Tagbilaran Tourist Information

Tagbilaran has been christened the City of Friendship and Peace, something it earned for being one of the friendliest and most accommodating when it comes to foreign tourists and prospective business investors. As such, it has been the perennial starting area for people who want to explore Bohol and the surrounding islands.

Location

Tagbilaran is located in the southwest section of Bohol. To its south side is Cortes, and on the west is Baclayon, and a little to the southwest is the town of Corella. It is roughly some 630 km (380 miles) south from the Philippines’ capital city Manila and some 70 km (42 miles) from Cebu.

Facts and Figures

Province: Bohol

Region: Tagbilaran, Bohol is in the Central Visayas (Region VIII)
Number of Barangays: currently 15

Foundation: Tagbilaran was established as a town on 9 February, 1742. It was declared a city on 1 July, 1966.
Total Area: 33 sq. km (20 sq. miles). It also has about 13 km (8 miles) of coastlines.

Estimated Population: approximately 100,000

Economy & Industry

Because Bohol is one of the most popular tourist spots and destinations in the world, the city of Tagbilaran has naturally profited from this. Although tourism plays a vital role in the city’s growth, other industries have also benefited.

A good example would be the towns of Jagna, Tubigon and Talibon. All three are situated near the coast, and have experienced growth due to the number of businesses related to shipping that have sprung up. As for the city itself, the rate of investments have been growing yearly. Most involve setting up resorts, beaches and other tourism related activities.

Some of the most popular hotels and beach resorts are Bohol Tropics Resort, Hotel la Roca, the Meridian Hotel, Coco Grove Tourist Inn and Linaw Beach Resort. For exotic fruits and other local delicacies most of the popel flock to the Manga Public Market.
The number of prominent banking institutions in the city is indicative of the healthy business climate. There are currently over 20 different banks in Tagbilaran.

This naturally has spurned on development of commercial centers. Today any visitor to the city will find several shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and more. As tourist arrivals increase, it is widely expected that more like minded business ventures will be established by both local and foreign investors.

Educational System

There are several schools and universities in Tagbilaran, and what they all share in common is the quality of the graduates they produce. Among its many fine universities include the University of Bohol, Informatics Computer Institute, AMA Computer Learning College, PMI Colleges and BIT International College.

Transportation System

One of the reasons why Tagbilaran and Bohol in general is very popular among travelers is that it is not that far from Manila. From the nation’s capital, it will only take a one hour flight to the city, while a speedboat will take only slightly longer. Once in the city, there are plenty of motorized transport that can be used, from buses to jeepneys to vehicles for rent.

Historical Overview

Even before the Spaniards came, Tagbilaran was already thriving, the local peole there having established trade ties with neighboring countries, including Malaysia. Upon the arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565, the land and its people developed a peace accord with the foreign visitors. On 9 February, 1742, Baclayon was separated into two components, one of them becoming Tagbilaran, and was incorporated into the province of Bohol.

Tagbilaran and Bohol suffered the same fate as most of the Philippines did in 1942, falling under the rule of the Japanese Army. As they did during the Spanish and American occupation, the Boholanos engaged the Japanese in guerrilla warfare, and serval key victories were attained in Tagbilaran.