Most of the Bicol Region speaks some form of Bicolano. Central Bicolano is spoken in most of Camarines Norte, central and eastern Camarines Sur, western Catanduanes, and eastern Albay. Albay Bicolano is spoken in western Albay. Daraga speaks Albay Bicolano and Legazpi City speaks Central Bicolano. The Naga dialect of central Camarines Sur, the Buhi dialect of eastern Camarines Sur and the Legazpi dialect of eastern Albay are markedly different even though all are considered Central Bicolano. Most of Masbate Island, all of Ticao Island and southeastern Burias Island speak Masbate. Central Sorsogon Province speaks Sorsogon Masbate,a closely related language. Northwestern Camarines Norte speaks Tagalog, southwestern Masbate speaks Hiligaynon (like Panay), southeastern Masbate speaks Cebuano, and southern Sorsogon speaks Sorsogon Waray, similar to the Waray of Samar and Leyte.

Major Industries

Bicol´s basic products are coconut, palay, cassava, corn, abaca and coconut. Farming, forestry products, mining, rice and corn milling and fishing are its major sources of income. Small-scale manufacturing industries include food preservation, furniture making, woodcraft, loom weaving, fiber craft, shell craft, pottery, rattan craft and pili confectionery. There are significant deposits of gold, silver, lead, zinc, iron, nickel, chromite, copper and manganese. The region has large tracts of arable and grazing lands and extensive fishing grounds.

Specialty Food:

Pinangat is a delicious native dish prepared in bundles of taro leaves, filled with shredded taro leaves, bits of meat or shrimp, lots of chillies, ginger, garlic and onion ; then cooked steadily in coconut cream. Most main dishes in the region are based in gata and sili particularly the way vegetables are cooked. May it be banana blossom, jackfruit, or any edible plant, Bicolanos transform it into a delicious dish topped with chillies, which according to them best before a vigorous activities, Best of this food is located at Camalig, Albay

Longganisa de Guinobatan is a Filipino pork sausage originating from the town of Guinobatan in Albay, Philippines. It is a type of de recado longganisa. Each link is typically only 2 inches (5.1 cm) in length. It is made from lean pork, pork fat, salt, sugar, garlic, saltpeter, and black pepper. Unlike other Philippine sausages, the meat is uniquely chopped by hand. The dish is celebrated in the annual “Longganisa Festival” of Guinobatan.

Kinalas is a very popular dish in Naga City, a very hearty delicious noodle soup dish made with either beef or pork meat extracted near the bony parts like face or leg, brains and a shrimpy garlicky brown gravy. The original kinalas was first seen in Dayangdang St where an old man (name unknown) used to sell them, it dates back earlier than the 80’s or even the 70’s. Original version also used beef as its meat but with its recent popularity new version now use pork meat and brains.

This is the Bicol regions version on the famous mami and a lot of Bicolano’s enjoy this specially with chillies on the side. There are several qualities in this dish that makes it stand out from the rest of the noodle soup dishes. First is that the meat should be “kinalas” or removed and extracted from the bones, these meats texture is better than other parts since it’s near the bones, like comparing chicken breast meat with thigh or leg meat. Another key element is its gravy, while this is a kept secret and each vendor have their own well-guarded recipe it is easily reverse engineered. Made with dried shrimps, vinegar and fish sauce it has a near similar taste as the palabok gravy.

Famous Activities/Festivals

Pabirik Festival February 1-2 (Paracale, Camarines Norte) Held in the town of Paracale, the festival is highlighted by street dancing, depicting the gold mining industry in the province.

 Bicol Arts Festival February 1-28 (Legazpi City) A week-long festival showcasing the regional arts and culture, crafts and agro-industrial products coming from the six (6) provinces and three (3) cities of Bicol. It coincides with the celebration of the National Arts Month every February.

Tinagba Festival February 11 (Iriga City) A tradition of the first harvest offering coinciding on the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes. Derived from the early rituals of the ancient Bicolanos offering their harvest to their own gods as a form of thanksgiving and to seek favor for a more bountiful harvest throughout the year. A long parade of colorfully and grandiosely decorated bull and carabao carts, carrying newly harvested crops, ending with a mass before the Emerald Grotto at Calvary Hills. Here all the offerings are blessed, then distributed to indigent families.

Harana: Karantahan nin Pagranga (A Music Festival)February 14 (San Jose, Camarines Sur) The festival feature local talents and young artists in its efforts to promote cultural awareness, tourism development and youth empowerment in the District of partido. Highlighted by the Bicol Love Song Choral Competition. Other activities are lined up to drumbeat the affair.

Himag-ulaw Festival February 17 (Placer, Masbate) A celebration of praise and thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest in farming or good catch in fishing expressed through various forms of activities like street dancing, beauty competition, games and contests, food fairs, among others.

Rodeo Masbate April 6-8 (Masbate) Hold on to your horses, caballeros, its rodeo time in Masbate once again! Feel the excitement as our local cowboys pit their brains against bovine brawn in western style rodeo events like bull riding and sterr wrestling, apart from our local games like the good old carabao race. So put on them boots and saddle up its gonna be a rope-slinging, dust-kicking, cowpunching affair.

Partido Baybayon Festival April 26-28 (Sagñay, Camarines Sur) This festival showcases the different tourism areas in the district and launch the municipality of Sagñay as summer capital of Partido. Visitors converge in Nato shoreline or Baybayon in local dialect where various activities are featured.

Butanding Festival April 28-30 (Donsol, Sorsogon) A festival which ushers the Butanding (whaleshark season) and a thanksgiving for the blessings that it give to the people of Donsol. The festival is highlighted by a street parade.

Boa-Boahan Alinsangan Festival May 1 (Nabua, Camarines Sur) A colorful cultural festival of pagan origin. Derived from the dialect, alinsangan, a word that describes the characteristics of the people living in the early settlements. It is a festival showing fertility and thanksgiving. Fertility, because Boa was taken from the young embryo of the coconut and thanksgiving for it was their only source of food after the ravage of floodwaters.

Magayon Festival May 1-31 (Albay) A festival in the merry month of May, showcasing Albay as it comes to age, its cultural heritage, trade, travel and tourism beyond Majestic Mount Mayon. The festival includes various activity such as beauty pageant, photo/art exhibit, street parade, trade fair, sports fest, guided tours, etc.

Dayaw Dalan Festival May 1-3 (San Jacinto, Ticao Island, Masbate) Dayaw is an old Ticaonon term which means to show off, parade or display. In its strictest meaning, dayaw is to present with pride what is distinctly and essentially inherent in a person. Dalan on the other hand, means in olden times, a mountain trail which now includes path, street and highway. Dayaw Dalan Festival symbolizes the best of what the municipality of San Jacinto have as a town and as a people. The festival is held in honor of its patron saint, Santo Cristo de Burgos.

Palong Festival May 10-13 (Capalonga, Camarines Norte) Higlighted by a street dancing and agro industrial fair which expresses local folks gratitude for their town´s name etymology and signifies the abundant presence of rooster available in the locality. Held also in celebration of their Black Nazarene Feast Day on May 13.

Sarung Banggi Festival May 18-25 (Sto. Domingo, Albay) A fun-filled 8-day summer activity to immortalize the song Sarung Banggi and pay tribute to its composer Potenciano Gregorio. It showcases a variety of cultural and religious activities, food and sports fest, Beauty Search, folksong fest, agro-industrial fair and many more.

Catandungan Padayaw Festival May 20-24 (Virac, Catanduanes) Padadyaw is an old Catandunganon term which means to show one´s best with pride and dignity coupled with excitement. This is a street-dancing of delegation per town to the tune of Pantomina. The towns are encouraged to flaunt its own image by associating its delegations costume and dance to what the town is best known for.

Kaogma Festival  May 21-27 (Camarines Sur) A week-long celebration of the of the foundation anniversary of the Province of Camarines Sur. The festival features numerous activities such as cultural expositions, sports events, beauty pageant, procession and Grand Parade.

Padaraw Festival  May 30 (Bulan, Sorsogon) A festival showcasing colorful costumes fashioned from the abaca fiber. It is highlighted by a grand street presentation wherein the participants are clad in colorful costumes using the abaca fibers.

Tabak Festival  June 16-21 (Tabaco City) Held in conjunction with the celebration of the City´s 1st Foundation Anniversary. The festival derived its name from a local word Tabak, meaning bolo, where the name of the City (Tabaco) was taken from. Its highlight is a street presentation where participants showcases the legend of the City. Numerous other activities are lined up to drum beat the affair.

Pili Festival June 20-29 (Sorsogon, Sorsogon) Pili is an indigenous crop of Bicol region, particularly Sorsogon. This festival showcases the Pili, the primary purpose of which is to emphasize its importance and to increase the awareness of the public on its various economic uses. One way of doing this is through a street dance presentation, a highlight of the festival. The street dance presents the three (3) stages of Pili, from green (young fruit) to violet (half-mature) to black (mature) nuts and how it is being processed into different kinds of sweets and delicacies.

Ginubat Festival June 11-12 (Gubat, Sorsogon) A festival based on the roots of the town of which its name was derived. It features the following activities: cultural street parade, exhibits, sailboat race, beauty pageant, fiesta celebration and the Balik-Gubat which is the highlight of the festival.

Mercedes Fishtival August 6-11 (Mercedes, Camarines Norte) It is a fishermen holiday celebration, in which said festivity is dedicated as a time of annual thanksgiving for the blessings and bounty received from the Almighty during the seafaring, fishing expeditions and fish farming endeavors. The fishtival is not only a week-long merry making but also a moment of retrospect and recognition of Mother Nature for having endowed Mercedes with a gift of vast fishery resources, magnificent shorelines and other aquatic potentials and the wise utilization and preservation of ecological balance for the attainment of environmental dignity and beauty.

Coron Festival August 15-17 (Tiwi, Albay) Coron is a Bicol dialect meaning clay-pot or potteries of which the town of Tiwi is popularly known for. Thus, the festival’s main feature is the municipalities pottery industry which is done with skills passed from parents to children and perfected through long years of practice without the benfit of written manuals. Highlight of the festival is a Street Presentation.

Pilgrimage to Joroan 3rd Saturday of August (Joroan, Tiwi, Albay) Every 3rd Saturday of August, thousands of devotees flocked to this coastal town in Albay to pay homage to the miraculous image of Our Lady of Salvation, Patroness of albay. It is highlighted by a maritime procession after a mass at Joroan Church. The image is carried by the menfolks down to the beach where a large and well-decorated trawl boat is docked. An entourage of similarly decorated pumpboats follow, carrying the pilgrims and devotees to the shores and village at Sogod where a concelebrated mass is held again.

Daragang Magayon Festival August 26-September 8 (Daraga, Albay) A historical and religious celebration in honor of the town´s patron saint, Our Lady of the Gate. It aims to showcase the cultural life of Daraguenos. Various colorful activities are lined up for this celebration.

Voyadores Festival  3rd Friday of September (Naga City) Borne on the shoulders of her male devotees, and her voyage back in a fluvial procession along the Bicol River. It is named after the male devotees (voyadores) who accompany and carry the Virgin´s image in a procession called Traslacion for a Novena at the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Penafrancia Festival 3rd Saturday of September (Naga City) A religious festival honoring the feast day of Our Lady of Penafrancia, Patroness of the Bicol Region. The festivity begins on the second Friday of September when the Image of the Virgin of Penafrancia is carried by hundreds of male devotees from her shrine to Naga Cathedral. Main highlight is the fluvial procession along the Naga River.

Himoloan Festival  September 28-29 (Oas, Albay) This festival commemorates the Patronal Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. Himoloan literally means pag-atang or tinagba (offering). Thus, it is the time of the year when the faithful honor their patron, St. Michael on the Feast of the Archangels by offering to him not only material goods but the talents that God bestowed upon all as well. Its highlight is the Himoloan street presentation and the Carrosa Contest wherein it is participated by the different barangay and is also open to other barangays of other nearby towns to gather and bring the carrosa/andas of their patron decorated with their produce as well as native materials found within their reach.

Hin-Ay Festival  September 28-29 (Irosin, Sorsogon) This festival is a commemoration of the feast day of the town´s Patron Saint, St. Michael the Archangel, and at the same time a rediscovery of the town´s cultural heritage. The festival traces the struggles of the people of Irosin at various stages of its history and aims to renew the enthusiasm and faith among people for sustained involvement in community building. Various activities include: Mardi Gras, which depicts the victory of the Archangels over the Black Angel, cultural show, agro-trade fair, beauty pageant, food festival, among others.

Ibalong Festival October (Legazpi City) A festival depicting Bicol´s early beginning as portrayed by the characters in the epic entitled IBALONG. The name was the early nomenclature of Bicol region. It showcases many superheroes such as Handiong, Baltog and Bantong among others. The festival is highlighted by a street presentation where masks of heroes and villains are paraded on mainstreets, combined with song and dances. Other activities include trade fair, art exhibit, sports fest such as the triathlon, guided tours, beauty pageant and other colorful competitions.

Kasanggayahan Festival  October 15-25 (Sorsogon, Sorsogon) This festival was derived from the dialect which means prosperity and happiness. It is a joyous celebration held primarily to commemorate the Foundation Anniversary of Sorsogon since its establishment as a separate province from Albay. The highlight is the Pantomina sa Tinampo participated in by LGUs, schools, NGOs and other civic organizations.

Pastores Bicol December 18 (Legazpi City) An interpretative folk festival related to the celebration of Christmas tradition. It reenacts the rejoicing shepherds who sang the first Christmas Carol during the birth of Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Locally known as pastores, here they are clad in colorful costumes with the traditional arc and musikeros as they sing and dance to the tune of Pastores a Belen.

Kamundagan Festival  December 1-31 (Naga City) In the month of December, Naga City opens its door for a whole month in celebrating its charter anniversary and the Birth of Christ with the cooperative efforts of Camarines Sur and Naga City. The festivity seeks to boost tourism, expand business and provide livelihood opportunities by showcasing various activities, the highlights of which are the kiri-kiti, pastoras, beauty search, agro-industrial fair, civic parade, cultural shows and other colorful events.

Population, Land Area and Income Classification of Region 5

• The population of the Bicol Region reached 5,106,160 as of Aug. 1, 2007, growing at an average annual rate of 1.44 percent between 1995 and 2007. A region rich in history and natural resources, Bicol is inhabited by hospitable, smiling and fun-loving people. The Region has a total land area of roughly 18,130.4 square kilometers, 6.0 percent of the country´s total land area.