Tabaco, officially the City of Tabaco (; ), is a component city in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
Etymology According to native stories, the "Legend of Tabaco" was about a lost foreigner who asked the locals what the name of the place is. However a confused and frightened native whom the lost foreigner asked did not understand what the latter was asking. The native screamed "Tabak ko!" meaning "My bolo" insinuating a person to get his tabak (presumably for defense). The lost foreigner assumed that the native understood what he asked, then thought the name of the place is Tabaco.
The Official Seal of the city was still conceived from the "Tabak Ko" legend and was officially adopted through Municipal Council Resolution No. 29 on February 23, 1966.
History Spanish period According to the Estado Geografico Estadistico Historico written in 1805 by Father De Huerta, the recorded history of the city began in 1587 through the missionary work of the first Franciscan Fathers. In 1616, Fr. Pedro De Alcareso became the first permanent parish priest and established a church dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the city."Historical Tabaco". Tabaco City Official Website. Retrieved on April 20, 2012.
The first inhabitants settled along the seashore and engaged in fishing and crude farming. Due to the continuous attacks by the Moro raiders, the natives migrated to San Vicente and San Carlos, and started the foundation of the first poblacion in 1703, while the fishermen of the town transferred to the shores of the bay of what is now known as Barangay Cormidal. Under the administration of the first town executive, a church was built in Cormidal in 1731. Records on the elected Capitan municipal (town mayor) started only in 1731 with Martin Aguirre listed as the first mayor of Tabaco.
In 1811, a terrible typhoon called Baguiong Oguis or White Typhoon brought havoc to the town. This was followed in 1814 by the most destructive eruption of the Mayon Volcano, which showered the areas with ashes and stone. These two events rendered many residents homeless and left the fields unproductive for many years after. It took a full decade for the people to recover, at which time they built a cemetery and laid the foundation of the present church which was completed in 17 years. The 1818 census showed 3,347 native families paying tribute and they were coexisting with 225 Spanish-Filipino families.
American period and independence The Americans landed at Tabaco on February 9, 1900, under the command of Col. Walter Howe. Despite the well-documented courage and patriotism of the Tabaqueños, the residents of Tabaco, the superior armaments and well-trained soldiers of the American army hastened its conquest of Tabaco and adjoining towns, starting the American rule in the area.
With the restoration of peace after World War II, the Tabaqueños started rebuilding their lives and their land. By the time the Philippines gained independence in 1946, Tabaco was once again a thriving town.
Other catastrophic events Another catastrophe to hit the town was Typhoon Trix in 1952, which completely submerged Natunawan Island. A 1964 fire razed the commercial center, and in 1970, another destructive storm, Typhoon Sening, slashed through the town.
Cityhood
Then Representative Krisel Lagman-Luistro introduced House Bill No. 7851, upgrading the municipality of Tabaco into a component city of the province of Albay. Senate Bill No. 2244 was sponsored by Senators Sergio Osmeña III and Franklin Drilon as its counterpart in the Senate. The Republic Act No. 9020 converted the Municipality of Tabaco into a component city of the province of Albay. It was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on February 5, 2001. The municipality was finally converted into a city after the plebiscite conducted on March 24, 2001.
Local Government Elected officials + 2022–2025 Tabaco City OfficialsPosition Name Party Mayor Cielo Krisel Lagman-Luistro Vice Mayor Nestor San Pablo Councilors Luis Renir Burce Salvacion E. Balingbing Carol Ziga John Gio O. Bongao Insit B. Tanggo Arnold C. Onrubia Dionisio Ragodon Jr. Arnaldo B. Bragais Roderick Martirez Lourdes Belangel-Berces Ex Officio City Council Members ABC President Rogelio Burce (Bombon) SK Federation President Vince B. Bien (Cormidal)
Legend A indicates that the official is elected for the first term A indicates that the official is re-elected to a higher position A indicates that the official is re-elected to the same position
Past municipal administrators
+ Spanish Era (1731–1898) Inclusive years Gobernadorcillo 1731 Don Martin Aguirre 1732 Don Gabriel Tabad 1733 Don Pascual Payante 1734 Don Francisco Lomalag 1735 Don Bartolome Daguinot 1736 Don Pedro Gauban 1737 Don Antonio Mabangquiray 1738-1739 Don Gabriel Tabad 1740-1741 Don Antonio Mabangquiray 1742 Don Felipe Tiangco 1743 Don Gabriel Tabad 1744 Don Antonio Mabangquiray 1745 Don Sebastian Ortiz 1746-1750 Don Juan Flores 1751 Don Gabriel Tabad 1752-1753 Don Juan Flores 1754-1755 Don Manuel dela Cruz 1756-1757 Don Hilario Gobarat 1758 Don Pedro Manlagñit 1759 Don Vicente Geronimo 1760-1762 Unknown 1763-1765 Don Jose Bacilio 1766 Don Pedro Barajadia 1767 Don Jose dela Torre 1768 Don Felipe Poblete 1769 Don Pedro Barajadia 1770 Don Juan Gonzales 1771 Don Lorenzo Magdaraog 1772 Don Juan Gonzales 1773 Don Jose dela Torre 1774 Don Jose dela Virgen 1775-1776 Don Pedro Barajadia 1777-1779 Don Manuel dela Cruz 1780 Don Pedro Esteban 1781 Don Manuel dela Cruz 1782 Don Pedro Esteban 1783 Don Felix Geronimo 1784 Don Felix Mendez 1785 Don Andres Flores 1786 Don Cornelio Delos Flores 1787 Don Esteban Santelices 1788 Don Jorge Geronimo 1789 Don Cayetano de la Cruz 1790 - 1791 Don Jorge Geronimo 1792 Don Luis Amaro 1793 Don Silvestre Valentin 1794 Don Andres Flores 1795 Don Evaristo Quintin Geronimo 1796 Don Jose Fermin 1797 Don Jose Madriaga 1798 Don Felix Geronimo 1799 Don Jorge Geronimo 1800 Don Felix Geronimo 1801 Don Pablo Geronimo 1802 Don Manuel Bautista 1803 Don Gervacio Clemente 1804 Don Felix Geronimo 1805 Don Pedro Atanacio 1806 Don Jorge Geronimo 1807 Don Gervacio Clemente 1808 Don Bartolome Jorge 1809 Don Gervacio Clemente 1810 Don Francisco de la Torre 1811 Don Evaristo Quintin Geronimo 1812 Don Gervacio Clemente 1813 Don Evaristo Quintin Geronimo 1814 Don Felix Geronimo 1815 Don Bernardino delos Santos 1816 Don Juan de Dios 1817 Don Martin Luciano 1818 Don Bernardink delos Santos 1819 Don Esteban Flores 1820 Don Luis Beltran 1821 Don Eustaquio de Vera 1822 Don Felix Soriano 1823 Don Sixto Mariano 1824 Don Luis Silvestre 1825 Don Sebastian Sales 1826 Don Eustaquio de Vera and Rodrigo de Villa 1827 Don Manuel de Mesa 1828 Don Bernardino delos Santos 1829 Don Vicente Fermin 1830 Don Luciano Geronimo 1831 Don Silvestre Sotero 1832 Don Pedro Navarro 1833 Don Silvestre Rodocendo 1834 Don Agapito Flores 1835 Don Antonio del Castillo 1836 Don Eustaquio de Vera 1837 Don Jose Romano 1838 Don Leon del Castillo 1839 Don Jose Rodocendo 1840 Don Bernardino delos Santos 1841 Don Juan del Rosario 1842 Don Felipe del Rosario 1843 Don Santiago del Rosario 1844 Don Antonio del Castillo 1845 Don Bernardino de Vera 1846 Don Silvestre Bonifacio 1847 Don Luis Imperial 1848 Don Crisanto dela Virgen 1849 Don Antonio delos Santos 1850 Don Balbino Corral 1851 Don Joaquin Bufi 1852 Don Antonio Celon 1853 Don Ceferino Borbe 1854 Don Ramon Baldonado 1855 Don Placido Bongon 1856 Don Gavino Corral 1857 Don Ramon Baldonado 1858 Don Lauriano Brucelas 1859 Don Antonio Celon 1860 Don Pedro Calla 1861 Don Calixto Bono 1862 Don Tomas Borondia 1863-1864 Don Martin Bonafe 1865-1866 Don Saturnino Sagubia 1867-1870 Don Andres Ordoñes 1871-1872 Don Apolinario Brucelas 1873 Don Fausto Bombase 1874 Don Juan Bien 1875-1876 Don Rodocendo Zamora 1877-1880 Don Custodio Bobis 1881-1882 Don Mariano Villanueva 1883-1884 Don Domingo Bardonada 1885-1886 Don Valentin Brimbuela 1887-1888 Don Eriberto Berces 1889 Don Mariano Villanueva 1890-1891 Don Toribio Poblete 1892 Don Isidro Santillan 1893-1894 Don Francisco Almonte 1895-1898 Don Agustin Zamora
+ Republica Filipina (1898-1901) Inclusive years Municipal president Municipal vice-president August 14, 1898 - June, 1901 Manuel Medina Timoteo Bueno
+ American rule (1900–1941) Inclusive years Portrait Municipal president Municipal vice-president Notes 1900 Toribio Poblete 1901 Manuel Medina 1902-1903 Agustin Zamora 1904–1905 Juan Bongon 1906-1908 T. Buenconsejo 1909 – 1911 Agustin Zamora 1912 – 1913 Juan Bongon 1914 - 1916 Calixto Brucelas 1917 - 1921 Victoriano Poblete 1922 Juan Bongon 1923 Calixto Brucelas 1924-1926 Victoriano Poblete 1927 - 1934 Bernardino Santillan 1935 - 1937 Victor Bocaya 1938 - 1941 Bernardino Santillan
+ Japanese Occupation (1941–1945) Inclusive years Portrait Municipal Mayor 1941 - 1943 Felipe Manalang 1943 - 1944 Pacifico Buenconsejo 1944 (3 months) Conrado Bootan 1944 (3 months) Emiterio Manga 1944 (3 months) Pacifico Buenconsejo 1945 - August 1945 Apolonio Bocalbos
+ Post-War Period (1945–present) Inclusive years Portrait Municipal Mayor Municipal Vice Mayor SK Federation President ABC President Remarks September 29, 1945 – June 13, 1946 Brigido Bobis Tomas Cabiles Acting Mayor, Appointed by Pres. Sergio Osmeña June 14, 1946 – 1947 Andres Rios Appointed by Pres. Manuel Roxas 1947 – December 30, 1951 Tomas Cabiles January 1, 1952 – December 30, 1955 Apolonio Bocalbos January 1, 1956 - December 30, 1959 Tomas Cabiles January 1, 1960 - December 30, 1965 Antonio Berces January 1, 1965 - December 30, 1967 Apolonio Buban January 1, 1968 – 1975 Leticia Berces First Female Mayor in Tabaco and in all Albay province 1976 – 1980 Salvador Moran OIC 1981 - March 1986 Jaime Berces 1986 Jaime Bobis Appointed Mayor by Pres. Corazon Aquino 1986 (2 months) and 1987 (2 months) Johny Rocha Appointed Mayor by Pres. Corazon Aquino 1987 – June 30, 1998 Antonio O. Demetriou June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2007 Atty. Alex A. Burce June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2013 Cielo Krisel B. Lagman-Luistro Reynaldo B. Bragais June 30, 2013 - June 30, 2016 Maria Josefa V. Demetriou Reynaldo B. Bragais June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2025 Cielo Krisel B. Lagman-Luistro Nestor T. San Pablo Term Starts on June 30, 2025 Reynaldo B. Bragais Baby Glenda O. Bongao Mayor Elect
Geography The City of Tabaco is located on the eastern coast of Albay province with an area of . The terrain in the poblacion or town center of Tabaco is generally flat with the highest elevation at around . The northwestern portion reaches above sea level. The city's southwest boundary reaches all the way to the top of Mayon at an elevation of .
Tabaco is one of the three component cities of the province, along with Legazpi and Ligao. The mainland part of the city is bordered by the town of Malinao to the north, the towns of Polangui and Oas to the west, Ligao to the southwest, Malilipot town to the southeast, and Lagonoy Gulf to the east. The symmetric Mayon Volcano, the most active volcano in the Philippines, lies south of the city. Tabaco is one of the eight towns and cities that share jurisdiction on the volcano, dividing the peak like slices of a pie when viewed from above. It is from Legazpi City and from Manila.
The island of San Miguel, the westernmost of the four main islands in Lagonoy Gulf, falls under the jurisdiction of Tabaco. Five of the barangays of the city are located on the island for a total of 47 barangays composing the city."City of Tabaco" . PSGC Interactive of National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved on April 20, 2012.
Total forest area in Tabaco is .
Climate
The City of Tabaco belongs to the Type II climate of the Philippines. It is characterized by no distinct dry season but with a very pronounced maximum rainfall from November to January.