The Creation of the Municipality

The Creation

Lavezares (Pinonayan) was only a visita of La Granja (now Allen) during the late 19th century. With the advent of Spanish colonization, hispanization of visitas and pueblos was made. Hence, Pinonayan was changed to Lavezares in honor of the second Spanish governor-general in Las Islas de Filipinas, Guido de Lavezaris.

On January 7, 1875, it became a pueblo when the Spanish governor-general issued a bando (an executive decree) separating visita de Lavezares from La Granja with the visitas of Barobaybay and Socjan (now Villa) part of it. Silvino Flores who served from 1875-1877 was the first capitan of the pueblo by virtue of an appointment. On November 26, 1878, the king of Spain issued a cedulario which expressed his approval on the establishment of pueblo de Lavezares.

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 La Granja. The petition was signed and submitted by the leaders of Pinonayan, Socjan, Barobaybay, and Mamban (now Rosario which later became part of Bobon).


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.

Manila, 7 de Enero de 1875
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 del pueblo de �Lavezares� en la provincial de Samar.

Madrid, 26 Noviembre de 1878

�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 municipality of Lavezares came from the eastern side of Samar and from the Bicol Region. Mariano Ubas, was believed to be the son and leader of the settlers who were also believed to have their first settlement along a sturdy balite tree in the Sabang River(now the Pinonayan River) which was frequently visited by bats and birds. One of the birds they liked (because of its melodious voice) was ponay. Ubas, then, conferred with the settlers to name the place Pinonayan.

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 Bicol Peninsula migrated and settled in this place. They actually escaped from the Spanish authorities who were then recruiting able-bodied men to fight the insurrectos or help build galleons. The place was then a wilderness. However, its rich natural resources made them stay behind. These early settlers were the Ubases, the Tremenios, the Floreses, the Adriaticos, the Bogtongs, and the Esplanas.

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 San Juan was already occupied by several nomads from Almeria, Leyte on board a tinalapi, a native kind of sailboat characterized as being surrounded by higher nipa shingles to protect it from big waves. Sixta Bacalando led this group of nomads. They escaped from Leyte because they were subjected to quintos by Spanish authorities as they refused to be converted into Christianity. The group first landed in Barobaybay and has sought permission to build a settlement from Teniente Vicente Ymata, who was then the leader of the visita and who later became a teniente of San Juan. Permission was not given them; instead they were led to Maravilla. Agapito Maravilla, who was then the leader of the village, did not allow them either to build a house in the area. Hence, they were forced to look for a deserted place, which fishermen in nearby fishing villages used to call Hurunan, to mean a place for resting and refuge. By the mid-18th century, another wave of migration to Hurunan happened from the Bicol Peninsula and Palapag with the eruption of Mt. Mayon and the Palapagnons resistance against polo or forced labor. On this second wave came the Sorios, Gamaos, Ebuengas, Rosadi�os, Aticaldos, and Gallegos. These people went on to populate the island barangays. Hurunan later became San Juan. It was believed that before the 19th century ended, a British came to San Juan and established a nipa wine factory locally called manyan at Alacsiman, Taberna, a place in the upland. This was confirmed when during late 90�s, wine jars were discovered by the people in the island.

In Enriqueta (old name, Sinimangan), the first settler was the family of Bernabe Cupido and Apolinaria Galindez who came from Eastern Samar.

In Barobaybay, the early settlers were the Llegoses (from Cuba), Balags, Escobers, Martireses, and Garduces who came from Bicol and Palapag.

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 Pacific Ocean. These intruders would attack the locals, robbed them of their possession, and looted whatever could be divested from the locals. The mal-adventurism of these Moros and the piratas were so ruthless that they hurt the locals who resisted.
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 La Granja, the town was governed by executives called �capitanes.�

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 San Juan. They have stayed in the same house while doing surveillance work for their respective countries. Thomas Ferguson maintained a toril or a cattle ranch. His cattles, then, were later supplied to American soldiers fighting in the war.

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, Gaudencio Guy, Leon Ortego, Agapito Sorio, and Constancio Sorio were tortured by drowning by the Japanese soldiers. Fortunately, they survived.
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 Samar Island and the Filipino voluntarios established
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 Sabang Bridge to prevent the Japanese from coming into the town of Lavezares where Merrit and the voluntarios under his command were stationed. Elias Bogtong (municipal presidente from 1916-21) opposed with this plan as the bridge was his project during his term. As Bido and his men suspected Elias Bogtong to side with the Japanese, he killed Elias Bogtong and blew up the bridge. This was in 1942.

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 municipality of Lavezares, was converted into a clinic to care for the American soldiers, Filipino soldiers and voluntarios wounded in the war. It took refuge Captain Merritt and his wife(a nurse) and Governor Francisco Escudero, Sr. and his family who fled from Sorsogon to avoid Japanese atrocities.

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 Sinimangan River.

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 Philippines issued an executive decree (bando) for its establishment. A bando had the force of law, hence, the governor �general implemented the same by appointing at once Silvino Flores as the first capitan of the pueblo in 1875 to 1877. And so, the Sangguniang Bayan of Lavezares heeded the National Historical Institute and celebrated the foundation anniversary on January 7.

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)