IO – Bicol Studies

MODULE NO: 1
MODULE TITLE: BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BICOL REGION AND PEOPLE
WRITER: SHIELA MARIE B. AMOLORIA

OPENING PRAYER

Father we thank you for this new day of strength and love.
We thank you for the wisdom and knowledge that guides us
always. We ask for your forgiveness for all our sins and
shortcomings in to our lives and to others. We ask for your
guidance in learning and help us to regain our
knowledge everyday that we may use always in our lives.
This we humbly ask through the intercession of Mother
Mary. Amen.
Module 1: Brief History of the Bicol Region and People
 INTRODUCTION AND FOCUS QUESTIONS
The Bicolanos are a patient, religious and long-suffering people whose character is
strengthened by the natural charm of its region. They are a resilient people with a resilient people with a
rich history and culture waiting to be unraveled. The history itself is a modest contribution to our desire to
know more about the glorious past of the Bicol region.
As you go through this module, remember these questions as your guide:
1. Why do we need to study the history of the Bicol Region?
2. What are the preserve treasure in our region that will help us appreciate it more?

 LESSONS AND COVERAGE

LESSON SUBTOPIC LEARNING OUTCOME TIME
ALLOTED
1 Brief History of the Bikol Recognize the Bicol region 2
Region and People according to its given history,
culture, language and literature.
2  Emergence of the  Determine the 6
Bicol Lands and its characteristics of the
First Inhabitants Bicol Region in terms of
 Natural Resources its historical/cultural
 Ancient Foreign narratives for the
Influences developments of its
 Early Beliefs and cultural heritage
Practices
 Social Organization
and Customs
 Religious Beliefs
and Practices
 Architecture and
Community
Planning
 Visual Arts and
Crafts
 The Education of
Bikolanos
PRE-ASSESSMENT
Let’s find out how much you already know about this lesson by answering the following
question.

1. What are the provinces in the Bicol region? -Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines
Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon.

2. What city is progressive in commercial, education, religion and center of culture?

-Naga City

3. Traditional occupation of the Bicolanos. –Agriculture and fishing.

INSTRUCTION: Respond to each statement twice. Once before the lesson and after reading the discussion
of the lesson.
 Write A if you agree with the statement.
 Write B if you disagree with the statement.
RESPONSE BEFORE STATEMENT RESPONSE AFTER
THE LESSON THE LESSON
A 1. The term “Bikol” could have been A
derived from “biko”, the name of a
river which drains into San Miguel
Bay.
B 2. Region V is located on the B
southwestern end of Luzon.
A 3. Bicol has a rugged topography. A
A 4. The Bicol language is derived from A
Malayo-Polynesian.
B 5. Precolonial leadership was based on B
strength, courage and intelligence.
 A 6. The Bicol Region was known as A
IBALON.

|
RESPONSE BEFORE STATEMENT RESPONSE AFTER
THE LESSON THE LESSON
A 7. Some parts of Masbate use Cebuano and A
Waray language.
A 8. The natives seem apolitical. A
A 9. Spanish abuse in Luzon started in Bicol. A
A 10. Bikol religiosity is deeply rooted. A
 When your happiness becomes memories.
____________________________________________

(CAPTION)
 “An mga istorya dae lang minahagong sa mga talinga kan mga adal na buot kaining ipasabot sa
mga parabasa, kundi pati an gayon kan literatura asin kulturang Bikolnon”
- Aureus (“Bikolinismong pagrurip sa mga osipon sa Hagong”)

Who will not be fascinated by the beautiful province of Bicol? Rich in natural resources and also in
its history. Region V is consists of six provinces: Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay,
Sorsogon, Masbate. Do you know what its history is? Try to fill in each box its history. Make this link as your
guide in answering each box: www.scribd.com/doc/26408705/Bicol-History

The primitive province of Albay was formerly called IBALON,

a name likewise given by the Spaniards to the island of
Luson. Albay was once a big province which comprised the
territory of present Albay and those of the provinces of

ALBAY Masbate and Catanduanes. It took many years for the

Spaniards to explore and occupy this territory. They came
during different eras.

When the Spanish conquistador, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, who

was then based in Panay Island in the Visayas, dispatched,
sometime between 1565 to 1570, to this part of the islands an
expeditionary force headed by Capitan Luis Enriquez de Guzman,
together with their chaplain, the Augustinian friar, Fray Alonso
Jimenez, primarily to gather provisions for the starving Spanish

SORSOGON force in Panay, and at the same time, evangelize whatever native
villages they might come upon in the course of their foray, the
group stumbled upon a small fishing village at the mouth of the
Ginning River, in what is now the Municipality of Magallanes. This
was the village of Gibalong, the very first Christian settlement in
the island of Luzon. It was here where the first mass in Luzon was
celebrated by the Augustinian friar, Fray Alonso Jimenez.
 When Captain Luis Enriquez de Guzman anchored on the
shores of Masbate in 1569, he found tiny settlements
spread along the coasts engaged in flourishing trade with
China. Chinese traders visited Masbate and founded small

MASBATE settlements during the Shri-Vijayan and Madjapahit

periods. Ruins of cave-like dwellings resembling "kiva"
(possibly built by Indians who accompanied the Chinese
traders), were found along the coasts of Aroroy, Palanas,
and Masbate. Porcelain jars dating back to the 10th
century were excavated at Kalanay (Aroroy) in the 1930s.
Historical accounts show that the Christianization of the
Bicol Region actually began in Masbate in 1569:

The province, formerly known as "Catanduan," "Catandognan,"

and finally, "Catanduanes," derived its name from the "tando"
trees which then abound in the Island. 35 In 1573, Juan de
Saceldo explored Catanduanes. Later, on January 6, 1576, Fr.
Diego de herrera with nine Augustinians sailed from Acapulco to

CATANDUANES
the Philippines aboard the galleon, "Espiritu Santo." Although it
was reported that the galleon was shipwrecked near the coast of
Catanduanes in April 1576, the others claimed that the disaster
was caused by bad weather and all the crewmembers perished.
Some said that the survivors were either killed by natives or
made servants of a certain "Datu" of the island Catanduanes was
once a part of Ibalon, now Albay. The ecclesiastical mission in the
province was controlled by Nueva Caceres. However, in 1582, it
was allotted to four "encomendoeros.

From 1573 to 1829, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte formed

only one political unit known as Ambos Camarines. In 1829, they

CAMARINES
were separated but reunited again in1854. They again separated,
to be reunited again in 1893. This union continued until 1919. On
March 3, 1919, Camarines Norte was created by the Philippine
Legislature in Act 2809. When Camarines Norte was separated

NORTE
from Ambos Camarines in 1829, it was assigned to the towns of
Daet, as capital, Talisay, Indan (Vinzons), Labo, Paracale,
Mambulao (Jose Panganiban), Capalonga, Ragay, Lupi and
Sipocot. Seventeen years late, it lost Sipocot, Lupi and Ragay to
Camarines Sur in exchange for the town of Siruma.
 Known centuries ago as the Tierra de Camarines, the province is distinctly
Spanish-founded settlement. Its name having been derived from 32
"camaronchones" or "camarines", a Spanish word for "kamalig" referring
to small nipa or bamboo-made huts by the natives. In 1574, Governor

CAMARINES
General Guido de Lavezarez referred Camarines Sur to the King of Spain
as Los Camarines, after the abundance of camarins-rice granaries - which
were conspicuous features of the area. Spanish colonizers later
subjugated its people and denominated the area into two distinct
aggrupations. The southern portion comprising the area south of the

SUR 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”.

ANALYSIS
After you learn some parts of the lesson, I know you are eager to learn more about the Bicol
History. So let’s move on to other details here.
Open the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-CEm4MZo-AZDcPdcJBNzV8yvHrwk0noX/-
view?usp=drivesdk . Read and understand the document and you may jot down important events or terms
that can be used for the next discussion
Instruction: Create a timeline showing the important events that took place within the history of Bicol
Region.

The first Spanish contact 1565

1567 The Spaniards first landed at
Magallanes, Sorsogon.
The Bikol River was first 1572
mentioned in Spanish
documents.

1636 The region was subdivided into

Ibalon and Camarines, the former
composed of Albay, Cataduanes
(once part of Albay), Sorsogon,
Masbate and the Ticao and
Burias Island.
In Camarines, minor 1762-1764
rebellions occurred
contempotaneously with
the Sumuroy rebellion
and during the British
occupation of manila.
1829 Camarines split into Norte and
Sur, bur where reunited in 1893,
in 1919 they were established as
provinces.
The American military 1901
government was replaced
by provincial civil
governments under the
Philippine Commission.
 1920s Spanish remained the
medium of instruction.
Japanese soldiers landed 1941
in Legazpi, and two days
later marched into Naga.
1945 Douglas McArthur’s Sixth
Army, aided by Filipino
guerrillas, defeated the
Japanese in the region.
ACTIVITY #5

1. Records show that Spanish abuse in Luzon started in Bicol. Give

some evidence about it.

The natives were first oppressed but Andres de Ibarra who reached Bikol in 1570. Their
gold mines too were exploited by Juan de Salcedo during his explorations of northern Bikol
in 1571. The native’s quick defense brought upon them the whip of conquest. Property
confiscation forced labor, conscription and loss of traditional power. Among others, it was
reported that one Fr. Pedro Ferrer, both a man of the cross and of the sword, nearly lost his
life to the natives for wielding more of the latter.

2. How many American Thomasites arrived in Bicol to help execute the

First Philippine Commission’s policy on public instruction in the first
decade of the century?

There where fifty-three Thomasites arrived in Bicol to help execute the First Philippine
Commission’s policy on public instruction in the first decade of the century.
 3. What is Bikol River Basin Development Program?

The Bikol River Basin Development Program was created in 1973 under Executive Order
412 “to reverse the downward transitional trend” of the region, and in 1978 it was expanded
to cover Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon.

4. Because of the beautiful scenery in the Bicol region, tourism is progressive

here. Give ten of the beautiful sights found here.

Cagsawa Ruins (Mayon Volcano), Hoyop-Hoyopan Cave (Camalig, Albay), Bagasbas Beach (Daet),
Mt. Isarog (Camarines Sur), Luyang Cave (Catanduanes), Tacdogan Reef (Masbate), Bulusan
National Park (Sorsogon), Rizal Beach (Sorsogon), Bulusan Mountain Lake Resort (Sorsogon) and
Donsol Whaleshark Interaction (Sorsogon).
 ACTIVITY #6
The characteristics of Region V is divided into different features.
Fill in the chart that describes the status of Bicol region according to its features.

ECONOMY POLITICAL SOCIAL RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE VISUAL ARTS

SYSTEM ORGANIZATIO BELIEFS AND AND AND CRAFTS
N AND PRACTICES COMMUNITY
CUSTOMS PLANNING
-Geography -Some -Naming -Bikol religiosity -In precolonial -Paracale,
times, many Bikol
defines the national children is deeply “the golden
houses were
region’s executive according to rooted. country” in
perched on trees
traditional offices and their -Some beliefs for protection
Camarines
occupations, constitution attributes or and customs from the sun and Norte.
agriculture ally the conditions related to insects. -The Kalanay
-In Sorsogon,
and fishing. mandated marking their farming, the life pottery.
towns emerged
-Region V bodies have birth was cycle, -Bigajo
for vrious resons.
has the most regional regional talismans, and -Naga, the old
Norte, the
metallic and branches in customs. divination Caceres, a huge women use
non-metallic Legazpi. -Traditional survive. stone cathedral. the
-Churches were
reserves. Bikol is courtship, -The prehistoric gayangan.
erected within 20
-Lumbering served by usually beliefs in the -Baybay
years following
and mining three prearranged, hierarchy if the arrival of
specializes in
industry. Regional progressed in supernatural Franciscans. novelties and
-Most Trial Courts several ranging from -Several toys called
ancestral Bikol
communities and four stages. bad to good is kawatan.
houses have
engage in Municipal -The to a limited -The art of
preserved the
abaca crafts. Circuit Trial solemnity if extent architectural
abaca
-Bikol’s Courts. Bikol death preserved. features peculiar weaving.
tourism rites. to the region.

industry.
 ACTIVITY #7

In our previous lesson, we learned words and terminologies that are still used today in our region. It has
become part of our daily lives or our traditions, beliefs and cultures. Here are some of the used terms of the
Bicolanos. Find its meaning according to the document you read, the Bikol Literary History.

1. Pasaca – indigenous funeral rites

__________________________________________________________________

2. Gugurang – the supreme God

___________________________________________________________________

3. Arawiga - proverbs
___________________________________________________________________

4. Orog-orog or Susuman – awit and rawit-dawit

___________________________________________________________________

5. Sinakat – Gift to the bride from a relative attending the wedding

___________________________________________________________________

6. Tumatarok – a prayer offering and oratory with song and dance

___________________________________________________________________

7. Hurnahan – a cylindrical tin mold used in forming slabs for jar bodies
___________________________________________________________________

8. Sorompongan – a song contest between males and females

___________________________________________________________________

9. Lagpitao/Palakaw-lakaw – the initial acquaintance through intermediary

___________________________________________________________________

10. Ilinakad – extra fine if the brides was not the eldest in the family
____________________________________________________________________
 Activity #8

Your goal in this section is to apply your learning to

real-life situations. You will be given a task that will
test your understanding.

You are an intern at the Regional Office of Tourism in Region V.

Because of the beautiful tourist spot, the tourism of the region is thriving.
But you still want to create a way to encourage more tourists to come and
go. So you thought to do a pamphlet that contains places to visit in the
Bicol Region. You want to help a group of tourists to understand why
Bicolanos should be proud of one’s own region. The pamphlets produced
will be shown to the tourists which is your parents, classmates and teachers.
You need to prepare a pamphlet that include explanation of why each
tourist spot was selected and how it will help the tourists to understand the
key historic, geographic and economic features of our region. Your
pamphlets needs to include a map tracing the route for their reference,
the key historical, geographic and economic features.
Make this rubric a guide in making a pamphlet:

CRITERIA DESCRIPTION SCORE

Content/Accuracy Use of facts and the
/Quantity quantity of information is
exceptional. 30%
Creativeness Overall attractive in terms
of design, layout and 25%
neatness.
Organized The pamphlet has a clear
and organized 20%
information and
description to each
picture.
Originality Original and did not
plagiarized any parts of 15%
pamphlets.
Graphics and Pictures Graphics go well with the
text and there is a good 10%
mix of text and the
picture.
Total 100%
 CLOSURE

At this point, you have almost completed all the exercises in this
lesson. But you need to go back and answer your response to the
Anticipation Reaction Guide (After the Lesson) and compare your
previous knowledge with what you learned from this module.

SELF-ASSESSMENT

LEARNING AWESOME! I GOT IT GOOD ! NEED HELP !

COMPETENCIES:

1. Recognize the
Bicol region
according to its ✔
given history,
culture, language
and literature.
2. Determine the
characteristics of
the Bicol Region in ✔
terms of its
different features.

3. To use the
creativity to show ✔
the beauty of the
region..
 POST-ASSESSMENT

So that we can better understand what you have learned and understood in this lesson. answer this
assessment.

1. Where is Bicol region located?

-Bicol is one of the 16 regions of the Philippines occupying the Bicol Peninsula at the southeastern
end of Luzon Island and some other islands.
2. How many municipalities and barangays are there in the Bicol region?
- There are 107 municipalities and 3,471 baraangays in Bicol Region.
3. What is the standard idiom or language that is used among any other variations in the Bicol?
-Bikol Naga.
4. What do the Spaniards call the Region 5 after they found the hut in Camalig, Albay?
-Los Camarines.
5. Why does Spanish chronicles described the Bicolanos as a fierce warriors?
-Some Spanish chronicles describe Bicolanos as very fierce warriors as their history comprises
may battles against foreign incursions.

6. Supposing you are courting a Bicolana, give the steps in traditional courtship that shows
progressed in several stages.
-First is Ligpatiao or palakw-lakaw, the following are pasonco, pag-agad, dote, pagdodo, sinakat,
ilinakad, sayod, tronco, pagcaya, purukan or hurulungan, and lastly pamalaye.

7. As a Bicolano, how can you show pride to them to patronage our own region first before anywhere
else?
-By learning the history of our own region and give a big significance of what we learn from it.
8. Why do we need to study the history of one’s region?
-We need to study the history of one’s region for us to gain and have a knowledge of the region’s
past. Learning the history of one’s region help us understand its cultures, traditions, beliefs and
how they live for their life.

9. What Is the meaning of this Bico proverb

 “Natatago an kayamanan, dai an kapobrehan.”
-It means that wealth can be hidden but not the poorness.

10. What new questions do you have after learning the Bicol’s history?
-How did the Bicolanos conquer their challenges as the Spaniards first abuse the Bicol Region?

CLOSING PRAYER
DOMINICAN BLESSING
May God the Father bless us.
May God the Son heal us.
May God the Holy Spirit enlighten us,
and give us
eyes to see with,
ears to hear with,
hands to do the work of God with,
feet to walk with,
a mouth to preach the word of salvation with,
and the angel of peace to watch over us and
lead us at last, by our Lord’s gift, to the
Kingdom.

Amen.
 REFERENCES:
Realubit, Maria Lilia F. 1999.Bikol Literary History

www.scribd.com/doc/26408705/Bicol-History

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-CEm4MZo-AZDcPdcJBNzV8yvHrwk0noX/-
view?usp=drivesdk

Balde, Abdon M., 2011.Magayon an Satuyang Probinsya