ALBAY HISTORY

A Spanish expedition led by Luis de Guzman

set foot in Albay in 1569. The expedition
came from southern route that first explored
the islands of Masbate, Ticao and Burias,
then the southern Bicol Peninsula (which the
Spanish later named Ibalon). De Guzman
may have traveled inland reaching the town
of Camalig, although some believe that this
expedition was probably limited mostly to the
area of Sorsogon.
De Guzman was
accompanied
by
missionaries
who
Christianized the inhabitants of Ibalon,
Camarines and Burin.
In July 1573, Juan de Salcedo (grandson of
Governor-General Legazpi) led 120 soldiers
and Agustinian missionaries in another
expedition from the north, entering the Bicol
River from San Miguel Bay to Lake Bato.
They found Villa Santiago de Libon (Libong or
Libon), and reached the town of Albaybay
(interpreted by the Spaniards Angtabay) then
proceeded to the neighboring island of
Catanduanes. The name of Angtabay was
changed to Albaybay and shortened to
Albay. In 1616, the Pueblo of Albay served as
the capital of Partido de Ibalon with its capital
in Camalig (Daraga). Ibalon included the
modern provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, and
parts of Camarines Sur, Masbate, and the
islands of Catanduanes, Ticao and Burias.
The partido de Ibalon under the original
control of Camarines (from Caceres or Naga)
fell under the jurisdiction of the military
government at Iloilo. Under the earlier
arrangement, Camarines had included the
entire Bicol Region; but apparently travel
from Caceres to Albay was so difficult at that
time that it was easier to govern Albay from
Iloilo via the sea. Early towns during this
period included Camalig, created in 1569;
Libon, founded in 1573; Oas, created in 1587;
Polangui, organized in 1589; and Malinao,
created in 1600. Then the Partido de Ibalon
was divided into two provinces known as
Ibalon and Camarines (or Ambos Camarines),
with the boundary located between Cagsawa
(Daraga) and Camalig. The present towns of
Camalig, Guinobatan, Jovellar, Ligao, Oas,

Polangui and Libon were then part of Ambos

Camarines, and Lagonoy, Sangay, whereas
Caramoan belonged to Ibalon province. The
province of Ibalon had 38 pueblos in 1834
and was formally renamed Albay in 1836.
In 1846, Governor-General Narciso Claveria
decreed the separation of the islands of
Masbate, Ticao, and Burias, which had
formerly fallen under the administrative
jurisdiction
of
Albay,
to
form
the
commandancia-politico-militar of Masbate.
At the same time, Albay, then a politicomilitary province, ceded the towns of
Lagonoy, Caramoan and Sangay on the
Caramoan peninsula to the province of
Camarines Sur, in exchange for Camalig,
Guinobatan, Mauraro, Ligao, Oas, Polangui,
Libon, Donsol and Quipia (Jovellar). Later,
Donsol was placed in Sorsogon. Sorsogon
province was separated from Albay on
October 17, 1894.
With the fall of the Spanish regime during the
Philippine Revolution in 1898, a short-lived
provincial government was set up under the
revolutionary regime.
This was soon
displaced
by
an
American
military
established in April 26, 1901 then civil
government. At this time, Albay included the
formerly independent island-province of
Catanduanes as a municipality. In 1905,
Catanduanes was made a sub-province of
Albay, and in 1945, it was separated and
organized again into a separate province.
Albay was created as a province under Act
2711 on March 10, 1917, which comprised
the
following
municipalities;
Bacacay,
Camalig,
Daraga,
Guinobatan,
Jovellar,
Legazpi, Libong (Sto. Domingo), Libon, Ligao,
Malilipot, Malinao, Manito, Oas, Polangui,
Rapu-Rapu, Tabaco and Tiwi. Legazpi was the
former town of Albay, which had been
renamed Legazpi in 1836, changed to Albay
again in 1908, and finally back to Legazpi
when it became a chartered city in 1948. In
1963 the additional municipality of Pioduran
was created.