Albay is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Southeastern Luzon Island. The province covers roughly 2,574.91 square kilometers and is composed of 15 municipalities, 3 cities and 720 barangays. The capital of the province is Legazpi City. It was named after Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Spanish conquistador who came to the Philippines in 1565 and started the massive colonization.

History

Before the Spaniards arrived in 1569, Albay had a thriving civilization, fertile lands, lush vegetation, and abundant minerals, including gold. That year, Luis Enriquez de Guzman of Legazpi’s expedition and Augustinian friar Alonso Jimenez landed in Gibalong and traveled inland to Camalig, where Catholicism was first introduced to the Bikolanos. The Franciscans arrived in 1578, beginning a sustained mission of conversion. In 1572, Juan de Salcedo reached Libon in search of gold, establishing Santiago de Libon, the first settlement in the region. By 1574, Spanish explorers returned to Manila with over 4,000 ounces of gold, believing they had found “El Dorado.” On April 3, 1574, the area known as Baybayon became an encomienda under Juan Guerra, later evolving into “Baybay,” “Al Baybay,” and eventually “Albay.”