Place:Masbate, Masbate, Bicol, Philippines

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source: Family History Library Catalog

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Masbate City, officially known as the City of Masbate (Masbateño: Syudad san Masbate; ; ; ; ; ), is a 4th class component city and capital of the province of Masbate, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 104,522 people.

As the only city in the province, Masbate City serves as the province's main commercial center and chief seaport. The city is more or less situated at the center of Masbate province and Masbate Island, about 212 aerial miles and 362 nautical miles from Manila. It is noted for its well-protected seaport, with Ticao Island acting as barrier against the effects of inclement weather from the north-east. Being located at the central part of the Philippine archipelago, the city serves as Bicol Region's gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao. It is accessible through sea and air transportation. The term "Masbate" comes from the latin "masbad" which means "a lot of gold" when the spanish landed on the island of masbate in the 1790's the people welcomed the Spaniards into their area. As a sign of friendship with the Spaniards, they presented the Spaniards with gold and some utensils. The Spaniards found several gold mines in the mountains now covered by the town of aroroy.And in the 1850s, there were spanish settlements in masbate. the town of Masbate was first founded in 1864. they later founded the Pueblo de Cervantéz (later named Placer) and the Town of Milagros in 1869 and the town of Malobago (Cataingan) in 1872.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

The account that "Masbate" was coined after the words "masa" and "bate" or from another word "masibat" remains anecdotal up to the present.

Spanish colonial era and the Philippine Revolution

The islands of Masbate, Ticao and Burias were explored by Captain Luis Enriquez de Guzman in 1569. This exploration work was continued by Captain Andres de Ibarra. Ibalon (Albay) Province assumed jurisdiction over Masbate Islands, and Masbate was named the town's capital village; for security reasons, the seat of government had to be moved time and time again. It was first moved to Mobo and then again, to Guiom. It was later transferred to Palanog near the mouth of Lumbang River to make it more accessible to Bicol mainland and to the islands of Burias and Ticao. However, government records were kept inland in Cagay.

The political history of the town dates back to the 1850s when the Spaniards established their government under a Spanish gobernadorcillo. Spanish control over Masbate was lost in mid-1898 when the Pulahanes forces besieged the town before handing it to the Philippine revolutionaries that arrived in Masbate soon after.

Philippine-American War

Sometime after General Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence at Kawit, Cavite, he issued a military order to overthrow the Spanish Government in Masbate and the Visayas. General Justo Lucban and General Diego de Dios acted on this order with the help of Masbateño rebels under Pedro Kipte. Immediately thereafter, the military government under Aguinaldo's government was established. But when the American forces reached Masbate in November 1900, it took over the government of Masbate without any resistance from the Masbateños.^[1]

American colonial era

After a devastating typhoon in 1908, an Executive Order was passed annexing the province of Masbate to the province of Sorsogon. Masbate, by force of circumstance, became a sub-province of Sorsogon until 1922 when its provincial status was restored. Shortly before the restoration of Philippine Independence in 1946, the town of Masbate was established as the provincial capital.^[1]

During World War II, the first elements of Japanese troops from Legazpi arrive on Masbate province at the dawn of January 7, 1942, on several places without any opposition as the forces stationed there retreated to Panay Island.

Independent Philippines

In the mid-1990s, the idea of converting the municipality into a city was pushed by 2nd District House Representative Luz Cleta Reyes Bakunawa. Her successor, Congressman Emilio Espinosa Jr. together with the Municipal Mayor Juan P. Sanchez Sr. and some local officials and employees took over where she left off.

Cityhood

On August 16, 2000, President Joseph Estrada signed Republic Act 8807 converting the Municipality of Masbate into a component city. In a plebiscite held later that year, Masbateños voted 7,800 to 3,200 in favor of cityhood, and on September 30, 2000, the Commission on Elections Regional Office in Region 5 officially proclaimed Masbate as a component city.^[1]

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