About Masbate

The islands of Masbate were formed out of volcanic rocks over one hundred million years before man made his appearance in the tropical regions of the earth. Humans then made tools of stone, bone, and wood. Some of these very early stone stools and bones have been found in Masbate.

Village settling grew from the development of farming, pottery flourished, stone tools were improved, and the early Masbate farmers made axes of polished stones. Many stones axes of this kind have been found in Masbate. They are the remains of the first farmers who used the axes to cut down trees. The early farmers also made beautiful ornaments of shells. They buried their dead in burial caves and jars. Two large caves in Masbate, the Bat-ongan Cave in Mandaon and the Kalanay Cave in Aroroy, are known worldwide as burial caves.

Masbate is the capital town. The province is composed of 21 municipalities which are politically subdivided into three districts: First District – San Pascual, Claveria, Montreal, San Jacnto, San Fernando, and Batua; Second District – Masbate, Mobo, Milagros, Aroroy, Baleno, Balud, and Mandaon; Third District – Uson, Dimasalang, Palanas, Cataingan, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Placer, and Cawayan.

The island of Masbate lies exactly at the center of the Philippine archipelago between latitudes 11o43’ north and 123o09’ east and 124o5’ east. It is bounded on the north by Vurias and Ticao Pass, east by San Bernardino Strait, south by the Visayan Sea, and west by the Sibuyan Sea. Relative to mainland Bicol, the province faces the southwestern coasts of Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.