TAGBILARAN CITY

Established 1768

Population: 56,363 (1990 Census)

Mayor: Jose V. Torralba

Number of Barangays: 15

Land Area: 3,270.1 hectares

Feast Day: May 1; Patron Saint: St. Joseph

Tourist Attractions: Caingit Beach, Blood Compact Marker,

Plaza Rizal, Capitol Building

The city’s name originates form "tibilan" meaning curtain and "tagubila-an" meaning hide.

By virtue of R.A. Tagbilaran became a charactered city on July 1, 1966. With a gross income reaching 1.9 million peso mark, it was classified as a third class city. From the 1988 statistics, with the city budget reaching the 16 million mark, Tagbilaran is considered a fourth class city.

The first civil government of Bohol, independent from Spanish rule was formed in April, 1899 when Vice-Governor Salustiano Borja was an ex- officio Municipal President of Tagbilaran. The municipal president was then called "Kapitan or Gobernadorcillo" until it was changed to "President Municipal" in 1913, then finally to Mayor".

The Tagbilaran Church is one of the eight parishes founded in Bohol by the Jesuit missionaries in 1595. The church was turned over to the Recollects in 1768. The original church built by the Jesuit was burned on December 23,1798. It was then reconstructed and enlarged by Fr. Valero de San Pascual in 1839-1855. Fr. Jose Sanches had the tower constructed in 1884-1888. Fr. Escolastico Enciso improved the premises by placing iron cornices, tile flooring and chandeliers in the years 1888-1894.

It was not until the year 1595 that the work of conversion started in Bohol. After the expulsion of the Jesuits (the first missionaries to build stone churches in Bohol) the mission of the Recollect fathers took over in the year 1768. They were received without repugnance and were loved and respected and the relations continued without lapse until the present.

However, Fr. Lamberti (missionary of Jagna) and Fr. Morales of Inabanga were sacrificed by the followers of Dagohoy, Aranez, Baguio and Sanote who formed a body of insurgents in the mountains of Inabanga and Talibon.

Home of Senator Juan Torralba,Rep. Fermin Torralba, Gov. Bernabe Reyes, Gov. Salustiano Borja, Gov. Jacinto Borja, Gov. Macario Sarmiento, Gov. Fernando Rocha, Gov. Celestino Gallares, Gov. Rolando Batulid, Gov. Constancio Torralba, Rep. Genaro Vissara and Congresswoman Venice Borja Agana.