Sorsogon City

Sorsogon City, officially the City of Sorsogon (Central Bicolano: Ciudad nin Sorsogon; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Sorsogon), is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of Sorsogon, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 168,110 people.[4]

Sorsogon City
Component city
City of Sorsogon
Seal
Nickname(s): 
"Gateway to Southern Philippines"[1]
Map of Sorsogon with Sorsogon City highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Sorsogon City
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 12°58′N 124°00′E
Country Philippines
RegionBicol Region (Region V)
ProvinceSorsogon
District1st district
FoundedFebruary 28, 1895
CityhoodDecember 16, 2000
Barangays64 (see Barangays)
Government
 [2]
 • TypeSangguniang Panlungsod
 • MayorEster E. Hamor
 • Vice MayorMark Eric C. Dioneda
 • CongressmanEvelina G. Escudero
 • Electorate100,056 voters (2019)
Area
 [3]
 • Total276.11 km2 (106.61 sq mi)
Population
 (2015 census)[4]
 • Total168,110
 • Density610/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
 • Households
35,207
Demonym(s)Sorsoganon
Economy
 • Income class3rd city income class
 • Poverty incidence28.48% (2015)[5]
 • Revenue (₱)635,602,765.08 (2016)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
4700
PSGC
056216000
IDD : area code +63 (0)56
Climate typetropical rainforest climate
Native languagesCentral Bikol
Tagalog
Major Pan-Philippine Highway Route
Minor/Alternative City Routes
Major religionsChristianity
Websitesorsogoncity.gov.ph

The city was formed in the year 2000 by the merging of Bacon and Sorsogon towns.[6] The city's total population spread across 64 barangays.

It serves a trans-shipment point from the Visayas and Mindanao provinces, and is dubbed as the "Gateway to Southern Philippines".[1] Sorsogon City is one of the region's leading cities in urbanization and the most promising city in terms of development.

History

Evidence of human habitation come from 3,000-year old remains in a cave in Bacon and ancient burial sites dug upstream of Sorsogon rivers. Spanish missionaries came upon settlements in both sites when they arrived in the 1600s. Moro pirates had already frequented the territorial waters before the arrival of the Spanish missions.

Bacon was established as a visita of Casiguran while Sorsogon, originally in Sitio Pocdol in Capuy, was then established as a visita of Bacon. Sorsogon then became an independent, full-fledged parish in 1628 due to an increase in population. The two parishes later became civilian political units.[7]

The Pueblo Civil de Bacon was established in 1754, with Juan Elias as its first gobernadorcillo. Sorsogon became an independent pueblo in 1864. Both Bacon and Sorsogon were under the territorial jurisdiction of the province of Albay until the establishment of the independent province of Sorsogon on October 17, 1894.[8]

Foundation

Sorsogon City was created by virtue of Republic Act No. 8806[6] which was enacted on August 16, 2000, and ratified in December 2000.

Geography

Sorsogon City covers a land area of 31,292 hectares (120.82 sq mi). It is at the southernmost tip of the Bicol Peninsula and of Luzon Island. The city is bounded by Castilla in the west, Manito in the northwest, Albay Gulf in the north, Prieto Diaz in the east, Gubat in the southeast, Casiguran in the southwest, and Sorsogon Bay in the south. Sorsogon is characterized by an irregular topography; mountain ranges on the north-west, sloping uplands on the central part of the city, plain areas south western and central north and southeast portion, and marshlands on the southeast deltas. It is also surrounded by water, with Sorsogon Bay to the west Albay Gulf to the north east, and Philippine Sea in the east.

Panoramic view of Sorsogon Bay

Sorsogon City is 581 kilometres (361 mi) southeast of Manila and 54 kilometres (34 mi) south of Legazpi City. The 2015 Census puts the city's population at 168,110 with an annual growth rate of 0.84%. Sorsogon City ranked as the 3rd largest city in terms of population in the Bicol region. The only city in the province of Sorsogon, Sorsogon City is the largest in terms of land area in the Bicol region.

The Pan-Philippine Highway which runs from northwest to southeast through the city, connects Sorsogon City to the municipalities of Castilla, Pilar, in the northwest towards Daraga, Legazpi City, Naga City and the rest of Luzon. It also connects to the municipalities of Gubat, Casiguran and the rest of the second district municipalities of the province of Sorsogon in the southeast.

Barangays
Main article: List of barangays in Sorsogon City

Climate

Sorsogon City features a tropical rainforest climate with copious amount of rainfall throughout the course of the year. There is no pronounced dry season, but it has very pronounced maximum rain from November to January with December as the wettest month of the year; experiencing 23 days of rain. Temperature is constant throughout the year. Sorsogon City's average yearly rainfall is just over 2,671 mm (105.2 in). April is the driest month of the year which only sees 12 rain days and 2,671 mm (105.2 in) of rainfall. Average High temperature is at 38.08 °C (100.5 °F) and its Average Low temperature is at 24.5 °C (76.1 °F). The coolest month is January with a daily mean of 25.5 °C (77.9 °F) and the hottest months are jointly April and May with a daily mean of 28 °C (82.4 °F).

Climate data for Sorsogon City, Sorsogon
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 35
(95)		 40
(104)		 35
(95)		 39
(102)		 39
(102)		 39
(102)		 39
(102)		 39
(102)		 35
(95)		 39
(102)		 39
(102)		 39
(102)		 40
(104)
Average high °C (°F) 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 32
(90)		 34
(93)		 34
(93)		 33
(91)		 33
(91)		 33
(91)		 33
(91)		 33
(91)		 32
(90)		 31
(88)		 34
(93)
Average low °C (°F) 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 24
(75)		 25
(77)		 26
(79)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)
Record low °C (°F) 15
(59)		 15
(59)		 19
(66)		 14
(57)		 15
(59)		 17
(63)		 18
(64)		 16
(61)		 20
(68)		 20
(68)		 19
(66)		 19
(66)		 5
(41)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 293
(11.5)		 227
(8.9)		 209
(8.2)		 166
(6.5)		 189
(7.4)		 203
(8.0)		 231
(9.1)		 196
(7.7)		 271
(10.7)		 295
(11.6)		 387
(15.2)		 539
(21.2)		 3,206
(126.2)
Average rainy days 21 15 15 12 13 14 17 16 17 18 21 23 202
Source 1: http://www.myweather2.com/City-Town/Philippines/Sorsogon/climate-profile.aspx
Source 2: http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Sorsogon-weather-averages/Sorsogon/PH.aspx

Demographics
Population census of Sorsogon City
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 28,047—    
1918 31,427+0.76%
1939 40,448+1.21%
1948 48,863+2.12%
1960 57,265+1.33%
1970 75,691+2.83%
1975 82,246+1.68%
1980 92,539+2.39%
1990 105,681+1.34%
1995 121,615+2.67%
2000 134,678+2.21%
Bacon ceased to exist as a separate municipality in 2000.
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[4][9][10][11]
Population census of Sorsogon City
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 28,047—    
1918 31,427+0.76%
1939 40,448+1.21%
1948 48,863+2.12%
1960 57,265+1.33%
1970 75,691+2.83%
1975 82,246+1.68%
1980 92,539+2.39%
1990 105,681+1.34%
1995 121,615+2.67%
2000 134,678+2.21%
2007 151,454+1.63%
2015 168,110+1.31%
As the municipality of Sorsogon, census figures prior to 2007 exclude population of Bacon.
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[4][9][10][11]

Demographic statistics:[12]

  • Annual Growth Rate 1.69% for the period 2000 – 2007
  • Population Growth Rate – 2.15% (1995–2000)
  • Population Density - 627 persons per square kilometer
  • Total Number of Households 30,290
  • Male Population - 77,117
  • Female Population - 74,337
  • Religion – 95% Roman Catholic
  • Labor Force – 56% of the total population, 1/4 of the over-15 years old is, at least, high-school graduate, 15% of the total workforce have college-level education
  • Student Population - 15,323
  • Voting Age Population - 83, 123

Economy

Sorsogon City, as the capital town of the province of Sorsogon, is a hub of trade and commerce. Business is concentrated in the downtown area near the public market and major commercial establishments primarily geared towards retail and wholesale and the Bacon District is the secondary business district of the City.

As of 2012, Sorsogon City ranked third among the cities with most revenue in the Bicol region with an estimated annual income of P432,978,837,[13] only behind Naga City and Legazpi City. Despite being a city and its increasing annual income, agriculture and fisheries sector is still the driving force of its economy. The main agricultural products include rice, coconut, abaca, pili nuts, root crops and vegetables.

The Bay City Sorsogon, that is currently being built at the coast of Barangay Balogo will definitely have a huge impact on the economic growth of the city. It is a priority project of LKY Development Corporation, a privately owned real estate company. The Bay City Sorsogon includes a Commercial Complex, Five Star Hotel, Coliseum, Outdoor Dining Area, a Central Bus Terminal and a lot more. The excavation of this 16-hectare property just started during the last quarter of 2010 and the completion is expected by the 3rd quarter of 2011.[14]

City government

The city's local government is headed by a mayor elected by popular vote. The Vice Mayor serves as the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council), with 12 Councilors elected by popular vote as its members. The Sangguniang Panlungsod serves as the city's legislative body and its role is to enact ordinances, approve resolutions, appropriate funds for the general welfare of the city and its inhabitants. Both the council members and the mayor serve three-year terms; and eligible for re-election for two more three-year terms.

The 3 Districts of Sorsogon City shown in the picture: Marked in green is Bacon district, Yellow is the East District and in Blue, the West district.
Mayors of Sorsogon City
Mayor Term
Celso Tabuena[15] 1959 – 1963
Fernando O. Duran Jr.[16] 1995 – June 30, 1998
Rosalio L. Delgado Jr.[17] June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2001
Sally A. Lee June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2007
Leovic R. Dioneda June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2013
Sally A. Lee June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2019
Ester Hamor June 30, 2019
Vice mayors of Sorsogon City
Vice mayor Term
Francisco de Vera[15] 1959 – 1963
Rosalio L. Delgado Jr.[16] 1995 – June 30, 1998
Francisco L. Ravanilla[17] June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2001
Edmundo Atutubo June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010
Bobet Lee Rodrigueza June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2013
Charo Dichoso- Logronio June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2016
Athan Balintong June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Eric Dioneda June 30, 2019

Proposed projects

A Sorsogon City Coastal Road is already underway. The construction of the coastal highway was pledged by Senator Francis Escudero and Sorsogon 1st District Representative Evelina Escudero. The 22-hectare coastal highway will help alleviate the traffic congestion once completed and provide an additional space for a walkway.[18]

Notable people
  • Eddie Garcia – Film actor and director
  • Eugenia Apostol (sister of former Sorsogon Mayor Duran) – one of the founders of Philippine Daily Inquirer
  • Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero – former congressman, and a former senator of the 15th Congress[19], and currently serving his first term as provincial governor of Sorsogon[20]
  • Jorge Barlin – First Filipino and Bikolano Bishop and was assigned parish priest and Vicar Forane of Sorsogon from 1887 to 1906[21]
  • Loida Nicolas Lewis – Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of TLC Beatrice, LLC, the Lewis Family investment firm and is also Chairman and CEO of TLC Beatrice (China) and TLC Beatrice Foods (Philippines).
  • Mary Walter – actress, whose career spanned through several decades. She was born in Bacon.[22]
  • Aldin Ayo - a former Sorsogon City's councilor, former coach of Letran Knights[23] and currently the basketball coach of the De La Salle Green Archers.

Sister cities

Local

International
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See also
  • List of Bicol Region Cities and Municipalities

References
  1. "Senate Bill No. 3361" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  2. "City". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  3. "Province: Sorsogon". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  4. Census of Population (2015). "Region V (Bicol Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  5. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  6. "R.A. No. 8806: An Act Creating the City of Sorsogon by Merging the Municipalities of Bacon and Sorsogon in the Province of Sorsogon and Appropriating Funds Therefor". The Corpus Juris. August 16, 2000. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  7. "Sorsogon City History | Tourist Spots, Language and Festivals | Philippines Cities".
  8. "Basic profile | SORSOGON CITY".
  9. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region V (Bicol Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  10. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region V (Bicol Region)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  11. "Province of Sorsogon". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  12. Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2003–2012, Summary (Briefing Material), Sectoral Consultation, Vicanta Hall, Sorsogon City, November 27, 2003
  13. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. "ECMP company profile 2009 rev3.pmd" (PDF). Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  15. Commission on Elections (1960). Report of the Commission on Elections to the President of the Philippines and the Congress. Manila: Bureau of Printing. p. 455. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  16. Philippine Government Directory. The Diplomatic Post Publishing Corporation. 1997. p. 173. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  17. Philippine Government Directory. The Diplomatic Post Publishing Corporation. 2000. p. 260. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  19. 15th Congress http://www.senate.gov.ph/senators/sen15th.asp
  20. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/14/19/chiz-escudero-proclaimed-sorsogon-governor
  21. page 32, Tracing from Solsogon to Sorsogon, 2nd Edition (2007), ISBN 978-971-814-099-4
  22. "Dont you know that Mary Walter & Lino Brocka are Sorsoganons?". September 5, 2009. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  23. https://www.spin.ph/basketball/uaap-women/letran-coach-aldin-ayo-seeking-for-a-third-term-as-councilor-of-sorsogon-city
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