The author posted his Albay Heritage Series beginning in May 2026 which consisted of 40 parts which he uploaded daily on his Facebook page. With his generous permission, we are posting this series from now through October.

PART 9: DARAGA CHURCH – THE PARISH OF NUESTRA SEŇORA DE LA PORTERIA

In 1772, the inhabitants of Cagsawa petitioned the national government to transfer to a settlement around the Santa Maria hill called Daraga. Governor General Simon de Salazar authorized the transfer of the town site to Daraga in a dispatch dated June 12, 1772. With that authority went the permission to construct a church. The people of Cagsawa immediately started to construct a church of stone masonry in keeping with the mandate of the Governor General. The transfer of the dwellings would follow thereafter. But Alcalde Mayor Fermin Zaldivar would resist the transfer. Sometime in 1801, the parish priests of Guinobatan, Camalig, Tabaco, Malinao, and Budiao under the leadership of Fray Pedro Licup, OFM, recommended that the transfer would not be practical, not feasible. Politicking among the civil authorities and the prevarication of religious authorities in taking appropriate immediate action stalled the transfer.

From 1801 until 1813, the records were silent on what went on in Cagsawa, Daraga, and Budiao except for the occurrence of a fearful earthquake on October 5, 1811. In the evening of January 31, 1814, tremors shook the surrounding towns. At 8:30 the next morning, February 1, 1814, Mayor Volcano unleashed its deadly fury. Fray Francisco Aragoneses, OFM, tired and sick, went to Putiao, built a little nipa hut and stayed there, suffering alone with no one visiting, no one taking him to the infirmary. He died alone.

Only when the devastated Cagsawa proved inhabitable was the transfer to Daraga done. Eventually, the former inhabitants of Cagsawa and Budiao settled and populated Daraga, but they paid dearly for the shortsightedness of their leaders. The records are silent as to when work on the church on the hill resumed. In 1851, the church transept and a bell tower storey were added by Vicente de Lillo, OFM. The church was finally consecrated in 1854 under the patronage of Our Lady of the Gate.

In 1971, the interior and especially the altar was remodeled to conform to the celebration of the Liturgy as renewed by the Vatican Council II. It was finished on December 8, 1973. In 1991, the altar was returned to its original position to be faithful to its original design.

One may ask: And why is the Daraga Church named after Our Lady of the Gate? The story stems from the life of the Fray Luis de San Jose, a simple Franciscan lay brother who lived in the 18th century and spend most of his life in the Franciscan convent in the city of Avila, Spain where he worked as a gardener and porter.

Allegedly, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him during the flood and saved his life. There upon he had a picture of the Virgin drawn by an artist and put it in the lobby of the convent where he often paid respect to his Lady. Not only did he venerate the picture of the Virgin Mary, but he also spread the devotion to the Immaculate Conception among the simple people who used to flock around the lobby of the convent to venerate her picture.

Now, the lobby of receiving room of the convent is called the Spanish porteria. That is why that picture came to be called Nuestra Señora de la Porteria. And since Fray Luis had led a saintly life, the Franciscan Friars who built the Daraga church put it in his memory under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Nuestra Señora de la Porteria or Our Lady of the Gate and had the feast celebrated on the Nativity of Our Lady on September 8th.

PART 10: THE BELL AND ITS TOWERS

Probably the most important feature of any church is its bell tower. When churches were erected during the early evangelization period in Albay by the Franciscan friars, the tower served as the focal point in the center of the pueblo or town. It was the tallest structure in town and people used it as reference point for finding directions. The bell in the tower was the “town crier” when calling residents for religious and social activities.

In churches near the sea, the bell and its tower served as the watchtower for sighting Muslim pirates who raided the coastal towns. People were alerted of the dangers brought about by pirates and thus served as alarm bells that would tell the people to ran to safe places away from the sea.

THE MYTH OF THE GOLDEN BELL OF CAGSAWA

There is a story about the belltower and the golden bell of the church in the town of Cagsawa. According to the old people of the place, the original bell of Cagsawa was made of gold. Thus, the church was constrantly raided by pirates and marauders anxious to get the bell. Once, when there were rumors that the Moro pirates were approaching the Albay Gulf, the people took the golden bell from the tower and dropped it in the waters of nearby Busay Falls.

The town was indeed raided but found no bell in the tower and no one squealed to reveal where the bell was hidden. But after the raiders left, the people could no longer find the bell after divers attempted to locate it where the people dropped it in the water. A mysterious man, whom many people believed to be a Tawong Lipod, said that the bell will remain hidden under the waters of the falls and that it would ring whenever the town is threatened by dangers such as piratical raids or any kind of calamity. Yet after many, many years nobody and ever after many calamities, no one heard the bell rang. In time the golden bell faded in the collective memory of the people.

Tales of golden bells became popular in many places during the Spanish colonization period. In Linao, Libon, Albay old people also believe that there was a golden bell in the very first church built on a hill sometime in late 1500s during the conquests of Juan de Salcedo and Pedro de Chavez. In fact, it was a popular tale all around the world, especially during the time of Alexander the Great when he was conquering many nations. Some elders, even today, claim that their ancestors believed that the bell in Cagsawa was made of gold. But gold is a malleable, soft, and pliable metal, and a bell made of gold, if it rings, would not create a sound loud enough to be hard by the residents of a whole village. Things that are golden were associated with objects inside a church probably to enhance the mystery of divine elements and to highlight the holiness of the place and of the veneration of God.

I remember the golden bell of Cagsawa because during the late 1960s, the myth was revived—and with a twist. The golden bell, according to the new rumors, was not actually brought to the Busay waterfalls, which was about a kilometer away, but fell on earth and was buried by lava under the church, during the catastrophic eruption of Mayon on February 1, 1814.

The myth comes to mind again because it is linked to the debate on whether or not the Cagsawa church was buried by lava during the eruption of 1814. In the late 1960s to early 1970s there were strong advocates who recommended that the church grounds be excavated to find out what important artifacts were buried under it. Some even cited the important excavations in the ancient city of Pompeii which was buried when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79.  There were traces of actual excavations in the area of Cagsawa in the 1970s. The excavations were abandoned because they probably realized that there were no objects of value beneath the earth.

Whatever remains in the area of the ruins must have been taken by the farmers who took over the abandoned area for the past 200 years. Only useless boulders and the mortared walls remain. In fact, many private persons acquired the entire area and successfully titled the lands during the American period when it was so easy to do it via the Torrens title land registration and land transfer system.

In conclusion, it is safe to say that the golden bell of the church of Cagsawa was just a myth; it has no historical basis, and nothing could be achieved by trying to dive the waters of Busay Falls or excavate the grounds around the church.

PART 11: THE ERUPTION OF MAYON VOLCANO ON FEBRUARY 1, 1814

According to Phivolcs, the “most destructive eruption” of Mayon on record” occured in February on Feb. 1, 1814, when it erupted with “plinian, pyroclastic flows” and “volcanic lightning and lahar.” Named after the Greek historian Pliny the Younger —who described the violent and spectacular destruction of Pompeii by Vesuvius’ eruption in AD 79— so-called Plinian eruptions are notable for their outpouring of hot gas, volcanic ash, and occasional pyroclastic flows. In Mayon’s Plinian eruption of 1814, some 1,200 deaths were reported, and Camalig, Cagsaua, Budiao, Guinobatan and half of Albay were damaged. [Source: gmanetwork.com, May 7, 2013]

One of the report of events translated in volume 51 of “Blair and Robertson” goes: “On February 1, 1814, a fearful eruption occurred in the volcano Mayon, which partially or wholly destroyed many villages in Albay and Camarines; hot stones, sand, and ashes were poured forth from the crater, and villages were thus set on fire, and their inhabitants killed. The slain numbered 12,000, besides many more seriously injured; and those who escaped lost all their possessions. The most fertile and beautiful districts of Camarines were converted into a desert of sand.” [Source: Ambeth R. Ocampo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 7, 2013]

“Reisen in den Philippinen,” which was first published in Berlin in 1873 and translated from the original German to Spanish and English in 1875, was written by Fedor Jagor, who travelled in southern Luzon. In a chapter on Mayon, he describes the February 1814 eruption, drawn from eyewitnesses. It goes: “At about 8 o’clock that morning, the volcano suddenly belched forth a thick column of rocks, sand and ashes which rapidly rose to a great height… the slopes of the volcano were covered and disappeared from our sight. A river of fire appeared below, threatening to engulf us. People fled in search of higher land. The darkness increased… the fugitives were subjected to falling rocks…. There was no security in the houses because the heated rocks caused fire. Thus, were converted into ashes the richest towns of Camarines.

 “About 10 o’clock the rain of large stones ceased, substituted by a rain of sand; and (by) 1:30 the noise somewhat diminished and the sky began clearing up. The ground was covered with cadavers and seriously wounded; in the church of Budiao were 200 people and in a house of that same town were 35 people. Five towns of Camarines were completely destroyed and a major part of the villa of Albay. Some 12,000 people died, very many were seriously wounded, and those who survived lost all their property. The volcano had a sad and horrendous aspect; its slopes previously so picturesque and cultivated, could be seen covered with sand; the blanket of rocks and sand had a thickness of from 10 to 12 yards. In the area where Budiao was located, the coconut trees were buried up to their crown… The most beautiful parts of Camarines, the most fertile regions of the province, had been converted into an arid desert of sand.”

An article on fabulousphilippines.com featured details about the eruption: “After a number of seismic shocks, a thick column of stones, sand and ash shot high into the air. The sides of the mountain were hidden by veils of ash, smoke and vapor. A fiery stream of lava dashed down the side of the mountain and the sky darkened. Then stones began falling to earth killing many people. Even houses offered no protection as the stones were red hot and set buildings on fire. After the eruption ceased, large numbers of dead and injured people lay everywhere. The whole town of Cagsawa was buried. Just the tops of buildings and coconut trees protruded from the debris. The formerly beautiful, cultivated slopes of Mt. Mayon were now just covered with sand and ash.” [Source: fabulousphilippines.com]

“One particularly sad incident occured when the priest of the church in Cagsawa church ordered the bells to be rung to warn the local people of the eruption. Hundreds of people took refuge in the church, but unfortunately the lava stream and accompanying ash surrounded and covered the church, killing about 200 people inside. Today the blackened remains of the church tower and of the priest’s house and convent house still remain to recall this poignant event. The survivors rebuilt their church and a new settlement nearby at Daraga.” [Ibid]

The most vivid description of the events that led to destruction of Cagsawa during the February 1, 1814, eruption of Mayon Volcano came from Friar Aragoneses, then curate of Cagsawa and Budiao. “On the early morning of that day, a Tuesday, a violent tremor took place. This was repeated at 4 am and thereafter in continuous succession until at 8 am, eruption began. The Mayon jettisoned a thick column of stones, sand and ashes into the sky and sent a stream of lava into the direction of Cagsawa, causing the townspeople to flee in search of higher ground. As the sky darkened and volcanic noises increased, a shower of huge and inflamed stones overtook and killed some of the fleeing people and caused others to momentarily take shelter in nearby huts. These were soon battered with rocks and flames that the refugees had no choice but to go out, covering themselves with whatever they could manage—bovine hides, tables, chairs, boards, tea trays, etc. Amidst the thick darkness, many sought refuge in tree trunks, bamboos, hedges and caves at the foot of Mayon. Even the wild animals sped down the volcano to find asylum in the towns. At around 10 am the falling stones were succeeded by a rain of thick sand until 1:30 pm when the volcanic noises diminished and the sky began to clear.

Around 2 pm the ensuing calm and light gradually revealed a ground littered with bodies dead, wounded or mangled. In Budiao, 200 died inside the ruined church and 35 in a single house alone. Without physicians, food or medicine, many of those wounded died immediately and in the following days. In the end more than 1,200 perished as a result of the eruption, over 20,000 were rendered homeless and five towns were destroyed: Cagsawa, Budiao, Albay, Camalig and Guinobatan. Aragoneses compared the the disaster to that which befell the Biblical pentapolis or five “cities of the plain.” It also inspired a blind poet from Ligao, nicknamed “Homer of Ibalón,” to compose a lament that only survives in Spanish translation by Friar Bernardino Melendreras. Budiao, the town nearest to Mayon, altogether ceased as an independent town.

The townsites of Camalig and Guinobatan were relocated to other visitas until their original sites were resettled. Albay eventually relocated to an interior site called Taytay where the Albay provincial capitol stands today. Meanwhile, the Cagsawa townsite was made all but habitable. Its twin centers of power, the casa real and ayuntamiento, were ruined. Only the battered walls remain to this day. Of the church only the bell tower, the apse and façade survived the eruption. A third of the structure is buried up to this day.

PART 12: THE DESTRUCTION OF CAGSAWA

When the entire settlement of Cagsawa was destroyed on February 1, 1814, by the eruption of Mayon Volcano the survivors transferred to the nearby settlement of Daraga. Some resettled in Putiao and Pilar in nearby Sorsogon. The areas of Cagsawa and Budiao, another settlement at the foot of Mayon Volcano, was unattended for over 120 years. 

There are no records of activity in the area, except for some residents who tilled the land between scattered huge boulders that came from Mayon. During the American period, starting 1903 when the Torrens Title System was established in the country, some residents of Daraga and nearby towns were quick to secure titles for the land in and around the Cagsawa area. Thus, some claim to own parcels of land inside the Cagsawa Ruins Park to this day.

In mid 1930s, the Cagsawa ruins were photographed by an American named Robert Pendleton, and his pictures started to appear in the journals of the Americans who came to colonize our country. People around the area started cleaning up the place and noticed that visitors to the area are beginning to grow. In no time, the site of the ruins became a tourist attraction.

Later, visitors became interested to know what really happened in Cagsawa. In the early 1960s, there were speculations that treasures might have been buried under the ruins. Some attempted to mine them but failed to find any. The reason was that the lava flow in 1814 did not reach Cagsawa. Some areas buried under mud and earth brought by flooding were soon levelled by tillers who planted rice in the area.

The ruins that remain above ground after 120 years of floods and weathering were the belltower, ruins of the church and the adjoining convento, the escuela, the casa real and the ayuntamiento. A small bridge was built over the Culiat River that flowed from the foot of Mayon Volcano through the front of the ruins, to Kilicao area, and to the Yawa River that flowed to the Albay Gulf.

The header shows a montage of the Nuestra Señora de la Porteria in Daraga, an archival photo of Mayon Volcano, and the bell tower of the Cagsawa Church ruins (credits, left to right: John Tewell, Photo Art Legazpi, Robert Pendleton)

About the author

Abdon M. Balde Jr., Poet Laureate of Albay, is a leading figure in contemporary Bikol and Filipino letters. He currently serves as consultant for Cultural Affairs of Albay’s 2nd Congressional District and has previously headed the province’s Historical‑Cultural Section as well as served as a Komisyoner of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino. A longtime leader in national and regional writers’ organizations, he has been active in the Writers Union of the Philippines, FILCOLS, WIKA, Kabulig Bikol, and the Albay Writers Group, and has also advised National Bookstore on literary matters. His achievements have been recognized with major honors, including the Southeast Asian Writers Award (2009), Ani ng Dangal (2010), the Outstanding Albayano Artist Award (2012), and multiple regional lifetime and literary distinctions.

A prolific author, Balde has published 26 books, four of which have won National Book Awards. His creative work spans poetry, fiction, drama, and libretto, including “Sayaw kan Tulong Bulod” and the CCP‑staged “Daragang Magayon, An Istorya ni Mayon.” He has received the NCCA Writers Prize for his work on the Bikol epic Ibalong and earlier won the Palanca Award and the Rokyaw Ibalong Most Outstanding Bikol Award. Born to farmer parents in Busac, Oas, Albay, he studied at St. Michael Academy and earned a civil engineering degree before spending 33 years in construction engineering. He later shifted fully to literature and now resides in Tiwi, Albay with his family and three dogs.