Brief History of the Municipality of Ocampo, Camarines Sur
Brief History of the Municipality of Ocampo, Camarines Sur Kenneth Payte Panga Based on historical records, the municipality of Ocampo in the Province of Camarines Sur originated from the former "Mission de Mabatobato" , which was established by the Franciscan Friars in 1873. The name "Mabatobato" was given to the place because of the presence of large rocks scattered across the area, which are believed to have originated from the eruption of Mt. Isarog. As a mission, it had four barrios: Ayugan, Tinablanan, Pinit, and Moriones. View of Mt. Isarog seen at Brgy. Pinit, Ocampo (Photo by: Kenneth P. Panga) During the early 1800s, people from nearby towns migrated to Mabatobato to cultivate its extensive agricultural lands. The area thrived to the point where its inhabitants envisioned converting the settlement into a new municipality. Cabeza de Barangay Michael Alcantara and Don Jose Barangbang appealed to the Bishop of Caceres to elevate the barrio to a town, and