A Brief History Of Bacon - author Cristina D. Jose

Part One – The Growth Of Bacon Under The Spanish Rule


Chapter One – It’s Organization and Early Development

How The Town Got It's Name:
After the conversion to Christianity and adhesions to the Spanish Government of the natives settling on the southeastern end of the Bicol Peninsula, then known as Casiguran, a missionary settlement was established in 1600. This territory extends from the central part of the present site of the province of Sorsogon to the shores of the Pacific on its northern boundary.

In 1609, Rev. Fr. Felix Huertas, the missionary administrator of Casiguran, zealous in his duties towards his “flock”, visited the valley on the northern part of this territory wherein he found, on and near the shores an abundant growth of native plants called “Bacong”*. It was this missionary father who gave the name Bacong to this place after the name of these plants. To make the pronunciation easy and smooth, the g at the end was discarded by the Spaniards who came later. The name has been pronounced and written as Bacon since then.

Bacon Became A Separate Missionary Parish:
In the year 1617, the Visita de Bacon ceased to be a part of her mother town, Casiguran. A separate missionary parish or pueblo was established here under the Roman Catholic Church, with Rev. Fr. Antonio de San Francisco, its founder, as the first minister of the church.

With the natives to supply both labor and materials, the first place of worship was constructed under the direction of the missionary father. The church was dedicated to the Ntra. Sra. De La Anunciacion, the patron saint of the place to this day.

The Discovery Of Abaca:
Since its establishment as a missionary parish until 1753, the friars of the Franciscan Order who held the administration of the parish did much in the development of Bacon. One of the most notable among those Franciscan friars was Rev. Fr. Pedro Espallargas. During his incumbency, this friar discovered abaca plants growing abundantly in Gogon, a sitio in the southern part of the town, about a kilometer from the center of the Poblacion.

He instructed the natives how to extract, manufacture and how to use the fiber. At the start, the edges of the frying pans were used to extract the fibers. Later, an improvised instrument call hag-ot in the vernacular, replaced the crude ones used earlier.

The fibers were woven into sinamay cloth especially by the women. The cloth was used for clothing by men, women, and children. This was hammered and soaked in lime to soften the cloth before using it. At times the cloth was dyed to obtain the color desired. There were local dyes used for the purpose. Looms for weaving sinamay cloth are still in use in many homes in the rural areas of this municipality.

The abaca industry grew to be an important one. It contributed greatly to the economic progress of the municipality, in particular, and of the country, in general. Prior to 1669 when the extraction (hag-otan) was introduced, the abaca was wild, unknown and without any economic utility to the natives.

Bacon Became a Pueblo Civil:
In 1754, by virtue of a decree issued by the Spanish government through the governor of the province of Albay, Manuel Valenzuela, the Mision de Bacon was declared Pueblo Civil de Bacon under the province of Albay, with Juan Elias (later Dia) as its first gobernadorcillo.This gave Bacon its legal existence as a newly-born daughter of Albay, which was conceived by its founding as a missionary Parish on the initiative of Rev. Fr. Antonio de San Francisco.

The Administration Of The Parish Of Bacon Given To Filipino Clergy:
After a constructive leadership and tutorship for about one hundred seventy seven years (1617-1794) the Franciscan fathers left the administration of the parish of Bacon to the Filipino clergy. Rev. Fr. Rafael Benavente, in representation of the Franciscan Order, handed the parish to the first Filipino priest to head it, Rev. Fr. Pedro Licup, in July, 1794.

To be continued.
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*Bacong belongs to the lily family. The fiber is white with spots of blue at the pistil. The petals are long and bend downwards. One can hardly notice its fragrance, which is mild and sweet unless he is close to the flower itself. The leaves are poniard-like, almost as long and as big as the leaves of any ordinary “lirio”, but thicker. The natives call this “Bacong.”