29/09/2021
HISTORY OFMASBATE
(EXCERPT FROM THE NATIONAL LIBRARY)
The province of Masbate is located just south of Luzon’s Bicol peninsula, north of the Visayan Islands of the Central Philippines. It is comprised of the wedge-shaped main island of Masbate, the two major islands of Burias and Ticao, and fourteen other small islands. It is separated from Luzon’s Bicol region on the northeast by the Burias and Ticao passes; the Samar Sea separates it from Samar Island on the east and Leyte Island on the southeast; the Visayan Sea on the south separates it from Cebu and Negros Islands; the Jintotolo Channel separates it from Panay Island on the southwest; and the Sibuyan Sea separates it from Romblon and Sibuyan Islands to the west.
The first Spanish expedition to explore Masbate, Burias, and Ticao was led by Luis Enriquez de Guzman in 1569. Captain Andres de Ibarra subsequently continued the exploration of these islands. Recollect missionaries also were early pioneers of the area establishing eight mission stations by 1750.
From early Spanish days, Burias (with its seat at San Pascual) was part of Ibalon (Albay) Province. Technically, Masbate and Ticao were also part of Ibalon but practically they were left untouched and undeveloped by the early Spaniard. Later, some Spanish settlers from Cebu landed at Guiom (a barrio of Cawayan on Masbate Island) and established a small colony. Being loyal to the mother province, the colony fell under Cebu’s administrative jurisdiction. It was not until a little later that Masbate and Ticao were transferred to Ibalon’s jurisdiction.
The governmental seat for Masbate and Ticao was initially at Guiom. But due to its inaccessibility to Burias, Ticao, eastern Masbate and Bicol, it was later transferred to Palanog, near the mouth of Lumbang River. However, the governmental records were kept inland at Cagay, safe from Moro attacks. Later, the Capital was moved to Mobo, and subsequently, to its present site in Masbate municipality.
Masbate remained primitive undeveloped for nearly three centuries of Spanish rule, in spite of an attempt to build its economy by establishing shipbuilding as a local industry there in the 1600s. a gold strike changed in 1837 changed all that, however, as hoards of fortune-seeking settlers arrived almost daily at the ore fields of Aroroy.
This sudden leap in population and commerce required better local administration, so in 1846, Masbate and Ticao were separated from Albay province and made a single politico-military commandancia, or district, with its capital at San Jacinto, Ticao Island. At about the same time, Burias was organized as a separate commandancia with its seat at San Pascual. This state of affairs continued to the end of the Spanish era.
The Masbate area was not directly affected by the revolution of 1896, but about two years later the area came under the revolutionary government’s control being administered from Albay in about 1900, its government was turned over to the U.S. military forces.
The former district of Burias and “Masbate y Ticao” were combined to form the new Province of Masbate when civil government was restored to the area on March 18, 1901. However, about five years later, Masbate was annexed as a sub-province to Sorsogon on January 1, 1906. But finally, Masbate re-inaugurated as a separate province, independent of Sorsogon on February 15, 1926.
