Brief History of Ligao City

Ligao began in the 16th century as a little town called as Cavasi. Cavasi and its nearby towns,
such as Polangui and Oas, were already involved in trade. Cavasi was a vital link in the trade network,
but the road leading to it is prone to flooding during the wet season. Merchants, or "viajeros," as they
were known at the time, were forced to take a detour, or "licau." People began to refer to the detour as
"Likaw" when it progressed beyond the Cavasi village and its population grew dramatically. Cavasi was
quickly replaced by Likaw, and Ligao was born.

Ligao gets its name from the Filipino word "ticao," which refers to a once-abundant tree whose
poisonous leaves were utilized to catch fish in rivers and creeks

According to one version of this narrative, "Ligao" came from the Tagalog term "Ligaw," which
means "to court or gain the heart of a woman." The location was famed for its gorgeous maidens, which
enticed eligible young men from all over the world to come and try their luck at love. When one of these
groups of men came across Spanish soldiers, they inquired about the location's name. The young men
mistook the foreigners for inquirers and responded with "Manliligaw" (going courting). The Spaniards
began calling the area "Manliligaw," which was ultimately abbreviated to "Ligao," which is simpler to
pronounce.

Cavasi was occupied by peaceful people who did brisk business, luring locals from surrounding
areas to settle in the burgeoning community. Soon after, a power struggle erupted among the
organization's more ambitious and aggressive leaders, causing internal strife. Hokoman, one of the
chieftains or Maginoos, regarded himself as superior to the others - Pagkilatan, Maaban, Sampogan,
Makabongay, and Hokoman. Rivalry and the pursuit of power bred turmoil and instilled terror in the
once-peaceful residents. According to historian Father Felix de Huerta, a Spanish Corporal was able to
bring the chieftains together and put an end to the territorial disputes. Chieftain Pagkilatan was also
named the new supreme head of the entire colony by the chieftains. Finally, quiet and tranquility
returned.

Politically, socially, and commercially, the settlement flourished. In 1606, the settlement was
established as a barrio of Polangui, and in 1665, it was transferred to Oas. In the meantime, Cavasi
became known as "Ligao," and in 1666 it became an independent municipality.

The Municipality of Ligao was designated as a Component City of the Province of Albay in the
latter half of 1998 by then Mayor Fernando V. Gonzalez. On February 21, 2001, President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act 9008, which had cleared both houses of Congress. Ligao's
conversion to a city was approved by a plebiscite on March 24, 2001, with 17,754 votes in favor and
1,387 votes against. Ligao was declared a component city by the Commission on Elections on the same
day, making it the Bicol Region's sixth city.
 Some suggest the name Ligao comes from the word "ticau," which refers to a once-common
tree whose poisonous leaves were utilized to catch fish in rivers and creeks. According to legend, a troop
of Spaniards came across some natives standing by a ticau tree and inquired about the location's name.
The natives mistook the Spaniards' question for a reference to the tree and responded with "tigaw."
"Tigaw" was mispronounced as "Ligao" by the Spaniards.

However, the most widely acknowledged origin of the word "Ligao" was "licau," which meant
"to go the long way around" or "to go off the beaten path."

Ligao began in the 16th century as a little town called as 'Cavasi.' It expanded in population as
indigenous from adjacent settlements moved in. Power struggles among ambitious and aggressive
leaders eventually produced difficulty, causing fractures within the community. Pagkilatan, Maaban,
Sampogan, Makabongay, and Hokoman were the five divisions led by maginoos (chieftains). With the
assent of the other chieftains, Chieftain Pagkilatan was appointed supreme leader over the entire
settlement, and peace was restored.

The town began as a Polangui barrio in 1606, was given to Oas in 1665, and then became an
autonomous municipality in 1666. After a plebiscite, it was granted city status on March 24, 2001, with
an overwhelming Yes result of 17,754 versus 1,387 No votes.

Ligao gets its name from the Filipino word "ticao," which refers to a once-abundant tree whose
poisonous leaves were utilized to catch fish in rivers and creeks. Most Ligaoenos, on the other hand,
believe that the term Ligao came from the word "licau," which means "to turn away from the
conventional or usual road."

Reference

https://ligaocity.albay.gov.ph/brief-history/

http://rsso05.psa.gov.ph/Albay-Tourism/Ligao%20City/Ligao%20City.html#:~:text=The%20town
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