Quick reference. Legazpi has population 210,616, founded 1616.
Overview
Legazpi (Tagalog: [lɛˈɡaspɪ] or the City of Legazpi (Central Bikol: Syudad nin Legazpi; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Legazpi), is a component city and capital of the province of Albay, Philippines. It occupies 161.6 km2 on the western shore of Albay Gulf, approximately 560 km by road southeast of Manila, serving as the principal gateway to the Bicol Region. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 210,616 people. Legazpi is the administrative, economic, and transport hub of the Bicol Region (Region V). Located south of Mayon Volcano, an active stratovolcano known for its nearly symmetrical conical shape that is visible across the city, Legazpi serves as the base for regional volcano monitoring and hazard management operations. The city is served by air, land, and sea transport infrastructure, including Bicol International Airport in neighboring Daraga, the national highway network, Philippine National Railways, and ports along Albay Gulf. It also functions as the region's center for tourism, education, health care, and commerce. Originally a pre-Hispanic coastal village called Sawangan, the settlement became a Spanish mission town in 1587 and was renamed in 1856 to honor conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi, a Basque. Legazpi has a diversified service-based economy focused on trade, agro‑processing, and adventure tourism, promoted under the city's "City of Fun and Adventure" branding.
Legazpi topped the National Competitiveness Council's Cities & Municipalities Competitive Index in 2018 and ranked in the index's top tier since, earning citations as a "most business-friendly" Philippine component city. Having met the statutory requirements for Highly Urbanized City (HUC) classification, the city is now being considered for reclassification, with officials expressing intent to pursue the process.
Geography and setting
Etymology
The city of Legazpi was named after Miguel López de Legazpi, a Basque Spanish conquistador who led the first Spanish colonial expedition to the Philippine Islands in 1565 and established Manila as the Spanish colonial capital. His surname derives from the town of Legazpi in Legazpi in Gipuzkoa, Spain.
History
Early history Human occupation around present-day Legazpi City and the wider Albay Gulf is documented by archaeological finds that extend back at least 4,000 years. The earliest securely dated artifact is the Mataas Shell Scoop—a bailer fashioned from the green-turban shell (Turbo marmoratus). Excavated from a midden on Cagraray Island, its deposit is radiocarbon-dated to between c. 2000 BCE and 300 CE. The object was designated a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2010. Stratified deposits in Hoyop-Hoyopan Cave, Camalig (≈ 15 km inland), have yielded primary and secondary jar burials with anthropomorphic lids. Associated Song- to Ming-period ceramic shards indicate continuous use of the cave between 900 BCE and 900 CE suggest participation in regional maritime exchange networks. Comparable jar-burial complexes along the Albay–Sorsogon littoral—recorded by H. Otley Beyer and later National Museum teams—contain plain and red-slipped vessels, stone adzes, and shell and glass beads attributed to the Philippine Early Metal Age (c. 100–500 BCE). Sixteenth-century chronicler Miguel de Loarca described the same coast as "thickly peopled," rich in irrigated rice, gold ornaments and imported silk. These details align with archaeological evidence and reflect the area's prosperity prior to Spanish contact.
History
Spanish contact and early colonial settlement The area now occupied by present-day Legazpi originated as a coastal settlement known as Sawangan, located in what is now the port district. It consisted of a cluster of fishing and farming hamlets situated along the mangrove flats on the western shore of Albay Gulf.
Guzmán–Jiménez Expedition (1569) The first Europeans to reach the gulf were Captain Luis Enríquez de Guzmán and Augustinian friar Alonso Jiménez, members of an expedition dispatched from Panay by Adelantado Miguel López de Legazpi. After calling at Masbate, Ticao and Burias, the party landed at the village of Gibalon (Ibalon)—now San Isidro, Magallanes, Sorsogon—where Fray Jiménez celebrated what local tradition recognises as the first Catholic Mass in Luzon and baptised several inhabitants. The group reconnoitered inland as far as Camalig (then a thriving balangay), recording the fertile valley at the foot of Mayon Volcano.
Salcedo's northern expedition (1573) In July 1573, a second force under Juan de Salcedo, grandson of Governor-General Legazpi, entered the peninsula from the north. Salcedo established the fortified Villa de Santiago de Libón on the shores of Lake Bato (present-day Libon, Albay), then pushed eastwards to a village called Albaybay, a name later shortened to Albay.
Culture and ecology
Ecclesiastical organization and rise of Albay (1578–1616) Franciscan missionaries replaced the initial Augustinian presence in 1578, administering Sawangan from the Doctrina de Cagsawa, currently Daraga. Sawangan was elevated to a visita regular in 1605 and was constituted in 1616 as the independent Pueblo de Albay—capital of the newly created Partido de Ibalon district. That district then encompassed present-day Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, large parts of Camarines Sur, and the islands of Catanduanes, Ticao and Burias.
Spanish colonial era
Missionary foundations and early settlement (1587–1636)
By the 1580s, Spanish Franciscan missionaries were actively ministering to the local inhabitants. In 1587, the Franciscans established a mission chapel in the fishing village of Sawangan (the site of the present Legazpi Port), as a visita (satellite chapel) of the Cagsawa parish. Fray Francisco de Santa Ana, OFM, built the first wooden chapel dedicated to St. Gregory the Great, and this became known as the Misión de San Gregorio Magno de Sawangan. As the village grew more populous, it was elevated to a visita regular (full mission station) by 1605 and eventually to an independent pueblo (town) with its own parish in 1616. The new town – often referred to at the time as Pueblo de Albay – became the capital of the Partido de Ibalón (the colonial province encompassing present-day Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, and nearby islands). Fray Francisco de Santa Ana served as Sawangan's first parish priest, and the mission continued to flourish into the 17th century. In 1636, during the tenure of Fray Martín del Espíritu, OFM, a larger and more permanent church structure replaced the original chapel to serve the growing Christian community.
Tourism and access
Sawangan under Spanish administration (17th-18th century) Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, Sawangan (later known as Albay) developed as a coastal settlement engaged in farming and regional trade. Its location along Albay Gulf provided a sheltered harbor that served as an anchorage for galleons and other vessels traveling the Manila–Acapulco trade route. The nearby Sula Channel, separating the mainland from Cagraray Island, also offered safe refuge for ships during storms. Sawangan's growth was periodically disrupted by external threats. Spanish colonial records describe incursions by raiding parties from Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago—referred to in those accounts as "Moro raiders"—as well as by Dutch privateers operating in Philippine waters during the 1600s. A major setback occurred in 1754, when the town's church was destroyed by fire amid renewed pirate attacks. Despite these challenges, the community continued to rebuild and endure. It survived a devastating typhoon in 1742 and a strong earthquake in 1811, along with other natural calamities. By the early 19th century, Sawangan—also referred to as the town of Albay—had grown through the incorporation of nearby villages and remained an important provincial capital and port.
Notable features
1814 eruption of Mt. Mayon
On February 1, 1814, Mayon Volcano—located just a few kilometers from the town—erupted in the most cataclysmic explosion in its recorded history. The 1814 eruption buried or obliterated several neighboring settlements (including the church of Cagsawa, and the villages of Budiao and Camalig) under volcanic ash and lahar flows. 1,200 people were killed in the disaster, making it Mayon's deadliest known eruption. Sawangan itself was partly destroyed – the entire town was effectively leveled and a large portion of its inhabitants perished or fled. After the 1814 eruption, the parish priest of Sawangan, Fray Pedro Licup, OFM, led the survivors in relocating to safer ground at Makalaya on the slopes of Mount Bariw (present-day Barangay Taysan). This highland area was deemed a temporary refuge from the volcano's devastation. However, many evacuees – being lowlanders accustomed to coastal living – grew uncomfortable in the uplands. Within a few years, groups of survivors began returning toward the lowlands. A significant number resettled in an area called Taytay (now Barangay Bagumbayan in downtown Legazpi), while others defied official orders and went back to the original site of Sawangan. Those who returned to the old coastal site founded a new village they called Binanuahan (meaning "old town," also known as Banuang Gurang in Bikol) on the ruins of Sawangan. At the same time, the settlement at Taytay grew into a flourishing community. Spanish authorities, however, had issued a decree on October 1, 1829, prohibiting the establishment of new towns without government sanction. To comply with this policy, the growing lowland community at Taytay and the smaller coastal village at Binanuahan were officially treated as one combined town. The Taytay side (inland) became the primary township known as Albay Nuevo or "New Albay," with Binanuahan designated as its visita (tributary barrio). Albay Nuevo – also called Bagumbayan ("new town") – essentially replaced the original town of Albay/Sawangan as the provincial capital in the 1820s–1830s. In practice, though, many residents of Binanuahan resented being subordinated to the new town's administration. By year 1818, a Spanish census which included the islands of Masbate, Catanduanes, and Ticao, under the province of Albay to which the city of Legazpi belonged to, showed that Legazpi and the rest of the province yielded the presence 35,321 native families and 1,334 Spanish-Filipino families, all under Albay's jurisdiction.
Twin-town era and ecclesiastical reconstruction (1834–1855) In 1834, efforts were made to reestablish substantial churches in both the new and old settlements. In Albay Nuevo (Taytay), a grand stone church was planned to replace the makeshift structures that had served the relocated populace. Construction began a few years later, in 1839, under the design of Don José Ma. de Peñaranda, a Filipino-Spanish gobernadorcillo (town head and architect), with consultation from Fray José Yagres, OFM. This stone church – completed in the 1840s became the present St. Gregory the Great Cathedral in Legazpi's Old Albay District. Meanwhile, in Binanuahan (Sawangan), the returning villagers in 1834 built a modest chapel (ermita) dedicated to St. Raphael the Archangel, choosing St. Raphael as their new patron saint. This waterfront chapel, funded in part by a prominent local benefactor Don Pedro Romero, was later expanded; it stands today as the St. Raphael the Archangel Parish Church in the Legazpi Port District. For the next two decades, "Old Albay" (Bagumbayan) and "Binanuahan" functioned as two distinct sectors of the Albay town – one inland and one by the port – each with its own church and patron saint.
Creation of the town of Legazpi (1856) On July 17, 1856, a major administrative reorganization took place. By decree of Governor-General Ramon Montero (then acting for the superior government in Manila), the coastal visita of Binanuahan and the adjacent barrios of Lamba, Rawis, and Bigaa were carved out from Albay Nuevo to form a new separate township. This new municipality was initially called Pueblo Viejo ("Old Town"), acknowledging the older site of the community. A subsequent decree issued by Montero on September 22, 1856 conferred the name Legazpi on this town, in honor of Miguel López de Legazpi, the 16th-century conquistador who dispatched an expedition to Bicol during the Spanish conquest. The town of Legazpi was formally inaugurated on October 23, 1856, with local officials taking office soon after. (The remaining inland settlement retained the name "Albay," later known as Albay Nuevo or Albay Viejo, and continued as the provincial capital enclave, corresponding to what is now the Old Albay District of Legazpi City). Legazpi's first gobernadorcillo (municipal governor) was Don Lorenzo Hao, and its first parish priest (in an acting capacity) was Rev. Camilo Abainza. The new town of Legazpi encompassed the port area and outlying barrios, positioning it to become an important commercial hub in the region.
Opening of Legazpi port to world trade (1872–1874)
Thanks to its geography, Legazpi's port had long played a role in regional commerce. Vessels bound for Nueva España (Mexico) during the galleon trade era frequented Albay Gulf as an anchorage point from the late 16th century onward. In the 19th century, as international trade expanded, Legazpi's harbor grew in importance for maritime commerce in southern Luzon. On May 18, 1872, the Spanish Crown issued a royal decree in Madrid designating Legazpi as an official port of entry for foreign trade. This decree was implemented locally two years later: on December 3, 1874, Governor-General Juan Alaminos y Vivar promulgated the order opening Legazpi's port to direct trade with overseas markets. The move allowed the export of local products (such as abacá fiber and copra from Bicol) and the import of goods via maritime routes, spurring economic growth in Albay. By the late 19th century, Legazpi had become one of the busier ports in the archipelago outside Manila, albeit still limited by its modest dock facilities and the threat of seasonal typhoons.
Ayuntamiento and first city charter (1892–1894) Parallel with its commercial rise, Legazpi saw political developments in the late Spanish period. In 1892, the town was elevated to city status (ciudad) for the first time under Spain's new Becerra Law on municipal government. This law merged the municipalities of Legazpi Port, Albay (Bagumbayan), and the outlying town of Daraga into a single unified city administration, called the Ayuntamiento of Legazpi (Albay). The ayuntamiento (city council government) was formally established in 1894 by a decree of the Spanish Minister of Ultramar (Colonies). Under this arrangement, Daraga – which had been a separate town (formed by survivors of the Cagsawa eruption) – was annexed as part of the new city's territory along with Albay Nuevo. This merger proved unpopular among many Daraga residents, who resented the loss of their town's autonomy. Nevertheless, by the mid-1890s Legazpi (sometimes referred to as Ayuntamiento de Albay) held the status of a chartered city.
Philippine revolution era (1898) As the Philippine Revolution spread throughout the archipelago in 1898, Spanish rule in Albay came to an abrupt end. On September 22, 1898, with the colonial government collapsing, the Spanish civil governor of Albay, Don Ángel Bascarán y Federic, evacuated the provincial capital (Old Albay) along with the remaining Spanish troops and clergy. Spanish authorities and residents fled the town, effectively surrendering control. In their wake, local patriots organized a revolutionary junta to assume governance of Albay. The junta was initially led by Don Anacieto Solano, a prominent Filipino from the region who had been involved in the anti-colonial movement. Shortly thereafter, General Vicente Lukbán arrived to take command. Lukbán had been appointed by Emilio Aguinaldo's revolutionary government as General-in-Chief for the southern Luzon provinces, and he formally took charge of military and civil affairs in Albay and neighboring areas. Under Lukbán's leadership, the Philippine Republic's authority was established in Legazpi and Albay by late 1898, marking the close of over 300 years of Spanish colonial rule.
American colonial era (1900–1941)
U.S. military occupation and the battle of San Rafael Bridge (1900) On January 23, 1900, three companies of the U.S. 24th Infantry and two batteries of light artillery under Brig-Gen. William A. Kobbe landed at Legazpi to re-open the abaca port. 800 Bicolano revolutionary troops led by Gen. José Ignacio Paua and Col. Antero Reyes contested the landing, fighting a day-long action on San Rafael Bridge that left 172 Filipino dead (including Reyes) and 12 wounded; U.S. casualties were 12 wounded. The skirmish is regarded by regional historians as the bloodiest single engagement of the Philippine–American War in Bicol. A granite obelisk, the Battle of Legazpi Pylon, now stands at the present Rizal St–Quezon Ave. intersection to mark the site.
Civic reorganization and municipal boundaries (1900–1922)
The U.S. military government dissolved the short-lived Spanish-era ayuntamiento and, in 1908, reorganised the settlement into two separate municipalities: Legazpi Port (the coastal commercial quarter) and Albay (the inland district that became the provincial capital). A further territorial adjustment on October 1, 1922, restored the independence of Daraga, which had been administratively merged with Albay since the nineteenth century. With peace restored, Legazpi resumed its role as the principal abacá and copra outlet of south-eastern Luzon. Maritime historians note that the port handled a sizable share of Bicol's fiber and coconut cargoes during the 1920s and 1930s, helped by its connection to the Manila Railroad Company's Bicol Line.
Economic and educational growth during American colonial rule (1922–1936) Education expanded rapidly under American civil rule. Albay High School opened in a Gabaldon-type school building in 1906, and the Albay Normal School was established in 1921. Both institutions were later integrated into Bicol University, which was formally established in 1969. The oldest Catholic educational institution in the province, St. Agnes Academy, was founded on July 1, 1912, by the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing as Academia de Sta. Inés. It opened a secondary department in 1917 and moved to its present campus in 1920. American colonial economic policies encouraged local enterprise. Act No. 2475 (February 5, 1915) granted entrepreneur Julian M. Locsin a 50-year franchise to install and operate an electric-light and power system in the municipality—one of the earliest such concessions outside Manila. Commercial agriculture likewise prospered: abaca (Manila hemp) exports from the Philippines reached an all-time peak in 1928–29, a boom that particularly benefited Bicol ports such as Legazpi which handled much of the fibre trade.
Transport links were dramatically improved in the 1930s. The final gap of the Manila Railroad Company's South Main Line was closed on May 8, 1938, when President Manuel L. Quezon hammered a ceremonial golden spike at Del Gallego, Camarines Sur, formally inaugurating through passenger and freight service between Tutuban and Legazpi (the famed "Bicol Express"). Air transport arrived even earlier: Sanborn Field—laid out before 1936 just outside the poblacion—served pre-war civilian flights and, after December 1941, became a strategic Japanese and later Allied air base (it is the site of today's Legazpi Airport).
World War II (1941–1945)
Japanese occupation (1941–1945) At dawn on December 12, 1941, a vanguard force of 2,500 men of the IJA 16th Division under Major-General Naoki Kimura, backed by 575 naval infantry of the Kure 1st Special Naval Landing Force and covered at sea by the light cruiser Nagara and the carrier Ryūjō, came ashore at Legazpi without opposition. Within hours they seized the Sanborn/Legazpi airfield and the south-coast section of the Manila–Bicol railway, giving Tokyo a forward fighter base to screen operations toward central Luzon and command of the strategic San Bernardino Strait. Two Far East Air Force P-40s and three B-17s struck the newly occupied strip that afternoon, destroying nine Japanese aircraft and killing several troops, but could not dislodge the garrison. The airfield became a relay hub for Tainan Kōkūtai A6M "Zero" fighters (December 1941–January 1942) and later 33rd Sentai Ki-43 "Oscar" squadrons (1944), while coastal convoys used Albay Gulf to bypass American submarines farther north.
Resistance and guerrilla warfare Japanese control seldom extended far beyond the rail line and gulf shore. In the interior, Bicolano resistance cells co-alesced under officers of the pre-war Philippine Army. By 1943, these bands were raiding supply trains, cutting telegraph lines and funneling intelligence to Allied headquarters. The most cohesive formation around Legazpi—later recognised by the National Historical Commission—was led by Lt. Col. Demetrio Camua, whose guerrillas guarded mountain passes south of the city and, in early 1945, helped seal road exits before the Allied landing.
Allied bombardment From October 1944 the Fifth Air Force and carrier groups neutralising southern Luzon subjected Legazpi to almost-daily raids; contemporary local accounts note up to two strikes per day that month, part of a broader effort to pin Japanese air units and interdict road traffic on the Bicol Peninsula. These attacks, followed by preparatory naval gun-fire in March 1945, flattened much of the port district.
Liberation and aftermath At 08:15 on April 1, 1945, Task Group 78.4 put the 158th Regimental Combat Team ("Bushmasters") of the U.S. 6th Army ashore at Rawis Beach. Meeting only scattered artillery fire, the regiment secured the town, port and airfield by the evening of April 2, then fanned north toward Daraga and Camalig. Their advance was expedited by Camua's guerrillas, who had already isolated Japanese outposts and guided Americans through mined approaches. The landing reopened the San Bernardino Strait to Allied shipping and marked the final amphibious assault in Luzon. Yet the price for Legazpi was high: U.S. pre-invasion air strikes and naval bombardment obliterated many 19th-century structures, notably the original St Raphael the Archangel Church (1834) and the Academia de Santa Ines complex; both were extensively rebuilt in the late 1940s.
Post-war reconstruction and cityhood (1945–1959) After the war, Legazpi's port and infrastructure were gradually rebuilt, and the advent of commercial air travel soon followed. The Sanborn airfield (a former U.S. airstrip) was secured from Japanese forces in 1945, and by 1946 Philippine Airlines had begun regular commercial flights linking Legazpi to Manila. This made Legazpi more accessible and marked its emergence as the gateway of southern Luzon.
A city for the second time (1948) Legazpi's political status also changed significantly in the post-war era. On July 18, 1948, Legazpi became a chartered city for the second time when the municipalities of Legazpi and Daraga were merged under Republic Act No. 306. President Elpidio Quirino appointed Jose R. Arboleda as the first mayor of the new city. However, this cityhood was short-lived – on June 8, 1954, Republic Act No. 993 dissolved the city, reverting Legazpi and Daraga to separate towns. Legazpi spent the mid-1950s as a municipality once more. During this period the city faced calamitous events, most notably Typhoon Trix in October 1952. Typhoon Trix smashed into southern Luzon with winds over 220 km/h, virtually destroying Legazpi City and ravaging nearby towns. The storm caused catastrophic floods and damage in Albay, with hundreds of residents killed in the region. Despite these setbacks, Legazpi rebuilt in the aftermath and continued to grow as a provincial capital.
A city for the third time (1959) By the end of the 1950s, cityhood was restored. Republic Act No. 2234 – the current city charter of Legazpi – was approved on June 12, 1959, re-establishing Legazpi as a city for the third time. This 1959 charter remains the foundation of Legazpi's status up to the present. Upon its re-incorporation, Mayor Ramon A. Arnaldo – who had been serving as town mayor since 1954 – became the first city mayor under the new charter. Mayor Arnaldo's administration in 1959 marked the start of modern Legazpi City under RA 2234. Subsequent amendments, such as RA 5525, fine-tuned the city's charter in the 1960s.
Urban growth, education, and natural hazards (1960–1972) During the 1960s, Legazpi City solidified its role as the Bicol region's urban center while also weathering natural disasters. Regular Philippine National Railways service and improved roads strengthened Legazpi's connectivity, and in the late 1960s the city's airport saw the "jet age" arrive as PAL introduced BAC One-Eleven jet flights on the Manila–Legazpi route. Infrastructure improvements like these spurred commerce and tourism. The city's progress, however, was punctuated by periodic calamities from its natural environment.
1968 Mayon Volcano eruption
Mayon Volcano, looming over Legazpi, had one of its most notable eruptions of the century in April–May 1968. Beginning on April 21, 1968, Mayon unleashed a series of over 100 explosive eruptions, sending ash columns 3–10 km high. Pyroclastic flows and lava descended the slopes; 100 square kilometers – including areas of Legazpi – were blanketed in ash and debris. At least six people were killed by this eruption and thousands were forced to evacuate.
Super Typhoon Sening (1970) Two years later, another catastrophe struck in the form of Super Typhoon Sening (international name Joan). In mid-October 1970, Typhoon Sening roared through Bicol with sustained winds estimated at 275 km/h – at the time, the most intense typhoon on record in the Philippines. Legazpi City was among the hardest hit areas. Sening caused devastation across Albay province, and in Legazpi power lines and communications were knocked out for weeks. The disaster claimed many lives across the region (over 700 deaths were reported) and caused extensive property losses, making it one of the worst typhoons in Bicol's history.
Establishment of Aquinas University of Legazpi and Bicol University (1968–1969) The 1960s marked Legazpi's emergence as a regional hub for higher education. Legazpi Junior Colleges, founded on June 8, 1948, was transferred to the administration of the Dominican Order on July 1, 1965. Under their leadership, the institution was elevated to university status through the approval of Secretary of Education Carlos P. Romulo. The University Charter, signed by Acting Secretary Onofre Corpuz on August 30, 1968, formally established the institution as Aquinas University of Legazpi. The following year, Republic Act No. 5521, enacted on June 21, 1969, established Bicol University by integrating six existing government-run educational institutions located in Legazpi, Daraga, and neighboring towns in Albay.
Martial-law era and consolidation as regional capital (1970–1985) When President Ferdinand E. Marcos proclaimed Martial Law in September 1972 he simultaneously issued Presidential Decree No. 1, adopting the Integrated Reorganization Plan (IRP). Part IV of the IRP grouped the six Bicol provinces into Region V and formally designated Legazpi City as its administrative centre and regional capital. To give the new bureaucracy a physical seat, Proclamation No. 1676 (October 8, 1977) reserved a tract of land in Brgy. Rawis as the Bicol Regional Government Center, triggering the transfer or construction of regional offices of the Department of Education, Bureau of Customs, National Economic and Development Authority and dozens of other agencies over the next decade.
Papal visit (1981) Legazpi received national and international attention when Pope John Paul II included the city in his first pastoral visit to the Philippines. On February 21, 1981, Pope John Paul II celebrated a Eucharistic Mass in downtown Legazpi outside St. Gregory the Great Cathedral, part of his first papal visit to the Philippines. The pontiff delivered a homily on the dignity and contributions of rural workers, addressing Legazpi's predominantly agricultural constituency. The complete text of the homily is preserved in the official archives of the Holy See.
1984 disasters In September 1984, Legazpi was struck by two major natural disasters. On September 1, Typhoon Nitang (Ike) battered the Albay Gulf coast with winds over 150 km/h. Days later, from September 9 to October 6, Mayon Volcano erupted in a Strombolian–Vulcanian event, sending pyroclastic flows down its southeastern flank toward the city.
Post-EDSA and the 1990s era (1986-1990s) After the 1986 EDSA Revolution, President Corazon C. Aquino issued Executive Order No. 17 (May 28, 1986), installing interim officers until elections in 1988 when Benjamin S. Imperial was elected as mayor. A year earlier Super Typhoon Sisang (Nina) had sent floods crashing through barangays killing 77 in the entire province of Albay.
First female mayor and launch of Ibalong Festival Imelda Crisol Roces became mayor of Legazpi City in December 1991 following the death of Mayor Benjamin S. Imperial becoming the city's first female chief executive. She launched the inaugural Ibalong Festival in October 1992, based on the pre-Hispanic Ibalong epic, aimed at promoting cultural heritage and tourism. The festival was also conceived as a symbol of the resilience of Albayanos in the face of frequent natural calamities. The festival's concept was proposed by Merito B. Espinas (1928–2002), a Bicolano scholar and professor at Aquinas University (now University of Sto. Tomas-Legazpi). Espinas authored the first English translation of the Ibalong and was instrumental in framing it as the basis for a civic festival. His academic work on Bicol literature helped shape the cultural identity the festival continues to celebrate.
1993 Mayon eruption and APSEMO founding Barely four months later, Mayon Volcano erupted on February 2, 1993, killing 75 people and driving more than 45,000 residents into 43 evacuation centres. Roces coordinated city relief, permanent resettlement and hazard-zoning, and worked with the provincial government as it institutionalised the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) in 1995—widely cited as the country's first permanent disaster-risk-reduction office.
Notable developments in the 1990s During Roces' administration, the city implemented urban renewal and Clean-and-Green programs. In 1997, Plaza Rizal, a 1920s-era park near the city port, was rehabilitated with new water features, resurfaced walkways, and a garden wall fronting St. Raphael Church, restoring its role as a civic landmark. On the infrastructure front, the city secured funding from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to widen and extend Tahao Road, creating a north–south corridor identified in the 1999–2008 Comprehensive Land Use Plan as an emerging "Alternative Business District." In 2013, the road was renamed Imelda C. Roces Avenue under City Ordinance 0007–2013, in recognition of its contribution to commercial development in the area. The alternate road bisecting Roces Avenue was named Benjamin Imperial St. in recognition of her predecessor. To support economic recovery, the city also initiated the Legazpi City Investment Incentive Code of 1996 (S.P. Ordinance 96-016), which offered real property tax holidays, fee waivers, and skills-training grants to investors in designated growth areas. In 1998, the city secured the issuance of Proclamation No. 1249 (June 9, 1998), declaring a 33-hectare site in Sitio Caridad, Banquerohan as the Legazpi City Special Economic Zone, a PEZA-registered area offering both local and national investment incentives.
Early 2000s: Modernization and urban renewal In the early 2000s, Legazpi City initiated a program of economic modernization and infrastructure development. The 2001 local elections marked the end of Mayor Imelda C. Roces' decade-long administration and the beginning of Mayor Noel Ebriega Rosal's tenure. Rosal prioritized investment in urban infrastructure, tourism promotion, and disaster-resilient planning, in response to the city's exposure to typhoons and volcanic activity. In 2001, the Landco Business Park, with the Pacific Mall Legazpi as its main locator, was inaugurated as the first master-planned commercial district in the Bicol Region, intended to attract business investments. During this period, Legazpi also experienced a rise in private sector growth, with the opening of its first full-sized shopping malls, upgrades to its road network, and redevelopment of public markets.
Natural disasters and emergency response (2006)
Typhoons Milenyo and Reming Legazpi's disaster management systems were significantly challenged in late 2006 when the city was struck by two successive super typhoons: Typhoon Milenyo (Xangsane) in September and Typhoon Reming (Durian) in November. Typhoon Reming caused extensive damage across Albay province. In Legazpi, heavy rainfall triggered the remobilization of volcanic debris from Mayon Volcano, resulting in deadly lahars that buried several villages, including Barangay Padang. 600 people died across the province due to the disaster, with Legazpi among the most severely affected areas.
Rehabilitation and climate adaptation strategy Following the 2006 disaster, city and provincial authorities implemented a range of rehabilitation and risk mitigation measures. A multi-phase coastal infrastructure project known as Legazpi Boulevard was constructed to function both as a scenic thoroughfare and a protective seawall against storm surges and coastal flooding. Additional flood control structures, including dikes and improved drainage systems, were developed along the lahar and flood-prone rivers and coastal areas. By 2007, Albay Province and Legazpi City had adopted a comprehensive Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCA-DRR) strategy. The initiative was cited by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as a model for effective local disaster governance.
Economic expansion and infrastructure growth (2009–2015)
By the late 2000s, Legazpi experienced notable economic growth, which led to a surge in construction activity. In 2009, the city inaugurated the Embarcadero de Legazpi, a waterfront commercial and entertainment complex built on reclaimed land near the port area. The development included an information technology park, designated in July 2009 as the first IT ecozone in the Bicol Region. The complex featured retail establishments, restaurants, and a marina, and also accommodated business process outsourcing (BPO) firms such as Sutherland Global Services. This initiative contributed to Legazpi's recognition as an emerging hub for outsourcing services in the Philippines.
In addition to commercial developments, Legazpi City pursued major infrastructure projects aimed at improving transportation and mitigating natural hazards. Legazpi Boulevard, a coastal highway and promenade, was constructed to serve as both a transport corridor and a seawall protecting against storm surges. The initial 4-kilometer segment, stretching from the port area through Barangays Dap-dap and Puro, was completed through a public–private partnership in the early 2010s. In 2009, the city inaugurated the Legazpi Grand Central Terminal, a modern integrated transport facility developed through a public–private partnership. Constructed under a Build–operate–transfer (BOT) arrangement without direct expenditure from the city government, the terminal became a recognized model for successful local PPP implementation. The project earned Legazpi a Galing Pook Award in 2014, recognizing it as one of the ten most outstanding local governance programs in the Philippines. In Barangay Dap-dap, a public park and promenade known as Sawangan Park was later developed along the boulevard. Inaugurated in the late 2010s, the park features landscaped areas, recreational facilities, and views of Mayon Volcano and Albay Gulf. The boulevard was extended northward beginning in 2017, with a 2.7-kilometer expansion traversing the coastal barangays of Sabang, Pigcale, Baybay, and San Roque. The ₱2.1-billion project, implemented in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), included the construction of a seawall, a four-lane road with bike lanes, and a 380-meter bridge. These were designed to reduce flood risk and improve access to northern Albay. In southern Legazpi, an 18-kilometer concrete highway was constructed to connect the upland barangays of Buenavista, Cagbacong, and nearby communities with the city center. The project was also intended to facilitate access to the new airport in Daraga. Also in 2014, Legazpi placed second in the national Livable Cities Design Challenge, which evaluated cities on urban planning and disaster resilience. Iloilo City ranked first, followed by Legazpi and Cebu City in third place.
Private sector boom and city awards (2016–2019)
Private sector investment in Legazpi increased significantly in the 2010s. In 2016, Ayala Land partnered with the local LCC Group to open Ayala Malls Legazpi – Liberty City Center, a four-story shopping complex on the site of the former public market. This marked Ayala's first mall in the Bicol Region. In the same year, SM Prime Holdings began construction of SM City Legazpi, an 87,000-square-meter shopping mall located beside the city's bus terminal. The mall opened on September 14, 2018, becoming the largest retail complex in Bicol. The entry of national retail developers was accompanied by growth in hospitality, residential, and franchising sectors. Public infrastructure expanded in parallel. In 2018, Legazpi opened the Legazpi City Hospital, the city's first public hospital. That same year, a ₱100-million engineered sanitary landfill was completed in Barangay Banquerohan, noted as one of the first modern waste management facilities in the region. On October 7, 2021, the Bicol International Airport was inaugurated in Daraga, Albay, replacing the old Legazpi domestic airport. Although located outside the city proper, it functions as Legazpi's primary air gateway and is projected to enhance regional connectivity. Legazpi's development efforts have received national recognition. In 2018, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry named Legazpi the Most Business-Friendly City (Component City category), citing its streamlined business registration processes and investor-oriented governance. That same year, the city ranked first in the National Competitiveness Council (NCC)'s competitiveness index for component cities. It had previously placed third in 2016 and fifth in 2017. According to media reports and NCC assessments, Legazpi's performance was attributed in part to infrastructure investments following major disasters, particularly in flood control and urban planning. Legazpi has consistently passed the Seal of Good Local Governance administered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Developments in the 2020s By 2020, the number of registered business establishments in Legazpi had increased to over 6,000, with annual local government revenue exceeding ₱1 billion, indicating sustained economic growth. City officials subsequently expressed interest in pursuing the reclassification of Legazpi into a Highly Urbanized City (HUC), noting that the city had met the population and income criteria for HUC status based on the 2020 census. A shift in political leadership occurred following the May 2022 elections, when then-mayor Noel Rosal was elected governor of Albay, and his wife Geraldine Rosal became mayor of Legazpi. Both were later disqualified by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for violating campaign spending regulations. Noel Rosal was removed from office in late 2022, followed by Geraldine Rosal's removal between 2023 and 2024. Vice Mayor Oscar Cristobal briefly served as acting mayor, until former Ako Bicol party-list representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. assumed the mayoralty by late 2024. In the 2025 Philippine general election, Hisham Ismail, former barangay captain of Cabangan‑West and president of the city's Liga ng mga Barangay, was elected mayor of Legazpi, becoming the youngest chief executive in the city's history. Despite the political transitions, infrastructure development continued. The newly opened Bicol International Airport improved regional air connectivity, and plans were initiated to redevelop the site of the former domestic airport for government and commercial use. As of 2023, the construction of an international cruise terminal was in full swing, intended to accommodate large cruise vessels and support the city's tourism sector. In 2024, the MS Hanseatic Spirit of Hapag-Lloyd cruises carrying international tourists was the latest cruise ship to dock in Legazpi. Ongoing urban development projects include the expansion of flood control infrastructure and drainage systems, and the construction of a 1,000-room permanent evacuation center in Barangay Homapon, originally announced in 2018 to serve residents in high-risk areas near Mayon Volcano. Discussions on the reclassification of Legazpi into an HUC have remained active, with local leaders citing the potential for greater administrative autonomy and increased fiscal allocations.
Geography
Legazpi is on the eastern portion of the province of Albay bounded on the north by the municipality of Santo Domingo, on the east by Albay Gulf, on the west by the municipality of Daraga, and on the south by the municipalities of Manito, Albay and Pilar and Castilla, Sorsogon. The city is located 527 kilometres (327 mi) south of Manila. From north to south, the city spans 29 kilometers; from east to west, the narrowest portion is 3 kilometers (urban district) while the widest is 15 kilometers (southeast area). Legazpi has a total land area of 20,437 hectares, 90 percent of which is classified as rural (18,431.66 hectares) while 10 percent is classified as urban (2,005.39 hectares). Legazpi's topography is generally plain on the northeastern areas, with slopes ranging from five to fifteen degrees. The southern areas have mostly rolling to hilly terrain. In the city's coastal areas, the terrain varies from plain (north) to hilly (south). Legazpi is criss-crossed by several rivers including the Tibu, Macabalo and Yawa rivers with a number of swampy areas, particularly in the urban district. To mitigate flooding in these low-lying areas, the local government has built an urban drainage and flood control system consisting of dikes, canals, sea walls and three pumping stations located in Barangays San Roque, Bay-Bay and Victory Village.
Barangays Legazpi is politically subdivided into 70 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios. Currently, there are 45 urban barangays and 25 rural barangays.
Climate
Legazpi City features a tropical rainforest climate with copious amount of rainfall throughout the year. Legazpi has noticeably wetter and drier periods of the year. However, the city's driest month, April, still sees on average of over 150 millimetres (5.9 in) of precipitation per month. Similar to many other cities with this climate, temperatures are relatively constant throughout the course of the year, with a mean annual average of 26.9 °C (80.4 °F). The coolest month is January with a daily mean of 25.3 °C (77.5 °F) and the hottest months are jointly May and June with a daily mean of 28.1 °C (82.6 °F). The all-time record high temperature was 37.7 °C (99.9 °F) on May 27, 1968, and the all-time record low temperature was 13.9 °C (57.0 °F) on February 28, 1971.
Disaster risk reduction Because of its geographical location on the eastern coast of the Philippines and the close proximity of Mayon Volcano, Legazpi is vulnerable to typhoons, sea level rise and volcanic eruptions. To mitigate the effects of climate change and improve the city's resilience against disasters, the city government has adopted a disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation strategy. The City Government of Legazpi was recognized by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) as a model locality in implementing risk reduction management practices in the Philippines. On the provincial level, Albay has institutionalized disaster preparedness and disaster response by creating the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) in 1995. The APSEMO is tasked to design and implement a disaster risk management and reduction program. Its main objective is to develop more pro-active and disaster resilient communities. Specific disaster preparedness strategies in Albay and Legazpi include preemptive evacuation, 'zero casualty' policy, re-planning of the city's land use, mangrove reforestation, and the establishment of the Climate Change Academy as a training center for disaster risk management, evaluation of climate risk hazards and adaptive capabilities, planning, and programming. On March 12, 2018, Mayor Noel Rosal announced his administration's proposed plan to construct a permanent 1000-room evacuation center in Barangay Homapon for citizens living within the "eight-kilometer extended danger zone" near the volcano Mayon.
Demographics
According to the 2024 census, the population of Legazpi is 210,616 people, with a density of 1,400/km2 or 3,600/sq mi. Legazpi had an average annual population growth of 1.86% between 2000 and 2007 according to the 2010 census. 58 percent of the city's population or 105,853 live in areas classified as urban while 42 percent or 76,348 live in rural areas. The city has a population density of 9 people per hectare (54 people per hectare in urban areas and 4 people per hectare in rural areas). Daytime population in Legazpi is estimated to reach 350,000 due to the daily influx of students, workers, entrepreneurs, and tourists. Legazpi is the most populous city in the province of Albay and in the Bicol Region. It comprises 14.8% of the total population of Albay. The main language spoken is Central Bikol. In addition, English and Filipino/Tagalog are also widely used and spoken.
Religion Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion in the city. Other religious denominations include Iglesia ni Cristo, Members Church of God International, Orthodoxy, Protestant churches such as Baptist, Methodist, Evangelical Christians, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Islam. The city is the ecclesiastical seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Legazpi.
Economy
Legazpi City is recognized as one of the major economic hubs in the Bicol Region, hosting a large concentration of business establishments and serving as a focal point for tourism, transportation, education, health services, and commerce. Classified by the Department of Finance as a first-class component city under Department Order 074-2024, Legazpi falls within the category of Philippine cities with average regular incomes exceeding ₱1.3 billion. The city's economy is diversified across various sectors, including agriculture, wholesale and retail trade, services, manufacturing, and small-scale mining. This broad economic base reinforces Legazpi's strategic role as an important regional center for service delivery and logistics. According to the 2024 Statement of Receipts and Expenditures data from the Bureau of Local Government Finance, Legazpi generated ₱824.02 million in locally sourced revenue for fiscal year 2024, the highest among Bicol's component cities, reflecting sustained business growth and fiscal management. Tourism remains a leading driver of economic activity. The sector welcomed 1.27 million visitors in 2019 and has resumed growth following the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, Albay province—of which Legazpi is the capital—was the most visited destination in the Bicol Region, with 1,391,170 domestic and 16,023 foreign tourist arrivals. In 2023, the city's Business Permits and Licensing Office recorded 6,330 registered business establishments with total investments valued at ₱571.35 million, indicating continued expansion of the local enterprise base. Supporting visitor arrivals and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) traffic are more than 50 Department of Tourism–accredited hotels, inns, and resorts. High-value agricultural products, such as pili nuts (canarium ovatum), also contribute significantly to the local economy. 90 percent of the national supply is produced in the Bicol Region and processed in Legazpi. Legazpi is also among the 25 priority "Digital Cities 2025" designated by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP). The program identifies urban centers with strong potential for accelerated growth in the information technology and business process management (ICT-BPM) sector.
Agriculture and natural resources
Agriculture remains a foundation of Legazpi's economy. The city and surrounding areas produce coconut, pili nuts, abaca fiber, rice, corn, and various root crops. Coconut farming is significant – Legazpi hosts the Legaspi Oil Company, a major coconut oil mill established in 1967 that can process 100,000 metric tons of copra annually. Coconut products such as crude coconut oil and copra meal are among Legazpi's top exports. Bicol is also the Philippines' leading source of pili nuts, accounting for 90% of national production. Legazpi has a long heritage in pili processing: in 1936 a Spanish entrepreneur, Don Antonio Regidor, pioneered the pili confectionery industry by founding
Why it matters
Legazpi is the regional centre of Bicol and lies at the base of Mount Mayon — a UNESCO biosphere reserve and one of the world's most actively erupting volcanoes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the administrative status of Legazpi?
Legazpi is a component city and serves as the capital of the province of Albay in the Philippines. It holds significant political and economic importance within the Bicol Region due to its central location and urban development.
How is the name Legazpi pronounced?
In the Tagalog language, the name is pronounced as [lɛˈɡaspɪ]. This phonetic representation reflects the local linguistic nuances used by residents and visitors when referring to the city.
What are the alternative names for the city?
The city is formally known as the City of Legazpi. In Central Bikol, it is referred to as Syudad nin Legazpi, while in Tagalog, it is called Lungsod ng Legazpi, reflecting the multilingual nature of the region.
Which province is Legazpi the capital of?
Legazpi is the capital city of Albay province. As the provincial seat, it hosts key government offices and serves as a hub for administrative functions for the surrounding municipalities.
Where is Legazpi located geographically?
Legazpi is situated in the Philippines, specifically within the province of Albay. Its strategic setting makes it a prominent urban center in the Bicol Region, known for its proximity to natural landmarks.
See also
References
- Legazpi, Albay on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Wikidata Q1696 — structured facts