Legend of Hundred Islands

Centuries ago before the coming of the Spaniards to the Philippines, there was a brave rajah who ruled over the people of Alaminos, Rajah Masubeg. He had several hundred warriors to guard his kingdom, led by his son Dam Mabiskeg. The little kingdom enjoyed peace and prosperity, unmolested by its neighbors.

But one day, a report came that an invading force was coming from across the sea. The rajah called a council of war among his chieftains. It was decided to meet the enemy at sea. They must not be allowed to land. One hundred of the bravest warriors was summoned. They were placed in ten large bancas, armed to the teeth. Datu Mabiskeg, in the lead banca, commanded the task force.


The two forces were soon locked in mortal combat. Furious hand-to-hand fighting broke out on the boats and raged until the sun sank in the west and darkness covered the sea.

When morning came none of the warriors returned alive. The enemy was nowhere to be seen, they had been annihilated and so were the one hundred warriors led by the intrepid son. While the kingdom celebrated victory, the old rajah mourned for his son.

A week later, when the towns people woke up in the morning and looked toward the sea, a wonderful sight met their eyes.Where before has been an empty expanse of water as far as the eye could see, now there were many tiny islands dotting the sea line. There were about a hundred of these islets. Some were shaped like over turned bancas; others looked like bodies of dead men floating in the sea. These people of Alaminos believed, were the one hundred warriors who had given up their lives in defense of their homes. The gods had immortalized them in the form of islands so that they might watch over their native land forever.