Camarines Sur virtue of Republic Act 1336 up to the

present time.)
March 8, 1942, three months after
Japanese Imperial Forces landed in
Legazpi and Naga City.
 province borders Camarines Norte

In 1945, Filipino and American troops along and Quezon to the north, and Albay
to the south. To the east lies the
with the Bicolano guerrillas, liberated
island province of Catanduanes
Camarines Sur from the Japanese forces
across Maqueda Channel.
towards the end of WW II.
 largest among the six provinces in
 Tierra de Camarines (Just like most of the Bicol Region both in terms of
the cities in the Philippines, population and land area
Camarines Sur had its foundation set  territory encompasses two cities:
on Spanish culture) Naga City, the lone chartered city, is
 "camaronchones" or "camarines", a the province's and the region's
Spanish word for "kamalig" referring commercial, educational, financial,
to small nipa or bamboo-made huts and cultural center,
by the natives.  while Iriga City, a component city, is
 is a province of the Philippines the center of the Rinconada area.
located in the Bicol Region in Luzon.
Language
 is the heart of Bicol
 capital is Pili (Naga City, the former  The province is also home to the

capital of Camarines Sur, was critically endangered Isarog Agta

founded in 1573 as “Nueva language, one of the three critically

Caceres” - namesake of the endangered languages in the

Province in Spain and among the Philippines according to UNESCO.

original five royal cities of the colony. (The language was classified

It was designated as the Province’s as Critically Endangered, meaning

Capital by virtue of Philippine the youngest speakers are

Legislative Act No. 2711 approved grandparents and older, and they

on March 10, 1917 until June 6, 1955, speak the language partially and

when Pili, the adjoining town was infrequently and hardly pass the

declared the Provincial Capital by language to their children and

 grandchildren anymore. If the language spoken in the town of Buhi
remaining 150 people do not pass and around Lake Buhi. Del Gallego is
their native language to the next the only town in the province that
generation of Isarog Agta people, has a majority of population that
their indigenous language will be speaks Tagalog. Most inhabitants of
extinct within a period of 1 to 2 Camarines Sur understand Filipino
decades.) and English.
 main languages spoken in  The Canaman dialect of Central
Camarines Sur are the Coastal Bikol variant of Coastal Bikol spoken
Bikol (especially Central Bikol) in Canaman, Camarines Sur is said to
and Inland Bikol group of languages. be the "purest" form of Bikol
(The latter is a group of languages (according to Jesuit anthropologist
that includes Albay Bikol group Frank Lynch, S.J.), though most
and Rinconada Bikol, while the linguists just consider it as the
former just consists dialects. A dialect standard form of Central Bikol
of Coastal Bikol, called Coastal Bikol- language since other Coastal Bikol
Partido is used in the eastern portion languages, Rinconada Bikol and
of the province around Lagonoy Buhinon (both Inland Bikol) are
Gulf, and another dialect separate languages.
called Coastal Bikol-Central is
spoken around Naga City.)
Festival
 The Rinconada Bikol also known as
 The feast of Our Lady of
Riŋkonāda (under the umbrella of
Peñafrancia, the patron of the
Inland Bikol group of languages), is
Bicolanos, is one of the country’s
used by most people in the
most important festivals
Rinconada area or district of the
celebrated every month of
province especially in Nabua, Iriga
September in Naga City. ( The
City and by people of Rinconada in
festivity starts with a penitential
diaspora.
procession at dawn participated
 Buhinon (one of the languages of
by the barefooted, male
Albay Bikol group, another member
devotees of Our Lady and boat
of Inland Bikol), is a minority
races on the river in the morning.
 At around noon, the Virgin´s products though and one can
image is carried aboard a say that it has good fish products.
decorated barge for a fluvial
(Different places in Camarines Sur
procession.) There is also the
actually have different expertise
Penafrancia festival that is
when it comes to what they
celebrated annually during the
produce.)
third week of September. It is in
 Baao, a town in Camarines Sur, is
honor of the Our Lady of
known for its excellent
Penafrancia and this is the most
embroidery.
awaited festival in the province.
For Nabua, it is the Bamboo Craft
 In Iriga City, the famous Tinagba
that is a source of their income. In
festival is held every February to
general, fiber craft is the common
honor the feast of Our Lady of
source of income of the natives.
Lourdes. (The townspeople offer
their benevolent harvest to the Tourists
Gods in expressing their thanks.
 Tourists can visit a lot of places in
During the festivity, a parade is
Camarines Sur. For those who
held featuring the colorful and
love religious history, tourists can
grandiosely decorated carabao-
visit the Our Lady of Penafrancia
drawn carts filled with the
Church which is found in Naga.
products harvested from their
 Tourists could the vestiges of the
farms.) Tinagba Festival which is
Spanish culture. Actually,
actually the harvest festival that is
Camarines Sur is known as the
offered to the Our Lady of
seat of the Roman Catholic
Lourdes. This happens every 11th
religion when the Philippines is still
of February and is celebrated in
a colony of Spain.
Iriga City
 For those who love the
Economy environment or have some
interest with regards to the
 Camarines Sur is agriculturally
environment, they could check
inclined so most of the products
Lake Buhi where the smallest fish
that are produced there are corn
(Sinarapan) perhaps in the world
and rice. They do not lack fish
 is found. This fish is a delicacy  Beaches of Sagñay, Sabang
so tourists could actually taste (Partido) and Caramoan – These
them. black and white sand beaches
 these beaches are usually where are shielded by coral reefs.
people go because of their clear  Pasacao – Known for its beaches
blue water that could show the as "the Summer Capital of Cam.
coral reefs and white or black Sur".
sand.
 There is already a built
infrastructure for tourists there and
it is called Camarines Sur
Watersports Complex. There is
also the Eco Village located at
the Provincial Capitol.

 19th-century churches – There are

a number of century old-
churches in Goa, San
Jose and Sagñay.
 Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church –
Completed in 1750, this two-
century-old church is a site of
pilgrimage located in Naga.
 Lake Buhi - Created by volcanic
activity, this isolated lake is
famous for unique organisms
including the world's smallest
commercially harvested fish.
 Mount Isarog and Mount Asog –
Two potentially active volcanoes
with hiking trails to explore rich
biodiversity.