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The earliest historical records about Maribojoc are
linked with the Christianization of Bohol. Maribojoc was already a
flourishing village when the Jesuit priests, Fr. Juan de Torres and
Fr. Gabriel Sanchez landed in Baclayon in 1595 bringing the cross
for the first time in Bohol. Fr. Francisco Colin, an early Jesuit
historian, listed the town's name as Malabooch and later changed to
Malabohoc. How it became Maribojoc is not known. During the pre-Spanish
era, the town's name was "Dunggoan", derived from the old
port located at the shore of the famous bay where sailors used to
land and engage business with the early settlers. Dunggoan was ruled
by Datu Madag with Sadok and Pudit as his aides.
The Maribojoc parish, officially known as "Paroquia de Sta.
Cruz", was founded in 1767 when the Jesuits left Bohol. Maribojoc
was one of the nine big villages founded by the Augustinian Recollect
Friars when they took over in 1768. It was during the time of the
Recollects that the foundation of the Maribojoc church was laid
in 1798 on what was once a swampy land and was finished in 1816,
after 18 years of work. At the back of the church is a flight of
stone stairs built in 1864. Earlier, in 1796, the Punta Cruz watchtower
was built as a lookout against marauding pirates.
The town of Maribojoc was officially organized on October 15, 1860.
The Municipality of Maribojoc, Bohol is a 5th class municipality
per DOF Order No. 49-91 dated September 14, 1991. Twenty-two barangays
comprise the municipality occupying a total land area of 5,331 hectares
with a population of approximately 17,000 people. Its inhabitants
are warm and hospitable like any Boholano, speak Bisaya and able
to speak and understand English and Filipino languages. Agriculture
and fishing are the two main sources of livelihood of its inhabitants.
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