Municipal Profile- Donsol, Sorsogon
Historical Background

The known history of Donsol dates back to the later part of the 18th century when a band of refugees, led by a certain Francisco Noradi, escaped from the fury of Mt. Mayon during one of its destructive and horrifying eruptions and settled in the place. They were called Miraya, a reference name of residents near Mt. Mayon,  located in the Province of Albay. The settlement area has since then been called Donsol.

Donsol got its name from "donsol" or "dosol", an indigenous medicinal plant which grew abundantly in the settlement area. But a more plausible story was about a blacksmith in the place famous for his expertise and skills and for his "donsolan", Bicol term for anvil, which is an iron-stand upon which a blacksmith pounds and forges the red-hot iron into tools or weapons. Unfortunately, history wasn't able to record his name. Eventually, the people called the whole settlement area, Donsolan.

The Moros from Mindanao who refused to acknowledge the rule of the Spaniards  invaded the Bicol coastline forcing the inhabitants of Donsolan to abandon the place and create a new settlement wherein the municipal government was established. The place is now called Brgy. Banuang Gurang or Old Town. The former settlement area is now called Brgy. Dancalan.

The provincial government of Albay began sending coast guard patrol to the River Quipia (now Donsol River) and to the Burias Pass preventing Muslim marauders from entering the area. After security had been attained, the seat of the municipal government was transferred to a new place just across the river from Brgy. Dancalan. The new place had the opportunity for expansion since it was on a wider plain. This is now the present site of the poblacion area.

Donsolan became an independent municipality with a legal existence as one of the towns in the province of Albay in 1800 with Don Mariano Adrian being elected as the first Gobernadorcillo. However, in the book "Ibalon" written by Don Mariano Goyena del Prado, the government of the Alcadia Mayor de Albay decreed Donsolan as an independent town in 1668.

The Donsol Parish existed as proven by the inscription year 1826 on the water wells within the church premises and records showed that the first baptism was held on January 1890 with Fr. Monico Barrameda as parish priest. The patron saint of the town is Señor San Jose and the town fiesta is celebrated in his honor every 19th of May.

Along with the declaration of Sorsogon as a separate province, Donsolan and Pilar were likewise separated from Albay on October 17, 1894 and became a part of the newly declared province in exchange for the towns of Rapu-Rapu and Manito.

Donsolan later became Donsol, which means "Mr. Sun" but Donsoleños never had any pagan worship to the sun. Spanish mapmakers may have wanted the town be like the sun, full of energy, thus, the Spaniards renamed Donsolan to Donsol.

Source: Local Government Unit of Donsol, Sorsogon

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