Santo Domingo, officially the Municipality of Santo Domingo, (Central Bicolano: Banwaan kan Santo

Domingo; Tagalog: Bayan ng Santo Domingo), is a 4th class municipality in

the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 34,967 people.

Santo Domingo was a former barrio of Ibalon, then the Municipality of Albay, now Legazpi City. It
became a separate Municipality in 1749 through the uproar of its inhabitants and under the leadership
of Diego Castellanos who took the matter first to the authorities in Manila, and to the Bishop of Ambos
Camarines. But it was not until 1785, 36 years after its establishment as a town that a church was built.
In those days, it was only church building that represented the town. The first church was made of wood
and basag (bamboo split). Here, the statue of the patron saint Santo Domingo (Saint Dominic de
Guzman), whose feast is observed every August 4, was placed. When the church was burned in 1882,
the Spanish priests built a new one; the present artistic church with piedras ladradas chiseled
balustrades and twin domes.

The town of Santo Domingo was originally named Libog. Albay historians say that there were a number
of stories on the origin of the name Libog. One version is that libog was derived from the Bikol
word labog meaning "unclear water" for there was a time when no potable water was available in the
locality. Another has it that the town might have been called after labog (jellyfish), which abound in its
coastal water. Libod (behind) is another version because the town’s position is behind the straight road
from Legazpi to Tabaco across Basud to Santa Misericordia.

Still another version is the corrupted form of the word libot which means "round about" or "winding
way". In the early days of Spanish invasion, there were two routes passing through this place to Tabaco:
one trail was straight or a short cut and the other was a round about (libot) way passing through the
center of the town (via Poblacion). Later when the time came to classify and arrange this settlement to
give it a political status as a visita of Binanuahan, now Legazpi Port, the corruption crept in –
Libog for Libot. Hence, this town was named El Pueblo de Liboug, by the Spanish conquerors.

In 1816, one hundred fifty-nine (159 Moro pirates and six (6) vintas attacked the town, taking them one
captive, Juan de la Conception, who was able to return after 30 years. The attack prompted the people
to construct watchtowers and walls along the shores, which served as their shelter from attacks. Ruins
of there walls are still existent.
In the year 1832, the town received its pioneer Filipino priest, father Martin Martinez. The same year,
the Presidencia Municipal was completed under Captain Teodoro Felebrico. This building was ruined
and rehabilitated into a public school building in 1918.

On 21 June 1959, Libog was renamed into Santo Domingo, through Republic Act 2520.

Potenciano Gregorio, Sr., a famous Bicolano composer and musician was born in the town on May 19,
1880. A shrine where his remains are kept is located in the Town Plaza.

Sarung Banggi Festival, an eight-day summer festivity immortalizing Potenciano Gregorio, Sr.'s timeless
composition is held here annually in the month of May.

Resorts along the Santo Domingo coastline offer a wonderful view of the black[clarification
needed] beach, the Albay Gulf and a part of the Legazpi City area. Some resorts offer entertainment
facilities like videoke and billiards. Some have private pools.

Spanish galleon wreck site which serves as a strong reminder of the rich Manila to Acapulco (Mexico)
trade routes during the Spanish era. Found along the shores of Buhatan beach at Santo Domingo, this
galleon relic was wrought by a strong typhoon on its way to Acapulco and crushed on the reefs of Albay
Gulf. This historical remains lie at five fathoms (9 m) under the sea. It is an ideal place for scuba diving,
fishing or boating.

"Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Retrieved 31 May 2013.

^ a b "Province: Albay". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority.
Retrieved 12 November 2016.

^ "Republic Act No. 2520 - An Act Changing the Name of the Municipality of Libog, Province of Albay, To
Municipality of Santo Domingo". Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. 21 June 1959. Archived from the
original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
^ "Municipal: Santo Domingo, Albay". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics
Authority. Retrieved 8 January 2016.