183. PHILIPPINE EXPERIENCE - BICOL

 

PHILIPPINE EXPERIENCE - BICOL

Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano

10 October 2023

The Bicolandia is not new to me. In my younger years, I have been traversing this great peninsula on my way to my father’s hometown in Calbayog City, Samar. During those times, the Quirino Highway (also known as Rolando Andaya Highway, Camarines Sur-Quezon Road or N68) was not yet cemented and complete so I have to take the old route passing through the capital-town of Daet in Camarines Norte. The sceneries of the beautiful provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon replaced my weariness during the long travel from Manila especially when the majestic Mayon Volcano reveals its splendor from the horizon until it fades away at the rear. All my Bicol trips were capped with a stop-over at the famous Cagsawa Ruins in Barangay Busay in Daraga, Albay where the perfect view of the Mayon can be seen. I also travelled to Bicol during my Senate years and DENR days.

The Bicol region was known as “Ibalong” derived from the words: “ibalio” which means "to bring to the other side"; “ibalon” which also means "people from the other side" or "people who are hospitable and give visitors gifts to bring home"; or as a corruption of Gibal-ong, a sitio of Magallanes, Sorsogon where the Spaniards first landed in 1567.

The name “Bikol”, which replaced “Ibalon”, was originally “bikod” which means "meandering", a word describing the winding course of the principal river of the area. Other etymologies include: “biko” which means “twisted or bent” and “bikolbikol”, a specie of tree used for timber and for making rope. The term “bicolbicol” can be found in the Vocabulario de la lengua Bicol (1865 version).

The Spaniards organized the entire Bicol Peninsula into one province with two divisions, Camarines in the northwest and Ibalon in the southeast. In 1636, the two were separated. In 1829, Partido de Camarines was partitioned into Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte. In 1854, they were reunited under the name “Ambos Camarines” but split again after three years. In 1893, they were reunited. And in 1917, the two provinces were permanently separated.

Ibalon, now Albay, was then divided into four districts: Iraya, Cordillera or Tabaco, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes. On October 17, 1894, Sorsogon was eventually separated from Albay. In the early 1900s, Catanduanes was a sub-province of Ambos Camarines and later became a sub-province of Albay. In 1945, it became an autonomous province.

In 1846, the islands of Masbate, Ticao and Burias was separated from Albay and became a politico-military command province. In 1864, it was declared a separate province from Albay. After a devastating typhoon in 1908, Masbate was annexed to the province of Sorsogon. Finally, on December 15, 1920, it gained status as a separate province.

At present, Bicol Region or Region V has six provinces, one independent component city - the pilgrim city of Naga, six component cities (Iriga, Legazpi, Ligao, Masbate, Sorsogon & Tabaco), 107 municipalities and 3,471 barangays with Legazpi City as the regional center.

This year, the Philippine Experience Program (PEP or PhilEx) third leg of the Department of Tourism (DOT) was held in the Bicolandia particularly in the provinces of Albay and Sorsogon. I was very privileged to be invited by DOT Central Office and DOT Region 5 Regional Director Herbie Balquin Aguas who was a former colleague in the Philippine Councilor League (PCL) and eventually became mayor of the Municipality of Santo Domingo, Albay.

The PEP highlights the Filipino brand and identity in all aspects of the travel and tourism experience, focused on heritage, culture and arts to enhance current tour and domestic circuit offerings with thematic experiences on food and gastronomy, pilgrimage and wellness, festivals, living cultures and heritage and the arts.

From The Oriental Legazpi Hotel in Barangay Taysan, Legazpi City, we travelled south and reached the capital-city of Sorsogon in Sorsogon province. We attended the official opening of the Kasanggayahan Festival at the Provincial Capitol graced by my boss, DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, in the presence of Governor Jose Edwin B. Hamor and wife Mayor Ma. Esther E. Hamor of Sorsogon City, Congresswoman Maria Bernadette G. Escudero of the 1st District (sister of Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero), Congressman Manuel “Wuwu” Fortes, Jr. of the 2nd District, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by Vice Governor Krunimar Antonio “Jun” D. Escudero II (cousin of Senator Chiz), who was my classmate at the University of Makati (AB Political Science major in Local Government Administration). We then had one of the most scrumptious meal I had in life with a variety of seafoods and cuisine in colorful food presentation at the Capitol Guesthouse. After the culinary excellence luncheon, I stole time to visit Museo Sorsogon, the restored old provincial jail and courthouse building, where the official photo painting of my great great grandfather by affinity is permanently showcased – Don Jose Zurbito y Cervantes, Assemblyman (1909-1916) and Governor (1917-1919) of the combined Province of Sorsogon-Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands.