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Basic Facts - Sorsogon
BRIEF HISTORY
SORSOGON, at the southeastern part of the Bicol Peninsula, is bounded
on the north by the Province of Albay, on the east and northeast by
the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the San Bernardino Strait, and on
the west and northwest by the Ticao and Burias Passes. The province
has an irregular coastline. There are good harbors in Bulan,
Magallanes, and along the shore of Sorsogon Bay.
Sorsogon, with an area of 2,141.4 square kilometers and a population
of 426,935. In 1970, consists of 16 towns with Sorsogon City as the
capital.
In 1569, Captain Luis Entiquez de Guzman, and Father Alonzo Jimenez
and Juan Orta celebrated the first mass at Otavi (site of the old town
of Bulan.) In 1570, a chapel was built along the Gingara River in
Magallanes. The missionaries reached the town of Pilar where the
Abuca-Catamlangan mission was estalished. Among the early towns
founded in the province were Casiguran in 1600, and Bulusan in 1601.
Because of the urgent need of ships during the galleon trade,
shipbuilding was developed as an important industry in the province.
1669, Fr. Pedro de Espellargas invented the abaca stripping knife
which revolutionized fiber extraction, and promoted the pre-making or
the cordage industry.
During the Muslim raids on the coastal towns of Sorsogon in 1737,
1740, 1749 and 1781, Captain Pedro de Gastambide built a fort at
Sirangan. Several watchtowers were also constructed at Gubat, Bacon,
Bulusan, Sta. Magdalena and Matnog.
On October 17, 1894, Sorsogon was separated as a province from Albay.
Juan de la Guardia
became the first governor, succeeded by Guillermo Montes, Saliendo
Salazar and Leandro Villamil.
The Spaniards abandoned Sorsogon during the Philippine Revolution of
1876. For sometime, the provincial government was administered by
Father Jorge Barlin, Vicar Forane in Sorsogon, who later turned over
the province to the revolutionary forces.
On January 20, 1900, the American forces under General William Kobbe
occupied Sorsogon and set up a provisional military government. The
resistance movement against the Americans ended when Emeterio Funes,
head of the local revolutionary forces, was captured. He later took
the oath of allegiance to the United States.
A civil government was established in Sorsogon on April 30, 1901.
Bernardino Monreal was the first governor of the province.
During the World War II, after the Japanese occupied Sorsogon in 1942,
Major Licerio Lopez and Salvador Escudero organized guerilla units
which joined forces with the American Liberation Forces in the
Liberation of Sorsogon on April 29, 1945.
The province is rich in prehistoric culture. The archaeological
excavation conducted by Robert Fox in 1959 unearthed stone tools and
burial jars at the "hacienda" of Juan Escuetura in Bato. Golden crons,
believed to exist from 91 B.C. to 79 A.D., were also found in Bulan
and Juban.
Sorsogon is known for its historic and panoramic places, such as the
century-old towers or "baluartes" in Sta. Magdalena, Bacon Matnog,
Casiguran and Bulusan; the eye catching waterfalls in Guinlajon; the
summer resorts along Lake Bulusan; the "Tulong Gapo" in Bacon; the
Bato Limestone in Bato; and the Irosin church in Irosin.
LOCATION, ADMINISTRATIVE COMPOSITION and
LAND AREA
The province of Sorsogon on the north
extend westward from 124O to 123O longitude and on the north-south
axis from 12O to 13O north latitude. Forming a triangular shape, it is
bounded on the north by the province of Albay and Albay Gulf, on the
south by Samar and San Bernardino strait; on the east by Pacific Ocean
and on the west by Burias Island and Ticao Pass.
Sorsogon has an area of 2,141.45 square kilometers or 214,144.86
hectares. It lies at the southeastern tip of Luzon Island and is
located about 600 kilometers southeast of Manila.
The ratification on December 16, 2000 of Republic Act 8806, which
merges the towns of Bacon and Sorsogon and converting into Sorsogon
City, reduced the municipal composition of the province into fourteen
(14) and one component city. Sorsogon City serves as the capital. The
province has 541 barangays and two congressional districts.
Thirteen (13) municipalities dot the 336 kilometers long coastline,
which stretches from the northern portion of Sorsogon City (Bacon
District area) to the municipalities of Prieto Diaz, Gubat, Barcelone,
Bulusan, Sta. Magdalena and Matnog, which faces the Pacific Coast. The
towns of Bulan, Magallanes, Pilar and Donsol are found on the western
side while Casiguran, Castilla and the southwestern portion of
Sorsogon City line along the shores of the semi-circular Sorsogon Bay.
Irosin, the only inland town , is at the heart of the southern half of
the province the southwestern side of the Bulusan Volcano.
TOPOGRAPHY
Characterized by an irregular topography mountain sprawl over the
northeast, southwest and west portions of the province. These mountains
sloped down to small valleys and plains.
Mount Bulusan is the tallest peak as it towers 1,560 meters above sea
level.
It is an active volcano located at the south-eastern part of the
province.
CLIMATE
Generally, the climate is pleasant the whole year round with only two
pronounced seasons; rainy (July to December) and dry (January to
June).
TOTAL POPULATION
The NSO Survey of Population in 2000 shows that Sorsogon has a total
population of 650,535. It increased by 58,608 persons from the 1995
census figure of 591,927. The populations grow at a mean annual growth
rate of 2.04% from 1995 to 2000, which is remarkably lower that the
2.35% annual growth rate registered from the period 1990 to 1995.
Sorsogon City, the capital of the province registered the largest
population at 134,678 while Sta. Magdalena the smallest with only
14,623 persons recorded in the year 2000 census.
LANGUAGE/DIALECT
Bicol is the local dialect. Being at the gateway between the Visayas
and Luzon through the Bikol Region, Sorsogon's brand of Bicol,
however, is the unique mixture of the Visayas and Bicol dialects. For
languages, most of the natives can speak English and Filipino
fluently. There is also smattering of Spanish. In fact, the local
dialect has a liberal sprinkling of Spanish words and at times,
colloquially corrupted.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES
Sorsogon is rich in natural resources, but many of them remained
undeveloped. The major crops are abaca and copra. The province boast
of producing the best hemp in the Bicol Region. Fishing industry ranks
next. Freshwater and offshore fishing resources are not yet fully
developed. There are plenty of raw materials for cottage industries.
The province has untouched deposits of sulfur, kaolin, limestone and
coal.
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