Settlement known to have dated back as early as 15th century as the “Bool Kingdom”. Early settlers have established trade relations with China and Malaysia. Spanish Captain Miguel Lopez de Legazpi landed on March 16, 1565 and included a treaty of friendship with local chieftain Datu Sikatuna in the famous blood compact which became the forerunner of the City’s traditional celebration of Sandugo.
Among the popular theories for the origin of the word “Tagbilaran” are: “Tinabilan” (covered by curtain, referring to Panglao Island as the covering or ‘Tabil’); “Tagbilaran” (‘Tago’ meaning hide, ‘Bilaan’ meaning muslim tribe or hidden from marauding Muslim; “Bilad” (meaning let dry from the sun - Tagbilaran being a place for sun drying; “Bila” (meaning friendship made while drinking, eating and partaking of “buyo” or area nut).
II. Geography:
Tagbilaran City is 630 kilometers south of Manila and 72 kilometers southeast from Cebu City. It is bounded on the north by the town of Cortes, on the northeast by the town of Corella; on the east by Baclayon; and on the south and west by the Maribojoc Bay and Tagbilaran Strait, respectively. It is situated on the southwest portion of the province.
The city is divided into fifteen (15) barangays, seven of which are considered urban.
III. Topography:
The city forms an elongated strip varying in width from 500 m at its narrowest to 2 km at its widest following the configuration of the shoreline. A ridge with an average altitude of 30 running almost parallel to the shoreline forms a natural spine that seems to have served in the past as the urban limit. Two peaks rise on both ends of the ridge, Elly Hill (100 m) in the north and Banat-i Hill (145 m) in the south. Except for these two protrusions the terrain of Tagbilaran is generally even with moderately rolling lands.
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