It is known for the Kalanay Cave, one of the most important archaeological sites in the province of Masbate.
Etymology
The town of Aroroy (Al-Oroy its former name), which came from the Spanish word for gold-"oro", was established back in 1822 upon the arrival of a Chinese expedition. The Chinese fleet was composed of seven vessels called "pancos". They entered Lanang River, which is part of Puerto Barrera, the former name of the area now covered by Aroroy. A Moro named Talcum guided this expedition. They were sent by the Chinese merchants who came to Aroroy to explore for gold coins near Lanang River.[6]
History
Aerial view of Aroroy, 1939
When the present Masbate province was still part of the province of Ibalon (present-day Albay),[7] a captain from the Spanish Army named Gregorio Cordero of Tondo, Manila was exiled in Masbate for the killing of his superior officer. Instead of being incarcerated in the castle of San Pascual in Burias Island, where political and military prisoners were imprisoned by the Captain-General of the Philippine Islands, he was brought to Masbate. Accompanied by his two daughters and a son, they established residency in the Port of Magdalena, Masbate town. He had with him four "Faluas" or Spanish vessels named – Jesus Maria Y Jose, Sacramento, Salvacion and Santa Ana for use in the vigilance against Moro pirates who preyed on the three islands of Masbate, Ticao and Burias.
When the Spaniards discovered the Chinese expedition, Cordero and about 150 men, who believed him to possess amulets (anting-anting) which made him invulnerable, sailed to Lanang River to find out the nationality of the said seven vessels which entered Lanang River. When investigated as to where they were going, the aliens answered in their Chinese manner that they were going to "Al-Oroy" meaning to the Gold or in Spanish “Al-oro”. Not satisfied with the results of the investigation with the belief that these are Moro vessels, Cordero and his men established their headquarters for over three months in the present poblacion of Aroroy, which was known as Al-Oroy taken from the Chinese reply.
Another expedition of Spaniards from Manila headed by a certain Sarmiento came to explore the gold in the river near Al-oroy in 1861. This expedition was aided by natives of Al-oroy, including Toribio Bunayag, Jose Pusing, Norberto Pusing and Protacio Fabon. The natives abandoned the expedition during the same year due to numerous attacks. This led to the death of Sarmiento and since then, the said river was called Rio Guinobatan or “River of Assaults”.
Since then the site of Al-Oroy became a "visita" or barrio of the town of Baleno but later was transferred to the town of San Agustin in the interior part of Port Barrera. In 1904, when the towns of Baleno and San Agustin were combined, the name Al-Oroy was changed to Aroroy. It was also in 1904 when Aroroy became a municipality because of its strategic location. San Agustin now a barangay of Aroroy.
Geography
Aroroy is geographically located between 12 degrees and 13 degrees Latitude and 123 degrees and 124 degrees Longitude or at the northernmost part of the province of Masbate, Bicol Region. It is bounded on the north by the Masbate Pass, to the East by the municipality of Baleno, to the West by the Sibuyan Sea and to the South by the municipalities of Milagros and Mandaon.[8] It is 50 kilometres (31mi) from Masbate City.
Barangays
Aroroy is politically subdivided into 41 barangays.[9] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
In the 2024 census, the population of Aroroy was 89,154 people,[17] with a density of 200 inhabitants per square kilometre or 520 inhabitants per square mile.
There are two schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.[26] These are the:
Aroroy East Schools District
Aroroy West Schools District
Primary and elementary schools
Amoroy Elementary School
Amotag Elementary School
Aroroy East Central School
Aroroy Golden Riches Academy
Aroroy West Elementary School
Balawing Elementary School
Balete Elementary School
Bancil Elementary School
Bienvenido R. Bulalacao Memorial Elementary School
Bonacan Elementary School
Bugui Primary School
Cabangcalan Elementary School
Cabas-an Elementary School
Capsay Elementary School
Calanay Elementary School
Col. Vicente E. Maristela Sr. Memorial Elementary School (Matalangtalang Elementary School)
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