History

Bohol is ancient country. Before the coming of the Spaniards, Boholanos were trading with the Chinese in the vicinity of Panglao Island. A few years before the coming of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565, the King of Ternate, in the Moluccas sent a punitive expedition to Bohol and reduced its chief town to ashes, driving its inhabitants to the interior and to points along northern Mindanao.

In 1565, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi landed in the town of Bool and sealed a pact of peace with Datu Sikatuna. Each year, in June, the Sandugo (blood compact) Festival commemorates this pact. The name Bool was later used to refer to the entire island. Bohol was administered as part of the province of Cebu until 1854. In that year, the island, along with the island of Siquijor, was constituted as a separate politico-military province.

Bohol’s history is most noteworthy because of several revolts that occurred during the Spanish regime. In 1622, a revolt led by a babaylan, or native priest, named Tamblot rocked the island of Bohol. The revolt was in reaction to the continued incursions of the Roman Catholic religion and its assault on the ancient way of life and affected the entire of the island, except for the towns of Loboc and Baclayon. It was suppressed after six months. In 1744, another revolt against clerical abuses erupted and engulfed the entire island. Led by a member of the native elite named Francisco Dagohoy, the rebels took to the island’s interior and held out against the Spaniards until 1828.

In the 19^th century, Boholanos left the island in great numbers to settle in northern Mindanao. As a result of this migration, many residents of northern Mindanao speak Cebuano and trace their ancestry to the island.

People, Culture and the Arts

Although Bohol and Cebu share the same language with little variation, a gulf of culture separates the Boholanos from the Cebuanos. Known as an extremely industrious people, the Boholanos take pride in their own identity, clearly differentiating themselves from other Cebuano Visayans.

Most Boholanos are farmers and fisherfolk. Extensive rice farms make the Boholanos unique among the people of Central Visayas most of whom usually plant corn. In southern Bohol, fisherfolk engage in a unique tradition of hunting whales, dolphins, sharks and mantas, which has influenced areas in northern Mindanao. Bohol is also known for its weaving, notably, the mats and sacks made of saguran fibers, antequera baskets that combine bamboo and nito, buntal hats, and items woven out of local reeds and grasses. Kalamay is a popular native delicacy made from brown sugar, coconut milk and glutinous rice flour and packed in a coconut shell.

May is reunion and festival time for the very close-knit, religious, and at the same time jovial Boholano. At any day of this month, one or more towns are honoring their patron saint with a festival. And wherever the Boholanos may have settled, they go home to their hometown to celebrate and reunite with their clanspeople. Each year, in the month of May, thousands of Boholanos living outside the island come home to renew the bonds of kinship.

Structures and monuments that dot the countryside celebrate the illustrious history of Bohol. The impressive Spanish era churches of Bohol are among the best examples of colonial architecture in the Philippines. Baclayon Church, one of the oldest in the country, houses a museum with many historic treasures and religious relics. Loon Church is believed to have the longest stairway with 154 steps, and Dauis Church, has framed ceiling paintings and a ‘miraculous’ freshwater well at the foot of the altar. A roadside marker in the barangay of Bool indicates the spot where Rajah Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi sealed a treaty of friendship in blood. In Tagbilaran, the mementos of President Carlos Garcia are on permanent display in a memorial museum.

Trade and Investments

Bohol is the agricultural and fishing center of the region. Its resources are ideal for a wide range of economic activities that include both agriculture-based and aquaculture industries, handicrafts, and tourism.

Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol, is accessible by air, sea and land. It is only 90 minutes away from Cebu by fastcraft boats. Bohol has an airport with regular commercial trips to Manila and Cebu, and four major ports that service shipping lines plying routes within the Visayas, as well as to Mindanao and Manila. The road network within Bohol is adequate to connect most of its towns. The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company provides communication links, which include both international and domestic direct dialing services. There are 43 banking institutions that can facilitate daily business transactions. Power and water supply is sufficient to meet present needs while several projects are currently being pursued in anticipation of an increase in local demand.

The growing food demand in the region, as well as the continued push of the national government to develop tourism in the country, makes Bohol ideal for investments. At present, the province offers vast areas for prawn and seaweed production that can supply local and export demand. The province is also ideal for integrated enterprises that focus on the manufacturing of gifts, toys and houseware items. The raw materials needed by this industry offer another investment opportunity as these could easily be harvested and grown in the area. The province has also become a known tourist destination. The Chocolate Hills are just one among the many tourist destinations in Bohol. Equally enthralling are the blindingly white sand beaches of Panglao, coral reefs in Balicasag and in the northwest, caves, rivers and streams, as well as stations to observe marine mammals in migration. Investing in tourism related ventures is very promising, especially with the proximity of the international airport in Cebu and easy access from Cebu City.

Development Initiative Highlights