Labo, Camarines Norte

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Map of Camarines Norte showing the location of Labo

Labo is a 1st class municipality in the province of Camarines Norte, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 81,388 people in 15,786 households.

[edit] History

Before the name of "Labo" was known, its former name was "BUSOG-ON", a place of native inhabitants under the leadership of TARIK-KUDOOG" that is was said discovered by a former soldier of Capt. Juan de Salcedo in 1586 when they returned to the Bicol Peninsula during those time. BUSOG_ON from where the name BUSIGON(river), the largest and upper part of Labo river got its name.

Labo became a royal encomienda in 1591 owned by the King of Spain due to its abundant natural resources having 2992 persons or 648 whole tributes. The villages of this encomienda were closed together including a place known as "AGUETTE" except six villages having 70 tributes which were up the river four or five leagues from the capital. One priest furnished the instruction in this encomienda, namely the canon PAZ; but he made the following visits.

In 1600, there was a period of darkness in the history of Labo when encomienda system was abolished by Spain through Royal Order issued by the King due to some abuses by the encomienda system. In 1603, the Labo encomienda became an original Spanish pueblo but new group of Spanish conquistadores was released to Labo as per ordered from Alcadia Nueva Caceres who tookover in 1615 and made Labo a barrio and annexed to Indan (now Vinzons) where missionaries established its parish in 1581. In 1654 the place nearby what is now Labo river was known to the community as center of trade and commerce aside from religious festivities being conducted by Spanish missionaries for the cause of Christianity.

As early historians would write, the name LABO did not come from any legal decree now was there a public clamor for a name. It was actually a product of clashing languages that resulted in bumbling misinterpretation. It was said that a native was asked by coming Spaniards after a flood (under the leadership of Sgt. Manual Gonzalo de Villaceran, a missionary) a man with a boat came sailing across. The Spanish sergeant asked "QUE PUEBLO ESO ESTE" thinking that the sergeant was referring to the flooded Labo river, the native replied "MALABO PO ANG TUBIG" (the water is murky). The first word stuck since then.

In 1800, Labo was already included in the book of Agustin dela Cavada, Vol. 1 page 237 entitled CAVADA HISTORICAL DE FILIPINAS as one of the towns in the complete lists of all municipalities in the Philippines.

The Sangguniang Bayan passed a resolution #177-97, Ordinance #108 declaring September 8, 1800 as the creation of the municipality of Labo and approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution #325-97 dated September 19, 1997 and by the Governor dated September 29, 1997.