About Bohol

The term "Boholano" is derived from the word "Bool," the earliest name of Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol Province, and refers to the people of that island, their language, and their culture.

Mountainous and measuring some 4,117 sq.km., Bohol is situated below the typhoon belt. Bohol island is surrounded by Southern Leyte in the east, Cebu island on the west, Camotes Sea on the north, and Bohol Sea in the south. The oval-shaped island is the 10th largest island in the archipelago, with a predominantly rolling and hilly topography. The central part of Bohol is the location of more than 1,000 hills, otherwise known as "chocolate hills", which are considered as geological wonders: oval-shaped limestone hills looking like chocolate drops or inverted grass-covered kettles. Bohol has an even coastline except for the Anda peninsula in the south. It does not have a very pronounced rainy season, nor does it suffer from extensive dry spells. It is believed to have been once covered with forest which protected the "tarsier', one of the earliest members of the primate group. The more significant rivers include the Inabanga River in the north and the Loboc River in the south. The province has 47 municipalities and one city, Tagbilaran, the provincial capital located at the southwestern part of the island.

The Province of Bohol was created on March 10, 1917 by virtue of Republic Act No. 2711, while Tagbilaran City, the capital of the province, became a city on July 1, 1966 by virtue of the Republic Act No. 4660. Bohol is the home of the fourth president of the Republic of the Philippines, The Hon. Carlos P. Garcia. He was known for his nationalistic Filipino First Policy and his austerity program.

In early 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator under the Spanish service, sighted the island of Bohol and landed near the present-day Tagbilaran City. After he was killed in Mactan, and island of Cebu, his followers retreated to Bohol, and there burned one of their ships, the Concepcion. In 1565 Miguel Lopez de Legazpi stopped in Jagna, Bohol, where he was met with native resistance. Later, as peace pact with the native leaders, Legazpi initiated a blood compact with the native chiefs Sikatuna and Sigala on March 16, 1565. As the Spaniards explored the rest of the Visayas, they converted the natives to Christianity.

In 1565, two Jesuit priests, Juan Torres and Gabriel Sanchez, established missions at Baclayon, Loboc, and Talibon. In 1609, the Jestuits staged a play in the native language depicting the martyrdom of Santa Barbara, showing the tortures inflicted on her, her subsequent reward in heaven, and the punishment of her torturers in the fires of hell. The latter so frightened the natives that they asked to be baptized.

To facilitate easier administration and evangelization, the colonial government placed Bohol under Cebu, then already an alcadia or organized province. In the 19th century, Bohol became a separate province through a Spanish royal decree. The politico-military province of Bohol had control over Siquijor island until close to the end of the Spanish rule. Siquijor became the subprovince of Negros Oriental in 1890.

In 1621, a babaylan (shaman) named Tamblot incited the Boholano to reject the Catholic religion and turn against the Jesuit priests, who were then celebrating the beatification of San Ignacio and Francisco Xavier. Two thousand Boholanos from four villages revolted to regain their freedom and to return to their ancestral religious beliefs and practices. They were also motivated by the promise of a prosperous life in the hills as envisioned by Tamblot's diwata. They burned churches and threw away their rosaries and crosses. The rebels established themselves in inaccessible mountain areas, where they held out for six months against colonial troops. Tamblot's revolt spread to the whole island except Loboc and Baclayon which under the Spanish control. The Tamblot revolt was finally crushed on Jan. 1, 1622 by an expedition of 50 Spaniards and 1,000 natives from Cebu and Pampanga led by the alcalde mayor of Cebu, Juan de Alcarazo. Tamblot was killed in a battle.

Another revolt erupted in 1744 and lasted for 85 years, the longest in the Philippine history. A personal grievance spurred Francisco Dagohoy, a devout catholic, to lead an insurrection of 3,000 Boholano against the Jesuit parish priest and the Spaniards. They established a fortress within the forested areas of Inabanga and Talibon. The number of rebels swelled to 20,000 over the years because of the widespread discontent of the colonized over forced labor, tribute payments, and Spanish arrogance. Dagohoy surrounded the rebel settlements with farms to support his followers. Descending from the mountain hideouts, they conducted sporadic raids on Spanish garrisons. Dagohoy's resistance continued even after his death. No less than 20 Spanish governor-generals campaigned to end the Dagohoy revolt. After a year-long campaign in 1827-1828, the revolt ended on Aug. 31, 1829 with the surrender of 20,000 insurgents.

In 1768, King Charles III of Spain ordered the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Philippines. Other religious orders, notably the Recollects, took over the parishes and property of the Jesuits in Bohol. In 1862, some of these were returned when the Jesuits were allowed to resume their activities.

The Boholano participated in the Philippine Revolution of 1896 which brought about a brief period of independence until the American occupation of the Central Visayas from 1899 to 1900. The Boholano resisted American occupation but their resistance failed to defeat the new colonizers. On March 17, 1900, the Americans took over the province. On Easter Sunday 1901, 406 revolutionaries led by Capt. Gregorio Casenas died resisting the Americans in the battle of Jagna.

In 1901, the Americans appointed governors to the provinces of Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Oriental. Popular elections were held after peace and order were enforced by the colonizers. American colonization fostered public education, health and sanitation, government organization, agriculture and infrastructure.

During World War II, various guerilla units were formed in Bohol. Most notable among them was the Northern Bohol Guerilla Forces in Loon under Lt. Vidal V. Crescencio, and in Guindulman under Maj. Esteban Bernido, who then became years after, the governor of the province. The United Guerilla Forces was formed on 19 Nov. 1943 under the command of Maj. Ismeal Ingeniero.

More about Bohol's a.) economy b.) political system c.) social customs and d.) religious beliefs.