Camarines Sur

Camarines Sur
—  Province  —
Flag Seal
Map of the Philippines with Camarines Sur highlighted
Coordinates: 13°40′N 123°20′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol Region (Region V)
Founded	—
Capital	Pili
Government
• Governor	Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Jr. (Nacionalista)
Area
• Total	5,380.78 km2 (2,077.53 sq mi)
Area rank	20th out of 80
Population (2007)
• Total	1,533,305
• Rank	13th out of 80
• Density	280/km2 (740/sq mi)
• Density rank	18th out of 80
Divisions
• Independent cities	1
• Component cities	1
• Municipalities	35
• Barangays	1,035 including independent cities: 1,062
• Districts	1st to 5th districts of Camarines Sur (shared with Naga City)
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code	4400-4436
Spoken languages	Central Bicolano, Rinconada Bicolano, Albay Bicolano, Tagalog, English, Mt. Isarog Agta, and Mt. Iriga Agta

Camarines Sur (Tagalog: Timog Camarines) is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province borders Camarines Norte and Quezon to the north, and Albay to the south. To the east lies the island province of Catanduanes across Maqueda Channel.

Camarines Sur is the largest among the six provinces in the Bicol Region both in terms of population and land area. Its territory encompasses two cities: Naga City, the lone chartered city, is the province's and the region's most progressive city, also commercial, financial, and cultural center, while Iriga City, a component city, is the center of the Rinconada area. Lake Buhi is where the smallest commercially harvested fish can be found, the Sinarapan or tabyos (Mistichthys luzonensis).

People and culture

Population. According to the May 2000 census, there is a total of 1,693,821 residents in Camarines Sur, making it the most populous in the region and the 15th most populous in the whole country. The same census also states that Camarines Sur has 288,172 households with an average household size of 5.37 persons, significantly higher than the national average of 4.99. The annual growth rate is 1.86%, much lower than the national growth rate of 2.36%. This rate of growth will double the population of Camarines Sur in 38 years.

Languages. Being in the Bicol Region, the main language spoken in Camarines Sur is Coastal Bikol, the other is Inland Bikol. Filipino linguists consider the dialect of Coastal Bikol spoken around Naga City, Bikol Central, the standard Bikol easily understood by all Bicolanos, also known as Bikol Central or Bikol Naga, not to be confused with Bikol Canaman, the purest dialect of Coastal Bikol according to Jesuit Anthropologist Frank Lynch, S.J.). Some of the other Bikol languages spoken in the province are Buhi-non (a language of Bikol Albay under the umbrella of Inland Bikol group of languages), spoken in the town of Buhi and around Lake Buhi; and Riŋkonāda (also known as Rinconada Bikol, another member of Inland Bikol), which is used by most people in Rinconada District of the province specially in Nabua and Iriga City. A dialect of Coastal Bikol, called Bikol Partido is used in the eastern portion of the province around Lagonoy Gulf. Most inhabitants understand Tagalog and English. Del Gallego is the only town in the province that has a majority of population that speaks Tagalog.

History

Known centuries ago as the Tierra de Camarines, the province is distinctly Spanish-founded settlement. Its name having been derived from "camaronchones" or "camarines", a Spanish word for "kamalig" referring to small nipa or bamboo-made huts by the natives.

In 1574, Governor 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 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”.

Partido de Camarines was partitioned into Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte in 1829, and thereafter underwent fusion, annexations and re-partitions until March 19, 1919 when two provinces, jointly called Ambos Camarines, were finally separated with their present boundaries by decree of the First Philippine Legislature.

The Philippine Revolution started in Ambos Camarines when Elias Angeles and Feliz Plazo, Filipino corporals in the Spanish Army, sided with revolutionists and fought the local Spanish forces on September 17, 1898. Governor Vicente Zaidin capitulated to the revolutionists on the following day. With the arrival of General Vicente Lukban, the revolutionary government in the Bicol Region was established.

The American forces occupied the Bicol Peninsula in January 1900. In March of the same year. General John M. Bell was made the military governor of the southeastern Luzon. Civil government was finally established in Ambos Camarines in April 1901.

In December 1941, Japanese bombers and fighter planes swooped upon and bombed the province of Camarines Sur. In 1942, Japanese forces entered and occupied Camarines Sur.

At the outbreak of World War II. Guerilla units were organized by Wenceslao Q. Vinzons that waged underground operations against the Japanese troops stationed in Camarines Sur. After the capture of Vinzons on July 8, 1942, the guerilla movement was carried on by Lieutenant Francisco Boayes and by the Tangcong Vaca Guerilla Unit organized by Elias Madrid, Juan Miranda and Leon Aureus. In April 1945, Camarines Sur was finally liberated from the Japanese invaders against the combined Filipino and American troops in 1945.

On March 8, 1942, three months after Japanese Imperial Forces landed in Legazpi and Naga City, the famous Tangcong Vaca Guerilla Unit (TVGU) was organized in San Nicolas, Canaman with Juan Miranda as the Commanding Officer, Leon Aureus as the Executive Officer and Elias Madrid as the Finance Officer. Among the numerous Canamanons who joined-up soon afterwards either in the unit’s intelligence or combat components were Jose and Antonio Madrid, Mamerto Sibulo, Andres Fortaleza, Marcos Severo, Damaso Avenilla, Federico Crescini, Nicolas Vargas, Venancio Begino, Eugenio Ragodon, Juan Pachica, Santiago Amaro, Jose Gervas, Pedro Angeles, Aproniano Lopez, Andres Alzate, Modesto Sanchez, Blas Alcantara, Andres Aguilar, Florencio Frondozo, Alfredo de la Torre and Flaviano Estrada.

The military general headquarters and military camp bases of the Philippine Commonwealth Army were active on 1942 to 1946 and the Philippine Constabulary was active on 1944 to 1946 in the province of Camarines Sur. The Filipino soldiers of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary were spearheading the local military special operations in Bicol Region with the Bicolano guerilla units decisively aiding them.

In 1945, Filipino and American troops along with the Bicolano guerrillas, liberated Camarines Sur from the Japanese forces towards the end of WWII. Local Filipino troops of the 5th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 55th, 56th and 57th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the 5th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary were involved in the liberation efforts.

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

Capitol

The Old Capitol Building

The New Capitol Building

The Provincial Legislative Building

Camarines Sur Convention Center

A century ago, the seat of the provincial government was situated in downtown Naga, in a building of adobe and cement. With Naga becoming a chartered city on December 15, 1948, Camarines Sur's high-standing officials expressed the need for a new location for the seat of the provincial government.

Governor Juan F. Triviño, who assumed office in 1952, initiated the first move to transfer the Provincial Capitol. The Municipality of Pili, 15 kilometers south of Naga City was the chosen ground. On June 16, 1955, Republic Act 1336, known as "An Act Transferring the Site of the Provincial Capitol of the Province of Camarines Sur from the city of Naga to the barrio of Palestina, Municipality of Pili in the same Province" was approved. However, though a 16-hectare lot had been provisionally donated by Roberto Soler, financing for the construction of the actual edifice failed to materialize. When two years lapsed without construction starting, Soler cancelled the donation as per contract.

Under the next governor, Apolonio Maleniza, another resolution was approved. Republic Act 3407 came into existence, which gave authority to the President of the Philippines to select the new Capitol site to be recommended by a committee. The committee proved to be of great help. In 1962, 3 sites were considered, namely: the Hacienda Marasigan at Brgy. San Jose, a lot within the Poblacion, and an area along the Anayan-Partido road.

The selection was left to the discretion of the president of the Philippines and by virtue of Executive Order 41 issued by then President Diosdado Macapagal on June 16, 1953, the 67-hectare Hacienda Marasigan was declared as the new site for the Provincial Capitol. In 1964, eleven years after the declaration, the groundbreaking ceremonies and laying of cornerstone were held, graced by then President Macapagal, with construction of the building starting a year later. All could have gone well but on the same year for the beginning of the construction, a case had been filed in court questioning the validity of the construction. Because of the case and the reluctance of Governor Armando Cledera to resume the Capitol construction due to lack of funds, the provincial government's objective in building the new site for Capitol was temporarily halted.

In 1968, then mayor Jose B. Velarde of Pili had the Municipal Board pass a resolution which sought the gradual transfer of all the provincial government offices to the Capital town of Pili. The same decree also asked for the transfer of the Capitol site from the Marasigan lot to a site within the Poblacion or at Barangay Anayan but the move consequently caused the Marasigan family to decide not to donate their lot to the provincial government.

The Capitol Site Selection Committee was then organized. Six possible sites were deliberated upon. These six included: the Marcos Stadium (now the Freedom Stadium), a 4-hectare lot fronting the Marcos Stadium, Cadang-Cadang Area, Marasigan Site, Pawili-Anayan Junction and lastly the Don Susano Rodriguez donation of a 15 hectare lot. The committee finally voted upon the last site.

It was during the term of former President Ferdinand Marcos when Executive Order 48 was issued, designating the site of the New Provincial Capitol. But before the commencement of the construction for the new Capitol site, on June 26, 1976, tragedy struck, a big fire torched the Provincial Capitol building, including important papers and public documents of the province. But also as a result, the construction of the Capitol building was hastened, a contract was signed by the Bensia Construction of Naga City, a 3-storey building with reinforced concrete, with twin RIB and corrugated galvanized iron roofing on steel and wooden roof framing came into completion. The Provincial Capitol measured 3, 528.18 square meters.

In addition, satellite buildings of the Regional Trial Court branches, Provincial Nutrition Center, the Post Office and the Kadiwa were also built.The 700-km access road from the Maharlika Highway was concreted.

The present Provincial Capitol Complex, with its impressive buildings and scenery, is considered a local tourist spot.

Economy

Agri-based, producing rice, corn, feedmeal, freshwater fish, livestock. Entrepreneurs engage in trading, often branching out towards neighboring provinces in the south as local demand might be limited, indicated by its mostly 3rd-5th income class municipalities.

Geography and climate

Terrain

Camarines Sur lies at the center of the Bicol Peninsula. The province is also the largest in the Bicol Region with a land area of 5,266.8 square kilometers. At the center of the province is Bicol Plain. Surrounding it are mountains, two of which are Mount Isarog and Mount Iriga. The eastern part of the province lies on the mountainous Caramoan Peninsula, which faces the island of Catanduanes to the east.

The Bicol River drains the central and southern parts of the province into San Miguel Bay. Mt. Asog is surrounded by three lakes: Buhi, Bato, and Baao.

Climate

The climate in Camarines Sur, like most of the rest of the country, is very tropical. It is dry from March to May and wet the rest of the year Annual average rainfall is 2,565 millimeters. Camarines Sur has an average temperature of 27.0 °C and a relative humidity of 25.8%. Based from Aera Tranquilo

Tourist attractions

Caramoan-beach-shore

Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church in Naga. There are 19th century churches in Goa, San Jose and Sagñay. The world's smallest fish is found in Lake Buhi. There are two active (or considered dormant) volcanoes with trails: Mt. Isarog and Mt. Asog. The beaches of Sagñay, Sabang(Partido) and Caramoan have coral reefs, and white and black sand beaches. Pasacao is known for its beaches, hence, it was called as "The Summer Capital of Cam. Sur" Naga City is noted for its night life.

There is the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex and the Eco Village at the Provincial Capitol located at Cadlan Pili Camarines Sur.

The Concocep Falls can be found in Hanawan, Ocampo. The Maalsom Falls, Cagaycay Dam, and many resorts (Santamaria Resort, Villa Peña Resort.. etc.) can be found in Goa. Libmanan has the Malinaw Nature Resort and Brgy and Palong's water source at the base of Mt. Libmanan (Tancong Vaca). In Del Gallego, in the Northwestern part of the province there is the Kilbay Park. It is here President Manuel L. Quezon hammered the golden nail into a big rock, symbolizing the connection and link of the Philippine National Railways going to Manila in the year 1937. Impig, Sipocot, has it's Susong Daraga Mountains, where Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto and Impig Viewing Point are located, in the same Barangay, the Mt. Talidong stood, it offers a good view of the San Miguel Bay, just below the Mt. Talidong, the Vigaan creek runs, this is a perfect spot for nature lovers. Between the boundary of Cam. Sur and Cam. Norte runs the majestic Bahi River, it runs through the forest of Napulidan National Park.

Cities and municipalities

Camarines Sur is subdivided into 2 cities and 35 municipalities.

City/Municipality	No. of Barangays	Area (km²)	Population (2007)	Mayor (2007–2010)
Baao	30	143.05	52,466	Quirino Boncayao Jr.
Balatan	17	63.720	25,982	Nena B. Borja
Bato	33	98.720	44,437	Jeanette Bernaldez
Bombon	8	44.20	14,083	Ma. Luisa D. Angeles
Buhi	38	191.79	70,756	Rey P. Lacoste
Bula	33	151.25	62,024	Benjamin S. Decena
Cabusao	9	46.81	17,599	Norberto U. Genova
Calabanga	48	163.84	73,333	Evelyn S. Yu
Camaligan	13	13.00	20,758	Jayson Asico
Canaman	24	27.41	31,583	Emmanuel S. Requejo
Caramoan	49	225.01	40,810	Constantino Cordial, Jr.
Del Gallego	32	286.76	21,272	Lydia Abarientos
Gainza	8	18.21	9,404	Romeo A. Gontang
Garchitorena	23	218.12	24,825	Solon O.Demetriois, Jr.
Goa	34	210.38	54,035	Antero S. Lim
Iriga City	36	119.63	97,983	Madeleine A. Gazmen
Lagonoy	38		46,093	Delfin Pilapil
Libmanan	75	336.20	92,839	Marilyn A. Jimenez
Lupi	38	253.12	27,630	Roberto M. Matamorosa
Magarao	15	39.01	22,515	Salvador Senar
Milaor	20	23.41	26,452	Roger Flores
Minalabac	25	156.13	43,957	Leovegildo "Gil" D. Basmayor Jr.
Nabua	42	96.23	75,422	Delia Simbulan
Naga City	27	84.48	160,516	John G. Bongat
Ocampo	25	118.33	39,759	Fidel C. Carido
Pamplona	17	80.62	31,895	Gimeno Imperial
Pasacao	19	149.54	41,533	Asuncion Arsenio
Pili	26	122.65	76,496	Tomas Bongalonta, Jr.
Presentacion	18		20,266	Jaime V. Deleña
Ragay	38	272.35	52,021	Ricardo B. Aquino
Sagñay	19	108.19	29,082	Roberto A. Briones
San Fernando	22	156.13	30,697	Eugenio Lagasca, Jr.
San Jose	29	39.01	35,768	Gilmar S Paccamarra
Sipocot	46	211.60	57,861	Rogenor Astor
Siruma	22	127.43	17,035	Nonito M. Vier
Tigaon	23	91.02	45,509	Arnie Fuentebella
Tinambac	44	314.65	59,125	Ruel T. Velarde

External links

• Official Site of the Diocese of Libmanan
• Official Website of the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• 2007 Philippine Census Information