Stories of a Life by the Sea

From Pre-Colonial Trade Hub to Spanish Outpost, as Seen Through the Eyes of Chroniclers and Conquistadors The island of Mindoro, known to early Spanish explorers as Bindoro or “the lesser Luzon,” holds a rich yet often overlooked chapter in the Philippine historical tapestry. Among the earliest regions encountered by the Spanish during their 16th-century expedition northward, Mindoro—and its crown jewel harbor, Puerto Galera—would serve both as a maritime refuge and a frontier for religious missions, military outposts, and early trade. This article brings together historical records from Spanish chroniclers, missionaries, and firsthand eyewitnesses like Hernando Riquel, to reconstruct the events and impressions surrounding Mindoro and Puerto Galera during the pre-colonial…