from Albay on October 17, 1894 and adopted the name Sorsogon. The town of Sorsogon was also selected as its capital.

Join me in touring my hometown and be captivated of its beauty.

BARCELONA

Due to the feeling of nostalgia felt by the Spaniards when they occupied the province, Barcelona is named after the city of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain due to its similar panoramic view with the Spanish city.
Barcelona is well - known for its old church called St.Joseph Parish church or Barcelona church built by the Franciscan order soon after the Spanish conquest. Materials used in construction were corral stones, beaten egg whites and a local wine called "tuba". This church is considered as one of the oldest churches in the Bicol Region.

Just across the Barcelona Church lies the ruins of the Presidencia Building and an elementary school intended for Spaniards and the ilustrados. During the Japanese occupation, a strong typhoon hit, devastating the municipality and destroying the said buildings.

BULAN

The term "Bulan" in the local Bulanon dialect, has several meanings. It may mean the month of the year, or the moon, or a luminary. According to the local historian, the great Valerio Zuniga, the last meaning, taken in its truest intrinsic sense, is the more accepted term, due to the historical fact narrated by the "mga gurangan", the old inhabitants of the town. They said that one night a Spanish scouting expedition coming from the old seaport of Ticao, sailing northward and at the level of the seacost of Otabi, saw a big and beautiful luminary, the moon, from the right side of their ship.  Some of the natives who accompanied the Spanish explorers as guides and crew members, showed happiness and excitement when they saw the moon which radiated its silvery beams in the night.  Asked by the Spaniards as to the cause of their excitement, they shouted, "Builan…. Builan" pointing at the same time to the moon which had caused their happiness.  In memory of this happening, the Spaniards named the place, "Builan" when they landed.

Bulan boasts it World War II Japanese Tunnel in the fields of Sta.Remedios, there lies a hidden tunnel believed to have been used as a hie out of the Japanese soldiers in World Was II.

The municipality of Bulan also has Ubo falls located in Sitio Liman in Brgy.San Francisco. Plunge into its cool waters and feel relaxed. 

BULUSAN

Bulusan is one of the most famous among the municipalities in the province when it comes to scenic spots. Its name is derived from the local dialect, "bulus" which means "to flow". 

Mount Bulusan

Dancalan Beach

Masacrot Cold Springs

The climate in Bulusan is much more cooler compared to the other municipalities, probably because of the protected forests in it. Going to Bulusan is a very enjoyable adventure. At the end of the day, you'll not regret that you visited the place.

This municipality is famous for the Dancalan Beach Resort, the Mt.Bulusan, Bulusan Lake, Masacrot Cold Springs and many others.

CASIGURAN

Established in the year 1600, Casiguran was the first missionary parish of Sorsogon. When the Spaniards first set foot in this part of Luzon in the 1570s, Casiguran was considered as their center of Kabikulan.

In 1583, the Franciscan missionaries took over the evangelization work started by the Augustinians.

The name Casiguran is believed to come from the Bicol phrase kasi gurang, meaning, mostly old, pointing to the fact that it was the first parish and therefore to be considered to be populated by senior inhabitants.

It is also believed that the town was named Casiguran because, during the Spanish times, all the young men and ladies were kept hidden and only old people can be seen in the town. The reason of the townspeople for this is that the young people are being abused by the Spaniards, thus, kept them in hiding. One day, Spaniards set foot in the soil of the town and asked for its name. The people did not understand their language. Thinking that the Spaniards were asking why there are no young people, the people answered, "kasi gurang" (because only old people live there). The Spaniards thought that"Kasi gurang" was the name of the town. They left repeating the words "kasi gurang" as not to forget them, until it came to be called as "Casiguran."

Nagsipit Falls

Oroc Cold Spring Resort

CASTILLA

Castilla is a town located in the province of Sorsogon, Bicol Region. The town is the neighboring town of Sorsogon City, the capital of Sorsogon province. Castilla is a small town facing the Sorsogon Bay and one of the livelihoods in the town is related to the fishing industry. A famous tourist destination in Castilla is the Malawmawan Island, a private island located just a few minutes boat ride from Barangay Macalaya.

Malawmawan Island

DONSOL

Donsol was just a barrio in Quipia (now Jovellar, Albay) until 1668 when it became an independent parish. Donsol got its name from “donsolanon”, an old Bicol word, meaning anvil. In the old days, according to old folks, a skilled black-smith had his “donsolanon” in Dancalan which was well-known for its quality products, so much so that people who needed metalware were invariably referred to this place. Donsol became an independent municipality under Albay in 1800. Its first gobernadorcillo was Don Mariano Adrian. The present site of Donsol used to be known as “Barra”. The town was transferred to this site on July 11, 1831. The old town site is now known as Banuang Gurang.

Donsol is well - known as the Whale Shark capital of the world. Local residents already known for about a hundred years the presence of these gentle giants but only in 1997 when they learned that whale sharks are harmless creatures. This resulted in the boost in its economy due to its tourism industry.

Whale Shark Watching

GUBAT

Gubat was originally a big barrio of Bulusan, inhabited by a few Tagalogs, Visayans and Albayanons who travelled on foot to hunt wild animals. These people built their homes close to the shore and called their location Buri, which today is the barrio of Buenavista. In 1764, Gubat finally became a town with Don Pedro Manook, the first Teniente del Barrio, also becoming the first gobernadorcillo.

The word "gúbat" means forest in Tagalog. However, the name applied to the town is derived from the verb "guinobat", a term used by the natives which means "raided". In the early days when Christians and Muslims were constantly at odds, Muslim pirates would come in from the southern seas to raid the town. Because of the frequent raids, the town was referred to as "guinobat" which eventually became "Gubat". Legend has it that during one of those raids, the pastor along with the townspeople held up a statue of St. Anthony to ward off the attack, praying for a miracle. In one account, it was said that the child Jesus in St. Anthony's arms drove back the pirates. St. Anthony of Padua became the town's patron saint and his feast day is lavishly celebrated as an official parish and town holiday every 13 of June.

The town settlers had to move a number of times before finally deciding to settle at a place they considered safe and peaceful. Eventually, they began to expand, laying out permanent streets, the first of which are what we now know as Luna and Calderon Streets.

The main parish church itself has an interesting history. In 1768, the people decided to build a church. The locals, being poor, urged the town captain, Don Juan Bonifacio, to require all men to contribute one cubic meter of "talaksan" (coral stone) apiece. It took ten years of preparation and it was not until 1778 that construction finally started.

Although it has since undergone several renovations, the church foundation is still the original one built in 1778. The rectory is the oldest and one of the only two remaining rectories dating back that far in the entire Bicol region.

Rizal Beach in Gubat is the only beach in Sorsogon that is at the center of a cove. It’s one of the best pristine beaches in the Philippines, where miles of golden sand surround an extensive shoreline.

It is a long, broad beach located 5 km south of Gubat, Sorsogon. It is close to the turbulent San Bernardino Strait thus the big surfing waves that could thrill swimmers and most especially the surfers. The grey-sand beach itself is long and is at the center of a cove surrounding an extensive shoreline. Some say it is the best beach in Sorsogon and it is an ideal place for boating, swimming and beach combing.

Rizal Beach

IROSIN

The word was derived from the local term iros which means to cut-off a part. The word was traced to have come from an old tailor's term synonymous with tabas as in "irosi an hiniro" or cut a part of the cloth. Iros was the image most probably drawn to connote the gush or flow of floodwaters eroding riverbanks and cutting through lands to eventually form another river or river route.

This municipality is known for its hot springs.

One of the hot springs in Irosin

JUBAN

Juban  was organized as a barrio of Casiguran in 1759. It  became an independent pueblo civil in 1800 until 1817. The town’s name was said to have been derived from the Bicolano word gujuban meaning “to groove or etch with a sharp instrument” Others, however, contend that the name comes from name of the juice from a certain tree growing in the area, which was used by the natives as kindling material.

Lining the highway, as one enters the town center of Juban, are several old houses, known as bahay na bato, still relatively well-preserved and intact although their groundfloors have, long ago, been turned into commercial establishments, such as stores, barber shops and beauty salons, etc. These old houses still have their original tall, sliding windows made of capiz, including carved wooden balustrades just below the window sills. Inside, one can still find original, well-preserved antique furnitures, including other antiquities. Private historical or heritage collections can also be found inside these houses.

MAGALLANES

Known to the Spaniards as Encoienda de Yguey, with two visitas - Parina and Caditaan. The present townsite of Magallanes is the, then, visita of Parina. With the approval of the Spanish colonial government, the town was founded on April 30, 1859, upon the initiative of Spanish abaca trader, Don Manuel de Castro. The name of the town was chosen in honor of the first circumnavigator of the world, Ferdinand Magellan.

De Castro, who was operating a astillero, became the first gobernadorcillo.

Magallanes became an independent parish on December 11, 1863.

It is in Magallanes where Gibalong (now sitio San Isidro) is located, at the mouth of Ginangra River, reputed to be the place where the first Christian mass in Luzon was celebrated. The name ibalon or Tiera de Gibalong, which is also used to identify the Bicol region at the time, came from the name of the place - Gibalong.

It is also in Magallanes where Bagatao Island can be found. It is considered as one of the most important and biggest shipyards at the time, where some of the biggest and most magnificent Spanish galleons were built. It was then known as the Real Astillero de Bagatao.

Tourist attraction in this municipality is the Bagatao Island. Bagatao is a fusion of two Bikol words "bagang tawo" or looks like a man because the island does indeed look like a man floating in the water. Bagatao Island is located just at the mouth of Sorsogon Bay in Magallanes. It is reputed to be the biggest Spanish shipyard in the whole Bicol Region where some of the biggest and most magnificent galleons were constructed. Unfortunately, for the past several years, cultural scavengers had been systematically stripping the island of its precious artifacts that there are no more traces of its glorious past as shipyard. The island is now merely a picnic island and a naval reservation with a lighthouse.

 

Bagatao Island

MATNOG

Local elders say that the name Matnog comes from the word "matonog" (very audible) - that describes to the loud sound of the waves. It is considered as the gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao from the island of Luzon.

Island-hopping is a must-do when in Matnog because of its picture-pretty islands, such as Tikling, Calintaan, Juag and Subic. All one has to do is hire a motorized banca, which are usually berthed at the Matnog Ferry Terminal, and off one goes merrily hopping from island to island. Tikling Island, which is the nearest, offers fine white sand all around where one can also beachcomb for rare shell finds. Calintaan Island, on the other hand, looks like the head of a giant barely bobbing above the water, featuring huge underwater caves populated by giant bats. Juag Island is good for swimming and sunbathing, while Subic is perhaps the only beach anywhere that features a fine pink sand beach, which is why it is now sometimes called, "La Playa Rosa". These islands can also be jump-off base for SCUBA diving in the excellent dive sites surrounding the islands. It can also serve as base for deep-sea sport fishing.

Subic beach, Matnog

PILAR

Panlatuan, in Pilar town, is another Spanish Astillero or shipyard, and presumably, another metalworks factory, similar to that of Dancalan in Donsol, although smaller in scale. At the site are the ruins of what looks like a fort, thick stone walls all around. In the middle of this surrounding walls is a domed stone structure that appears like a kiln that can fire either clay or stoneware, or metals. This kiln-like structure is still intact. Documented historical accounts show that it was here where the revolt of the Sorsogon people against Spain started. It was sometime in August 1898 when the workers at the shipyard cried “Revolution!”, took up arms, and killed the shipyard’s Spanish administrator, together with his four assistants. From Panlatuan, revolutionary activities rapidly spread throughout the province, forcing the Spaniards to hastily abandon the province and the rest of the Bicol Region.

Panlatuan

PRIETO-DIAZ

Prieto Diaz was formerly a barrio of Bacon (now Bacon District of Sorsogon City) called Visitang Daan (now San Isidro). The settlement was later transferred to Barrio Buntugan. In 1879, it was renamed Muntupar (from the root word tupar meaning “to meet”). Prieto Diaz became a separate parish in 1881. It became independent municipality on October 12, 1903 by virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 940. Prieto Diaz was the only town organized after Sorsogon became a province on October 17, 1894. The town was given its present name in honor of the two Bicolano martyrs; Fr. Gabriel Prieto and Fr. Severino Diaz.

Nagsurok Cave is a tourist destination in the municipality. Named because one literally has to crawl, "surok", on all fours to get into the interior of the cave. The entrance into the cave allows only one person at a time, who must crawl in feet and butt first because the entrance slides down, ramp-like. But it is cavernous inside, with an underground river that snakes through the whole long length of the cave. According to local legend, it was here where the giant Mampak bird squeezed in to hide from the irate people of the area. Legend has it that the Mampak, long before the coming of the Spaniards, had been preying on the people of what are now the towns of Prieto-Diaz, Gubat, Barcelona, Bulusan and Irosin.

With every visit of the Mampak, the people would tremble and cower in fear because it would mean another human sacrifice to appease the insatiable appetite of the Mampak for human flesh. There is another cave nearby, called "Pinanaan", meaning shot with an arrow. It was here, according to legend, where the people cornered the fearsome giant bird and rained arrows upon him, resulting in his getting wounded, but the evil bird still managed to escape. The are other caves in the other adjacent towns, most of them somehow connected.with the legendary story of the fearsome giant Mampak. These caves are just waiting to be explored.

Nagsurok Cave

STA.MAGDALENA

Sta. Magdalena is located in the southernmost tip of Luzon. It is one of the many coastal towns of Sorsogon. Magdalena is known among Sorsoganons for its coves and beaches. To the rest of the Philippines and the world, it may not be known. Why? It is not even in the route markers. If its your first time to drive down south the Maharlika Highway, surely you will miss the crossing to Magdalena. Despite its anonymity, this town has a lot of sights to see and people to meet.

Olango Beach

Olango Beach is a cove. From the main road, there is a cemented walkway going to beachfront passing by rice fields and a private resort. This beach is preferred by families who like to enjoy the sand, sea and marine life. There is an area which is shallow ideal for children and deep waters for those who want to test their swimming skills. On both ends of the cove are reefs, where on low tides you can pick your own seaweed, or on high tide you can go snorkeling. Along the cove are privately owned properties. Regulars here are just the caretakers of beach houses, they are all very accommodating to allow you to lay down your beach towel in the shoreline (not inside their lawn) and swim or sunbathe and of course fishermen.

SORSOGON CITY

A third class city in Sorsogon, Philippines. It is the capital city of the province of Sorsogon, located on the Bicol Peninsula at southern tip of Luzon. This city was formed by merging the Bacon and Sorsogon towns. The city serves a trans-shipment point from the Visayas and Mindanao provinces. The city is also dubbed as "Gateway to Southern Philippines". Sorsogon City is one of the region’s leading cities in urbanization, Bicol's largest city in terms of land area and one of its most populous cities.

Sorsogon City was created by virtue of Republic Act 8806 which was enacted on August 16, 2000, and ratified in December 2000.

Prominent politicians of the locality behind its creation were former Sorsogon 1st District Representative and now Senator Francis Escudero and former Bacon Municipal Mayor Leovic R. Dioneda. Former Bacon Vice-Mayor Aurelio Destacamento, joined by former Sorsogon councilors Antonio C. Detera, Azel Diesta and Telo Mella fought before the two local legislative chambers, for the approval of appropriation ordinances providing budget for the holding of its plebiscite.

Prior to its ratification, a petition to declare RA 8806 null and void was filed by lawyer Atty. Gil Gojol. Because Bacon municipality was enjoined as one of the respondents in said petition, a young practicing lawyer from Buenavista, Bacon District, in the name of Atty. Glenn Olbes, defended its constitutionality. The legal battle for its constitutionality was upheld later on by a majority decision of the Sorsoguenos who desire for the development of the newly created local government unit.

Opponents for its ratification were incumbent Governor Raul R. Lee and his wife, Sally A. Lee who became its first contested City Mayor.

The merged municipalities of Bacon and Sorsogon which created the city have their own long histories from Pre-Hispanic Era to present.

Sorsogon City has also some beautiful spots.

Rompeolas is Spanish for “where the waves cavort”, the old and still popular name up to this time for the old Sorsogon pier which juts into Sorsogon Bay. Indeed, the waves literally cavort around this arrow-like structure where small inter-island cargo vessels still dock every once in a while. It is a pleasant promenade, with fresh sea air, especially early in the morning. It affords one a magnificent panoramic view of Mt. Bulusan just across the Bay, and inland, a fairyland-like view of the Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral with its colorful pointed spires. It is also here where sunset watchers flock in the late afternoons as the reddish-orange sun slowly hides behind the Pinaculan Island.

The Sorsogon Provincial Capitol Park, with the imposing Capitol Building as its centerpiece, located along Rizal Street, just as one enters the center of Sorsogon City, serves as Sorsogon Province’s government center, where most of the government agencies, both provincial and national, hold office and transact business. The 2-storey Capitol Building, made of reinforced concrete and built during the early American period, features Roman Doric columns at its facade. The Park is perhaps the largest, most beautiful and most green Park anywhere in the Bicol Region. Its gnarled, ancient trees are a sight to behold. Towards the eastern side of the Park is a domed concrete kiosk, which locals, to this day, call “the kiosko”. It is now considered a historical landmark, which used to host bands and orchestras during formal balls and concerts at the Park.

Sorsogon Capitol

Just half an hour north of Sorsogon City, the town of Bacon offers a quick beach escape and some interesting spots to explore. The most unique of these is Paguriran Island located in Barangay Buenavista, a seawater lagoon surrounded by jagged rocks much like the rim of a volcano. Libanon Beach in Barangay San Juan has fine black sand and crashing waves hammering the craggy seaside hill. Pagol Beach is a small pocket of sandy beach covered with swept corals while Tolong Gapo Beach offers a long stretch of beach with beachside cottages.

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