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Camarines Sur
Provincia kan Camarines Sur
Provincia de Camarines del Sur
—  Province  —
Province of Camarines Sur
The Provincial Capitol of Camarines Sur

Flag

Seal
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 Pili, Camarines Sur
Government
 • Governor Luis Raymund "LRay" F. Villafuerte, Jr. (NP)
 • Vice Governor Ato Peña (NP)
Area[1]
 • Total 5,497.03 km2 (2,122.42 sq mi)
Area rank 18th out of 80
Population (2010)[2]
 • Total 1,822,371
 • Rank 14th out of 80
 • Density Bad rounding here330/km2 (Bad rounding here860/sq mi)
 • Density rank 22nd out of 80
  Includes independent component city
Divisions
 • Independent cities 1
 • Component cities 1
 • Municipalities 35
 • Barangays 1,036
including independent cities: 1,063
 • Districts 1st to 5th districts of Camarines Sur
(shared with Naga City)
Time zone PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code 4400-4436
Dialing code 54
Spoken languages Central Bicolano, Rinconada Bicolano, Albay Bicolano, Tagalog, English
Website www.camarinessur.gov.ph

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 includes two cities: Naga City, the lone chartered city, is the province's and the region's religious, cultural, financial, commercial, industrial, and business center, while Iriga City, a component city, is the center of the Rinconada area and Riŋkonāda Language. Lake Buhi is where the smallest commercially harvested fish can be found, the Sinarapan or tabyos (Mistichthys luzonensis).

Contents

Geography and climate [edit]

Terrain [edit]

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 [edit]

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

History [edit]

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, the first governor of Albay and 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. 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. Guerrilla 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 guerrilla movement was carried on by Lieutenant Francisco Boayes and by the Tangcong Vaca Guerrilla 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 the Imperial Japanese Navy landed in Legazpi City and Naga City, the famous Tangcong Vaca Guerrilla 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 guerrilla 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.

Cities and municipalities [edit]

Camarines Sur is subdivided into 2 cities and 35 municipalities.

City/Municipality No. of
Barangays
Area
(hectares)[3]
Population
(2010)[4]
Income Class
(2010)[3]
Mayor
(2010–2013)
Baao
30
10,663
54,971
1st class
Melquiades I. Gaite
Balatan
17
9,309
28,699
4th class
Ernesto A. Bagasbas
Bato
33
10,712
48,306
3rd class
Jeanette R. Bernaldez
Bombon
8
2,873
15,437
5th class
Ma. Luisa DC. Angeles
Buhi
38
24,665
73,809
1st class
Rey P. Lacoste
Bula
33
16,764
68,011
1st class
Benjamin S. Decena
Cabusao
9
4,680
18,049
5th class
Nebb P. Santiago
Calabanga
48
16,380
78,119
1st class
Evelyn S. Yu
Camaligan
13
468
22,254
5th class
Emmanuel T. Prado
Canaman
24
4,327
32,390
4th class
Emmanuel S. Requejo
Caramoan
49
27,600
44,945
2nd class
Constantino H. Cordial, Jr.
Del Gallego
32
20,831
23,064
4th class
Lydia B. Abarientos
Gainza
8
1,475
10,345
5th class
William Angeles Abilay
Garchitorena
23
24,380
25,204
4th class
Solon O.Demetriou Jr.
Goa
34
20,618
58,503
1st class
Antero S. Lim
Irigaseal.png Iriga City
36
13,735
105,919
3rd class
Madeleine A. Gazmen
Lagonoy
38
37,790
51,814
1st class
Delfin R. Pilapil Jr.
Libmananseal.png Libmanan
75
34,282
100,002
1st class
Marilyn A. Jimenez
Lupi
38
19,912
30,118
3rd class
Raul M. Matamorosa
Magarao
15
4,497
24,274
4th class
Salvador A. Senar Jr.
Milaor
20
3,364
28,474
4th class
Rogelio A. Flores
Minalabac
25
12,610
48,162
3rd class
Leovegildo D. Basmayor Jr.
Nabuaseal.jpg Nabua
42
9,620
80,111
1st class
Delia C. Simbulan
Ph seal nagacity.png Naga City
27
8,448
174,931
1st class
John G. Bongat
Ocampo
25
11,833
43,523
3rd class
Fidel C. Carido
Pamplona
17
8,060
34,471
4th class
Gimeno A. Imperial
Pasacao
19
14,954
45,946
3rd class
Asuncion V. Arsenio
Pili
26
12,625
82,307
1st class
Tomas P. Bongalonta, Jr.
Presentacion
18
14,380
20,023
4th class
Joey A. Deleña
Ragayseal.jpg Ragay
38
40,022
54,934
1st class
Ricardo B. Aquino
Sagñay
19
15,476
31,314
4th class
Evelyn B. Fuentebella
San Fernando
22
7,176
33,281
4th class
Eugenio E. Lagasca, Jr.
San Jose
29
4,307
38,523
4th class
Antonio B. Chavez
Sipocot
46
24,343
64,042
1st class
Rogenor R. Astor
Siruma
22
14,127
17,050
4th class
Sandy S. Ondis Sr.
Tigaon
23
7,235
48,611
3rd class
Arnulf Bryan B. Fuentebella
Tinambac
44
35,162
62,435
1st class
Ruel T. Velarde

Demographics [edit]

Population census of Camarines Sur
Year Pop.   ±% p.a.  
1990 1,305,919 —    
1995 1,432,598 1.87%
2000 1,551,549 1.61%
2007 1,693,821 1.26%
2010 1,822,371 2.47%
Source: National Statistics Office [2]
Population

According to the May 2010 census, there are a total of 1,822,371 residents in Camarines Sur, making it the most populous in the region also because of land area it covers. 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 are Coastal Bikol and Inland Bikol. A dialect of Coastal Bikol, called Bikol Partido is used in the eastern portion of the province around Lagonoy Gulf. Filipino linguists consider the dialect of Coastal Bikol called Bikol Central spoken around Naga City. The variant of Bikol Central dialect spoken in Canaman, Camarines Sur is said to be the purest form of Coastal Bikol according to Jesuit Anthropologist Frank Lynch, S.J.).

The other important Bikol language spoken in the province is Riŋkonāda also known as Rinconada Bikol (under the umbrella of Inland Bikol group of languages), which is used by most people in Rinconada District of the province especially in Nabua, Iriga City and people of Rinconada in diaspora. Buhi-non (a language of Albay Bikol, another member of Inland Bikol), is a minority language spoken in the town of Buhi and around Lake Buhi. Del Gallego is the only town in the province that has a majority of population that speaks Tagalog. Most inhabitants of Camarines Sur understand Tagalog and English.

Economy [edit]

The economy of Camarines Sur is mostly agriculture-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 commerce, 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 industry 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, rice fields, and water lily farms all over the city.

Calabanga, Cabusao, Libmanan and Sipocot have similar economies as Naga. Calabanga has commerce 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 the 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 are brought here to be passed in Libmanan. While 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 commercial district. And Sipocot has agricultural base economy, because of its abundant stock of native chicken (Sipocot's OTOP) and wide production of calamansi and other vegetables, it also serve as trading post for towns of Cabusao, Ragay and Mercedes (Camarines Norte), fish products from these towns are being received by Sipocot. The rest of the towns not counted are primarily fishing industry as the main base of their economy.

Tourist attractions [edit]

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: Mount Isarog and Mount 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"

References [edit]

  1. ^ "List of Provinces". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 13 February 2013. 
  2. ^ a b "Population and Annual Growth Rates for The Philippines and Its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities". 2010 Census and Housing Population. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 2013-01-02. 
  3. ^ a b "Province: Camarines Sur". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 20 March 2013. 
  4. ^ "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010". 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 20 March 2013. 

External links [edit]

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