Region 5 (Bicol Region)

 Bicol region is known as Region V

 its capital city is Legazpi city.
 It is located in the southeastern part of Luzon island
 Bicol Region compose of six provinces and this are:

•Albay

•Camarines Norte

•Camarines Sur

•Catanduanes

•Masbate

•Sorsogon

Albay (HOME OF THE PERFECT CONE MAYON VOLCANO)

CAPITAL: LEGAZPI CITY

Food and delicacies

•Bicol Express

This Bicol's spicy dish is the most popular in the country. Many think this originated here in Bicol, but
its recipe was actually based on the original Malate creation. However, the natives here in Bicol have
made their version. It is a meat dish mixed with coconut milk. sautéed shrimp paste, and chili. The
spiciness and saltiness add to the flavor, making it perfect with rice. You can find this anywhere in the
Philippines, but nothing beats the taste of Bicol expresses cooked here in Albay.

•Pinangat

Another signature dish is the "pinangat. which is also prepared with meat, chili, coconut milk, and
taro leaves (gabi leaves). It is a variant of "laing," but the only difference is that it is wrapped in taro
leaves. There are also other variations of pinangat, which are filled with sardines, catfish, or tuna.

The best pinangat is in Camalig, Albay, and it is freshly served, either hot or frozen. Your Albay
getaway won't complete if you don't buy frozen pinangat because this is usually one of the treats
visitors would bring home.
•Inulukan

This aromatic dish is also another version of laing and almost the same pinangat but with slight
recipes. Inulukan is made from the shredded meat of river crabs (ulok) then wrapped in several layers
of taro leaves (gabi) cooked with line and coconut milk. You can also check out the stores along the
street of Camalig that offer individually packed frozen Inulukan available for taking out or pasalubong
to your loved ones. Isn't it good to bring this typical dish to your family or friends? Let them try it too!

•Pili Nut Candy

For local dessert, look no further! Head on to Legazpi City, Albay. The town is also known for its native
premium pili nuts. You can experience here the unique taste of Philippine nuts. One of the most
trusted stores that offer the best pili nut candies and other products made of Pili is the Albay Pilinut
Candy located here in Legazpi City. There are so many variants of pill candies that you can choose
from. The best-sellers are Mazapan De Pili, Caramelitos, Salted Pili, Butternuts, Pastillas, and Sesame
seed coated pili nuts. Prices are very affordable here

•Tiwi Halo Halo

The Bicol's most popular halo-halo is in Tiwi. Albay, at the DJC Halo-Halo. This has a unique, tasty
blend of sweet and salty flavor. Its finely mixed ingredients are genuinely a reflection of Albayano's
style. It is a concoction of snowy perfect shaved ice, minatamis na saba (bananas cooked in sugar
syrup), and ube halaya (purple yam). In addition, it also has Leche flan and fruit salad to bring the
signature taste to the whole experience. Indeed, your trip will surely be a sweet escape!

•Daragang Magayon Festival

The reason for this celebration dates back to ancient days following the death of the love- struck
woman, Daragang Magayon. Folklore has it that the death of the beautiful woman resulted in the
creation of the Mayon Volcano. The floating clouds, the locals believe, are symbolic of the spirit of
Daragang's lover. Little wonder the name of the festival, Magayon Festival, is actually derived from a
local word that means 'beautiful'. During the celebrations, the streets come alive with the presence of
diverse cultural events where the locals showcase their traditional way of life.

•Paroy festival

The festival, celebrated every July 21-25, reflects on the town's main source of living "paroy" or rice
and known as the rice granary of Albay.
Date, May 19 - 27

Venue, Sto. Domingo, Albay

Brief Description, Celebrating the crystal anniversary of the Sarung Banggi Festival this year, this
colorful and igniting festivity commemorates the birth of the composer of the immortal love song
Sarung Banggi, Potenciano V. Gregorio. It is known for the annual Parade of the Dancing lights where
every barangay showcases impressive interpretation of the song, Sarung Banggi. Contingents parade
their dazzling cultural presentations along with their Spanish era portrayed costumes downtown aft

twilight. Another main

event is the Potenciano

Tourist attractions

• MAYON VOLCANO

• CAGSAWA RUINS

•DARAGA CHURCH

Camarines Norte

Province of Camarines Norte , is a province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its
capital is Daet. Comprises of 12 municipalities. The province borders Quezon to the west, Camarines
Sur to the south, and the Philippine Sea to the north. It has historically been a Bikol-speaking region.

Religion

The majority of the population are followers of Roman Catholic church with 93%[citation needed] of
the population adherence, while the rest of the people's faith is divided by several Christian groups
such as Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Aglipayan Church, Iglesia ni
Cristo (INC), Baptists, Methodists, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist, other
Christians and also Muslims which demographic is mostly traced to Mindanao.

Festivals
The Bantayog Festival

The Bantayog Festival - is a historical commemorating festival in Camarines Norte that features the
first Rizal monument which is also the centerpiece of the celebration held simultaneous with the
foundation anniversary of the province.

The Pineapple (pinyasan) Festival

Pinyasan (Pineapple) Festival showcases Camarines Norte's premier agri-product which is the
sweetest pineapple called Formosa.

Palong Festival

The Palong festival coincides with the feast of the Black Nazarene and is celebrated through street
dancing and an agro-industrial fair to which the natives express their gratitude for the abundance of
ornamental plants known as rooster combs or “palong manok”.

Delicacies

Pandecillos-This is a kneaded dough baked with an evenly spread sweet blend of pili and condensed
milk filling cut into tiny bite-sized pieces

Angko-A rice ball made of glutinous rice filled with crushed roasted peanuts well mixed with
condensed milk.

Kinakaw-Kinakaw is a ring-like golden brown pastry product made of flour and batter fried in low heat
to bring off a crackly sound. It is incorporated with caramelized sugar until entirely coated.

Tourist Spots
Mahabang Buhangin

Mercedes Group of Islands

Nacali Falls

Cadig Cave

Pineapple Island Resort

Camarines Sur
-the largest among the six provinces in the bicol region both by population and land area.

-its capital city is Pili

- it is popular as home to the world's smallest fish, the sinarapan.

-Rinconada Bikol or simply Rinconada spoken in the province of camarines sur is one of the several
languages that compose the inland (Bikol or southern bicol ) group of the bicol macrolanguage.

Foods and delicacies of Camarines Sur

•Kinalas

Kinalas consists of noodles, scraped meat from a pig or cow's head and its other parts, thick deep-
brown sauce from a pig or cow’s brain, and spices. Kinalas is served in hot broth perfect for your
merienda time in your own space.

•Sinarapan

The province is also known as the “home of the smallest edible fish in the world”. This edible fish is
called SINARAPAN or TABYOS which can be found in the Lake of Bato and Buhi. This fish was first
discovered by Dr. Hugh Smith, an American Ichthyologist who was the director of the "Albatross"
expedition for investigation of fisheries and aquatic resources in the Philippines from 1907 to 1910.

•Sili Ice cream

Sili Ice Cream is made of coconut cream. Its major ingredient, “siling labuyo”, makes it unique from
other ice creams. This hot yet cold ice cream has a different level of spiciness. It was originally
introduced by a Bicol-based restaurant, “1st Colonial Grill”, which can be found in Naga City and
Legazpi, Albay.

•Pili Nuts
A Pili nut tastes like pumpkin seed when raw, and takes an entirely different identity when roasted. It
is soft yet crisp, with an easy crunch that melts in your mouth, making it a favorite snack of Bicolanos.
A Pili nut has lots of flavors, with caramelized as the common one. Caramelized Pili nuts can be found
in any pasalubong center like CARAMEL PILI at Brgy. Cadlan, Pili, near the maaliwalas community of
Lessandra Pili, bus terminals, and markets around Naga City.

•Laing Pizza

Pizza is not only famous in Italy, but also in the Philippines. Bicol has its own version of pizza, the
LAING PIZZA, which can be found in the restaurant of Camarines Sur Watersports Complex located
also at Brgy. Cadlan, Pili.

Tourist attractions in Camarines Sur

•Panicuason Hot spring resorts

Panicuason Hot Spring Resort is one of the popular tourist spots in Camarines Sur nested at the foot of
a potentially active volcano, Mount Isarog. It is a well maintained resort surrounded by trees and
verdant canopy forest.

• Basilica of our Lady of Peñafrancia

Peñafrancia Basilica Minore commonly known as Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church is an 18th century
Roman Catholic Church in Camarines Sur.

• Naga Metropolitan Cathedral

The Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, formally the Metropolitan Cathedral and Parish of Saint John the
Evangelist, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines. It is the seat of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caceres.

Festivals in Camarines Sur

•Tinagba Festival,

February 11

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.

•Harana Festival (feb 11-15)

Held in the municipality of San Jose, 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.

•Karanowan Festival (feb15)

This fish-tival was derived from a local dialect "Ranow" meaning lake, spawned of giving significance
to the beautiful Lake Bato, which is teemed with numerous species of fishes such as the well-known
"tabios", tilapia nilotica, carp, eel and many others.

Province of Catanduanes, is an island province located in the Bicol Region of Luzon in the Philippines.
It is the 12th-largest island in the Philippines, and lies to the east of Camarines Sur, across Maqueda
Channel. Its capital is Virac. Comprises of 11 municipalities.

Catanduanes

The province comprises Catanduanes (mainland or main island), Panay Island, Lete Island, the
Palumbanes group of islands (Porongpong, Tignob and Calabagio), and a few other small, surrounding
islets and rocks. The province is also home to various mollusk fossil sites, notably the second-oldest
ammonite site in the Philippines.

In the early 1900s, Catanduanes was a sub-province of Ambos Camarines. Later, it was a sub-province
of Albay. It became an autonomous province in 1945. Congressman Francisco Perfecto filed House Bill
No. 301, which separated the province from Albay; the bill was approved on September 26, 1945, and
signed into law by President Sergio Osmeña.

On April 15, 2022, President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the Republic Act No. 11700 declaring
Catanduanes province as the Philippines Abaca Capital.

Tourist Spots

 Binurong Point
  PAG-ASA Weather Radar Station
 Nahulugan Falls
 Hiyop Point

Delicacies

 Latik - This famous kakanin is a sticky rice treat made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and
additional malunggay juice to enhance the flavor and color.
 Steamed Mud Crabs- It is often cooked in gata and ginger and is best eaten with a Pako salad
with tomatoes and onions on the side.
 Camoteng Kahoy in caramelized brown sugar-simple local dessert usually made with cassava,
brown sugar, vanilla extract plus water.
 Bicol Express-It’s usually a combination of the following ingredients: minced garlic and onion,
coconut milk, pork belly, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Bicolano says that to make your
Bicol Express the real deal, don’t use cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Masbate (RODEO CAPITAL)

CAPITAL: Masbate city

Tourist spot

Butod Sandbar and Reef Marine Sanctuary is one of the best tourist spots in Masbate, a 250-hectare
reef and marine sanctuary off the coasts of the capital city. The main attractions of the sanctuary is its
iconic sandbar and planted mangroves. This site is a famous picnic ground in the province where
kiosks can be found for some shades.

2. Palani White Beach

Palani White Beach is considered as the most famous white beach in the province of Masbate. It is a
10-kilometer long stretch of white sand beach dotted with coconut trees and few nipa huts in a
secluded cove on the southwestern coasts of the town of Balud. The vast expanse and long stretch of
white sand beach is very ideal for beach sports such as beach volleyball and Frisbee. It's gradually
sloping seafront and calm waters where visitors can scale down the comfortable depth is perfect for
swimming. There is a resort in the area with nature friendly facility designs where visitors can stay.

3. Animasola Island
Animasola Island is one of the most popular tourist spots in Masbate, a stunning island of beautiful
rock formations. The island is largely composed of fascinating layers of sedimentary rocks forming
parallel lines that most visitors described as an old torn book dropped from the sky. As imaginative as
visitors can be,

4. Tinalisayan Island

Tinalisayan Island is another beautiful natural attraction in Masbate situated off the east coasts of
Burias Island. The main attraction of the island is its beautiful long stretch of sandbar and crystal clear
turquoise waters ideal for swimming and snorkeling. Moreover, the island is surrounded with
stretches of white sand beach mixed with corals, rock formations, groups of slate rocks for those who
are fond of rock balancing art and several trees at its center. For a splendid view, visitors can trek atop
the noticeable rocky hill overlooking the sandbar and sea horizon.

Food and delicacies

Pinakro

Many residents in Masbate grew up having pinakro – or ginataang saging - na saba - as their
merienda, paired with coffee. Pinakro can use cassava or saba, and can be served hot or cold.

The cooking process is similar to chicken curry, only we use something sour, like tamarind or batuan
fruit, instead of a curry mix. We also put saba and wild ube for a thicker sauce. Just imagine sinigang
na manok, with coconut juice as the soup and that's sinangkutsa. Swear you'll crave for extra rice!

Kandingga

If you know bopis (sautéed pork/beef lungs and heart), it's easier to relate to this dish, because only
the coconut juice makes kandingga different. For Masbatenos, it's prepared extra spicy.

Pinakul-aw na daing

Tired of daing (dried fish) for breakfast? You can prepare it for lunch or dinner by cooking pinakul- aw.
Pinakul-aw is simply ginataang daing with malunggay. The cooking preparation is really easy - first,
bring coconut juice with onions and garlic to boil, then add the dried fish, pepper, chili and
malunggay. Since it's already salty, there's no need for seasoning.

Ginataang Kurot

Kurot or wild yam with coconut juice is can also be served for breakfast, merienda, or as a snack.
However, the preparation of kurot itself is not easy, because of its poisonous nature, so it's best to
buy directly from vendors.

Some people consider offering it first to an animal before eating it.

When cooking, make sure to bring the kurot to a boil for a longer time, and wait until it softens before
putting in the coconut juice. It can be served sweet or salty.

SORSOGON

*Sorsogon is known as the 'Land of Kasanggayahan' or 'A Life of Prosperity'. From its amazing tourists
destinations to its heart-warming and friendly Sorsoganons, the Province has a lot to offer. Click on
each marker to check out some of the most popular tourist destinations in the province of Sorsogon

 CAPITAL CITY: SORSOGON CITY

 SORSOGON CITY covers 31,292 hectares (312 sq. Km)
 Sorsogon name was originally spelled “Solsogon” in most old Spanish maps.
 The root word “solsog” is a bikol for “going against the current”.