Tabaco, Albay Etymology

Jack Maico
Apr 15
2 min read

According to native stories, the "Legend of Tabaco" was about a lost foreigner who asked the locals what the name of the place was. However, a confused and frightened native whom the lost foreigner asked didn't understand what the lost foreigner 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.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabaco

Special credits: https://lakwatserongirigenyo.travel.blog/.../tabak.../

https://www.getyourguide.com/legazpi-city-l130133/bicol-philippines-ultimate-full-day-tour-with-mayon-skyline-t614374/

Church in Town: 𝗦𝘁. 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵

Saint John the Baptist Parish Church, commonly known as Tabaco Church, is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Tabaco, Albay, Philippines, under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Legazpi.

The Franciscans founded the church of Tabaco under the advocacy of Saint John the Baptist, and it became an independent parish in 1616. It was also declared a National Cultural Treasure of the Philippines.

Tabaco was established as a visita by the Franciscans under the patronage of Saint John the Baptist in 1587. It was separated from Cagsaua in 1616 when Father Pedro de Alcareso was named as parish priest. It was administered by the Franciscans until 1660. It became an independent parish in 1664. Since 1750, the church was supervised by the secular clergy. The present church was built by the seculars in 1864 and completed in 1879.

The church, one of the only two declared sites in Bicol Region, was categorized by the National Museum of the Philippines as a National Cultural Treasure of the country. Its marker was unveiled on June 22, 2012.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabaco_Church

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗼 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

Over the years, Tabaco became the largest and the most strategic settlement, and in the mid-17th century, the province of Albay was divided into two. The first was Partido de Tabaco, which included the present-day towns of the First District of Albay, Legazpi, Daraga, and Catanduanes.

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗼: