Sorsogon | |||
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Province | |||
Province of Sorsogon | |||
Sorsogon Provincial Capitol in Sorsogon City
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Location in the Philippines |
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Coordinates: 12°50′N 123°55′E / 12.83°N 123.92°ECoordinates: 12°50′N 123°55′E / 12.83°N 123.92°E | |||
Country | Philippines | ||
Region | Bicol Region (Region V) | ||
Founded | October 17, 1894 | ||
Capital | Sorsogon City | ||
Government | |||
• Type | Sangguniang Panlalawigan | ||
• Governor | Robert A.Lee Rodrigueza (Liberal Party) | ||
• Vice Governor | Ester E.Hamor (Independent) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 2,119.01 km2 (818.15 sq mi) | ||
Area rank | 59th out of 81 | ||
Highest elevation (Mount Bulusan) | 1,565 m (5,135 ft) | ||
Population (2015 census) | |||
• Total | 792,949 | ||
• Rank | 35th out of 81 | ||
• Density | 370/km2 (970/sq mi) | ||
• Density rank | 15th out of 81 | ||
Divisions | |||
• Independent cities | 0 | ||
• Component cities | |||
• Municipalities | |||
• Barangays | 541 | ||
• Districts | 1st and 2nd districts of Sorsogon | ||
Time zone | PHT (UTC+8) | ||
ZIP Code | 4700–4715 | ||
IDD : area code | +63 (0)56 | ||
ISO 3166 code | PH | ||
Spoken languages | |||
Website | www |
Sorsogon (Bikol: Probinsya kan Sorsogon; Filipino: Lalawigan ng Sorsogon), is a province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. It is the southernmost province in Luzon and is subdivided into fourteen municipalities (towns) and one city. Its capital is Sorsogon City (formerly the towns of Sorsogon and Bacon) and borders the province of Albay to the north.
Sorsogon is at the tip of the Bicol Peninsula and faces the island of Samar to the southeast across the San Bernardino Strait and Ticao Island to the southwest. Sorsogueños is how the people of Sorsogon call themselves.
In 1570 two Augustinian friars, Alonzon Jiménez and Juan Orta, accompanied by a certain captain, Enrique de Guzmán, reached Hibalong, a small fishing village near the mouth of Ginangra River, and planted the cross and erected the first chapel in Luzon. It was from this village that Ibalong, referring to the whole region, came to be. Moving inland with a northwesterly direction they passed by the territory now known as Pilar, before they reached Camalig, Albay. The establishment of the Abucay-Catamlangan Mission later was ample proof of this. The early towns established here were: Gibalon in 1570 (now sitio of Magallanes); Casiguran – 1600; Bulusan – 1631; Pilar – 1635; Donsol – 1668; Bacon – 1764; Juban and Matnog – 1800; Bulan – 1801; Castilla – 1827; Magallanes – 1860; Sorsogon – 1866 and Irosin – 1880. The province was eventually separated from Albay on October 17, 1894 and adopted the name Sorsogon. The town of Sorsogon was also selected as its capital.