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City of Naga Ciudad nin Naga Lungsod ng Naga
—  Independent Component City  —
Sites of Naga City
Official seal of City of Naga Seal
Nickname(s): Heart of Bicol; An Maogmang Lugar (The Happy Place)
Motto: Uswag, Naga! (Progress, Naga!)
Map of Camarines Sur showing the location of Naga City
City of Naga Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 13°37′N 123°10′E / 13.617°N 123.167°E / 13.617; 123.167Coordinates: 13°37′N 123°10′E / 13.617°N 123.167°E / 13.617; 123.167
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol
Province	Camarines Sur
District	3rd
No. of Barangays	65
Incorporated town of Naga	1573
Ciudad de Nueva Cáceres (City of New Caceres)	1575
Naga	1919
Founder	Capt. Pedro de Chavez
Government
• Type	City government
• Mayor	John G. Bongat (LP)
• Vice Mayor	Gabriel H. Bordado, Jr. (LP) City Councilors Cecilia V. De Asis (LP) Nelson S. Legacion (LP) Esteban R. Abonal (LP) David Casper Nathan A. Sergio (LP) Ma. Elizabeth Q. Lavadia (LP) Ray-an Cydrick G. Rentoy (LP) Jose A. Tuason (LP) Salvador M. Del Castillo (LP) Joaquin F. Perez, Jr. M.D. (LP) Raoul T. Rosales (LP) Alex C. Nero (ABC President) Paolo R. Morales (SKF President)
Area[1]
• Independent Component City	84.48 km2 (32.62 sq mi)
Population (2010)[2]
• Independent Component City	174,931
• Density	2,100/km2 (5,400/sq mi)
• Metro	741,635
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	4400
Area code(s)	54
Income classification (2007)[1]	2md
City cllassification (2007)[1]	Independent component city
Website	www.naga.gov.ph

The City of Naga (Bikol: Ciudad nin Naga, Maogmang Naga; Filipino: Lungsod ng Naga) is an independent component city in the Bicol Region of the Philippines.^[1] The city was established in 1575 on order of Spanish Governor-General Francisco de Sande, the city, then named Ciudad de Nueva Caceres (New Caceres City), earned its status as the third Spanish royal city in the Philippine islands, after Cebu and Manila.

Naga is nicknamed as the "Heart of Bicol" for its geographical location near the center of the Bicol Peninsula. It is the second largest city in the Bicol Region (Region V) in terms of population and the religious, cultural, educational, financial, and commercial center in the Bicol Region. Residents of the city are called Nagueños.

Naga City is at the core of Metro Naga, an official designation given the City and 14 municipalities in the area administered by the Metro Naga Development Council. MNDC covers the entire 2nd district of the province of Camarines Sur, and part of its 1st, 3rd and 4th districts.

Geography[link]

The city of Naga is located within the province of Camarines Sur in the southeastern tip of Luzon at the near the center of the Bicol Region, surrounded on all sides by rich agricultural, forest and fishing areas. It covers a land area of 8,448 hectares (20,880 acres) and is located around the serpentine and historic Naga River, at the confluence of the Naga and Bikol Rivers. Thus, it has always been an ideal place for trade and as center for schools, church and government offices. Included in its territory is Mount Isarog, a declared protected area in Region V known as Mount Isarog Natural Park.^[3]

Naga City is located 377 kilometres (234 mi) southeast of Manila, the nation's capital, and about 380 kilometres (240 mi) northeast of Cebu City, the second largest city in the country.

Barangays[link]

The City of Naga is politically subdivided into 65 barangays.

History[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2012)

Pre-Hispanic period[link]

Before the coming of Spanish conquerors, Naga was already a flourishing village along the banks of the Naga River. It was an important village with comparatively sophisticated weaponry and surprisingly advanced culture.

Spanish colonial period[link]

In 1573, on his second expedition to this region, the conquistador Juan de Salcedo landed in a village and named it "Naga" because of the abundance of Narra trees ("Naga" in Bikol) in the place, although some local historians now believe the term naga came from a similar word found in the languages of the Bataks of Sumatra and the Dayaks of Borneo, meaning "serpent/dragon". The same word is found in other Philippine languages and according to local historian Danilo Gerona, the ancient Tagalogs and Pampangos used a decorative figurehead on the prows of their seacrafts in the shape of the head of a dragon or snake which they called naga.

In 1575, Captain Pedro de Chávez, the commander of the garrison left behind by Salcedo, founded on the site of the present business centre (across the river from the original Naga) a Spanish city which he named La Ciudad de Cáceres, in honor of Francisco de Sande, the governor-general and a native of the city of Cáceres in Spain. It was still by this name that it was identified in the papal bull of August 14, 1595 that erected the See of Cáceres, together with those of Cebú and Nueva Segovia, and made it the seat of the new bishopric under the Archdiocese of Manila.

In time, the Spanish city and the native village merged into one community and became popularly known as Nueva Cáceres, to distinguish it from its namesake in Spain. It had a city government as prescribed by Spanish law, with an ayuntamiento and cabildo of its own. At the beginning of the 17th century, there were only five other ciudades in the Philippines. Nueva Cáceres remained the capital of the Ambos Camarines provinces and later of the Camarines Sur province until the formal creation of the independent chartered city of Naga under the Philippine Republic.

Naga Metropolitan Cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Caceres

The bishops of Cáceres occupied a unique place in the Philippine Catholic hierarchy during most of the Spanish regime. By virtue of the papal bull of Gregory XIII, ecclesiastical cases originating in the Spanish East Indies, which ordinarily were appealable to the Pope, were ordered to be terminated there and no longer elevated to Rome. Decisions of bishops were made appealable to the archbishop and those of the latter to the bishop of the nearest see. Thus, in the Philippines, the decisions of the Archbishop of Manila were subject to review by the Bishop of Cáceres whose jurisdiction then extended from the whole Bicol region, the island-province of Marinduque and the present-day Aurora, which was once part of the former Tayabas province, which is now the province of Quezon. In this sense, bishops of Bikol were delegates of the Pope and could be considered primates of the Church of the Philippines.

This was the reason why bishops of Cáceres and archbishops of Manila were sometimes engaged in interesting controversies in the sensational Naga case and in such issues as canonical visitation and the secularization of the parishes. As papal delegate, Bishop Francisco Gaínza, then concurrent bishop of Cáceres, sat in the special ecclesiastical tribunal which passed upon the civil authorities' petition to divest Fathers Burgos, Gómez, and Zamora of their priestly dignity. Gaínza did not only refuse the petition but also urged their pardon.

For hundreds of years during the Spanish colonial era, Naga grew to become the center of trade, education and culture, and the seat of ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Bicol.

American colonial period[link]

With the advent of the American rule, the city was reduced to a municipality. In 1919, it lost its Spanish name and became officially known as Naga. It acquired its present city charter in 1948, and its city government was inaugurated on December 15 of the same year by virtue of Republic Act No. 305.^[4] Rep. Juan Q. Miranda sponsored this legislative act which put flesh into the city's bid to become among the only few independent component cities in the country.

Religion[link]

Archdiocese of Caceres

Roman Catholicism[link]

The city is the ecclesiastical seat of the Archdiocese of Caceres whose jurisdiction covers five suffragan dioceses -- Legazpi, Daet, Masbate, Sorsogon, Virac and Libmanan. The city is also the seat of the Primate of the Bicol region. This dominant faith is supported by the presence of old and influential Catholic institutions, from universities to churches run by different religious orders, notably the Ateneo de Naga University by the Jesuits; the Universidad de Sta. Isabel by the Daughters of Charity; the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral; Peñafrancia Basilica Minore; Peñafrancia Shrine; and Our Lady of Peñafrancia Museum.

The Peñafrancia Festival[link]

The city celebrates the Feast of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the Patroness of the Bicol Region starting second Friday of September each year. The start of the 10-day feast, one of the largest Marian devotions in the country, is signalled by a procession (called Traslacion) which transfers the centuries-old image of the Blessed Virgin Mary from its shrine at the Peñafrancia Basilica Minore to the 400-year old Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. Coinciding with nine days of novena prayer at the cathedral, the city celebrates with parades, pageants, street parties, singing contests, exhibits, concerts, and other activities. Finally, on the third Saturday of September, the image is returned shoulder-borne by so-called voyadores to the Basilica Minore de Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia via the historic Naga River.

Evangelicalism[link]

Other Christian organization are represented by Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) whose imposing church is a landmark along Panganiban Drive, Members Church of God International popularly known as Ang Dating Daan (ADD), Seventh Day Adventist and Bible Baptist whose churches are located along Magsaysay Avenue; while other Christians go to the Methodist Church which is among the old structures along Peñafrancia Avenue. There is also a medium concentration of Jesus Miracle Crusade in the City.

Islam, Buddhism and other faiths[link]

One of the other major religions that are represented in Naga City is Islam where a mosque is located at Greenland in Brgy. Concepcion Pequeña. Followers of Hinduism has a temple along Basilica Road in Brgy. Balatas. A shrine for the followers of Taoism is located along Lerma Street in Brgy. Triangulo.

Places of interest[link]

Churches and monasteries[link]

• Naga Metropolitan Cathedral is the oldest cathedral established in the whole southern Luzon. It was built in 1573, and was inaugurated in 1575. It is also the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Caceres
• Our Lady of Penafrancia Shrine is the original home of Our Lady of Peñafrancia for two centuries. It was established in 1750.

• Peñafrancia Basilica Minore, established in 1985, it is the new home of Our Lady of Peñafrancia where the Traslacion starts when her image is led into procession around the city streets then brought to the cathedral.
• San Francisco Church, established in 1578, it is the first church in the region built by the Franciscan Friars. The surrender of the Spanish forces to the Bikol revolutionaries Elias Angeles and Felix Plazo took place here on September 18, 1896. The church was reduced to rubble by the heavy bombing of Naga in World War II, and the church remained in ruins until the present new edifice was constructed. The church is a

• St. Jude Churches in del Rosario
• Carmelite Church and Monastery
• Holy Rosary Major Seminary and Church
• Immaculate Conception Church
• Caritas Mariae Church in Pacol
• Christ the King Church, Ateneo de Naga Univ.
• Holy Cross Parish Church in Barangay Tabuco

Natural attractions[link]

Malabsay Falls

• Mount Isarog is a dormant volcano and a national park open for trekking and mountain biking
• Malabsay Falls
• Mt. Isarog Hot Springs and resorts
• Magic Splash Resort and Hotel in Carolina

Historical landmarks[link]

Nine sites and landmarks in the city with historical value^[5]

• Calle Via Gainza, now Peñafrancia Avenue, was first known as Via Gainza in honor of Bishop Francisco Gainza, O.P. (1863–1879), the 25th and considered as the greatest Spanish bishop of the See of Caceres.
• Calle Real, now Elias Angeles Street, was one of the earliest streets in Spanish Nueva Caceres laid out at the close of the 16th century. The street figured as a historic backdrop to the events of September 1898, which established the Filipino revolutionary government headed by Elias Angeles.
• Calle de Legaspi at the western portion of Panganiban Drive, was established in 1839 after the Naga River was straightened as a short cut from Calle Real to the new western bank of the river.
• Casa Real site on General Luna Street. The Casa Real, the government building of Nueva Caceres, was established at this location in 1588
• Casa Tribunal site on Elias Angeles Street was the original site of the Casa Tribunal or “common house” which provided free rooms to travelers until 1839.
• Casino Español site at the corner Elias Angeles and Arana Street, was the location of Casino Español, a spacious building of piedra china and wood that served as the social and recreational center of the male Spanish population of Nueva Caceres and neighboring towns.
• House of Tomas Prieto site at the corner Panganiban Drive and Peñafrancia Avenue was the site of the Bicolano martyr, Tomas Prieto, who was executed on January 4, 1897 at the Bagumbayan Field in Manila together with ten others, collectively known as the "Bicol Martyrs."
• The Naga City Police Station on Barlin Street was the site of the Cuartel General of the Guardia Civil in Camarines that was constructed in 1870, but was razed by fire caused by faulty electrical wiring.
• Puente de Naga, now Lt. Delfin Rosales Bridge, the massively designed concrete bridge was constructed in 1847 and was known as Puente de Naga, and until the 1920s when the bridge was renamed in honor of Bicolano Jose Maria Panganiban. It was renamed again in 1989, to honor Lt. Delfin C. Rosales in World War II, during the battle for Naga in April 1945.

Museums[link]

Bicol Science Centrum

• The Holy Rosary Minor Seminary Museum showcases Bicol's ancient relics and artifacts like burial jars, ancient china wares,rare stones and ritual objects. The museum also features local church history where old Church vestiges and sacred objects are displayed.
• The Penafrañcia Museum contains sacred vestiges related to Marian devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
• The University of Nueva Caceres Museum is one of the oldest museums outside Manila and recognized by the International Association of Museum. It houses historical artifacts of the ancient Bikol, its people and culture.
• Bicol Science and Technology Centrum is a science museum established in 1993 in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology to cater to the science and technology education for the young, professionals, teachers andenthusiasts alike. It features an exhibit of interactive gadgets, a skywatch gallery, a sci-cubby hole for the kids, an audio-visual room and a cybercafé for internet users.

Sports and recreation[link]

• Metro Naga Sports Complex
• Naga City Coliseum (Big Dome of the South)

Nightlife[link]

• Magsaysay strip

Education[link]

Tertiary education[link]

Naga City is the center of education in the Bicol Region as it has numerous academic institutions including three universities. The Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) is a Jesuit university in the Bicol Region. The school is accredited with PAASCU since 1979, making it one of the best universities in the country. The Universidad de Santa Isabel is the oldest normal school for girls in Southeast Asia inaugurated on April 12, 1869. It is a sectarian school run by the religious Daughters of Charity Sisters. The University of Nueva Caceres is the very first university south of Luzon, outside of Manila. It is the region's largest university in terms of enrollment and one of the top-ranked law schools in the region.

The Philippine Women's University has its Career Development and Continuing Education Center in the city, while the University of the Philippines opened its Open University in USI to cater to distant-education students. The Bicol College of Arts and Trade, now Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, has also a large student base in the city. One of the leading maritime schools in the country, Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation, has two campuses in Metro Naga, one along Panganiban Drive and another in Canaman, a suburban town.

The Naga College Foundation is the leading Criminology school in the region. It has produced topnotch placements in the National Police Commission Examinations and the Criminologist Licensure Exams through the years.

The oldest live-in Christian higher educational institute for the clergy in the country was established in the city in the early part of the 18th century. The Holy Rosary Seminary (El Seminario del Santissimo Rosario), a Roman Catholic seminary run by the Archdiocese of Caceres, has produced 22 bishops, including the first Filipino bishop, Jorge Barlin, and the first Filipino Cardinal to work in the Roman Curia, Jose Cardinal Sanchez. It has richly contributed as well to the national heritage through Jose Ma. Panganiban and Tomas Arejola and 7 of the 15 Bikol Martyrs. On January 29, 1988, the National Historical Institute declared the Holy Rosary Seminary as a National Historical Landmark.

Secondary education and lower[link]

The government-run Camarines Sur National High School registers over 10,000 enrollees every school year and it is the biggest secondary school in the region. Naga City Science High School was established in Naga City in 1994. Two schools in the city, Saint Joseph School(SJS) and Naga Hope Christian School (NHCS), caters to Filipino-Chinese students.

The Naga Parochial School (NPS) is the largest Parochial school in the Bicol region receiving 850 enrollees yearly. It is run by priests of the Archdiocese of Caceres. It is the first PAASCU-accredited parochial school in the Philippines. Some members of the clergy (63 as of 2007 with 3 bishops) assigned to the city are alumnis of the school. This is an exclusive Catholic school for boys with Most Rev. Leonardo Z. Legaspi as chair of the Board Trustees.

Arborvitae Plains Montessori, Inc. (formerly Casa Dei Bambini Montessori), is a Montessori school with eleven branches spread all over the Philippines offering education according to the Montessori method modified for the Philippine curriculum. The Naga City Montessori School was established in 1989 offering pre-school, grade school and high school education. The Village Montessori on San Leandro St. is the only school in the Bicol Region that offers the real Montessori method which follows the continuous progression curriculum of the American Montessori Society.

Specialized computer schools have also mushroomed in the city due to popularity of computer courses, both degree and short-term. AMA Computer University and STI College have established campuses in the city.^[6][7] Other specialized computer schools include Worldtech Resources Institute (WRI), Philippine Computer Foundation College (PCFC) and CCDI.

Tutorial and review centers for higher education are found in the city. Some of these centers are Art Review Center, Edgeworth Review Center, and AimOne Review Center. Tutorial centers such as Asiawise Study Center], which is located along Barlin St. (near Naga Cathedral), also offer review programs for UP and other college entrance tests, Philippine Science High School qualifying exam, and Law Aptitude Exam.

Private Pre-Schools

Public Elementary Schools

Private Elementary Schools

Public High Schools

Private High Schools

Economy[link]

Naga City Hall

Naga City is the trade, and commercial center of the Bicol Region. Several international companies are in Naga City. Naga City is also the home of business when it comes to commercialization and industrialization of the city. Naga City also has four shopping centers, SM Naga, E-Mall, the Puregold Mall, and the LCC Central Mall.

Banking and Finance[link]

The city hosts the regional offices of Philippine National Bank, Metrobank, RCBC, Allied Bank, Bank of the Philippine Islands and the Philippine Postal Savings Bank. A number of banks have several branches in the city, like MetroBank, RCBC, Bank of the Philippine Islands, and BDO UniBank. A leading thrift bank, RCBC Savings Bank, enjoys patronage from both Filipino and Chinese businessmen. Robinsons Bank of the Gokongwei group has also set up its branch in the city. One of the biggest rural banks in the country, Bank of Makati, is also found in the city. Two small albeit very active banks, Asia United Bank and Philippine Farmers Bank, are the two latest banks to open in the city. Meanwhile Banco de Oro opened their fourth branch in the city at the Seaoil Mega Station along Magsaysay Avenue.

Transportation[link]

Naga City is easily accessible by air and land. The city is served by the Naga (WNP) National Airport which is located in the barangay of San Jose. Flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Naga takes approximately 35–40 minutes with services provided by Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines three and two times a day, respectively. By land, Naga is a 7 to 8-hour ride from Manila via Quirino & Andaya Highways or 10 hours via the Maharlika Highway. It is approximately 22 hours from Cebu City with ferry transfers in Sorsogon, the southernmost province of the Bicol peninsula. Buses ply to Sorsogon and Tacloban. Daily rail services to and from Manila were used to be provided by the Philippine National Railways.

Communication[link]

Phone services[link]

Naga is served by landline and mobile phone companies like BayanTel and Digitel of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company. Major mobile phone providers in the area include Globe, Smart, and Sun Cellular.

Television networks[link]

ABS-CBN Corporation had expanded its network in Bicol by establishing ABS-CBN Naga which operates ABS-CBN channel 11 Naga, Studio 23 channel 23 Naga, and MOR!. Local shows such as TV Patrol Bicol, Marhay na Aga Kapamilya and MAGTV Oragon are aired in the whole region via ABS-CBN Regional Network Group which is also stationed in the city. ABC5 also airs shows in the city through its affiliate station People's Broadcasting Network (PBN TV 5 Naga). GMA Network's GMA channel 7 and GMA News TV channel 28 is also available.

• Bicol Broadcasting System: Channel 2
• PBN Bicol: Channel 5
• GMA Network: Channel 7
• National Broadcasting Network: Channel 8
• ABS-CBN: Channel 11
• Studio 23: Channel 24
• Kingdom Broadcasting Network: Channel 26
• GMA News TV: Channel 28
• Radio Mindanao Network:Channel 32
• Global News Network: Channel 48

Radio stations[link]

Naga City has a good number of radio stations of any locality in the region, some of which operate 24 hours daily. The city's cable and satellite TV companies include Naga Cable TV, Caceres Cable TV and SkyCable.

AM Stations[link]

FM Stations[link]

Local Newspapers[link]

Climate[link]

The weather in the city from March to May is hot and dry with temperature ranging from 22 to 28 °C (72 to 82 °F). From June to October is the typhoon season and it is generally rainy. From November to February, the climate is cooler with temperatures ranging from 22 to 28 °C (72 to 82 °F). The average year-round humidity is 77%.^[8]

Health care[link]

Naga City is home to the two of the biggest hospitals in the Bicol Region. The government owned Bicol Medical Center and the Universidad de Sta. Isabel - Mother Seton Hospital owned and operated by the Daughters of Charity. It also houses the only medical district in Bicol, The Metropolitan Medical District.

• Bicol Medical Center (BMC), formerly called the Camarines Sur Regional Hospital, is located in Concepcion Pequeña, offers specialty training in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, General Surgery, Obstetric and Gynecology, Anesthesiology, Radiology, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, Orthopedics and Traumatology. This is also the base hospital of the Helen Keller Foundation where eye specialists all over the country are trained and later assigned in different parts of the Philippines.^[9]

• Universidad de Sta. Isabel- Mother Seton Hospital (USI - MSH), is one of the biggest private hospital in the Bicol Region for the number of admissions, medical equipment facility, number of beds available, physical structure and number of board certified medical consultants. It is the only private hospital in Bicol offering specialty training programs accredited by the Philippine Medical Association’s component society in major fields of Medicine, like in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and General Surgery.^[10]

• Camarines Sur Provincial Hospital is one of the largest hospital in the Bicol Region and in Camarines Sur. It was created and founded in 1989 through Republic Act 9963. This integrated hospital is one of the first-class hospitals in the Philippines.

• The Plaza Medica houses the Naga Endocrine Laboratory (also called the Endolab), a modern specialty laboratory facility and hormone laboratory Naga.
• St. John Hospital (tertiary hospital)
• Ago Foundation Hospital (tertiary hospital)
• Dr. Nilo Roa Memorial Hospital (secondary hospital)
• Metropolitan Naga Medical Center (secondary hospital)
• Naga City Hospital (government hospital)
• Bicol Access Health Centrum (Private hospital)
• NICC Naga Doctors Hospital (Private hospital/under construction)

Naga City Map[link]

Map of the City of Naga

Sister cities[link]

• Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
• General Santos City, South Cotabato
• Lucena City, Quezon
• San Fernando City, Pampanga
• Shishi City, China
• Su-ao Township, Yilan County, Taiwan
• San Leandro City, California, United States of America
• Shefa Province, Vanuatu

See also[link]

• List of television and radio stations in Naga City, Camarines Sur
• List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website of Naga City
• Official Site of the Archdiocese of Caceres
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• 2007 Philippine Census Information

Location[link]

		Bombon, Camarines Sur Magarao, Camarines Sur Calabanga, Camarines Sur
	Milaor, Camarines Sur Gainza, Camarines Sur Camaligan, Camarines Sur		Ocampo Goa Pili
		Naga City    East
	Pili, Camarines Sur	San Fernando / Bula, Camarines Sur	San Fernando, Camarines Sur

v t e Cities of the Philippines Highly-urbanized Cities Angeles Bacolod Baguio Butuan Cagayan de Oro Caloocan Cebu Davao General Santos Iligan Iloilo Lapu-Lapu Las Piñas Lucena Makati Malabon Mandaluyong Mandaue Manila Marikina Muntinlupa Naga, Camarines Sur Navotas Olongapo Parañaque Pasay Pasig Puerto Princesa Quezon City San Juan Tacloban Taguig Valenzuela Zamboanga Independent Component Cities Cotabato Dagupan Ormoc Santiago Component Cities Alaminos Antipolo Bago Bais Balanga Batangas Batac Bayawan Baybay Bayugan Biñan Bislig Bogo Borongan Cabadbaran Cabanatuan Cadiz Calamba Calapan Calbayog Candon Canlaon Carcar Catbalogan Cauayan Cavite Danao Dapitan Dasmariñas Digos Dipolog Dumaguete El Salvador Escalante Gapan Gingoog Guihulngan Himamaylan Ilagan Iriga Isabela Kabankalan Kidapawan Koronadal La Carlota Lamitan Laoag Legazpi Lipa Maasin Malaybalay Malolos Marawi Masbate Mati Meycauayan Muñoz Naga, Cebu Oroquieta Ozamiz Pagadian Palayan Panabo Passi Roxas Sagay Samal San Carlos, Negros Occidental San Carlos, Pangasinan San Fernando, La Union San Fernando, Pampanga San Jose San Jose del Monte San Pablo Santa Rosa Silay Sipalay Sorsogon Surigao Tabuk Tacurong Tagaytay Tagbilaran Tagum Talisay, Cebu Talisay, Negros Occidental Tanauan Tandag Tangub Tanjay Tarlac Tayabas Toledo Trece Martires Tuguegarao Urdaneta Valencia Victorias Vigan

v t e Provincial capital cities and municipalities of the Philippines Luzon Antipolo (de facto), Rizal · Balanga, Bataan · Baler, Aurora · Bangued, Abra · Basco, Batanes · Batangas, Batangas · Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya · Boac, Marinduque · Bontoc, Mountain Province · Cabarroguis, Quirino · Calapan, Oriental Mindoro · Daet, Camarines Norte · Iba, Zambales · Ilagan, Isabela · Imus (de jure), Cavite · Kabugao (de jure), Apayao · Lagawe, Ifugao · Laoag, Ilocos Norte · La Trinidad, Benguet · Daraga, Albay · Lingayen, Pangasinan · Lucena, Quezon · Luna (de facto), Apayao · Malolos, Bulacan · Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro · Masbate, Masbate · Palayan, Nueva Ecija · Pasig (de jure), Rizal · Naga, Camarines Sur · Puerto Princesa, Palawan · Romblon, Romblon · San Fernando, La Union · San Fernando, Pampanga · Tabuk, Kalinga · Tarlac, Tarlac · Trece Martires (de facto), Cavite · Tuguegarao, Cagayan · Santa Cruz, Laguna · Sorsogon, Sorsogon · Vigan, Ilocos Sur · Virac, Catanduanes Visayas Bacolod, Negros Occidental · Borongan, Eastern Samar · Catarman, Northern Samar · Catbalogan, Samar · Cebu, Cebu · Dumaguete, Negros Oriental · Iloilo, Iloilo · Jordan, Guimaras · Kalibo, Aklan · Maasin, Southern Leyte · Naval, Biliran · Roxas, Capiz · San Jose de Buenavista, Antique · Siquijor, Siquijor · Tagbilaran, Bohol · Tacloban, Leyte Mindanao Alabel, Sarangani · Bongao (de facto), Tawi-Tawi · Butuan (de facto), Agusan del Norte · Cabadbaran (de jure), Agusan del Norte · Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental · Digos, Davao del Sur · Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte · Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay · Isabela, Basilan · Isulan, Sultan Kudarat · Jolo, Sulu · Kidapawan, Cotabato · Koronadal, South Cotabato · Malaybalay, Bukidnon · Mambajao, Camiguin · Marawi, Lanao del Sur · Mati, Davao Oriental · Nabunturan, Compostela Valley · Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental · Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur · Panglima Sugala (de jure), Tawi-Tawi · Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur · San Jose, Dinagat Islands · Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao · Surigao, Surigao del Norte · Tagum, Davao del Norte · Tandag, Surigao del Sur · Tubod, Lanao del Norte

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2010)

Camarines Sur Tierra de los Camalignas
—  Province  —
The Provincial Capitol of Camarines Sur
Flag Official seal of Camarines Sur Seal
Nickname(s): Rising Sun of the Philippines Gateway to the Golden Land
Motto: "Viva Camarines!"
Map of the Philippines with Camarines Sur highlighted
Coordinates: 13°40′N 123°20′E / 13.667°N 123.333°E / 13.667; 123.333Coordinates: 13°40′N 123°20′E / 13.667°N 123.333°E / 13.667; 123.333
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol Region (Region V)
Founded	1637
Capital	Naga City
Government
• Governor	Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Jr. (Nacionalista)
Area
• Total	8,780.78 km2 (3,390.28 sq mi)
Area rank	9th out of 80
Population (2007)
• Total	2, 796, 987
• Rank	7th out of 80
• Density rank	9th out of 80
Divisions
• Independent cities	1
• Component cities	1
• Municipalities	35
• Barangays	1, 456 including independent cities: 1,395
• 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 and Riŋkon�?da Language. Lake Buhi is where the smallest commercially harvested fish can be found, the Sinarapan or tabyos (Mistichthys luzonensis).

People and culture[link]

Population. According to the May 2010 census, there is a total of 2,693,821 residents in Camarines Sur, making it the most populous in the region and the 7th 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 8 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 Riŋkon�?da (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 (formerly Danawin, until year 1937) is the only town in the province that has a majority of population that speaks Tagalog.

History[link]

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, led a group which crossed from Burias and Ticao islands and landed on a coastal settlement called Ibalon in what is presently the province of Sorsogon. From this point another expedition was sent to explore the interior and founded the town of Camalig.

In 1573, Juan de Salcedo penetrated the Bicol peninsula from the north as made it as far south as Libon, establishing the settlement of Santiago de Libon. Jose Maria Peñaranda, a military engineer, was made “coregidor” 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 partidos were separated, and Ibalon became a separate province with Sorsogon as capital. In the 17th century, Moro slave raiders ravaged the northeastern coastal areas of the province of Albay. 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[link]

The Old Capitol Building

The Provincial Capitol Found in Naga City

The Provincial Legislative Building

Camarines Sur Convention Center

The seat of the provincial government was situated in downtown Naga, in a building of adobe and cement. Up till now, the provincial capitol is one of the most beautiful provincial capitols in the Philippines.

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[link]

Camarines Sur has a total land form of 432.62 sq. km., the largest in Bicol Region. Its economy is mostly-agricultural-based. Out of the 35 towns, 29 towns are mainly agricultural producing rice, corn, feedmeal, freshwater fish, livestock, coconut, sugar, abacá, and water-lily,. 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. Handicrafts are the major source of rural income. It continuous to provide fairly large share in the small-scale industries of the province. Forestry and papermaking are another source of livelihood. The manufacture of abacá products such as Manila hemp,hats,bags,mats,and slippers is one of the main sources of income in the rural areas. Fishing is also done along both shores of the province. Tourism, primarily because of Caramoan, and Mt. Isarog, also draws income for Camarines Sur. 2 towns and one city is primarily tri-economy, which means that their economy has three bases. Naga City's economy is based in comercial, for all of the products from other provinces in the region are being brought here, making it the main center in Bicol Region. Naga City also has Industrial as one of the bases of its economy. The four major manufacturing and processing industries in the province are jewelry craft, gifts/toys/housewares, pineapple and coconut industry. Naga also has agricultural as a base of the economy because of its vast cornfields, ricefields, and water lily farms all over the city. Calabanga, Cabusao, and Libmanan has also the same with Naga. Calabanga has comercial as a base for the economy because all products from Naga are being passed here in Calabanga. It is also the trade center for the towns of Tinambac, Goa, and Siruma. Calabanga also has fishing as a base of the economy because of the very large Quipayo Fishing Center the largest in Bicol. Calabanga also has agricultural because of vast productions of corn, sugar, and rice. Cabusao has agricultural as a base of te economy because of its large granary near its border in Libmanan. It also has fishing as a base of the economy because all of the fisheries products from Calabanga is being brought here to be passed in Libmanan. On the other hand, Libmanan has agricultural base because of its 156 hectares of ricefields, and cornfields distributedly. Libmanan also has fishing as a base because of its coastline connecting the towns of Ragay, and Pasacao. Libmanan also has partially a comercial district. The rest of the towns not counted are primarily fishing industry as the main base of their economy.

Transportation[link]

Camarines Sur is also the region's principal trans-shipment point with its ports: Lagonoy International, Calabanga National, Minalabac Provincial, and the Balatan Regional Port. Naga City also has its own domestic airport which hopes to serve international flights in the near future. Naga Airport serves as Bicol's gateway to Manila and the Visayas. The planning of the Naga City International Airport (locally known as Corporal Elias Angeles International Airport and Bicol International Airport) is very crucial due to low fundings. It was to serve the whole province and region as a gateway to the Philippines.

Geography and climate[link]

Terrain[link]

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[link]

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[link]

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 Naga City.

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[link]