The islands of Masbate were formed out of Volcanic rocks over one hundred million years later, humans made their appearance in the tropical regions of the earth. They lived on wild animals, plants, and fruits. They made tools of stone, bone, and wood. Some of these very early stone stools and bones have been found in Masbate.
Village settling grew from the development of farming; pottery flourished, stone tools were improved and the early Masbate farmers made axes of polished stones. Many stone axes of this kind have been found in Masbate. They are the remains of the first farmers who used the axes to cut down trees. The early farmers also made beautiful ornaments of shells. They buried their dead in burial caves and jars. Two large caves in Masbate, the Bat-ongan Cave in Mandaon and the Kalanay Cave in Aroroy are known worldwide as burial caves.
About four hundred years B.C., iron and glass as well as woven cloth appeared in Masbate. The stone tools gradually disappeared; agriculture improved. Beautiful decorated pottery were produced. Unearthed fragments of porcelain tell of the brisk trade that existed with China.
BRIEF HISTORY
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 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:
Father Alonso Jimenez was the first missionary to the islands of Masbate, Burias, Leyte and Samar. Then he went to Ibalon (Bicol) in the province of Camarines, where he resided many years, and made many religious incursions into Albay and Sorsogon. Fray Jimenez is considered the apostle of the island of Masbate.
In December 1600 Dutch Commander Admiral Oliver van Noorth, sought refuge at San Jacinto Harbor after his fleet lost to the Spanish Armada in Manila. He was later engaged in a fierce clash with Limahong's fleet at Canlibas-Matabao passage.
At the hieght of the Galleon Trade, Mobo contributed first class lumber for the construction of galleons, making it the center of trade in the province and was the capital of the province in the early part of the Spanish occupation.
In 1864, Masbate was declared a separate province from Albay. Guiom was made the capital while Ticao became a commandancia-politicio-militar. Shortly before the declarateion of Philippine independence by President Emilio Aguinaldo, the town of Masbate was established as the provincial capital.
The Americans came to Masbate in 1900 to extend their pacification campaign. In December 1908, Masbate was annexed to theprovince of Sorsogon. A bill declaring Masbate as independent province was approved on February 1, 1922.
As early as 1906, the Masbate representative made the proposal to the United States Congress to grant the Philippines her independence.
The first Japanese elements arrived in Masbate the dawn of January 7, 1942 from Legazpi. They landed in several places without facing opposition- the province was too stunned to mount any resistance.
The Japanese occupation reduced Masbate to total economic shambles. Economic activities were limited to fishing, buying/selling, or stealing. Food production ground to a halt. Camote, pakol, banana blossoms, pith, and even such obscure fruits like barobo were used as food substitutes. Lakad-bulan served as cigarette, tea or coffee. Barter transaction prevailed. For lack of nutrition and sanitation, many people succumbed to beri-beri or malaria. Lice and ticks infestations spared only a lucky few.
Dr. Mateo S. Pecson, who was governor of the province, having refused to cooperate with the Japanese, evacuated the provincial government to Guiom, a command post used by the guerrillas. Pecson was eventually arrested by the Japanese and incarcerated in Cavite. He managed to escape; he later joined the guerrilla movement in Central Luzon.
In 1944, Provincial Board Member Atty. Jose L. Almario was conscripted by the Japanese to govern the province. During the Liberation, he was arrested by the guerrillias and charged with collaboration. He was exonerated and saved from set execution by a letter from General MacArthur.
Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa, the lone house representative of Masbate, fought against a congressional bill authorizing the conscription of Filipinos into the service of Imperial Japan and for this he was detained in Fort Santiago.
When Masbate was formally liberated on April 3, 1945, Pecson was sent to Masbate by President Osme??o organize the civil government, Pecson took the reins of government on May 11, 1945.
LOCATION
The islands of Masbate lie exactly in the center of the Philippine archipelago between latitudes 11o43' north and 21o36' north, 123o09' east and 124o15' east.
It is bounded north by Vurias and Ticao Pass, east by the San Bernardino Strait, south by Visayan Sea and west by Sibuyan Sea. Relative to mainland Bicol, the province faces the southwestern coasts of Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.
TOPOGRAPHY
The general surface configuration of the province ranges from slightly undulating to rolling and from hilly to mountainous. In each island, the rugged topography is concentrated in the northeastern and gradually recedes to blunt hills and rolling areas in the south, southeast, and southwest.
The topography of the main island is characterized by rolling hills and discontinuous ranges of highlands and relatively broad bands of lowlands. On its northwestern tip are limestone cliffs which rise almost perpendicularly from the waterline. Several bays indent the coast of the island, the most important of which are Port Barrera and Masbate Bay.
The long and narrow islands of Ticao and Burias are separated from the larger island by the water of Masbate Pass. Ticao Island appears to be the summit of high submarine mountains which is why topography is generally rugged, with very limited expanse of level land. The eastern coast of Burias Island is characterized by broad promontories and sea cliffs. The southern boundary of the province encloses the Asid Gulf which extends to the Visayan Sea. The Jintotolo Channels forms a demarcation between Masbate and Panay islands. The northwestern coast of the main island faces the Sibuyan Sea. Off the western and southern coasts lie scattered reefs and corals.
CLIMATE
Burias and Ticao islands and the western and central parts of mainland Masbate are covered by a climate characterized by no very pronounced maximum rain period, with a short dry season. The southeastern part of Masbate Island have rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.
The rainfall distribution in the province of Masbate is influenced by the air streams, tropical cyclones, inter-tropical convergence zone and topography. Masbate has the lowest average annual rainfall distribution in Bicol. The highest mean monthly and annual temperatures in the region are also recorded in the province.
POLITICAL SUBDIVISION
Masbate is the capital town. The province is composed of 21 municipalities which are politically subdivided into three istricts: First District – San Pascual, Claveria, Montreal, San Jacnto, San Fernando, and Batua; Second District – Masbate, Mobo, Milagros, Aroroy, Baleno, Balud, and Mandaon; Third District – Uson, Dimasalang, Palanas, Cataingan, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Placer, and Cawayan.
LANGUAGE DIALECT
The people speak predominantly Visayan with a unique mixture of Tagalog and some shades of Ilonggo. In Burias island, they speak Bicol similarly as the people of Camarines Sur, due to the island’s close proximity to the Bicol mainland. The people generally speak fluent English and Pilipino.
POPULATION
The May 2000 Census of Population shows that Masbate had reached 707,668 inhabitants.
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