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Albay (IPA: ), officially the Province of Albay (; ; ᜎᜎᜏᜒᜄᜈ᜔ ᜈᜅ᜔ ᜀᜎ᜔ᜊᜌ᜔), is a
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
in the
Bicol Region The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six Provinces of the Philippines, provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the luzon#Southeastern Luzon, southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Ca ...
of the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
, mostly on the southeastern part of the island of
Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
. Its capital (and largest city) is the city of Legazpi, the regional center of the whole
Bicol Region The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six Provinces of the Philippines, provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the luzon#Southeastern Luzon, southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Ca ...
, which is located in the southern foothill of
Mayon Volcano Mayon (; , ), also known as Mount Mayon and Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol, Philippines. A popular tourist spot, it is renowned for its "perfect cone" because of its symmetric conical shape, and i ...
. The province was added to the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Network of Biosphere Reserves The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) covers internationally designated protected areas, known as biosphere or nature reserves, which are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between people and nature (e.g. encourage susta ...
in March 2016.


History


Early history

Long before the Spaniards arrived, Albay had a thriving civilization. Formerly called ''Ibat'', and then ''Libog'', Albay was once ruled by Gat Ibal, an old chief who also founded the old
barangay The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...
of Sawangan, now part of the City of Legazpi. Historian William Henry Scott wrote that in the local epic called ''siday'' entitled "Bingi of Lawan", an Albay datu by the name of Dumaraog went to Lawan (present-day
Laoang Laoang, officially the Municipality of Laoang (; ), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Northern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 61,607 people. It i ...
,
Northern Samar Northern Samar (; ), officially the Province of Northern Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catarman, the most populous town in the province and is located at the northern portion of ...
) to ask for the hands of Bingi bringing with him 100 ships. Datu Iberein came from the settlement of Lawan. He was described by Scott as a “Samar datu by the name of Iberein was rowed out to a Spanish vessel anchored in his harbor in 1543 by oarsmen collared in gold; while wearing on his own person earrings and chains.”


Spanish colonial era

In July 1569, Luis Enriquez de Guzman, a member of the expedition led by ''Maestro de Campo'' Mateo de Saz and Captain
Martin de Goiti Martin may refer to: Places Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Europe * Martin, Croatia, a village * Martin, Slovakia, a city * Martín del Río, Aragón, Spain * M ...
, led a group that crossed from Burias and Ticao islands and landed on a coastal settlement called ''Ibalon'' in what is now the province of
Sorsogon Sorsogon, officially the Province of Sorsogon ( Bikol: ''Probinsya kan Sorsogon''; Waray: ''Probinsya han Sorsogon''; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. It is the southernmost province in the island of Luzon and ...
. From this point, another expedition was sent to explore the interior and founded the town of
Camalig Camalig, officially the Municipality of Camalig (; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 72,042 people. It is popularly known for its finest delicacy—Pinangat, a Bico ...
. In 1573,
Juan de Salcedo Juan de Salcedo (; 1549 – 11 March 1576) was a Spanish conquistador. He was the grandson of Spanish general Miguel López de Legazpi. Salcedo was one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish conquest to the Philippines in 1565. He joined th ...
penetrated the
Bicol Peninsula The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon, and two ...
from the north as far south as Libon, establishing the settlement of Santiago de Libon. Jose Maria Peñaranda, a military engineer, was made “''corregidor''” of the province on May 14, 1834. He constructed public buildings and built roads and bridges. The entire Bicol peninsula was organized as one province with two divisions, Camarines in the northwest and Ibalon in the southeast. In 1636, the two ''partido''s were separated, and Ibalon became a separate province with Sorsogon as the capital. In the 17th century, Moro slave raiders from the southern Philippines ravaged the northeastern coastal areas of the province of Albay. By the end of the 1700s, Albay had 12,339 native families and 146 Spanish Filipino families.ESTADISMO DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS TOMO PRIMERO By Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga (Original Spanish)
/ref>ESTADISMO DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS TOMO SEGUNDO By Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga (Original Spanish)
/ref>
Mayon Volcano Mayon (; , ), also known as Mount Mayon and Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol, Philippines. A popular tourist spot, it is renowned for its "perfect cone" because of its symmetric conical shape, and i ...
, in one of its most violent eruptions, destroyed the five towns surrounding its base on February 1, 1814. This eruption forced the town of Cagsawa to relocate to its present site, Legazpi. A
decree A decree is a law, legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state, judge, monarch, royal figure, or other relevant Authority, authorities, according to certain procedures. These procedures are usually defined by the constitution, Legislativ ...
was issued by
Governor-General Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
Narciso Claveria in 1846 separating
Masbate Masbate, officially the Province of Masbate (Masbateño language, Masbateño: ''Probinsya san Masbate''; ), is an island Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located near the midsection of the nation's archipelago. Its provi ...
, Ticao, and Burias from Albay to form the ''comandancia'' of Masbate. Albay was then divided into four districts: Iraya, Cordillera or
Tabaco Tabaco, officially the City of Tabaco (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,961 p ...
, Sorsogon, and
Catanduanes Catanduanes (; ), officially the Province of Catanduanes (), is an island province located in the Bicol Region of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the 12th-largest island in the Philippines, and lies to the east of Camarines Sur, across the M ...
.


Philippine revolution

Glicerio Delgado, a condemned ' (insurgent), started revolutionary activities in the province. With a headquarters in the mountain of Guinobatan town, he joined the revolutionary government of Albay as a lieutenant in the infantry. A unit of the Philippine Militia was then organized by the Spanish military authorities. Mariano Riosa was appointed major of the Tabaco Zone, which comprised all the towns along the seacoast from
Albay Albay (IPA: ), officially the Province of Albay (; ; Baybayin, ᜎᜎᜏᜒᜄᜈ᜔ ᜈᜅ᜔ ᜀᜎ᜔ᜊᜌ᜔), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Bicol Region of the Philippines, mostly on the southeastern part of the isla ...
to Tiwi while Anacieto Solano was appointed major for the Iraya Zone, which was made up of the towns from
Daraga Daraga ( ɐrɐ'gaofficially the Municipality of Daraga ; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 133,893. The municipality is home to the famous Cagsawa Ruins. Hist ...
to Libon. Each town was organized into sections of fifty men under the command of a lieutenant. During the
Philippine Revolution The Philippine Revolution ( or ; or ) was a war of independence waged by the revolutionary organization Katipunan against the Spanish Empire from 1896 to 1898. It was the culmination of the 333-year History of the Philippines (1565–1898), ...
on September 22, 1898, the provisional revolutionary government of Albay was formed with Anacieto Solano as provisional president. Major General
Vito Belarmino Vito Belarmino y Loyola (June 15, 1857 – July 14, 1933) was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution. During the revolution, he was codenamed "Walang Gulat" by fellow Katipuneros. He was placed by Emilio Aguinaldo in command in the ...
, the appointed military commander, reorganized the Filipino Army in the province.


American invasion era

Following the
Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...
, the new colonial power the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
did not recognize the country's independence, which had been declared in June 1898, and the Americans subsequently acquired direct control of the country as a de facto colony, under the terms of the
Treaty of Paris (1898) The Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, commonly known as the Treaty of Paris of 1898, was signed by Spain and the United States on December 10, 1898, and marked the end of the Spanish–American Wa ...
, over which the Filipinos had no say. During the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...
, Brigadier General William August Kobbé headed the expedition that landed at the ports of Sorsogon, Bulan and Donsol. From there, the Americans marched to Legazpi and captured it. Although a
civil government In Portugal, the Civil Governments (, singular ') are the bodies of public administration that represent the Government of Portugal, central government at the Districts of Portugal, district level. Each Civil Government is headed by an ''administ ...
was established in Albay on April 26, 1901, Colonel
Harry Hill Bandholtz Harry Hill Bandholtz (December 18, 1864 – May 7, 1925) was a United States Army career officer who served for more than a decade in the Philippines. He was a Major general (United States), major general during World War I, and the US represent ...
, Commanding Officer of the Constabulary in the Bicol Region, said that General Simeon Ola, with a thousand men, continued to defy American authority after the capture of Belarmino in 1901. Ola was later captured with about six hundred of his men.


Japanese occupation era

Following the December 12, 1941,
Japanese invasion of Legazpi The Japanese Invasion of Legazpi ( Filipino: ''Paglusob ng mga Hapones sa Legazpi'', Bicolano: ''Pagsalakay kan mga Hapon sa Legazpi'') on 12 December 1941 was one in a series of advance landings made by Imperial Japanese forces as first step ...
during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the Kimura Detachment of the
Imperial Japanese Army The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
occupied Albay Province. The region was defended only by the
Philippine Constabulary The Philippine Constabulary (PC; , ''HPP''; ) was a gendarmerie-type military police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Police. It was created by the Insular Government, American occupat ...
unit under the command of Major Francisco Sandico. During the Japanese Occupation, the military general headquarters of the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines remained active from January 3, 1942, to June 30, 1946, and the 5th Constabulary Regiment of the
Philippine Constabulary The Philippine Constabulary (PC; , ''HPP''; ) was a gendarmerie-type military police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Police. It was created by the Insular Government, American occupat ...
was established from October 28, 1944, to June 30, 1946, and stationed in Albay. Then came the clearing operations and anti-Japanese insurgency in the
Bicol Peninsula The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon, and two ...
, helped by the local Bicolano resistance. Some Bicolano
guerrilla Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, Partisan (military), partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include Children in the military, recruite ...
groups invaded around the province of Albay during the Japanese Insurgencies between 1942 and 1944 and were supported by local Filipino troops under the Philippine Commonwealth Army and pre-war Philippine Constabulary 5th Infantry Regiments attacking the enemy soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army. In the aftermath of three years of siege and conflicts, many Bicolano guerrillas were forced to retreat by the Japanese around the province before liberation in 1945 by Allied forces.


Marcos dictatorship

Oas, Albay, was one of the localities particularly harmed by the
Dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos At 7:15 p.m. on September 23, 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos announced on television that he had placed the Philippines under martial law, stating he had done so in response to the "communist threat" posed by the newly founded Communist Party ...
; in the waning days of the dictatorship, Oas was hit by a series of political killings targeting those who dared to speak out against the abuses of the Military and against Ferdinand Marcos. The most prominent of the victims was Clemente Ragragio, the municipal sanitation inspector of
Ligao 'Ligao'', officially the City of Ligao (; ), is a component city in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,096 people. Most of the city's economy came from agriculture sector. Ligao is ...
who was later also assigned to Oas. Known for his effectiveness, he had been awarded the 1983 Best Sanitary Inspector for Albay. However, this led the dictatorship's local administrators suspecting him of being a rebel sympathizer, because his close relationship with locals in far-flung barangays allowed him to move around fearlessly, and because he expressed disagreements with the dictatorship's governance. A killer shot him three times in front of his house in the early evening of August 21, 1985, and the government did not investigate his murder. He was later honored by having his name inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Philippines'
Bantayog ng mga Bayani The Bantayog ng mga Bayani (), sometimes simply referred to as the Bantayog, is a monument, museum, and historical research center in Quezon City, Philippines, which honors the martyrs and heroes of the struggle against the Martial law under F ...
(lit. Monument of Heroes), which honors the martyrs and heroes who fought to restore democracy in the wake of the Marcos dictatorship.


Geography

Albay has a total land area of , which makes it the 53rd biggest province. The province is bordered by the provinces of
Camarines Sur Camarines Sur (; ), officially the Province of Camarines Sur (Central Bikol language, Bikol: ''Probinsya kan Habagatan na Camarines''; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region on Luzon. Its ca ...
to the north and
Sorsogon Sorsogon, officially the Province of Sorsogon ( Bikol: ''Probinsya kan Sorsogon''; Waray: ''Probinsya han Sorsogon''; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. It is the southernmost province in the island of Luzon and ...
to the south. To the northeast lies
Lagonoy Gulf Lagonoy Gulf is a large gulf in the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon island in the Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western ...
, which separates the province from
Catanduanes Catanduanes (; ), officially the Province of Catanduanes (), is an island province located in the Bicol Region of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the 12th-largest island in the Philippines, and lies to the east of Camarines Sur, across the M ...
. To the southwest of the province is the Burias Pass with the island of Burias of
Masbate Masbate, officially the Province of Masbate (Masbateño language, Masbateño: ''Probinsya san Masbate''; ), is an island Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located near the midsection of the nation's archipelago. Its provi ...
province located about offshore. In 2016, an area of was declared a
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific program, launched in 1971 by UNESCO, that aims to establish a scientific basis for the 'improvement of relationships' between people and their environments. MAB engages w ...
. The Albay Biosphere Reserve is home to 182 terrestrial plant species, of which 46 are endemic to the Philippines. Its marine waters and coastal area also provide habitat to five of the world's seven
marine turtle Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhe ...
species, as well as mangrove, seagrass and seaweed ecosystems.


Topography

The province is generally mountainous with scattered fertile plains and valleys. On the eastern part of the province is a line of volcanic mountains starting with the northernmost Malinao in Tiwi, followed by Mount Masaraga and the free-standing
Mayon Volcano Mayon (; , ), also known as Mount Mayon and Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol, Philippines. A popular tourist spot, it is renowned for its "perfect cone" because of its symmetric conical shape, and i ...
. Separated by the Poliqui Bay is the Pocdol Mountains in the town of Manito. The
stratovolcano A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a typically conical volcano built up by many alternating layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with ...
of
Mayon Mayon (; , ), also known as Mount Mayon and Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Albay in Bicol Region, Bicol, Philippines. A popular tourist spot, it is renowned for its "perfect cone" bec ...
standing at around , is the highest point of the province. It is the most famous
landform A landform is a land feature on the solid surface of the Earth or other planetary body. They may be natural or may be anthropogenic (caused or influenced by human activity). Landforms together make up a given terrain, and their arrangement ...
in Albay and in the whole
Bicol Region The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six Provinces of the Philippines, provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the luzon#Southeastern Luzon, southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Ca ...
. This
active volcano An active volcano is a volcano that is currently erupting, or has the potential to erupt in the future. Conventionally it is applied to any that have erupted during the Holocene (the current geologic epoch that began approximately 11,700 years ...
falls under the jurisdiction of eight municipalities and cities of Albay:
Camalig Camalig, officially the Municipality of Camalig (; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 72,042 people. It is popularly known for its finest delicacy—Pinangat, a Bico ...
,
Daraga Daraga ( ɐrɐ'gaofficially the Municipality of Daraga ; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 133,893. The municipality is home to the famous Cagsawa Ruins. Hist ...
, Guinobatan,
Legazpi City Legazpi (, American Spanish: , European Spanish: ), officially the City of Legazpi (; ), is a Component City, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a ...
, Ligao City, Malilipot,
Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...
, and
Tabaco City Tabaco, officially the City of Tabaco (; ), is a component city in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,961 people. Etymology According to native stories, the "Legend of Tabaco" was abo ...
. The western coast of the province is mountainous but not as prominent as the eastern range with the highest elevation at around . Among these mountains are Mount Catburawan in Ligao and Mount Pantao in Oas.


Administrative divisions

Albay comprises 15 municipalities/towns and three component cities ( Legazpi,
Ligao 'Ligao'', officially the City of Ligao (; ), is a component city in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,096 people. Most of the city's economy came from agriculture sector. Ligao is ...
and
Tabaco Tabaco, officially the City of Tabaco (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,961 p ...
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Bacacay Bacacay, officially the Municipality of Bacacay (; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 72,485 people. Bacacay is primarily an agricultural town and abundant in seafoo ...
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Camalig Camalig, officially the Municipality of Camalig (; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 72,042 people. It is popularly known for its finest delicacy—Pinangat, a Bico ...
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Daraga Daraga ( ɐrɐ'gaofficially the Municipality of Daraga ; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 133,893. The municipality is home to the famous Cagsawa Ruins. Hist ...
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Ligao 'Ligao'', officially the City of Ligao (; ), is a component city in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,096 people. Most of the city's economy came from agriculture sector. Ligao is ...
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1st First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
, , 45,301 , , , , style="text-align:center;" , 29 , - ! scope="row" style="border-right:0;background-color:initial;", , style="text-align:left;font-weight:bold;border-left:0;" colspan="2" , Manito , style="text-align:center;" ,
2nd A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). Second, Seconds, The Second, or (The) 2nd may also refer to: Mathematics * 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'') * Minute and second of arc, ...
, , 24,707 , , , , style="text-align:center;" , 15 , - ! scope="row" style="border-right:0;background-color:initial;", , style="text-align:left;font-weight:bold;border-left:0;" colspan="2" , Oas , style="text-align:center;" , 3rd , , 67,960 , , , , style="text-align:center;" , 53 , - ! scope="row" style="border-right:0;background-color:initial;", , style="text-align:left;font-weight:bold;border-left:0;" colspan="2" ,
Pio Duran Pio Duran, officially the Municipality of Pio Duran (; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 49,070 people. Access to the town is via Ligao. It is considered one of the ...
, style="text-align:center;" , 3rd , , 46,693 , , , , style="text-align:center;" , 33 , - ! scope="row" style="border-right:0;background-color:initial;", , style="text-align:left;font-weight:bold;border-left:0;" colspan="2" ,
Polangui Polangui, officially the Municipality of Polangui (; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of people. Etymology The origin of the name ''Polangui'' has many versio ...
, style="text-align:center;" , 3rd , , 88,221 , , , , style="text-align:center;" , 44 , - ! scope="row" style="border-right:0;background-color:initial;", , style="text-align:left;font-weight:bold;border-left:0;" colspan="2" ,
Rapu-Rapu Rapu-Rapu, officially the Municipality of Rapu-Rapu (; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay in the Bicol Region of the Philippines. The population was 36,151 at the 2020 census. The municipality comprises three islands: Rapu-rapu Isla ...
, style="text-align:center;" ,
2nd A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). Second, Seconds, The Second, or (The) 2nd may also refer to: Mathematics * 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'') * Minute and second of arc, ...
, , 36,920 , , , , style="text-align:center;" , 34 , - ! scope="row" style="border-right:0;background-color:initial;", , style="text-align:left;font-weight:bold;border-left:0;" colspan="2" ,
Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...
, style="text-align:center;" ,
1st First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
, , 34,967 , , , , style="text-align:center;" , 23 , - ! scope="row" style="border-right:0;background-color:initial;", , - style="background:#ffe6f3;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#ffe6f3; border-right:0;" , , style="text-align:left;font-weight:bold;border-left:0;" colspan="2" ,
Tabaco Tabaco, officially the City of Tabaco (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,961 p ...
∗ , style="text-align:center;" ,
1st First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
, , 133,868 , , , , style="text-align:center;" , 47 , - ! scope="row" style="border-right:0;background-color:initial;", , style="text-align:left;font-weight:bold;border-left:0;" colspan="2" , Tiwi , style="text-align:center;" ,
1st First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
, , 53,120 , , , , style="text-align:center;" , 25 , - class="sortbottom" ! scope="row" style="border-right:0;" , ! colspan="3" style="border-left:0;text-align:left;font-size:110%;letter-spacing:0.05em;" , TOTAL ! style="text-align:right;" , 1,374,768 ! style="text-align:right;" , 1,314,826 ! style="text-align:right;" , ! style="text-align:right;" , 2,574.91 ! style="text-align:right;" , ! style="text-align:right;" , ! style="text-align:right;" , ! style="text-align:center;" , 720 , - class="sortbottom" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;line-height:1.3em;border-top:double grey;white-space:nowrap;" , colspan="13" style="border-width:thin 0 0 0;text-align:center;padding:0.7em 0 0 0;" , Provincial capital and component city Municipality , - class="sortbottom" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;line-height:1.3em;font-size:110%;" , colspan="13" style="border-top:0;text-align:left;padding:0 12em;" ,


Demographics

The population of Albay in the 2020 census was 1,374,768 people,, making it the 20th most populous
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
in the country. It had a density of . Based on the 2007 census, there were 208,640 households in the province with an average size of 5.22 persons, significantly higher than the national average of 4.99.


Religion

Prior to colonization, the region had a complex religious system that involved various deities. These deities include: Gugurang, the supreme god who dwells inside of
Mount Mayon Mayon (; , ), also known as Mount Mayon and Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol, Philippines. A popular tourist spot, it is renowned for its "perfect cone" because of its symmetric conical shape, and i ...
where he guards and protects the sacred fire that his brother
Aswang Aswang is an umbrella term for various shape-shifting evil creatures in Filipino folklore, such as vampires, ghouls, witches, viscera suckers, and transforming human-beast hybrids (usually dogs, cats, pigs). The aswang is the subject of a ...
was trying to steal. Whenever people disobey his orders, wishes and commit numerous sins, he would cause Mount Mayon to burst lava as a sign of warning for people to mend their crooked ways. Ancient Bikolanos had a rite performed for him called Atang.Clark, Jordan (2011) ''The Aswang Phenomenon'' Animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goLgDpSStmc Asuang, the evil god who always tries to steal the sacred fire of Mount Mayon from his brother, Gugurang. Addressed sometimes as Aswang, he dwells mainly inside Mount Malinao. As an evil god, he would cause the people to suffer misfortunes and commit sins. Enemy of Gugurang and a friend of Bulan the god of the Moon; Haliya, the masked goddess of the moonlight and the archenemy of Bakunawa and protector of Bulan. Her cult is composed primarily of women. There is also a ritual dance named after her as it is performed to be a countermeasure against Bakunawa.; ''Bulan'', the god of the pale moon, he is depicted as a pubescent boy with uncommon comeliness that made savage beast and the vicious mermaids (Magindara) tame. He has deep affection towards Magindang, but plays with him by running away so that Magindang would never catch him. The reason for this is because he is shy to the man that he loves. If Magindang manages to catch Bulan, Haliya always comes to free him from Magindang's grip; ''Magindang'', the god of the sea and all its creatures. He has deep affection to the lunar god Bulan and pursues him despite never catching him. Due to this, the Bicolanos reasoned that it is to why the waves rise to reach the Moon when seen from the distant horizon. Whenever he does catch up to Bulan, Haliya comes to rescue Bulan and free him immediately; ''Okot'', god of forest and hunting; and ''
Bakunawa The Bakunawa, also called the Philippine moon-eating dragon, the Philippine moon dragon, moon dragon, or the moon-eating dragon, is a serpent, that looks like a Dragon in Philippine mythology. It is believed to be the cause of eclipses, earthqu ...
'', a gigantic sea serpent deity who is often considered as the cause of eclipses, the devourer of the Sun and the Moon, and an adversary of Haliya as Bakunawa's main aim is to swallow Bulan, who Haliya swore to protect for all of eternity.


Catholicism

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
is the predominant religion in the province, affiliated by 96.1% of the men and 95.7% of the women of Albay. Each town has its own fiesta for their
patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...
s and patronesses.


Others

Other religious denominations are the
Iglesia ni Cristo The (INC; ; ) is an independent Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, church founded in 1913 and registered by Felix Manalo, Félix Manalo in 1914 as a corporation sole, sole religious corporation ...
(INC) has 2 percent of the province, other
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
churches such as the
Baptist Church Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of ...
,
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
, other
Evangelical Christian Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
s,
Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbat ...
s,
Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
s,
Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co-fou ...
as well as
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
.


Languages

Albay is home to several languages and host to different native languages of Bicol Region. Out of seven Bikol languages (excluding the
Bisakol languages Bisakol (portmanteau of ''Bisaya'' and ''Bikol'') is an informal term for the three Bisayan languages spoken in the Bicol Region. These languages include Sorsoganon, a group of Warayan speech varieties of Sorsogon, namely Central Sorsogon (''Mas ...
, which are
Bisayan languages The Bisayan languages or Visayan languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages spoken in the Philippines. They are most closely related to Tagalog and the Bikol languages, all of which are part of the Central Philippine languages. Mo ...
), only Pandan Bikol of northern
Catanduanes Catanduanes (; ), officially the Province of Catanduanes (), is an island province located in the Bicol Region of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the 12th-largest island in the Philippines, and lies to the east of Camarines Sur, across the M ...
is not used or which the origin is not from Albay. The languages in the province are very diverse which includes the languages of Albay Bikol group which comprises the languages of West Miraya, East Miraya, Libon and Buhinon. Of the four
Albay Bikol language Albay Bikol, or simply Albayanon is a group of languages and one of the three languages that compose Inland Bikol. It is spoken in the southwestern coast of Albay, ( Pio Duran, Jovellar) and northwestern Sorsogon. The region is bordered by the ...
s, Buhinon is the only one not used in Albay but rather in
Buhi, Camarines Sur Buhi, officially the Municipality of Buhi (Albay Bikol language, Buhinon: ''Banwaan nya Buhi''; Rinconada Bikol language, Rinconada Bikol: ''Banwāan ka Buhi''; Tagalog language, Tagalog: ''Bayan ng Buhi''), is a municipality of the Philippines, ...
.
Rinconada Bikol Rinconada Bikol or simply Rinconada, spoken in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines, is one of several languages that compose the Inland Bikol (or Southern Bicol) group of the Bikol languages, Bikol macrolanguage. It belongs to the Austr ...
is a minority language in the province and used by people in barangays of Libon and
Polangui Polangui, officially the Municipality of Polangui (; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of people. Etymology The origin of the name ''Polangui'' has many versio ...
that are near the boundary of Bato and
Iriga Iriga, officially the City of Iriga (Rinconada Bikol: ''Syudad ka Iriga''; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the ...
in
Camarines Sur Camarines Sur (; ), officially the Province of Camarines Sur (Central Bikol language, Bikol: ''Probinsya kan Habagatan na Camarines''; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region on Luzon. Its ca ...
. Another primary language used in the province is
Central Bikol Central Bikol, commonly called Bikol Naga or simply Bikol, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Bicolanos, primarily in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, the se ...
which is the native tongue of the population on the eastern coast of the
Bicol Peninsula The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon, and two ...
. Both Albay Bikol languages and Rinconada Bikol are members of
Inland Bikol The Bikol languages or Bicolano languages are a group of Central Philippine languages spoken mostly in the Bicol Peninsula in the southeastern part of Luzon, the neighboring island-province of Catanduanes, and the island of Burias in Masbate ...
group of languages while
Central Bikol Central Bikol, commonly called Bikol Naga or simply Bikol, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Bicolanos, primarily in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, the se ...
is a language member of Coastal Bikol. The Tabaco - Legazpi - Sorsogon dialect of Central Bikol is spoken in Legazpi,
Tabaco Tabaco, officially the City of Tabaco (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,961 p ...
and neighboring municipalities on the east side of Albay, and some parts of northern
Sorsogon Sorsogon, officially the Province of Sorsogon ( Bikol: ''Probinsya kan Sorsogon''; Waray: ''Probinsya han Sorsogon''; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. It is the southernmost province in the island of Luzon and ...
(especially in
Sorsogon City Sorsogon City, officially the City of Sorsogon (Southern Sorsogon language, Waray Sorsogon: ''Syudad san Sorsogon''; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, pro ...
). The majority of the inhabitants also understand English and Filipino as second languages.


Economy

Agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
is the main industry in Albay, which produces crops like
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...
,
rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
,
sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...
and
abacá Abacá ( ; ), also known as Manila hemp, is a species of banana, ''Musa textilis'', endemic to the Philippines. The plant grows to , and averages about . The plant has great economic importance, being harvested for its fiber extracted from t ...
.
Handicraft A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...
s are the major source of rural income and comprises a fairly large share in the small-scale industries of the province. Forestry, cement production and paper-making are other sources of livelihood. The manufacture of abacá products such as
Manila hemp Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon, it is ...
, hats, bags, mats, furniture, home decors, and slippers is one of the main sources of income in the rural areas. Production of abaca fiber experienced a boom from the late 1800s until the American period. Fishing is the main livelihood along both shores of the province. Tourism, especially related to Mayon Volcano, also creates income for Albay. For the year 2013, Albay had a total of 339,445 foreign tourist arrivals. In the December, 2023 Pili Fiesta, Director Marita A. Carlos of DOST-PCAARRD introduced technologies on pili (C. ovatum tree) production in Albay,
Bicol Region The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six Provinces of the Philippines, provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the luzon#Southeastern Luzon, southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Ca ...
. She aimed to promote pili as a flagship industry.


Government

Albay has
three 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious and cultural significance in many societies ...
congressional districts Congressional districts, also known as electoral districts in other nations, are divisions of a larger administrative region that represent the population of a region in the larger congressional body. Countries with congressional districts includ ...
encompassing its 18 municipalities and 3 component cities. {, class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;background-color:white;text-align:center;" , - style="white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:top;" ! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" , District ! scope="col" style="text-align:right;" , Representative ! scope="col" style="text-align:left;" , City municipality ! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" , District population , - style="vertical-align:top;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" ,
1st First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
District (Coastal District) , style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:right;" , Edcel C. Lagman , , 395,907 , - style="vertical-align:top;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" ,
2nd A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). Second, Seconds, The Second, or (The) 2nd may also refer to: Mathematics * 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'') * Minute and second of arc, ...
District (Capital District) , style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:right;" , Jose Sarte Salceda , , 477,781 , - style="vertical-align:top;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" , 3rd District (Miraya District) , style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:right;" , Fernando Cabredo , , 501,080


Transportation


Roads

Albay has of national roads, mostly paved with asphalt, with remaining unpaved.
Maharlika Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway (; ), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in the Philippines, serving as the country's ...
(N1/AH26) serves as the principal road connection between other provinces. Most of the province is served by ''secondary national roads'', assigned route numbers in the series, namely Bicol-630 and Bicol-640. Almost all of the cities and municipalities are connected by national roads, except for
Rapu-Rapu Rapu-Rapu, officially the Municipality of Rapu-Rapu (; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay in the Bicol Region of the Philippines. The population was 36,151 at the 2020 census. The municipality comprises three islands: Rapu-rapu Isla ...
. In order to spur development in the province, the Toll Regulatory Board declared Toll Road 5 the extension of
South Luzon Expressway The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), signed as E2 of the Philippine expressway network and R-3 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a controlled-access highway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces in the Calabarzon, Mimaropa a ...
. A 420-kilometer, four lane expressway starting from the terminal point of the now under construction SLEX Toll Road 4 at Barangay Mayao, Lucena City in
Quezon Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon () and historically known as Tayabas, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon Regions of the Philippines, region on Luzon. Lucena, a highly urbanized ci ...
to
Matnog Matnog, officially the Municipality of Matnog ( Waray Sorsogon: ''Bungto san Matnog''; , ), is a municipality in the province of Sorsogon, Philippines and is the southernmost part of Luzon. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 41 ...
, Sorsogon, near the Matnog Ferry Terminal. On August 25, 2020, San Miguel Corporation announced that they will invest the project which will reduce travel time from Lucena to Matnog from 9 hours to 5.5 hours.


Water transport

Albay is the region's principal trans-shipment point with its ports: Tabaco International Port, Legazpi National Port, Pio Duran Provincial Port, and the Pantao Regional Port.


Air transport

Traveling to the province by air is served by the
Bicol International Airport Bicol International Airport , also referred by some sources as Southern Luzon International Airport, is an airport serving the vicinity of Legazpi, the capital city of Albay and the regional center of Bicol Region, in the Philippines. Dubbed a ...
in the municipality of
Daraga Daraga ( ɐrɐ'gaofficially the Municipality of Daraga ; ), is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 133,893. The municipality is home to the famous Cagsawa Ruins. Hist ...
, adjacent municipality of Legazpi City. The airport is the province's gateway from
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
and
Cebu City Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu, is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 964,169 people, making ...
in the Visayas. The province was formerly served by the now defunct
Legazpi Airport Legazpi Airport was a major airport in the Bicol Region, served the vicinity of Legazpi, the capital city of Albay in the Philippines. Prior to its closure, the airport was designated as a Class 1 principal domestic airport by the Civil Avi ...
.


Railroads

Albay is served by the mainline of the
Philippine National Railways The Philippine National Railways (PNR) (; ) is a government-owned and controlled corporation, state-owned railway company in the Philippines which operates one commuter rail service between Laguna (province), Laguna and Quezon, and local servic ...
(PNR), and has commuter service between Naga in
Camarines Sur Camarines Sur (; ), officially the Province of Camarines Sur (Central Bikol language, Bikol: ''Probinsya kan Habagatan na Camarines''; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region on Luzon. Its ca ...
. Trains to Manila (Tutuban), the ''Mayon Limited'', is suspended from November 2012. Four stations serve Polangui, Ligao, Guinobatan, and Legazpi, respectively. File:Legazpi Grand Central Terminal aerial.jpg, Aerial view of the Legazpi Grand Central Terminal File:Front of Bicol International Airport.jpg, Front area of the Bicol International Airport Terminal Buildling File:Philippine Railways PNR Ligao Station.jpeg, A PNR train in Ligao railway station


Notable people

* Crispin Beltran – Filipino
labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
leader. Former member of
13th Congress of the Philippines The 13th Congress of the Philippines (), composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives, met from July 26, 2004, until June 8, 2007, during the fourth, fifth, and sixth years of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's presidency. The conven ...
with the
Anakpawis Anakpawis ("Toiling Masses") is a party-list in the Philippines. The party-list is the electoral wing of the radical trade union movement Kilusang Mayo Uno and the peasant group Kilusang Mangbubukid ng Pilipinas. Known for its radical pro-labo ...
party-list An electoral list is a grouping of candidates for election, usually found in proportional or mixed electoral systems, but also in some plurality electoral systems. An electoral list can be registered by a political party (a party list) or can c ...
and former chair of
Kilusang Mayo Uno Kilusang Mayo Uno (), also known by its initials KMU is an independent labor center in the Philippines. It promotes "genuine, militant and patriotic trade unionism". The KMU was established on May 1, 1980 to fill a clear need for a workers' or ...
. *
Barbie Imperial Barbie Concina Imperial (; born August 1, 1998) is a Filipinos, Filipino actress. She is best known for her lead role in ''Araw Gabi''. Career In 2015, Imperial joined the ''Pinoy Big Brother: 737'' and was dubbed as ''"The Doll along the Riles ...
– actress, model, and former housemate from '' Pinoy Big Brother: 737'' * Gwen Apuli – model, singer, dancer, former '' Pinoy Big Brother: Otso'' housemate, and member of
Pinoy pop Pinoy pop (also known as Philippine pop; an abbreviated form of "Pinoy popular music" or "Philippine popular music"; or P-Pop) refers to popular music in the Philippines originating from the Original Pilipino music, OPM genre. With its beginni ...
girl group Bini *
Francis Tolentino Francis Ng Tolentino (, born January 2, 1960) is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as a senator since 2019. He has been the Senate Majority Leader since 2024 and was formerly the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee from 2022 t ...
– former
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA; ) is a government agency of the Philippines responsible for constituting the regional government of Metro Manila, comprising the capital city of Manila, the cities of Quezon City, Caloocan, ...
Chairman *
Elizabeth Oropesa Elizabeth Oropesa (born July 17, 1954), also known as La Oropesa, or "Boots" to friends is a Filipina actress. She was a Grand Slam Best Actress winner for ''Bulaklak Ng Maynila'' (1999). She was crowned as Miss Luzon of the Miss Republic of th ...
– actress * Simeon Ola – Revolutionary general * Ramon Paje – 19th
Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources The secretary of environment and natural resources (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Kalihim ng Kapaligiran at Likas na Yaman'') is the head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines. Functions The following are ...
* Ramon Obusan
National Artist of the Philippines The Order of National Artists of the Philippines ( Tagalog: ''Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng Pilipinas'') is an order bestowed by the President of the Philippines on Philippine nationals who have made significant contributions to ...
for Dance. *
Susan Enriquez Susan Sevillo, known professionally as Susan Enriquez (), is a Filipina journalist, radio and television host, (Born: May 24, 1962) and news presenter. She is notable for her 2003 program '' Kay Susan Tayo!'' on GMA Network. Enriquez currently ...
– journalist, host * Salvacion Lim Higgins
National Artist of the Philippines The Order of National Artists of the Philippines ( Tagalog: ''Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng Pilipinas'') is an order bestowed by the President of the Philippines on Philippine nationals who have made significant contributions to ...
for Fashion Design. *
Bogs Adornado William "Bogs" Adornado (born May 26, 1951) is a Filipino professional basketball coach and former player. He is one of the Philippine Basketball Association's Greatest Players and was inducted to its Hall of Fame in 2005. He was a three-time ...
– three-time PBA Most Valuable Player (1975, 1976, and 1981), one of the PBA's 25 Greatest Players of All-Time * Merlinda Bobis – contemporary Philippine-Australian writer and academic * Irene Cortes – former Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court (; colloquially referred to as the ' (also used in formal writing), is the highest court in the Philippines. It was established by the Taft Commission on June 11, 1901, through the enactment of Act No. 136, which abolished th ...
; first female Dean of the UP College of Law *
Janelle Quintana Janelle Ann Caren Quintana Manahan (born 26 July 1989) is a Filipino actress. She started showbusiness when she joined ABS-CBN's reality talent search '' Star Circle National Teen Quest'' as Janelle Manahan and made it to the top 6. After her ...
– actress; 19th
Aliw Awards The BBC by the Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. was established by the Philippine journalist Alice H. Reyes to recognize achievements in the live entertainment industry in the Philippines. It was founded in 1975 by the National Press Club but was th ...
Best New Female Artist nominee *
Valerie Weigmann Valerie Clacio Weigmann (born 22 November 1989) is a Filipino actress, fashion model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World Philippines 2014. She represented the Philippines at the Miss World 2014 pageant held in London, Engl ...
– TV host, actress; Miss World Philippines 2014 *
Athena Imperial Athena Mae Duarte Imperial-Rodriguez (born February 2, 1987) is a Filipino news field reporter, communication researcher and beauty pageant titleholder. She competed in the eleventh edition of the national Miss Philippines Earth beauty pagean ...
– news
field reporter In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as a sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time live commentary of a game or event, traditionally delivered in the present tense. There are two main types of sports broadcast ...
, communication researcher and Miss Philippines Earth 2011. *
Miguel White Miguel Solano White (October 9, 1909 – August 30, 1942) was a Filipino track and field athlete of Filipino-American descent who competed for the Philippines in the 400 metre hurdles at the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, Germany, winning ...
– track and field athlete; bronze medalist in the 400-metre hurdles at the
1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...
*
Jun Lozada Rodolfo Noel Imperial Lozada Jr., known as Jun Lozada is a Filipino electronics and communications engineer and former chief executive officer of the Philippine Forest Corporation who served as a technical consultant to former Philippine Socio ...
electronics and communications engineer and former
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
of the Philippine Forest Corporation *
David Nepomuceno David Ramos Nepomuceno (May 9, 1900 – September 27, 1939) was the first Filipino to compete in the Olympics. He was a runner and the sole representative of the Philippines at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Nepomuceno also ser ...
– 1924 Olympian, first Filipino to compete in the Olympics *
Catriona Gray Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray ( ; ; born January 6, 1994) is a Filipino beauty queen and media personality best known for winning the title of Miss Universe 2018. The fourth Filipina to win Miss Universe, Gray was previously crowned Miss Worl ...
Miss Universe 2018 Miss Universe 2018 was the 67th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Impact, Muang Thong Thani, Impact Arena in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand, on 17 December 2018. At the conclusion of the event, Demi-Leigh Tebow, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of Sout ...
winner *
Jonalyn Viray Jonalyn Roxas Viray (born November 15, 1989), known mononymously as Jona, is a Filipino singer and songwriter. She was catapulted to mainstream prominence after she emerged as the first grand champion of ''Pinoy Pop Superstar''. She was the l ...
– singer-songwriter *
Pedro Sabido Pedro Sabido y Ribaya (October 19, 1894 – February 3, 1980) was a Filipino lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as senator from 1955 to 1961, ambassador of the Philippines to Spain and the Vatican from 1953 to 1955, and delegate fro ...
– Former Senator, Former Ambassador to Spain and the Vatican, Former Albay 3rd District Representative (1922–1925, 1925–1928, 1928–1931, 1931–1934, 1935–1938, 1938–1941) Legislative districts of Albay#3rd District *
Joey Salceda Jose Ma. Clemente "Joey" Sarte Salceda (, born October 26, 1961) is a Filipino statesman and the current Representative of Albay's 2nd District in the Philippine House of Representatives. He previously served as governor of Albay province in t ...
– Albay 2nd District Representative (2016–present), Former Albay Provincial Governor (2007–2016), Former Albay 3rd District Representative (1998–2001, 2001–2004, 2004–2007), Malacañang Chief of Staff (February 10, 2007 – March 29, 2007)
Chief of Staff (Philippines) The Malacañang Chief of Staff, named after Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the president of the Philippines, also referred to as the "presidential chief of staff," was an official position under the Office of the President of the ...
*
Reno Lim Reno G. Lim (born April 19, 1960) is a Filipino politician. A member of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD (and formerly of the Nationalist People's Coalition), he was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name ...
– Former Albay 3rd District Representative (2007–2010) * Dianne Necio
Binibining Pilipinas Binibining Pilipinas (abbreviated as Bb. Pilipinas or BBP; ) is the oldest active national beauty pageant in the Philippines. Founded in 1964, it currently selects Filipina representatives to compete in one of the Big Four international beau ...
International 2011,
Binibining Pilipinas Binibining Pilipinas (abbreviated as Bb. Pilipinas or BBP; ) is the oldest active national beauty pageant in the Philippines. Founded in 1964, it currently selects Filipina representatives to compete in one of the Big Four international beau ...
2010 First Runner-up, Miss Tabak 2009, Mutya ng Bicolandia * Rodolfo Salalima – First Secretary of the
Department of Information and Communications Technology The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) () is the Executive departments of the Philippines, executive department of the Government of the Philippines, Philippine government responsible for the planning, development a ...
(DICT) *
Henry Omaga-Diaz Henry Omaga-Diaz (; born Henry Omaga; January 9, 1961) is a Filipino journalist, news anchor, radio newscaster and commentator. He was the news anchor of ''TV Patrol'' and ''Bandila'' on ABS-CBN, where he was widely known, and various radio p ...
– journalist *
Thomas Franco Rodriguez Alamat (Baybayin: ᜀᜎᜋᜆ᜔; ) (stylized in all caps) is a Filipino boy band formed in 2020 by Viva Communications#Viva Artists Agency, Viva Artists Agency and Ninuno Media. The group consists of six members: Taneo Sebastian, Taneo, Mo, J ...
– member of Pinoy pop boy band Alamat and finalist, '' Pinoy Big Brother: 737'' teen edition * Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri – senator (2007-2011, 2016-2022, 2022-present), 24th Senate president (2022-2024), Senate Majority Leader (2008-2010, 2018-2022); former representative of
Bukidnon Bukidnon (), officially the Province of Bukidnon (; ; ; Bukid language, Binukid and Higaonon language, Higaonon: ''Probinsya ta Bukidnon''), is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Northern Mindan ...
's 3rd district (1998-2007). He traces his roots from Libon, Albay, a birthplace of his mother Maria Victoria Ocampo Fernandez who migrated with her family to Bukidnon as a child.


See also

*
Biosphere reserves of the Philippines Biosphere reserves are areas comprising terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems. The ''biosphere reserve'' title is handed over by UNESCO. Each reserve promotes solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. Bi ...


Notes


References


External links

* * *
New Albay Tourism Promotion Website

Province of Albay Official Website
{{Authority control Provinces of the Philippines Provinces of the Bicol Region States and territories established in 1636 1636 establishments in the Philippines Biosphere reserves of the Philippines