HISTORY OF MUNICIPALITIES OF PARTIDO LAGONOY There are two version as to how Lagonoy got its name. Year 1734 when the first Spaniards in this place found a small forested area near a creek where “hagonoy”, a medicinal plant grew abundantly. Because the Spaniards could hardly pronounce the word hagonoy with “ha” or the first syllable, they deliberately decided to change “ha” to “la”. Since then to this date, the place was known as “Lagonoy”. Some of the residents also believed that the name was taken from the word “lango” meaning drunk. During fiestas and other forms of merrymaking, men used to drink too much “tuba” (native wine) that they become drunk or “lango” (bikol of drunk) so that the place was called by the neighbouring towns as “Lagonoy”. Total Land Area: 57, 171 hectares Total Number of Barangay: 38 Reference: Cultural Inventory of the 4th District of Camarines Sur (Project in Social Science 4 classes, A/Y 2001-2002) PRESENTACION Once only a sitio of Lagonoy, many accounts surround the origin of the name “Parubi”, a small tree and was said to be growing in abundance in this place. Another account tells that years before, this place was famous for “UBI”, a root crop. Then it came to be known as Parubian which later shortened to Parubcan. Parubcan became a municipality by virtue of RA 3421 OF 1964 due to the efforts of “Make Parubcan Town Movement” led by late Teodorico Presentacion, and by then Representative Felix A. Fuentebella. Total Land Area: 14, 304 hectares Total Number of Barangay: 18 and 1 sitio Reference: The 4th District of Camarines Sur (Partido): It’s Economic Profile by R & D Council, Partido State University and Partido Development Administration. SAN JOSE In the year 1813, the town of San Jose was officialy established under the town Patrocinio. It was derived from the word “patron”, meaning model. Later, it was changed to Patrocinio de San Jose, in honor of its patron saint, San Jose de Patriarca. Again, it was shortened to San Jose, which is its present and official name. Its founders were Rev. Fr. Salvador Mendoza, then the parish priest of El Pueblo de Lagonoy and Don Mariano Agustin, the first Capitan of this Municipal town. Total Land Area: 4,702.8146 hectares Total Number of Barangay: 29 Reference: Cultural Inventory of the 4th District of Camarines Sur (Project in Social Science 4 classes, A/Y 2001-2002) SAGÑAY The name Sagñay is synonymous with the word “sañga”, meaning branch. Such connotation evolved because of the fact that in going to this place, one has to take the road, (the road that passes through all the towns in the Partido Area) which branches out from the National Highway at the Municipality of Tigaon.
Total Land Area: 11,819 hectares Total Number of Barangay: 18 Reference: Cultural Inventory of the 4th District of Camarines Sur (Project in Social Science 4 classes, A/Y 2001-2002) SIRUMA The town of Siruma was originally called “BANGON”, a name given by some missionaries who reached the place during the early part of the Spanish regime. The term literally means “To rise-up” could have been derived from Pre-Hispanic practice of giving a name to a new born child drawn from one its dead ancestors. Legend also tells: According to most aged native, a tiny island now a barangay called Matandang Siruma, which is situated of the tip of the town. Landed Capitan Juan Anton and his wife together with some companions who were in a turtle-hunt along its shores. The group stayed overnight supposedly for another day hunt, when they woke-up, they were surprised because their surroundings were swarmed with biting red ants called in the local dialect as “SIRUM”. When they returned to their place, he announce to his people and to neighboring island his new discovery, hence the name “SIRUMA” came to be used. Total land area: 12,812 hectares Total number of barangay: 22 Ref.: The 4th District of Camarines Sur (Partido): It’s economic Profile by R & D Council, PSU and PDA Souvenir Prog. 318th Annual Fiesta of Parish of St. Anthony de Padua, Siruma, Camarines Sur (June 2, 2005) TIGAON Historical record reveal that way back 1701, Tigaon was the barrio of Sagnay. Records also show conflicting dates as to when Tigaon obtained her independence and officially became a pueblo or town. In 1794, Tigaon was given own parish under the Friar Jose de Buensalido who carried the mission of St. Claire of Assisi. The name of town according to a certain parish priest, Fr. Marcos de Lisboa, was attributed to the word “TIGAW”, a shrub grow in abundance along the riverbanks. Total land area: 10,985 hectares Total number of Barangay: 23 Ref.: Cultural Inventory of the 4th district of Camarines Sur (Project of Soc. Sci. 4 classes A/Y 2001-2002) TINAMBAC Its present name is said to have been acquired from two versions: The Friar and Soldiers upon arrival at the seashore of this placed found several people pilling some newly hunted wild pigs and deer on the shore. The people asked the name of the place. Not knowing the Spanish language, the people thought they were asked what they were doing, “pinagtatambak” (pilling the hunted wild hogs) was their answer. The Spaniards then interpreted their response as the name as the place. Thus the place was called “TAMBAK” which in the course of time was change to “TINAMBAK” The other version was called TAMBAK because the town was situated on that hill which resembles a mound of earth. Since this site was near the seashore, mounds of earth were piled up by the continuous waves of the sea. Hence, the name “TINAMBAC” was given to the place it was “piled-up”
Total land area: 35,709 hectares Total number of barangay: 44 Ref.: Cultural Inventory of the 4th district of Camarines Sur (Project of Soc. Sci. 4 classes A/Y 2001-2002) CARAMOAN Caramoan was founded by the Spanish friar Francisco de le Cruz y Oropesa , who discovered a small settlement in the place called “BALWARTE” it was gathered that the first name given to this place was “Gutta de Leche” by the Dutch Traders frequenting the Area. The name perhaps was derived from the milk drop stalagmites founded among the rocks at the Gutta Port. But upon the arrival of the Spaniards, the place came to called “Caramoan”, a name derived from the “turtle, which was at the time found abundantly along shores of the Peninsula. Others claimed that since Caramoan had an abundant growth of “Namo” a wild plant, the place was called CANAMOAN, land of the abundant namo plants, and later it was change to Caramoan. Total Land Area: 24,697 hectares Total No, of Barangays: 49 Reference: Cultural Inventory of the 4th District of Cam. Sur (Project of Soc. Sci. 4 classes. A/Y 2001-2002) GARCHITORENA Garchitorena was once called “San Miguel” and was only a Barrio of the Municipality of Caramoan. Through the tireless effort of Cong. Sebastian Moll Jr. and the Resource Sec. Mariano Garchitorena, Pres. Elpidio Quirino finally enacted into law executive order No. 205 on March 4, 1949 declaring San Miguel a separate Municipality under the name of ANDERSON. On May 28, 1949 and under executive No. 218 a new Municipality was formally separated from its mother Municipality, Caramoan. Later, the resident of a new Municipality petitioned that the name ANDERSON to be change to GARCHITORENA in honor of Don Andres Garchitorena, formerly a Governor of the Province of Cam. Sur. Total Land Area: 21,812 hectares Toatal No, of Barangays: 23 Reference: The 4th District of Cam. Sur (Partido): It’s economic Profile by R&D Council, PSU and PDA GOA The town Goa was originally situated at Brgy. Salog that was then known as “Visita de Salog” comprising the Barrios of Lalud (now known as Salog), Himagaan, Matacla and Payatan. The “visita” was established in 1701 by Franciscan Missionary F. Mattias de Valdesoto and was attached to the Parish of Manguiring, Calabanga. By 1729, it was declared independent and was later converted into a pueblo. The original settlers found a new site a wide scattered areas of swamp land where “Gajo”, a native slender cane plant. In 1777, Franciscan Friar Fr. Juan Abalay, from the Portugese colony of Goa, India, came to administer the Parish. It was on his arrival that the village was converted into town with the official name Pueblo de Goa. Total Land Area: 21, 038 hectares Total No, of Barangays: 34 Reference: Cultural Inventory of the 4th District of Cam. Sur (Project of Social Science .4 classes. A/Y 2001-2002)
MT. ISAROG Mt. Isarog is an inactive volcano. Its last recorded eruption was on 1641. It is located 300 kilometers southeastof Manila near Naga City in the Camarines Sur province. Rising 1966 meters above the Lagonoy Gulf. Mt. Isarog is also called “VULCAN de AGUA” or more precisely, the “water mountain” since it has numerous springs and streams flowing from its slopes. Mt. Isarog is also known as “Hundred Waterfalls Mountain.” There is also Mt. Isarog National Park in this volcano which was declared National Park since 1938. Bordering at the park at the North are the Municipality of Tinambac and San Miguel Bay; at the South by the Municipalities of Pili (the Capital town of Camarines Sur) and Ocampo; the Municipality of Goa at the East, and the flood plain of Camarines Sur in the West. PARTIDO Around the first decades of the 17th century, some sources seem to suggest that the Camarines province was already partitiones into several districts namely: Partido de Lagonoy, Partido de Bicol and Partido de Ibalon. The Partido de Lagonoy was composed of the early settlements in Lagonoy, San Jose, Goa and other parts of what is now known as “Partido”, covering the northeastern portion of today’s mainland Camarines Sur, including the islands of Burias (Masbate) and Catanduanes. Its recognition as one “district” was due to the mountain ranges and bodies of water that isolated the area from the rest of the province. This name was later shortened into “Partido”, from a Spanish term “partir” meaning separate. Total Land Area: 197, 306 hectares Total Number of Municipalities; 10 Reference The 3rd District of Camarines Sur (Partido): Socio-Economic & Physical Profile Partido State University Research and Development Council and Partido Development Administration (PDA), Tigaon, Camarines Sur REPUBLIC ACT 9716 – CREATION OF ONE MORE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT IN THE PROVINCE OF CAMARINES SUR – SPLIT OF FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT INTO TWO DISTRICTS Author: Senator Joker Arroyo Partido: Third District of the Province of Camarines Sur now becomes 4 th District under Republic Act 9716, Signed on October 12, 2010 by Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. CAMARINES SUR: Its Brief History The history of Camarines Sur has been an amalgam of cross-sectoral developments and outside influences. Folklore and scientific researches have it that, thousands of years ago, there was a wandering tribe of Tabon men inhabiting a vast area of verdant, fertile plains and rolling hills. The gentle, cave-dwelling Tabon families who subsequently developed a common culture and called themselves Ibalon, and their land of bounty was called Tiera de Ibalon. The name could well refer to the entire Island of Luzon, but later been commonly adopted to refer specifically to the present Kabikolan region. The name Kabikolan was derived from the word biko, meaning bent, crooked or twisted, denoting the place along the Bicol River s meandering course. The first recoded account of the discovery of the place by the Spaniards was in 1569 when Captain Luis Enriquez de Guzman and Fr. Alfonso Gimenez first explored the Province. In 1571,
the Spanish Conquistador Juan de Salcedo, grandson of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, came to the Bicol Region from the North. Two years later, in 1573, Juan de Salcedo leading his troops, penetrated and explored the Peninsula as far as Santiago de Libon in search for spices, gold and other precious stones. Excavators in archaeological sites also have proven that early settlers in the Province bartered with Chinese, Arabs and Indians Traders. Although its culture is predominantly Malay in origin, three centuries of Spanish rule had left its mark in the people s culture and way of life. Spanish explorer Juan de Salcedo earlier called the place as Camarines , and in 1574, he named it Los Camarines , coined after the abundance of camarins or rice granaries, which were prominent features of the fertile plains. Spanish colonizers later subjugated its people and denominated the area into two distinct aggrupations. The southern portion comprising the area south of the present town of Camalig (in Albay), Sorsogon, the islands of Masbate and Catanduanes, and the area, which is now Partido in present day, then called Partido de Ibalon . The northern, upper portion, which included from the present day Camalig town in Albay, and all towns of Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, was called Partido de Camarines . After years of research initiated by Govenor Luis R. Villafuerte since his first term as Governor in local and national records and even up to the archives in Spain the official foundation date of the Province was finally confirmed to be May 27, 1579. Governor General Francisco Sande issued the Decree, which led t the establishment of a settlement in a place called Camarines where Spanish Colonists were urged to reside. In 1829, Parido de Camarines was divided into Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte. In 1854, the two provinces were united to form the Province of Ambos Camarines , but again separated in 1857 until 1893. Record showed that the two provinces jointly called Ambos Camarines underwent several fusions, annexations and repartitions and were finally separated into Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte with their present day boundaries by virtue of the Philippine Legislative Act No. 2711 of March 10, 1917. Naga City, the former capital of Camarines Sur, was founded in 1573 as Nueva Caceres namesake of the Province in Spain and among the original five royal cities of the colony. It was designated as the Province s Capital by virtue of Philippine Legislative Act No. 2711 approved on March 10, 1917 until June 6, 1955, when Pili, the adjoining town was declared the Provincial Capital by virtue of Republic Act 1336 up to the present time. Among the great sons of Camarines Sur were Bishop Jorge Barlin, the first Filipino Catholic Bishop, revolutionary leaders Elias Angeles and Felix Plazo, and the fifteen (15) Bicol Martyrs led by Manuel and Domingo Abella, who died fighting against the Spanish Rule. Reference: The Official Website of the Province of Camarines Sur. CAMARINES SUR: It’s Brief History. Accessed March 28, 2013 from http://www.camsur.gov.ph CAMARINES SUR Partido, the stronghold of the Fuentebella political clan for more than 100 years now, is the name of the 10-town fourth district, which includes Caramoan, where resorts owned by the provincial government are located. Historically, the Camarines province is known to have been partitioned and rejoined during the early Spanish period. Bicol historian Danilo Gerona said that during this time, the two Camarines provinces were in one province called the Ambos Camarines (Both Camarines) until it was split into two independent provinces—Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte—in 1829. “In 1854, compelled by an urgent fiscal consideration, the superior government in Manila decided to unite again the two Camarines provinces into Ambos Camarines. But after barely three years,
they were once again partitioned. The division lasted for about 36 years until 1893 when the two Camarines provinces were once more fused,” Gerona said. He said Ambos Camarines remained as such until 1919 when it was separated by virtue of Public Act 2809 into Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte. Both, as named, have stayed separated since then.
