Donsol, officially the Municipality of Donsol, (Central Bikol: Banwaan kan Donsol; Tagalog: Bayan ng Donsol) is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Sorsogon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 50,281 people.
Donsol is from Sorsogon City and from Manila.
Geography
Barangays
Donsol is politically subdivided into 51 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Alin
Awaii (Poblacion) Banban Bandi Banuang Gurang Baras Bayawas Bororan Barangay 1 (Poblacion) Cabugao Central Barangay 2 (Poblacion) Cristo Dancalan De Vera Gimagaan Girawan Gogon Gura Juan Adre JR Cawaling Mabini Malapoc Malinao Market Site Barangay 3 (Poblacion) New Maguisa Ogod (Crossing) Old Maguisa Orange Pangpang Parina Pawala Pinamanaan Poso Pob. (Barangay 5) Punta Waling-Waling (Poblacion) Rawis (Poblacion Brgy) San Antonio San Isidro San Jose San Rafael San Ramon San Vicente Santa Cruz Sevilla Sibago Suguian Tagbac Tinanogan Tongdol Tres Marias (Poblacion Brgy) Tuba Tupas Vinisitahan Lourdes
Climate
Demographics
Language
The majority of the population speak Eastern Miraya, an Albay Bikol language of Inland Bikol group of languages. The language is also spoken in four towns of Albay and some parts of Pilar and Castilla, Sorsogon. It is mutually intelligible with Western Miraya. People of Donsol can also speak and understand Tagalog or Filipino, the national language, and English.
Religion
The majority of the people adhere to Catholicism and each barangay has a patron saint and fiestas are held annually. Iglesia ni Cristo is the second largest religion of the population and has several local congregations in the municipality.
Economy
Tourism
Whale shark (butanding) viewing
Swimming with whale sharks, locally known as butanding, was featured as the Best Animal Encounter in Asia by Time magazine in 2004. Whale sharks can be seen between November and June, with presence peaking between February and May.
The presence of whale sharks in the town of Donsol was known to the local residents for more than 100 years, but the locals believed these gentle giants were dangerous. This wrong notion changed when on December 26, 1997, a group of scuba divers led by Romir Aglugub – a PADI diving instructor, discovered their presence, interacted with, and came in contact with the whale sharks. Even the members of the diving group of Romir were having second thoughts about whether the fish is docile, until the instructor led the way into the water and came in contact with the whale sharks. Copy of video footage taken by the group was passed on to the media and the WWF-Philippines. By March 1998, Donsol became world-class tourist destination and now known as the “Whale Shark Capital of the World”.
Interaction with the whale sharks is regulated by the local Department of Tourism (DOT) office. WWF guidelines are generally observed to protect the sharks. Rules include limiting the number of swimmers per boat to six, prohibiting scuba divers, and requiring staying farther than three meters from the sharks.
In recent years the number of male sharks has out-numbered female sharks by 20:1. Generally, the females that are seen are large mature adults in the 7m ~ 9m range. Increasing numbers of sharks show propeller marks on their backs. Anecdotal evidence from local fishermen suggests that prop strikes are from fishing boats in the off-season, rather than from tourist boats during the main February–June tourist season.
In 2006 five sharks were found dead on the surface of the water, within 30 miles of Donsol. They had all been shot at close range. One shark had 13 bullet wounds to the head. The locals blame this on commercial fishermen shooting the sharks if they are caught in their nets. Manta rays, which are also protected in the Philippines, are also over-fished and sold in local markets in the Sorsogon area.
Groups from Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines make up the largest groups of visitors. Most tourists book guided tours with dive centers familiar with whale shark interaction.