Monday, August 17, 2009
The Chief Executives of the Town: Capitanes-Presidentes-Municipal Mayors
The political body of Lavezares was established in 1875 under the Spanish colonial power wherein the local executive was alluded as Capitanes. From 1903 to 1935, the persons who assumed the position were called Presidentes, and from 1936 until present where they were referred to as Municipal Mayors.
Silvino Flores 1875-1877
Justiniano Morillo 1877-1879
Victorio Alvanes 1879-1881
Evaristo Martires 1881-1883
Angeles de Leon 1883-1886
Patricio Ebron 1886-1888
Feliciano Adriatico 1888-1892
Lucio Flores 1892-1894
Anastacio Adriatico 1894-1898
Cepriano de Leon 1898-1903
Lasaro Cuyco 1903-1908
Martin Custan 1908-1912
Gregorio Adriatico 1912-1916
Elias Bogtong 1916-1921
Melecio Cuyco 1921-1927
Juan Ymata 1927-1931
Eugenio Tingkingco1931-1935
Municipal Mayor (elected)
Antonio Martires 1936-1938
Pascualito Clutario 1938-1946
Julio Turla 1946-1955
Gabriel Querobines 1956-1959
Basilio Chan 1960-1978
Municipal Mayor Rodrigo Chan 1978-1979 (appointed);1980-1986 (elected)
Miguel Adriatico 1986-1987 (appointed)
Municipal Mayor (appointed)
Celedonio Saludaga, Jr 1987-1988
Quintin Saludaga 1992-2001
Celedonio B. Saludaga Jr 2001-2007
Quintin B. Saludaga 2007-present
STORY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS
WHERE DID PINONAYAN GET ITS NAME? (An Etiological Legend)
STORY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS
The early setllers of Lavezares came from the eastern side of
LEGEND
(This is a legend by Melecio Cuyco which was retold by his forebears after his death and printed in the “History of Lavezares” printed material.)
There was once a man who had just come from gathering Ponay. He filled his basket with the birds. Later, a passing Spaniard asked the man about the name of the place. The man, believing he was asked what was inside his basket answered him “Ponay”. The Spaniard concluded that the name of the place was Ponay. As the time went on, the place was called Pinonayan.
LEGENDS OF SOME PLACES IN LAVEZARES
BUNGA
Long ago, there was a place inhabited by ten families. Every family’s house was far from each other that even one shouted with all his effort and energy, he could’nt be heard by other habitants from other houses. Houses wer built on the hillside; others on the seashore; and still others on the hiltop.
The place was very abundant in trees. Bunga tree was one of the kinds which stood there. In every angle and dimension, Bunga trees were seen sturdy.
When the time went on, there was a trail made on the place. The families who used to live in far areas of the place decided to build houses beside the trail and lived there. From that small community started the growth of inhabitants of the place.
Whenever the people were asked of where they dwelled, they would answer ”There, where Bunga trees are many”. From that time on, the place was called ”Bunga”.
TABUK
Once upon a time, in a place along the seashore lived the families of the cousins Mariano Ubas and Forperio Enriquez. One day, the two rode a banca to catch fish in the sea. While they were there, there was a ship called ”vinta” which came closer to them. Boarded on the ”vinta” were the Moros who sold goods to the place.
In a no definite reason, the cousins hurried their way to avoid the coming ”vinta”. While on the seashore, a woman kept on shouting ”Tabuk na! Tabuk na!”
This was the reason why the place was named ”Tabuk”.
BANI
In a distant island, there ived an old man. He always cooked ”barani” which came from the trunk of banana and fed it to his pig.
During the Spanish Era, while the od man was making ”barani”. A Spaniard approached and asked him about the name of the place. The man answered ”barani” as he didn’t undrstand the visitor’s query.
The tme came when Philppines was under the Japanese Occupation. They went to the place where the old man lived. People of the place got afraid of them and hid themselves on the mountains, except this old and brave man who kept on cooking ”barani”. A japanese asked him. ”What’s the name of this place?”
The old man, thinking that he was asked of what he was cooking answered ”Barani”.
After the Japanese came the Americans to the island. They found the old man cookng ”barani”. Like the Spaniards and Japanese, they asked him about the name of the place; but the old man still replied ”Barani”.
”Oh! Barangay Bani!” the American ejaculated.
From that time, the island was named ”Barangay Bani”.
BAROBAYBAY
Long ago, in a place we name today Barobaybay, lived an old man by the name of Jose. At first, he was happy dwelling the place for he could produce lot of oil. But having realized his being alone, he was saddened.
Until one day, many people arived on the place. They built houses and lived there. This made old Jose reconcile happiness. As Jose traited the people as his children, they traited him as their father. Strong and loving friendship was developed on them.
Those happy days in the place suffered a draw back when Jose died. However, before he left the would, he told his people to name the place ”Barobaybay”. The word came from the terms ”Baro” meaning ”mud” and ”baybay” meaning ”seashore”. Because of the people’s love to Jose, trhey named the place ”Barobaybay”.
(A Heroic Non-etiological Legend)
When the America invaded Sukhan, today named Villa, Americans had a good relationship with the Sukhan folks. Time came when Japanese annexed the
The Japanese predetermined that Filpinos had transferable disease, and that they feared to be communicated with the disease. The folks used this as strategy to make the invaders afraid of them. All girls of the island went out of the shores wearing no underwear. While the Japanese were approaching, the girls turned their back and faced their anus to them. Thinking that the Filipinos carried transferable disease, the Japanese desserted their way awat from the island.
When the Japanese went back to Sukhan, thay continued bombing the island. The folks solicited help from the Americans for they could not equal the force of the Japanese. Fortunately, the Americans reinforced in the battle. Amid the battle, the Japanese troop lost many of their soldiers, thus losing the battle. The left Japanese soldiers were arrested, but there was one who hid in the forest. When this man felt bored in the woods, he came out to the barrio and out of the clear blue sky, fel in love with a beatiful young lady of the place. To make the story short, the two got married and had children.
THE TALE OF HELPING
(An Ordinary Folktale)
There was a place which was too far from the town. On its way leading to the town, there located a wide river. Residents of the place found difficulty in going to the town because of the fast current of the river.
A old woman lived on this place. One day, she went to the town. She was very careful in crossing the river. At a short distance, she saw a spider on a dead branch of the tree amid the river. It was going to fall into the water on a very short moment; and if it had fallen, it would die.
The kind-hearted old woma saved the spider from its condition. She decided to bring the spider the land where it could be safe. But on her effort to do it, the spider kept on biting her hand. However, the woman did not mind of it and continued her way.
She was able to meet a stripling and she was asked:
”Woman, why do you still help that spider even it had bitten you alredy?” the youth interogated.
”Boy, when this insect bites me, it is only natuiral for it’s its nature; and it is a nature of people to help.”
After the encounter, the woman continued her walk while the youth thought of her words.
JUAN AND THE MOROS
(A Humurous Tale)
There was once a town ruled by Moros. These Moros used to roam around the town from time to time to know the situation of the place. Whenever they did, children of the place hid themselves anywhere because they were afraid of they Moros beardy appearance.
Juan was one of the children of the place. He did all efforts just to be able to escape when the Moros were approaching.
One time, the Moros, passed by their house. Juan unnoticed they were approaching. When his mother noted him that the Moros are coming, he hurriedly hid inside his mother’s skirt. Juan didn’t last inside for he had seen a Moro with tremendous beard inside his mother’s skirt. Because of this, Juan became afraid of her mother.
THE MIRACLE OF NUESTRA SEñORA DE SALVACION
(Relegious Non-etiological Legend)
Nuestra Señora de Salvacion is the patron saint of the
There was a time when a super typhoon occured. The town was flooded with rain water; several houses were destroyed; waves of the sea were strong and heavy; rain, thunder and lightning were inceasant. The people kneeled and prayed to the Blessed Virgin.
The people recognized that the image of the Virgin was not on its place, nor in the entire church building. They kept on looking for it, but with their efforts, they retreived nothing.
When the super typhoon was over, the image was found on its the same lkocation in the church. But that time, the peolple had wondered for the image had seaweeds on its gament. The people believed that it was an evidence that the Virgin has gone to the sea and stopped the waves from flooding water to the land and made the sea drew back to its great pacific. If it was not because of the Virgin’s miracle, there might be more damages and misfortune brought by the supertyphoon to the town.
THE POOR MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
(A Humurous Tale)
Once, there lived in a barrio a very poor family. They were so misfortuned that they could not even by clothes. The father had forsaken his wife and daughter for he didn’t know what to do to uplift their living.
When the daughter was of age, she always climbed the guava tree at one of the streets of the barrios. She picked and ate its ripe fruits. One day, while she was atop of the tree, a passing priest saw her. He was astonished when he saw the girl who had no underwear. The priest called her to climb down the tree and gave her twenty pesos so that she could buy underwear.
Happily, the girl went home. She had shown her twenty peso bill to her mother, and told her how she got the money.
”Mother, the priest saw me on the treetop. He asked me to get down of it and gave me this money to buy underwear”, told the daughter.
Astonished, the mother also went out of the house and climbed the same tree so that the priest would pay her the same compensation. Later, the preist was approaching the tree. The mother disguised and picked some ripe fruits.
The priest called her down. The woman was very happy as she lowered on the tree thinking that the priest would give her now the money to procure underwear. But to her dismay, the priest has given her two pesos for her to buy blade.
THE GIRL AND THE LITTLE EEL
(A Magical Folktale)
Once there was a girl who lived with her mother near the stream. Her father was no longer alive. The girl had a pet little eel which lived on the strem. Everyday, she fed it with anything she had on hand. Her mothjer didn’t knew about this. Her mother became suspicious to her being always out of their house everyday. Until one day, the mother follwed her to the stream and found out what she was doing there. The girl unnoticed her mother. Later, she called her pet.
”Kuru-kasili! Kuru-kasili!” she ejaculated.
At once the eel came to her. She fed it and waited until it finished eating. Everything was seen by the mother.
The day arrived when they had no viand. The mother talked to her daughter.
”We don’t have viand anymore let’s fetch your pet in the stream and make it cooked.” the mother suggested.
”No mother. Don’t do it!” cried the girl.
On that time the mother didn’t insisted . but she still went on the stream not letting her cheild knew. She called the eel.
”Kasili!”
Nothing appeared.
”Kasili. Kasili!”
The eel didn’t appeared to her. Now she knew her ejaculated words were wrong. She thought of the words over and over until she was able to remember it.
”Kuru-kasili!”
At once thge eel appeared. Out of the clear sky, she caught the eel and brought it home. She kept it carefully so that it wouldn’t be found by her child.
Later, the girl walked to the stream. While she was away, her mother cooked the eel and ate. She no longer waited her dauhter as she knew that she would never eat her pet’s flesh.
In the stream, the girl called the fish.
”Kuru-kasili!”
Nothing appeared to her.
”Kuru-kasili!”
The eel did not appear. The girl was frustrated and resorted to cry. Remembering her mother’s words of fetching the eel, she went back into their home.
She pnly found its bones in the dogfeed. Because she respected her mother, she did cry but didn’t utter any word. Instead, she gathered the skeleton of her pet, and got it planted on their front yard.
She always regularly visited the skeleton. Until one day, she saw it illuminating. She dug out the earth and witnessed how the skeleton turned into bars of gold. With it, the girl and her mother led comfortable and contented lives.
(From the files of Mr. Rodel Cuyco)
LAVEZARES: One of Calbayog's Folk Dances
The Lavezares is a beautiful folk dance from
The dance is similar to a surtido because of the assorted folk and traditional dance steps like kuradang , pi'ang-pi'ang, paseo con cambio pareja and valse with patty-cake turns; which are strung to have the dance performed.
The dance have been popularized by a an unidentified folk dance group from
The music that accompanies the dance is a lovely mix of favorite Waray melodies which are played in this order:
(1) the Pandangyado which sounds like Costurera of Ilo-ilo, played in the paseo
(2) a very short excerpt of the Kuratsa Menor/Kuradang
(3) a stylized (embellished) Duyan music with mellesmatic style almost similar to a Lancero or Rigodon music
(4) an Interlude
(5) two-part Ti Yadut music repeated twice.
The dancers wear the late 19th century fashions preferably the Maria Clara con cola for the women and an elaborate Barong Tagalog or the americana cerrada for the gentlemen. The women's cola is either tucked on the waist or held by left hand by hooking a ring to the end of the 'tail'.
posted by: Carl Jamie Simple S. Bordeos
The Chief Executives of the Town: Capitanes-Presidentes-Municipal Mayors
Local officials
The political body of Lavezares was established in 1875 under the Spanish colonial power wherein the local executive was alluded as Capitanes. From 1903 to 1935, the persons who assumed the position were called Presidentes, and from 1936 until present where they were referred to as Municipal Mayors.
Position | Name | Term of Office |
Capitan (appointed) | Silvino Flores | 1875-1877 |
Justiniano Morillo | 1877-1879 | |
Victorio Alvanes | 1879-1881 | |
Evaristo Martires | 1881-1883 | |
Angeles de Leon | 1883-1886 | |
Patricio Ebron | 1886-1888 | |
Feliciano Adriatico | 1888-1892 | |
Lucio Flores | 1892-1894 | |
Anastacio Adriatico | 1894-1898 | |
Cepriano de Leon | 1898-1903 | |
Presidente (appointed) | Lasaro Cuyco | 1903-1908 |
Martin Custan | 1908-1912 | |
Presidente (elected) | Gregorio Adriatico | 1912-1916 |
Elias Bogtong | 1916-1921 | |
Melecio Cuyuco | 1921-1927 | |
Juan Ymata | 1927-1931 | |
Eugenio Tingkingco | 1931-1935 | |
Municipal Mayor (elected) | Antonio Martires | 1936-1938 |
Pascualito Clutario | 1938-1946 | |
Julio Turla | 1946-1955 | |
Gabriel Querobines | 1956-1959 | |
Basilio Chan | 1960-1978 | |
Municipal Mayor | Rodrigo Chan | 1978-1979 (appointed); 1980-1986 (elected) |
Miguel Adriatico | 1986-1987 (appointed) | |
Municipal Mayor (appointed) | Celedonio Saludaga, Jr | 1987-1988 |
Municipal Mayor (elected) | Miguel Adriatico, Jr | 1989-1991 |
Quintin B. Saludaga | 1992-2001 | |
Celedonio B. Saludaga Jr |
|
Quintin Saludaga 2007-present
Tourism
In this coastal
Access to Lavezares has two options: from Manila, a fourteen to fifteen hours of bus ride with Roll-on Roll-off vessels from Matnog, Sorsogon to the port of Allen, Northern Samar, or taking a plane to Catarman and a jeepney ride to Lavezares both serving as the main transport facility towards this portion.
True to mention are the white sand beaches abounding among its coastal and groups of island barangays that comprises the municipality though some parts have strong underwater current not suitable for a beach resort. Current white sand beach resorts are found at barangays Urdaneta and Barobaybay and waters between
The coral reefs in
The sunsets can be viewed at
Land area and topography
Land Area
Lavezares has an estimated land area of 11,950 hectares according to the municipal profile. It is politically subdivided into 26 barangays, 12 of which are considered as inland barangays and 14 coastal barangays which can be subclassified into 5 island barangays and 9 barangays situated along the coast of the mainland.
INLAND BARANGAYS
| COASTAL BARANGAYS
|
The smallest barangay is Cataogan, while the largest is Bani. According to the Provincial Physical Framework Plan of 2004�2013, the municipality is suitable for irrigated rice, fish ponds, trees and crops.
The mainland is attached entirely to the entire Samar Island.
Land Topography
Land topography is generally composed of very rugged terrain with many steep and elevated areas classified as undulating to hilly. Technically, there are only two hills in the area, these are located in the southernmost part of Barangays Chansvilla and Toog. No mountain can be found in the area.
There are also no major plains but a few flat lands that not very extensive. The coastal areas of Lavezares are limited and have generally moderately terrain. Bacolods which serve as natural breakwater on different coasts of the municipality can be found along the coasts of Barangays Balicuatro, Villa, Bani and Magsaysay among others.
Land reclamation in different parts of the municipality particularly in island barangays of
The Schools in Lavezares
- Primary Schools - There are 26 barangay elementary school and one central school, Lavezares Central School.
- Secondary Schools - Basilio B. Chan Agro-Industrial High School is the only public high school in the whole municipality, which is situated at Barangay Sabang-Tabok. It is the venue where the government can provide the youth of Lavezares the needed knowledge and skills that would prepare them not only for their college life but also to the challenges of real world. Nevertheless, there are 3 private schools offering secondary courses where 2 of which are operated by religious orders: The Holy Family Center of Studies at Caburihan and Barobaybay Academy Mission School at Barobaybay. Colegio de San Juan, where located at Libertad, offers secondary and tertiary education and serves as an alternative for thos who cannot afford to study outside the municipality.
The Creation of the Municipality
The Creation
Lavezares (Pinonayan) was only a visita of
On January 7, 1875, it became a pueblo when the Spanish governor-general issued a bando (an executive decree) separating visita de Lavezares from
The governor-general approved the creation of the pueblo in response to the petition submitted by officials to make these four visitas a separate pueblo independent from
ERRECCION DE LOS PUEBLOS
SAMAR Pueblo de Lavezares
1786-1898
Tomo
Exp. 28
Fol. 372-396B(400-435)
Espediente sobre la erreccion de la Visita de Pinonayan en union de las de Barobaybay y Soyan(Socjan) en pueblo independiente de su matriz el pueblo de la Granja del Distrito de Samar, bajo la denominacion de �Lavezares� en memoria del ilutre patricio Guido de Lavezares, etc.
R-
Shf-
MG/bam
The creation as approved by the governor-general.
CEDULARIO, 1878-1882
Exp. 44
Fol. 213-215
Rela orden aprobando la creacion
�as approved by Spain�s king.
With the creation period going on, the island of Bani and San Juan; Villahermosa, Urdaneta, San Miguel, Macarthur, Libertad, Enriqueta, Toog, Malico-lico (Salvacion), Datag and Sumisip (San Jose) were included.
Years passed and the following sitios were created into barangays by virtue of RA 2370 and 3590; they were Chansvilla, Balicuatro, Magsaysay, San Agustin, Kaluy-ahan (Maravilla) and Libas. Later on Presidential Decree No. 86 allowed the creation of the districts inside the Poblacion as independent quasi-government units which has the same juridical personality as those created under RA Nos. 2370 and 3590. Those districts that were made into barangays were Caragas, Ocad, Caburihan, Cataogan and Sabang-tabok, to complete the present-day twenty-six barangays of Lavezares.
The Early Settlers
The first settlers of what is now the
There was this anecdote by Melecio Cuyco(as retold by his forebears) which said that there was once a man who had just came from gathering ponay and was asked by a passing Spaniard about the name of the place. The man believing he was being asked what was inside his basket (which was filled with ponay) answered him �ponay�. The Spaniard concluded that the name of the place was ponay (or Pinonayan).
It was believed that a group of people from the southern tip of the
In Villa, the early settlers were the Policarpios, Porlages, Pambuenas, Estavillos, Salvadors, Galvez, and the Cadlits. In Bani, were the Orias, Cagsawas, Algordos, and Rosadi�os. They came from Bicol and Palapag.
As early as the 18th century, it is believed that
In Enriqueta (old name, Sinimangan), the first settler was the family of Bernabe Cupido and Apolinaria Galindez who came from
In Barobaybay, the early settlers were the Llegoses (from
In Urdaneta (old name, Looc to mean a curvaceous natural harbor), the early settlers were the Balberans, Doloms, Buezons, and Puasos who came from Sorsogon and Catanduanes. They migrated to this place after they had known that the area is yet undiscovered. With the arrival of Father Andres de Urdaneta, the name of the village was changed to Urdaneta in honor of him. Father Urdaneta is a Spanish missionary priest who was believed to be the first priest to have arrived in Lavezares(Pinonayan then).
In San Miguel, the early settlers of the barrio were the Diegos, Matnogs, Unays, and Nuez who came from Sorsogon. Matnogs were the ones who have brought the Aglipay denomination.
Moro Raids
During the 17th century, the Moros, the marauding pirates, and other brigands would come to Pinonayan through the
As the locals were not adequately equipped let alone prepared, the brigands almost always succeeded in their evil ways. The very few times that the marauders were not successful were when the natives were amply forewarned of the coming intruders. The forewarning in whatever fashion gave them time to prepare and coordinate their defenses. This factor gave impetus to the community�s decision to establish a crude defense capability � an observation post in nearby Tarangban, and a watchtower in Tabok.
The observation post in Tarangban was called Man-awan (a watching area), while the watchtower in Tabok was were the locals put up a structure where big lantakas (bamboo cannons) were installed for their community defense. They called the facility Baluarte.
In anticipation of forthcoming typhoons, or the proximity of marauders, the Man-awan will warn the locals thru signals (light during nighttime and smoke during daytime) to the Baluarte in Tabok.
In this Baluarte, the sereno would sound the budyong (a giant shell that when used like a trumpet, can produce a sound) whenever he gets the signal from Man-awan. These signals were coded albeit limited to warnings of forthcoming evils or typhoons.
And, upon hearing the sound of budyong from the Baluarte, talutangs would be used to relay the coded messages all over the poblacion and sitios up to the remotest areas in the ilawud where settlement and communities of people were found.
Spanish Occupation
Since the Spanish time, Lavezares was governed by Spanish and secular priests. But in 1875 when it separated civilly from
People then had no formal schooling except through tutorship of Spanish priests. When Lavezares was founded in 1895, two elementary schools were established in the Poblacion. People then were taught by the Spanish teachers with the catechesis and the cartilla.
Fiesta celebration was introduced by Spanish priests. The town has its town fiesta first celebrated on August 16 (later moved to August 22). All barrios had their own patron saint. Each year the feast day of this patron saint was celebrated with a fiesta.The main attraction during town fiesta was the comedia, a drama-musicale particularly presenting story about lives of the members of a royal family. The cast came all the way from Bicol and people from nearby towns would come to see it.
Kularesi was also done during this period. This is a drama or a comedy presentation staged at a wake of a dead person. The actors were being paid for their performances.
During the Spanish occupation, Lavezares was believed to be peopled by the breed of Polahanes characterized by their red bands on their heads. They became famous particularly during the Philippine Revolution of 1896 and Filipino-American War in 1899.
American Period
When the Filipino-American war broke out circa 1899, the Filipino forces (Polahanes, a guerrilla unit from Palapag and different towns of the Samar Island) who resisted the Americans, under the command of General Vicente Lukban) burned down the church in order that the American troops would not be able to use it as a stable for their horses.
With the American occupation, free public school system was established. Since there were no teachers yet from the municipality, some Ilocano teachers were assigned to this place. These Ilocano teachers were Mr. Severo Soriano, Mr. Pablo Sibayan, and Mr. Ambrosio Baguisi who educated the people even up to the island barangays. Elementary education was offered by these teachers at the houses of prominent families of the villages where they assigned since there were no school buildings yet at that time.
Japanese Period
With the imminent invasion by the Japanese, Pablo Corsua, a Japanese spy, and Thomas Ferguson, an American spy arrived in
When war broke out in 1941, schools were closed. People went to the upland to escape from Japanese hostilities. People in Urdaneta took refuge in Puting Bato, a forestland in the area. Several voluntarios were killed by the Japanese, including civilians. In Villa, Juan Buensalida, Agosto Eser, and a certain Padilla were shot dead by some Japanese soldier at the cemetery. In Barobaybay, Teodulfo Esmabe, a Filipino soldier was killed by the Japanese. In Enriqueta, 1943 Honorato Sauro, a sanitario publico with his companion Pondoy Estillero were tortured to death by the Japanese soldiers and a man named Islao Genio was also killed by the Japanese at Sitio Baysag. In 1942, Brin brothers were tortured to death by the Japanese. Ingo Brin was killed at Malico lico. The other Brin was killed in Allen. They were killed while forcing them to reveal the exact location of the camp of Captain Pedro Merritt and the Philippine Constabulary soldiers and voluntarios at his command in Toog. In 1943 at Bani, voluntarios including Maximo Rosadi�o, Fermin Rosadi�o, Basilio Magallanes,
Japanese soldiers have forcibly taken a number of goats of Julio Turla (who later became a mayor) and Gregorio Adriatico (former municipal presidente).
From 1941-1944, Captain Pedro Merritt, an American who was the the USSAFFE commander in the
several camps all over Lavezares. These camps served as strongholds for the brave PC soldiers and voluntarios. These camps were built in Busay(San Miguel; this river supplied hydroelectric power to the encampment); in Ogsoran farm (Barobaybay); in Enriqueta near the school and in Kalpi which was established by Filipinos; in a certain mountain of Libertad; in Toog; in Man-awan, Villa which served both as a camp and as watchtower where short-wave radio signals about updates on the war and directives from USAFFE were received from Australia and; in Sitio Ilo, Caburihan. But the bigger camp was in Caragas right at the school site(LCES) with a 200-strong PCs and voluntarios. Some of these voluntarios stayed at the Algordo�s residence (now the esidence of Brigido Adriatico). (Mr. Algordo was then the municipal treasurer.) On these camps, PCs and voluntarios were trained on how to conduct guerilla operation. PCs carried firearms while voluntarios carried bolos. Voluntarios would jokingly call themselves PC-PC-hay.
When the Japanese came to Lavezares, Merrit and his men retreated to the hinterlands. The Japanese who were looking for Merrit and his men burned down the house of Mr. Algordo.
The municipal presidente at that time was Pascualito Turla (a presidente from 1939-46). However, with the Japanese having occupied the area, Bob Sampilo was entrusted by the Japanese to rule the town as a puppet mayor. Some vountarios, led by Francisco Bido wanted to blow up the
Merrit and the PCs and voluntarios were not only after the Japanese but also against the Pulahanes(anti-Americans). They operated towards the forest to hunt for the Pulahanes. As they marched through the operation, they would sang the song\chant.
Linggawe/Lingawen and kakadto-an
Nga asay an purik-anan
San mga tawo nga tampalasan
Deri ko karuyag nga luha mangarabigay
Kay asay an sumpa sugob ug sundang
Amo an hinganiban
Ngadto sa pag-awayan(not locally composed).
In Enriqueta, the residence of Eugenio Tingkingco who was once a presidente of the
In 1945 during the Liberation�s mopping-up campaign, three American fighter planes strafed the old municipal building and the old convent to clear it from Japanese soldiers.
Post-war to Present
With the Liberation in 1946, schools reopened. The Japanese had paid the people for war damages.
In November 1947, typhoon Jen hit the area. It destroyed houses and farmlands.
On April 1957, Fr. Pablo Lanuevo started the construction of the new church with the help of Adoracion Nocturna Filipina, a lone male religious organization and through a committee created for this purpose. Fund-raising campaign was done from among the people of Lavezares through accepting cash donations, making copra from donated coconuts, holding social activities, and (thereby inviting civic-conscious persons) popularity contests, and benefit shows. Juan Urbano, an architect who is a native of Lavezares, designed the building.
In November 3, 1967, Wilmeng destroyed a number of houses. Big waves reached even the distant mountain, bringing forth sands to the residential areas thus, resulting to irregular landscape of Villa, Urdaneta and Barobaybay. Its strong winds even blew away the statue of Our Lady of Assumption in front of the church.
In 1971, Enriqueta was submerged by flood caused by the overflow of
In 1978, Mayor Basilio B. Chan died. He was the longest-serving mayor of the town who held office for about 18 years and three months, from 1960-1978.
On December 25, 1981, Dinang hit Lavezares and destroyed a number of houses. It flooded Urdaneta to as high as five feet. Salvacion Institute fell just as it was holding its Alumni Homecoming party.
On November 10 1993, typhoon Naning ravaged the area and destroyed houses and farmlands. It was considered as one of the strongest and devastating typhoons in town.
On November 26, 1994, the town celebrated its 116th Founding Anniversary with pomp and festivity. The date of the town�s foundation was soon corrected by the National Historical Institute. According to NHI, the exact date of its creation is January 7, 1875 when the Spanish governor-general, being the chief executive who had also legislative and judicial powers in the
Today, the present Sangguniang Bayan has passed a resolution re-moving the date of the celebration to November 26, 1878 (the date when the Spain�s king issued the cedulario, an expression of his royal assent to the pueblo�s creation.)
It has approved the resolution to give the Lavezaresnons an ample and enough preparation for the celebration unlike when done on January 7 when everybody has just come out from a long holiday and schools are just about to be re-opened.
***Unedited Material
This undertaking is still a work in progress. As time goes by, efforts have yet to be made to complete this task of piecing events together with much accuracy which all Lavezaresnons must.
With so much gratitude to:
Atty. Ramon G. Cuyco
Melecio Cuyco (+)
Alejandre Gumarao (+)
Tita Alcantara-Adriatico
Pedro Adriatico
Brigido Adriatico
Democrita Ballesta
Conrada Turla
Antonio Dineros, Sr.
Magno Bacalando
Felix Tan
Lucio Lim
Gerardo Tan, Sr.
Juan Sulse
COPAR�s Timelines
(This unedited Lavezares' history is currently in progress. This is from the files of Mr. Rodel Cuyco)
