Bohol Day in the Philippines Date in the current year: July 22, 2024

Bohol in an island province in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. It consists of the eponymous island, which is the tenth largest island in the country, and 75 minor islands surrounding it. The name of the island and the province is derived from the local world bo-ol, which refers to a kind of tree that grew in abundance on the island.

At the start of the Spanish colonial era, Bohol and the adjacent island of Panglao were part of Dapitan Kingdom, also known as Bool Kingdom. Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in Bohol in March 1565, seeking gold and spices. He made a peace pact with Datu Sikatuna, a local chieftain, in the form of a blood compact (sanduguan).

The Legazpi-Sikatuna Blood Compact, also known as Sandugo, is regarded as the first treaty of friendship between the Spaniards and Filipinos. It helped Spain start the colonization of the Philippines. Of course, not all locals were happy with the colonizers’ arrival, and two major revolts occurred in Bohol during the Spanish rule: the Tamblot uprising of 1621 and the Dagohoy rebellion of 1744–1829.

For most of the Spanish era, Bohol was administered as part of the province of Cebu. It was split from Cebu and became a separate province on July 22, 1854. In addition to Bohol and Panglao, Bohol Province also incorporated the island of Siquijor, which was transferred to Negros Oriental in 1892 and became an independent province in 1971.

After its defeat in the Spanish-American War, Spain transferred sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States, and the Philippine-American War ensued. American troops peacefully took over Bohol in March 1899. However, in September 1900, Filipino troops led by Colonel Pedro Bohol initiated an uprising against the American occupiers. The Americans responded by implementing the scorched earth policy and burning down 20 out Bohol’s 35 towns.

In October 1901, the United States Philippine Commission organized Bohol as a province under the Provincial Government Act (Act 83). During World War II, Bohol was occupied by Japanese troops in May 1942 and liberated by the combined Filipino and American troops aided by local guerrillas during a military operation that started in May 1945.

Today, Bohol is a popular tourist destination famous for its beaches, resorts, and diving facilities. In 2023, UNESCO designated the entire island of Bohol as one of its Global Geoparks (geoparks certified by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council as meeting all the requirements for belonging to the Global Geoparks Network).

In 1994, the founding anniversary of Bohol was officially designated as Bohol Day. It is a special non-working holiday in the province, marked by a flag raising ceremony, a holy mass, an awards ceremony to recognize outstanding individuals and institutions, and various cultural events and activities.