Puerto Galera, one of the oldest settlements of the religious missionaries in the Philippines, was founded by the Spanish in 1574 as the provincial capital of Mindoro Island. However, the history of the locale goes way back into the metal age and probably beyond. Artifacts found at ancient burial sites at Lalaguna and Minolo suggest that a thriving culture existed here for many millennia before the Spanish arrived. Occasional Chinese records from as far back as the 10th century suggest frequent trading with the indigenous Mangyan people: exchanging glazed porcelains for gold, jade, corals, shells, birds, rattan and other forest products that were abundant on the island. The Mangyans still live in the surrounding forested hills and can occasionally be seen in the town selling woven abaca items and gold recovered from the rivers and streams that cascade down the towering mountains behind.
