索科贡市 城镇

Sorsogon City, officially the City of Sorsogon (Waray Sorsogon: Syudad san Sorsogon; Central Bikol: Syudad nin Sorsogon; Filipino: Lungsod ng Sorsogon), is a component city and capital of the province of Sorsogon, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 187,670 people.

Sorsogon City is the most populous city in the province, third most populous city in the entire Bicol Region and one of the leading cities in urbanization and most promising city in terms of development.

The component city was established on the year of 2000, from the merger of Bacon and Sorsogon municipalities. The city's total population spread across 64 barangays.

It serves a transshipment point from the Visayas and Mindanao provinces and is dubbed as the "Gateway to Southern Philippines". Sorsogon City is considered as one of the emerging cities due to its vibrant economy and growing population.

History

Archaeological evidence indicates that human habitation in the area dates back around 3,000 years, based on remains found in a cave in Bacon and ancient burial sites discovered upstream along the Sorsogon rivers. When Spanish missionaries arrived in the 1600s, they encountered established settlements in these locations. Historical accounts also note that Moro raiders had already frequented the area’s waters prior to the arrival of the Spanish missions.

Bacon was established as a visita of Casiguran while Sorsogon, originally in Sitio Pocdol in Capuy, was then established as a visita of Bacon. Sorsogon then became an independent, full-fledged parish in 1628 due to an increase in population. The two parishes later became civilian political units.

The Pueblo Civil de Bacon was established in 1754, with Juan Elias as its first gobernadorcillo. Sorsogon became an independent pueblo in 1864.

Geography

Sorsogon City covers a land area of 31,292 hectares (120.82 sq mi). It is at the southernmost tip of the Bicol Peninsula and of Luzon Island. The city is bounded by Castilla in the west, Manito in the northwest, Albay Gulf in the north, Prieto Diaz in the east, Gubat in the southeast, Casiguran in the southwest, and Sorsogon Bay in the south. Sorsogon is characterized by an irregular topography; mountain ranges on the north-west, sloping uplands on the central part of the city, plain areas southwestern and central north and southeast portion, and marshlands on the southeast deltas. It is also surrounded by water, with Sorsogon Bay to the west Albay Gulf to the northeast, and Philippine Sea in the east.

Sorsogon City is 581 kilometres (361 mi) southeast of Manila and 60 kilometres (37 mi) south of Legazpi City. The 2015 Census puts the city's population at 168,110 with an annual growth rate of 0.84%.

Demographics

Demographic statistics:

Annual Growth Rate 1.69% for the period 2000 – 2007

Population Growth Rate – 2.15% (1995–2000)

Population Density - 627 persons per square kilometer

Total Number of Households 30,290

Male Population - 77,117

Female Population - 74,337

Religion – 95% Roman Catholic

Labor Force – 56% of the total population, 1/4 of the over-15 years old is, at least, high-school graduate, 15% of the total workforce have college-level education

Student Population - 15,323

Voting Age Population - 83,123

Economy

Poverty incidence of Sorsogon City (%)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Sorsogon City is the economic center of Sorsogon Province and a hub of trade and commerce. It is one of the major cities in the Bicol Region after Naga City, Camarines Sur and Legazpi City in Albay. The city is a vital financial center housing numerous banks, non-bank financial institutions, manufacturing corporation and offices of major government departments and agencies. Although Sorsogon City does not have significant manufacturing industries, its dynamic service and agricultural sectors drive the economy forward.

In 2022 COA Report, Sorsogon City ranked third out of the seven cities in the Bicol Region with a total revenue of ₱1.42 billion pesos only after Legazpi City (₱1.84 billion) and Naga City (₱1.76 billion) making it part of the key urban centers in the region.

Tourism

As a gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao, tourism plays a major part as a catalyst in contributing to Sorsogon City's economy. There are myriad of selections of attractions in the city that tourists can visit. Sorsogon City's points of interest, destinations, and attractions include:

Government

The city's local government is headed by a mayor elected by popular vote. The Vice Mayor serves as the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council), with 12 Councilors elected by popular vote as its members. The Sangguniang Panlungsod serves as the city's legislative body and its role is to enact ordinances, approve resolutions, appropriate funds for the general welfare of the city and its inhabitants. Both the council members and the mayor serve three-year terms; and eligible for re-election for two more three-year terms.

Infrastructure

In order to spur development in the city, The Toll Regulatory Board declared Toll Road 5 the extension of South Luzon Expressway. A 420-kilometer, four lane expressway starting from the terminal point of the now under construction SLEX Toll Road 4 at Barangay Mayao, Lucena City in Quezon to Matnog, Sorsogon, near the Matnog Ferry Terminal. On August 25, 2020, San Miguel Corporation announced that they will invest the project which will reduce travel time from Lucena to Matnog from 9 hours to 5.5 hours.

The Sorsogon Sports Complex (Formerly known as the Balogo Sports Complex) is a complex of sport facilities located at Brgy. Balogo and its still under rehabilitation. Sorsogon Arena which is the centerpiece of the complex has a total seating capacity of 15,000 spectators and with the total cost of ₱887 Million, the said sports complex will become the largest outdoor sports complex in the Southern Luzon and in Bicol Region.

Festivals

Pili Festival – This is Sorsogon City’s major festival in honor of the patron saints of the city, Sts. Peter and Paul. The Pili tree (and nut) is indigenous to the province and is known for its various practical, economic and nutritional applications. This festival aims to emphasize its importance, and heightens awareness of the pili. The fiesta’s big attraction is the street dance in which elaborately costumed dancers depict the many uses of the tree. This is celebrated every last week of June (June 29) and usually a week-long celebration (June 19 to 29).

Transportation

Land

Much of the city's population rely on public transportation such as tricycles and jeeps to get around the city. The city boasts its color-coded public transportation system which it has pioneered in the region. All tricycles have its own color code depending on the district, zone or route that it is serving.

Inter-town trips are served by the new airconditioned e-jeepneys while inter-provincial trips are served by the UV Express Vans and number of bus companies operating provincial and regional routes, with the modern Sorsogon Integrated Terminal Exchange (SITEX) serving as the terminus.

Air

The city is 1-hour away from the Bicol International Airport located in Daraga, Albay.

The Sorsogon City Domestic Airport is a proposed airport development project located at Barangay Gabao, Bacon District, Sorsogon City.

Education

There are four schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the city under the Schools Division of Sorsogon City. The schools division office oversees the management and operations of schools districts which handle all private and public, from primary to secondary schools. These are the:

Bacon East Schools District

Bacon West Schools District

Sorsogon East Schools District

Sorsogon West Schools District

Notable personalities

Aldin Ayo - a former Sorsogon City councilor who had coaching stints with Letran Knights, De La Salle Green Archers, UST's Growling Tigers to name a few. Currently the head coach of the Converge FiberXers in the PBA.

Eddie Garcia – Film actor and director

Eugenia Apostol - one of the founders of Philippine Daily Inquirer

Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero – former congressman (1998–2007) of Soesogon's First District, former Sorsogon governor (2019–2022), served 3 terms as a senator (2007–2019) and currently serving as the Senate President.

Jessie Dellosa – former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff. He was born in the former town of Bacon, now a district in the city.

Jorge Barlin – First Filipino and Bikolano Bishop and was assigned parish priest and Vicar Forane of Sorsogon from 1887 to 1906

Sister cities

Local

Legazpi, Albay

International

Ceuta, Spain

Sterling Heights, Michigan, United States