THERE were years, long ago, when we used to celebrate Albay day on May 14. As many Albayanos know, May 14, 1834 was the day that Jose Maria Penaranda became Governor of Albay. He was an outstanding leader and one of the best administrator the province ever had.
However, it was pointed out by one of the most prominent historians of Bikol, Dr. Danilo Madrid Gerona that there is a more appropriate date to celebrate the birth of Albay. According to him, there is a document in the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, Spain that clearly states that on April 3, 1574, the Spanish Governor-General Guido de Lavezares assigned to a certain Juan Guerra many villages in this area as encomiendas or “entrusted villages.”
The villages mentioned included “baybayo, tuburan, tondol, libot, cotmon, mauraro, cadsagua, busay, etc.” A few of these toponymes remained identifiable such as baybayo (baybay, which evolved into Albay), tuburan (a barrio in Ligao), tondol, cotmon (old barrios in Camalig), mauraro (a barrio in Guinobatan), cadsagua (Cagsaua), and so on…
According to Gerona, “As encomienda villages, they paved the way for the rise of municipalities which served as the structural base upon which the Spanish colonial regime in the province took root.”
“This immensely valuable document provides the indisputable proof of Albay’s entrance into the Spanish imperial chart. While the document does not officially refer to the foundation of Albay, it nevertheless should be considered as an important date in Albay history… as the rightful date to celebrate Albay Day. I have a copy of the said document with me, and I could vouch for the authenticity of the said document in the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, Spain.”
So, you might ask: What is so important about knowing that Albay was born in 1574, or 451 years ago? I believe it is important because it is a milestone in our long and tortuous trek towards progress and the betterment of our lives.
With this in mind, and as a conscientious Representative of the Second Congressional District of Albay, I filed a bill in 2016, before the 17th Congress of the Philippines, declaring April 3 as Albay Day. The 12th Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Albay, during its session on April 7, 2017, issued Proclamation No. 00300-17 supporting the Bill. On October 30, 2018, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed the declaration and celebration of Albay Day as a legal public holiday.
Today, as we celebrate the 451 years of the official recognition of our province, I look back into the deep olden days and feel pride of place and pride of race. Our province was nothing but patches of forest and swamps between the mountains and the sea. Our forefathers lived by tilling the land and fishing from the sea. The terrain was rugged, the weather was harsh and they were buffeted by waves and typhoons. And we were colonized by foreign invaders.
Today, we are no longer slaves. We are a free people. We are free to elect those who will govern us.
Today, we are no longer in the darkness of ignorance. Our children are schooled and are professionals.
Today, we are no longer imprisoned by the land and the waves, we are able to travel to the far corners of the world for opportunities, for self improvement and for pleasure.
Today, we are able to tame the winds and the waves; we know how to adapt to climate change and mitigate disaster. We could face calamities and obtain zero casualty.
Today, we no longer worry about our basic needs—we are even able to sell our products and surpluses to the world markets.
Today, tourists from all over the world come to our beautiful land to feel the warmth of our hospitality and marvel at the beauty of our arts, the uniqueness of our cultural and the bounty of our natural resources.
Today, we are the most progressive province in the region. We are one of the most competitive among the provinces in the Philippines. Albay was once featured as the best tourist destination in the world tourism exposition in Berlin.
We are recognized as one of the best bio-diverse and protected environment under the Man and the Biosphere Program. Soon, Mayon Cultural Site shall be listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Nevertheless, our trek is not over. We continue our march towards progress. It is important to know where we came from and where we are now, so that we could chart our way ahead. We know that Albay could be equal to the provinces of the Philippines and to other provinces abroad. I know we could be Global Albay. Given the opportunity to lead Albay again, as I did in the past, I know exactly what we must to become Global Albay.
But for today, let us pause for a while and celebrate our day — our Albay
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