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Introduction
The island province of Bohol, or Bo-ol,
its original name, lies in the heart of the Visayas. Northwest of
Bohol is the province of Cebu; Leyte is on the northeast and on the
south is the Mindanao Sea. The terrain of the main island is rolling
and hilly. Towards the interior is a plateau dotted with numerous
haycock hills, popularly known as the Chocolate
Hills, a main tourist attraction.
Its total land area is 411,726 hectares
divided into 47 towns and 1 city. Tagbilaran, its capital, consists
of 15 barangays. Bohol has 1,114 barangays and three congressio­nal
districts. It is a first class province.
Bohol
is renowned as the site of the historic Blood Compact
of March 15, 1565 between the Filipino native leader Sikatuna and
the Spanish adventurer, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. Every year, the compact
between the Muslim chief and the Spanish conqueror is celebrated through
the Sandugo Festival in June. Bohol was the arena of the Dagohoy and
Tamblot rebellions against Spain. Dagohoy led the longest rebellion
in Philippine history which lasted for 85 years. The Boholanos also
fought bravely against the Americans. In the town of Jagna, a structure
was erected to commemorate one of the bloody encounters between the
Filipinos and the Americans.
Bohol was officially declared a province
under Republic Act 2711 on March 10, 1917.
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