Migrants dating back to the 12th century stray towards the Bicol archipelago. An odd mixture of merchants and adventurers, one group lands in Albay and open up small settlements. A settlement grows near the foot of Mayon Volcano.

Capt. Juan de Salcedo arrives in the settlement near Mayon Volcano and legend has it, falls in love with local beauty. Using the names of the King and Queen of Spain as excuse, Capt. de Salcedo declares the settlement part of the Crown. He christens the settlement "Budiao" after a popular native of the same name.

Mayon Volcano start acting up. The natives of Budiao froze in terror. The horror of past eruptions are still fresh in the memory. Everyone packs up and leave. The evacuees settle elsewhere and a new settlement is born. Cagsawa.

The new settlement of Cagsawa undergoes an economic revolution of sorts. It becomes rich and famous that dirty, rotten Dutch pirates visit the place sometime in 1630 while the Cagsaweños are celebrating a feastday and plunder the whole settlement. Not satisfied, the scoundrels burn everything in sight, Cagsawa, however, recovers and become richand famous for the second time.

Prosperity was so benumbing that it made many Cagsaweños complacent and self-indulgent. It took another impending eruption to rouse them from their complacency. Immediately, they petition Governor General Simon de Anda to relocate. Their petition granted, they find another settlement which some clown proposed should be named after their master, Capt. Juan de Salcedo. For a while the name "Salcedo" was tolerated, until the womenfolk protested and the settlement hencefort was named "araga". Just what they found so distasteful about "Salcedo" remains a mystery.

Cagsawa is erased from the face of the earth. The eruption on February 1, 1814 is equivalent to a hundred tons of TNT. Thousands perish. The survivors again flee to higher ground, not sure which high is high enough to escape the wrath of the volcano.

On a small hill they eventually settle down, the womenfolk outnumbering the men, and here they build a stone church. Mainly on account of their persistence and faith in God, the new settlement prospered and a new government was finally organized in 1815 with one Venancio Salomon appointed as "mayor".

Daraga is declared part of the Legazpi City under the Becerra Law of 1892. Daragueños gnash their teeth in disgust. The status remain in effect until the Filipino-American War of 1900. In 1922, Daraga regained its autonomy. It is however, again incorporated to Legazpi City in 1948, when Legazpi becomes a city for the second time.

In June 8, 1954 R.A 993 created the Municipality of Daraga, dissolving the city of Legazpi. Daragueños are confused. The name-change prove to be so unpopular that another R.A (4994) restores the original name. In 1973, P.D 125 again sought to gobble up in Daraga in favor of Legazpi City. Daragueños gnash their teeth and beat their breasts, crying "Politics! Politics!" Implementation of the decree hangs for the time being, like Democles' sword on everybody's head. Politics! Bah!

A Land of Beauty and Pleasure

The beauty , the legend and the warm hospitality of the people are but some of the spices one may find in the land where the world famous volcano stands, the land so rich with history and culture, the Municipality of Daraga.

Situated 555 kilometers away from the heavy traffic of Metro Manila, Daraga is reachable via a forty-five minute ride by plane or an eight-hour ride by bus.

It spreads over 118.6 square kilometers of fertile hills and plains occasionally nourished by the ever-famous Mayon Volcano. Its territory is rich with breath-taking landscapes, caves awaiting to be explored and places of interest thick with historical galore.

To view this, one may take a little climb either on the Kimantong Viewdeck or on the hill where one of the oldest church in the country is located, the Daraga Church. The topographical characteristics which ranges from flat to rolling terrain may insinuate the reasons why the place was among the first cradles of civilization in this part of the region. Even the Spanish Conquistadores chose these two settling points – the Budiao and Cagsawa – as among the centers of transactions and religious activities in the early centuries.

At times though, not all the beautiful things can be seen at a distance. Some are hidden away from the naked eyes. As such, one may try spelunking at the number of caves inside the municipal territory most of which are untouched, unexplored. One of the most highly recommended is the Naglaos Cave at Barangay Nabasan in the southern portion of this municipality where anyone can take a bath at its underground river with cool waters gushing out in jacuzzi fashion. Or one may visit the natural untgouched spring in Barangay Canarom and feel the unadultered water that oozes out directly from the earth’s breast.

For the historically-hungry, or simply for those who would like to see the work of man collaborated with the work of nature, a visit to the ruins of Cagsawa and Budio may serve satisfying. Budio does not offer Church Ruins but also a bullfight arena once used by the Spaniards who loved the thrill of seeing hombres y toros fight against each other as if in time when Rome was the center of the world.

In addition, the municipality is blessed with flora and fauna ranging from ordinary to the most unique, from common to exotic. One may be enchanted by the sweet smellingt orchids that grow along the cool places especially at the slopes of the Mayon Volcano. Or he may be enticed to romanticism with those colorful flowers that could touch a woman’s heart. After all, Daraga is home to beautiful maidens and the name of the town itself is the local translation of the term unmarried virgin.

For poets and artist and even to ordinary people, a visit to the rural areas where birds sing and insects hum may be inspirational. Butterflies flutter in sync with the gentle whisper of the breeze. Truly, the experience is exhilarating. There are even areas where exotic animals like wild boars and untamed monkeys exist. Or simply, visit the Wildlife Park. It is home to almost anything.

But, most of all, Daraga is home to people of extreme religiosity. Form birth till death, the people entrust their lives to a Supreme Being that led to a culture of history. Or maybe because it is innate.

Aside from religious celebrations and religion-inspired traditions that come month in and month out, Daraga also showcase costumes that have been passed on from generation to generation. One is the tupada, a game where cocks fight against each other. This perhaps, is the local version of the bullfight the Spaniards tried espousing centuries ago. Or maybe not as some records say. Whatever is right is not the primary concern here, however. What cockfighting afficionados are interested in is whose cock will win.

Along with customs may also be grouped the local delicacies and chili-flavored concoctions. Pepper, especially the demon variety, had become a common ingredient in food preparations that one American, upon tasting Bicol Express exclaimed, “I found Filipinos eating fire!”. Thus, there is no reason therefore why the Guiness Book of World Records acclaimed Daraga as home to the man who had eaten the most number of peppers in the world.