“LAND OF THE WORLD’S MOST PERFECT CONE”

Capital: Legazpi City

Language: Native Bikol, Albay

Bikol, Rinconada Bikol, Tagalog

Municipalities:
District 1 District 2 District 3
Bacacay Daraga Camalig
Malilipot Legazpi City Guinobatan
Malinao Manito Jovellar
Santo Rapu-Rapu Libon
Domingo
Tabaco Ligao
Tiwi Oas
Pio Duran
Polangui
 GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Albay has a total land area of 2,575.77 square kilometres (994.51 sq mi), which makes it
the 53rd biggest province. The province is bordered by the provinces of Camarines
Sur to the north and Sorsogon to the south. To the northeast lies the Lagonoy Gulf,
which separates the province from Catanduanes. To the southwest of the province is
the Burias Pass with the island of Burias of Masbate province located about 14
kilometres (8.7 mi) offshore.
• In 2016, an area of 250,000 hectares (620,000 acres) was declared a UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve. 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 species, as well as
mangrove, seagrass and seaweed ecosystems.
 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 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 the Lakanate of Lawan to ask for the hands of Bingi bringing
with him 100 ships. Lawan is a prosperous Lakanate in Samar. Datu Hadi Iberein came from
the Lakanate 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.”
INFRASTRUCTURE
Roads - Albay has 383.22 kilometers (238.12 mi) of national roads, mostly paved
with asphalt, with 5.25 kilometers (3.26 mi) remaining unpaved. Maharlika
Highway (N1/AH26) serves as the principal road connection between other
provinces. Most of the province are served by secondary national roads, assigned
route numbers of the 630 and 640 series. Almost all of the cities and municipalities
are connected by national roads, except for Rapu-Rapu.
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 Legazpi Airport, the
province's gateway from Manila and Cebu City in the Visayas. The larger Bicol
International Airport is under construction in the municipality of Daraga, adjacent
municipality of Legazpi City.
Railroads- Albay is served by the mainline of the Philippine National
Railways (PNR), and has commuter service between Naga in Camarines Sur. Trains
to Manila (Tutuban), the Mayon Limited, is suspended from November 2012. Four
stations serve Polangui, Ligao, Guinobatan, and Legaspi, respectively.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Agriculture is the main industry in Albay, which produces crops
like coconut, rice, sugar and abacá. Handicrafts 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, 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.
 NATURAL
ATTRACTIONS
Mayon Volcano the volcano is the main
attration of the city and the province , it is a
prefect cone, imponente, beautiful, serene,
strong and volatile, so the nature taking his
course , it was absolutely marvelous.
Ligñon Hill is a prominent hill in the city
of Legazpi, some 3 kilometers west of its
downtown port area in Albay, Philippines.
The summit rises to about 512 feet (156
meters), overlooking the Mayon Volcano to
the northwest and the entire city and Albay
Gulf to the east. The whole site is managed
by the city and provincial government, and
has been designated as a Nature Park.
Nestled at the foot of Mount Malinao
are the famous Vera Falls, a destination
in Malinao, Albay that boasts of
enchanting cascades, and clean
mountain water that beckons visitors to
dive into the cool, refreshing pool.
Sumlang Lake is a calm and relaxing place to
marvel around. The place has stylish set of chairs
and art pieces distributed around which provide a
more appealing ambiance.
It is called Kawa- kawa as its shape
resembles a cauldron (Kawa or Caldero in
Bikol language) . Because of this unique
shape is of the same reason why it is also
called a hill without a hilltop
Hoyop-Hoyopan cave is one of Albay’s
famous attractions because of its historic
legacy. For one, it has been around for a
long time at about 3,000 B.C. to 4,000 B.C.
The 280 square meter-cave was called
Hoyop-hoyopan, a Bicolano term for “blow
of the wind.” This huge and windy cave is
filled with various shapes of rock
formations, where you can use your
imagination to formulate different figures
inside the cave.
Quitinday Green Hills is a magnificent
geological formation of mini-peaks located
in Barangay Quitinday, Camalig, Albay,
Philippines. This set of rolling hills is
considered as one of the hidden natural
wonder of Albay. The undulating terrain of
Quitinday bear a resemblance to the
famous Chocolate Hills attraction of Bohol
but, in contrast, appears as verdant green
hills because of lush vegetation. From the
breezy hilltops one can vividly see the
silhouette of majestic Mayon Volcano.
Quitinday Falls offers a tall drop ideal for
cliff jumping. It has an adjacent 100-meter
subterranean river which can be navigated
aboard a bamboo raft through Naglaus
Cave.
 MAN-MADE
ATTRACTIONS
The Legazpi Boulevard is a coastal road
network extending from the city’s central
business district and port area to the
southern barangays. It’s like Roxas
Boulevard in Manila where you can stroll by
the seashore, but what’s notably different is
that here, you’ll see the Mayon Volcano and
the Kapuntukan hill to the north, the Albay
Gulf and its islands to the east, and the
mountains of Sorsogon to the south. It’s a
must-visit destination when in Legazpi.
When opened in 2001, Pacific Mall used
to be Legazpi’s most prestigious but then its
status has declined through the years, as
more malls such as Ayala Malls and
Robinson’s have been developed in the
city.
Ayala Malls Legazpi boasts of a four-
storey high atrium that was designed for
shoppers to enjoy natural lighting and
ventilation, adore Ayala Malls’ signature
events, and admire the city’s majestic views
of Mayon Volcano. We had dinner at
Graceland and didn’t have more time to go
around, but easily we can conclude
that Ayala Malls looked and felt far more
modern than Pacific Mall. It showcases the
best of local, homegrown concepts and
affordable fashion and foreign labels. In
partnership with LCC, it aims to be the
region’s mall of choice by providing a
unique shopping, dining and entertainment
experience to the Bicolanos.
HERITAGE SITE
The Cagsawa Ruins are the remains of a 17th century church built by the Franciscans. The reason
why this “church” is so amazing is that in February 1, 1814, Mt. Mayon began its most violent and
deadly eruption in recorded history. The church, along with most of the town of Cagsawa, was
unfortunately destroyed by lahars and pyroclastic flows, killing thousands of inhabitants.
Nuestra Señora de la Porteria Parish Church (also Our Lady of the Gate
Parish Church), commonly known as Daraga Church, is a Roman Catholic
Church in the municipality of Daraga, Albay, Philippines under the jurisdiction
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Legazpi. The church was built by the
Franciscans in 1772 under the patronage of the Our Lady of the Gate. Certain
church sections were declared as a National Cultural Treasure of the
Philippines in 2007.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Legazpi (Latin: Dioecesis Legazpiensis) is
a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. It constitutes the entire
province of Albay in the Philippines.
The diocese was erected in 1951, carved from territory of the Archdiocese of Cáceres,
to which it is a suffragan. In 1974, the diocese was partitioned to form the Diocese of
Virac.
The Saint John the Baptist Parish Church (Spanish: Iglesia Parroquial de San Juan Bautista), commonly
known as Tabaco Church, is a Roman Catholic Church in the city of Tabaco, Albay, Philippines under
the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Legazpi.The church of Tabaco was founded by the
Franciscans under the advocacy of Saint John the Baptist and became an independent parish in 1616. It
was also declared a National Cultural Treasure of the Philippines.
FESTIVALS AND
EVENTS
Magayon Festival, May 1-31
It relieves the origin of Mayon
Volcano. Observed in May, the
festival features sports and cultural
events and trade fairs. The focus of
the month-long event is the stage
reenactment of the tragic love story
of the legend of Daragang
Magayon and Panganoron whose
fatal deaths gave birth to the
volcano. Legend has it that
Magayon’s grave became Mayon
while the clouds kissing her is
Panganoron.
Ibalong Festival
Second week of October; Legazpi
A week-long festivity recounting the
brave exploits of the heroes of Ibalong
or prehistoric Bicol. The festival is
highlighted by a street parade
recreating the classic battles between
heroes and beasts of Ibalong.
Tabak Festival
Last week of March; Tabaco City
A week-long activity held in time with
the City’s Foundation Anniversary.
Street presentation depicting the city’s
legend, trade fairs of the growing
cutlery industry, woodcraft and pili,
colorful parades and the Mutya ng
Tabak Search highlights the event.
Sarung Banggi Festival
May 18-25; Sto. Domingo
An annual fun-filled eight-day summer
festivity immortalizing the timeless
love song Sarung Banggi, and a tribute
to its composer, Potenciano V.
Gregorio. The Sarung Banggi festival
showcases a variety of cultural and
religious activities. The entire colorful
performance is shown at nighttime
when the street parade routes are
brightly lighted with large torches.
The whole town becomes a true
picture of rural life with the multitude
of people occupying the streets to
watch and join the nighttime
merriment.
Coron Festival,
Tiwi; third week of August. A showcase
of events highlighted by a street
presentation participated in by the
town’s different public and private
schools and sectors gives a week of
fun and merriment to visitors and
locals. The religious package of
devotion and prayer in honor of
Albay’s patroness, Nuestra Señora de
Salvacion (Our Laday of Salvation), is
the peak event of the festival,
colorfully drawing thousands of
devotees and religious groups through
a long maritime procession of
different local sea vessels on the sea
spray of the serene Pacific ocean
going to the quiet barangay of Joroan,
the home of the miraculous image.
Kadagatan Festival
Bacacay; Black Saturday
Formerly called the Bancathon
race, the festival is a water sport
activity participated in by
fishermen from the different
municipalities of Albay aimed to
give recognition and at the same
time provide a venue to the
fishermen to show their strength,
skills, and contributions to the
socio-economic development of
the region.
Katalingkasan Festival
Libon; 2nd week of July
The festivity retraces the valiant
story of the virgins of the town
who worked hard in making Libon
as one of the earliest settlements
in Albay. Featured activities are
trade fairs, shows, and street
dancing.
Salingoy Festival
Bacacay; August 9-15
Salingoy is a Bikol term that
literally means looking back. A
century of devotion (1901-2001) to
one of Bacacay’s patron saints,
Nuestra Señora de los
Samparados, Salingoy Festival
came into being, a centennial
commemoration of unbroken
reverence to God’s blessings and
bounty. Salingoy looks back with
humility by reminiscing into the
richness of fidelity to Our Lady
(Holy Mother Mary) and to relive
Bacacay’s historical, socio-
cultural, and religious heritage.
Tinagbuan Festival
Ligao City; December 25
This festivity is in honor of the
city’s patron saint, St. Stephen
Protomartyr. Tinagbuan, from the
term tagbuan, which means
converging point, is exactly the
essence of this festival as it
enables Ligaoeños to come back
to Ligao for a blessed reunion
with their families and friends.
The festival’s highlight is the
street dance presentation.
Pilgrimage to Joroan
Tiwi; 3rd Saturday of August
This yearly pilgrimage to Nuestra
Señora de Salvacion, the
patroness of Albay, is highlighted
by a maritime procession and a
concelebrated Mass on the shores
of Sogod Beach. Thousands of
pilgrims from different places
flock to pay homage to the Marian
image.
FLORA AND
FAUNA
GASTRONOMY
Ice Cream Chili flavor ADELINA’S CHOCO WITH PILI

GUINOBATAN LONGGANISA

SINARAPAN OF POLANGUI CAMALIG PINANGAT

CULTURE AND
TRADITION
Agtas are characteristically short, dark-skinned, kinky-haired, thick-lipped, and small-nosed.
Their traditional clothing is tapis (skirt) for women and bahag (breechcloth) for men.
Breastfeeding mothers wear uban, a piece of fabric slung from the shoulders. Most men scar their
bodies, using various designs that have been passed down to them by their ancestors. Today, most
Agtas have abandoned their tribal attire for “civilized” clothes.
The majority of the population are followers of Roman Catholic church
with 93% of the population adherence, while the rest of the people's
faith is divided by several Christian groups such as Iglesia Filipina
Independiente or Aglipayan Church, Iglesia ni
Cristo (INC), Baptists, Methodists, Mormons, Jehovah's
Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist, other Christians and
also Muslims which demographic is mostly traced to Mindanao.
The Bicolano is conservative. They believe it is safe to
stick to the old than take a risk in the new. To some
extent however, the educated Bicolano has begun to
change gradually.

Their preference for spicy food is such that no food is

good for them without red pepper and coconut milk.

With large tracts of land, farming has become the chief

occupation of the people. They also engaged in fishing,
logging, cattle-raising and handicraft.
THANK YOU!