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ALBAY

Brief History

The Province of Albay is located between the provinces of Camarines Sur on the north and Sorsogon on the South. It is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the northeast by the Lagonoy gulf, and on the west and southwest by the Burias Pass. The island in the north under the jurisdiction of the province are Rapu-rapu, Batan, Cagraray and San Miguel.

Albay has a land area of 2,552.6 square kilometers, consisting of 17 towns, and a population of 673,981 in 1970. The important products of the people are hemp, coconut, sugar cane, pineapple, vegetables and rice.

The mountains of the province are Mayon, Masanara and Malinao in the northeast, and Catburaun in the west. Its forests are sources of timber, rattan, pili nuts and gum elemi. There are also vast grasslands for pasturing horses, cattle, carabaos, goats and sheep.

In 1950, Luis Enriques de Guzman led an expedition from panay to the Islands of Masbate and Ticao, and to the region named Ibalon. The Agustinian missionary, Father Alonzo Jimenez, christianized the first inhabitants of Ibalon, Camarines and Burias. He learned the Bicol dialect and composed a Bicol catechism.

In July 1573, Juan de Salcedo, with 120 soldiers, explored Ibalon and founded the town of Santiago de Libong. Jose Maria Penefrancia, a military engineer, was made "corregidor" of the province on May 14, 1834. He constructed public buildings and built roads and bridges.

A decree was issued by Governor and Captain General Narciso de Claveria in 1846 separating Masbate, Ticao and Burias from Albay to form the comandancia of Masbate. Albay was then divided into four districts: Iraya, Cordillera or Tobaco, and Sorsogon and Catanduanes.

Glicerio Delgado, a condemned "insurecto" started the revolutionary activities in the province. With headquarters in the mountain of Guinobatan, he joined the revolutionary government of Albay as lieutenant of the Infantry.

A unit of the Philippine Militia was then organized by the Spanish military authorities. Mariano Riosa was appointed major of the Tabaco Zone which comprised all the towns along the seacoast from Albay to Tiwi, while Anacleto Solano was also appointed as major for the Iraya Zone which was made up of the towns from Daraga to Libon. Each town was organized into sections of fifty men under the command of a lieutenant.

On September 22, 1898, the provisional revolutionary government of Albay was formed with Anacleto Solano as provisional president. Major general Vito Belarmino, appointed military commander, reorganized the Filipinos Army in the province.

During the Filipino-American War, Brigadier General William Kobbe headed the expedition that landed on the ports of Sorsogon, Bulan and Donsol. From there, the Americans marched to Legazpi and captured the place.

Although a civil government was established in Albay on April 26, 1901, Colonel Harry H. Bandholtz, Commanding Officer of the Constabulary in the Bicol region, attested that Simeon Ola, with a thousand of men, continued to defy American authority after the capture of Belarmino in 1901. Ola was later captured with about six hundred men.

During the Second World War, the Kimura Detachment of the Japanese Imperial Forces occupied Legazpi on December 12, 1941. The region was defended only by the Philippine Constabulary unit under Major Francisco Sandico. By December 19, the Bicol Peninsula up to Sipocot, Camarines Sur, with patrons towards Ragay Gulf and Daet, was already under the enemy.

Albay, a progressive province with the capital city of Legazpi, has a large reservoir of steam deposits in Tiwi, according to geothermal experts G.W. Gridley of New Zealnd. On August 14, 1970, Presidential Proclamation No. 739 authorized the National Power Corporation to exploit and develop the Tiwi power plant project.

Mayon Volcano, major tourist attraction of the province, is known for its symmetrical, almost perfect cone that rises over 7,500 feet above sea level. It erupted 15 times, with the catastrophe of February 1, 1814 as the most destructive. Its lava buried the town and church of Cagsawa.

This year 2000, the province's population is 1,108,015.