Address: New City Hall, Cabid-an, Sorsogon City Philippines Postal Code: 4700 Telefax: (056) 211-2899
SORSOGON CITY The City of Sorsogon was Created by virtue of Republic Act. 8806, which was signed into law on August 16, 2000 and ratified during a plebiscite on December 16, 2000. R.A. 8806, also known as the Cityhood Law, called for the merger of the municipalities of Sorsogon and Bacon into a component city of the Province of Sorsogon, Sorsogon thus, functioned as a full-pledged city on June 30, 2001, with the assumption into office of the first only officials. Located 600 kilometers southeast of Manila, Sorsogon is part of the geographical chain linking Luzon to the rest of the Philippines. It is a transshipment corridor and serves as the seat of the Province of Sorsogon.
BACON: Oldest Pueblo Civil of Sorsogon. In the year 1609, The Fanciscans founded the settlement of Bacon, which later became a visita or barrio, and in 1617, it was separated from Casiguran to become an independent parish, which included Sta. Florentina (now Rapu-rapu), and Montupar (now Prieto-Diaz). Bacon's patroness was Our Lady of the Annunciation, until Fray Gregorio Sta. Ana replaced it with Sta. Rita de Casia. In 1853, however, Fray Remigio de Vera returned the Our Lady of the Annunciation, as patroness of the parish, up to the present time. Bacon is the oldest municipality (pueblo civil) of the province. It was founded in 1754. It is also the nearest town to the capitol town of Sorsogon, with a distance of only nine kilometers. The road connecting it is the oldest in the province. The municipality of Bacon (Now Bacon District, City of Sorsogon), as established by the Spanish government then, included under its jurisdiction the barrios of Sta. Florentina, Batan and Cagraray islands. When Sorsogon became an independent province from Albay, Bacon lost to Albay, Rapu-rapu, Batan and Cagraray islands. Also, the barrios of Suwa and Cabit were lost to the Municipality of Manito, also in Albay. Rapu-rapu became a municipality of Albay in 1901, while Prieto-Diaz was separated from Bacon in 1904, to become an independent municipality. With the separation of sorsogon from Albay, the boundaries separating them were moved from Balabagan to Suwa. The Sorsogon-Bacon Bridge. Bacon was an important port during the Spanish period until the opening of the Sorsogon-Albay road in 1924. Government officials, businessmen and travelers from Manila used to come to Legaspi by train, and from Legaspi to Bacon, by the launch, San Antonio, and from Bacon to Sorsogon, by bus. Due to the importance of the port in business, and the road, in transporting goods from Bacon to Sorsogon, Governor Peñaranda of Albay issued a decree in 1814 ordering the construction of Gabao Bridge, to be finished in forty-five days by polistas. One-half of the bridge, on the Bacon side, was constructed by polistas from Bacon, and the other half from Sorsogon (Unfortunately, this bridge is no longer there, having given way to the widening of the concrete roadway going into Bacon, which is now a mere district of Sorsogon City) Fr. Isidoro Dino Taken from the book of "Tracing from Solsogon to Sorsogon Second Edition page20.
The Land of the Whale Sharks Sorsogon City, Sorsogon Province's capital, is situated on the southern end of the island of Luzon. Those travelling by sea from the Visayan Islands to Luzon will have to pass by Sorsogon in order to gain access to other popular locations. The city is quite populated and is one of the leading urban cities in the region.
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A Brief Brush with Sorsogon City History The name of the place was once spelled as 'Solsogon' if you look at old Spanish maps. The name literally means 'to trace a river upstream'. The name of Sorsogon City has been spelled differently in various occasions during its history. The Spanish explorers got lost upon the discovery of the territory until they reached what is now called Sorsogon Bay. They asked the locals the name of the place and the locals mistook the question as asking for directions. Thus they were told 'sorsogon' or 'solsogon', which meant trace your way following the river upstream, which eventually became the name of the town.
The city was overrun by Japanese Imperial Forces in 1942 but was liberated in 1945. Sorsogon officially became a city under the Philippine Republic on August 16, 2000.
Sorsogon City Weather There is really no distinct dry season in Sorsogon City since you'll generally have rain throughout the entire year. However, visitors should take note that some months will have fewer rains than others will. The months beginning from November until January will have more rain and the months from April to May will have far fewer rains than any other months of the year. March to May is often considered summer, however is only marked by less rainfall.
Things to See and Do Perhaps every traveler to Sorsogon City will have heard of whale shark diving when they hear the name of the city. The place to go whale shark diving is in the nearby town of Donsol, which has been dubbed as a whale shark capital. Locally known as butanding, these gentle whale sharks can be seen from October to December as they come to feed on krill and plankton. The town of Donsol is only around a half-hour drive from the city. Another reason for visiting Sorsogon is its fine exquisite beaches. All you have to do once you're there is to ask for directions to the Bacon District. One interesting place for an escapade is in Paguriran Island where you'll find white sand beaches. The Bulusan Mountain Lake Resort is another ecotourism destination for nature lovers. Other places where you can have fun in tropical waters are Rizal Beach Resort and the Libanon Beach Resort.
Sorsogon City's Lodgings and Accommodations You'll mostly find mid-range and budget class accommodations in Sorsogon City. Rates may vary slightly from one inn or hotel from another but they generally fall within the same bracket in spite of the differences. Rates here start around $25 and can go out as much as $50 to $100 during peak seasons. The amenities will also vary depending on the resort or hotel you choose to stay in Sorsogon. A deluxe room will usually have air conditioning, cable TV, hot and cold water, living room area, and a phone.
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Dining Options in Sorsogon City Most of the places to eat here in Sorsogon are fastfood restaurants though there will be food stalls that offer the local cuisine. Local fastfood restaurants that you'll find here are Jollibee, Quick and Hearty, Jane's Fastfood, and Graceland, which serves some local dishes. Some restaurants you will find here are Casa Dominga, Kalundan Restaurant, Acacia Grill, and Dahon Saging Restaurant, which serve the best of the region's dishes.
Sorsogon Education Known as one of the most progressive second-class provinces within the southern region of the Philippines, Sorsogon features high standard universities and colleges that comprise its outstanding education system. In order to teach students in the most efficient way possible, these schools offer first-rate academic programs. By offering high quality education without compromising the quality of education, many students love to enroll at these premier schools. More importantly, these wonderful colleges and universities have extensive scholarship programs in-stored for everyone.
Language Virtually everyone in the province can comprehend and speak Tagalog, and also Bicolano, but it is interesting to note that there exists a wide array of “local” dialects, which differ somewhat from district to district. This does not just refer to the distinctions between the Bicolano and Bisakol language; the Bisakol (also termed Waray) used in places like Satan Magdalena, Bulusan and Gubat are not the same as those spoken in Magallanes, Sorsogon City and Juban. Some also speak Cebuano and of course English is utilized in schools, and people, particularly in the capital, use it very well.
Educational Facilities A major reason for the success of Sorsogon is the large number of schools and universities in its midst. These include the Bicol Merchant Marine College, Lewis College, STI College, AMA Computer Learning Center, Sorsogon State College, Our Lady of Peñafrancia Sanctuary and many others. Most of these are located in the capital city.
Infrastructure & Transport Most of those who will travel to Sorsogon from the National Capital Region do so via motor vehicles, and the route usually taken is that of the Maharlika Highway. However, the construction of the Sorsogon City Domestic Airport is expected to be complete before the end of 2008 and will provide another way.
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