MUNICIPALITY OF BAUGUEN (SALCEDO), History and Cultural Life of

HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF THE
TOW OF BAGUEN

PART I - HISTORY

19 - 20. Officially known as Bauguen, this town was formerly called Pueblo de Salcedo or Salcedo. The name Salcedo was given in honor of the Spanish Alcalde Mayor of Ilocos Sur, Juan de Salcedo. "Baugen" is the name of a place about a kilometer east of the town. In this place, there was a waterfall, falling on our "pounding" upon a stone. "Pounding," in the local dialect [more correctly, language] means "baybauguen." From this came the name "Baugen."

21 - 22. The town was founded in the year 1876 out of sixteen settlements in a neighborhood. The founders were those who served later as "Gobernadorcillos" and "Cabezas de Barangay." They were the "headmen" or "panglacayen" of the original settlements.

Cabezas de Barangay:

Gobernadorcillos:

1867 - Dn. Silverio Maningan
1868 - Dn. Pedro Lapga
1869 - Dn. Simeon Dag-usen
1870 - Dn. Nicolas Taqueban
1871 - Dn. Jose Gomintong
1872 - Dn. Rufino Danioan
1873-75 - Dn. Faustino Aluyen
1875-77 - Dn. Martin Magsiñgit
1877-79 - Dn. Narciso Batnag
1879-81 - Dn. Leonardo Baliñgog
1881-83 - Dn. Antonio Pilayan
1883-85 - Dn. Marcelo Sumao-i
1885-87 - Dn. Jose Bilaoen
1887-89 - Dn. Rosendo Anaon
1889-91 - Dn. Nicolas Aluyen
1891-93 - Dn. Dionisio Bilaoen
1893-95 - Dn. Mateo Bumatay
1895-97 - Dn. Bonifacio Purkeso
1897-98 - Dn. Mariano Aluyen
1898-month of September - elected first President Local - Dn. Simeon Sumao-i.

24. N o n e

25. Important facts, incidents, or events that took place.

1. Founding of the town in 1876. On June 1^st 1876, Salcedo was declared a pueblo in an official gazette. Manila was inaugurated on March 5, 1877 by Dn. Carlos Villargut, a high government official during the incumbency of Gobernadorcillo Dn. Martin Magsiñgit.

2. Building of the Roman Catholic church in 1883. In this year, a cholera epidemic broke [out] which brought [with it] a terrible death toll.

3. Patron Saint, Sn. Jose, installed by Fray Manuel Arguelles on March 19, 1885.

4. Collection of "Tributes Naturales" and "Impuestos Provinciales" in 1877 - 79. Many people went away because of these.

5. Teaching of the 3 R'sby A. Martin Leones; B. Pedro Directo; C. Fermin Rivera; D. Beatriz Jimeno; E. Ramon Aquino

6. April 6, 1890, the town was honored by the official visit of Gov. Gen. Valeriano Ubeyler. Installation of the first resident priest, Rev. Tomas Arizabal of Vigan.

7. Christianization went on steadily 1889 - 91.

8. The killing of Dr. Jose Rizal was felt in the town. Uneasiness was felt strong among all residents.

9. The underground movements in the town was getting worse until the outbreak of the revolution in Candon in 1898 headed by Dn. Fernando Guirnalda.

10. Establishment of the "Gobierno Revolucionario" in the town. Dn. Simeon Sumao-i was named President Local bhy the revolutionary government.

11. Spanish prisoners of war were distributed to the houses. They served as house helpers.

12. The passing of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo at noon on Nov. 22, 1879, in his retreat to Palanan, Isabela [the year 1879 is erroneous and should be 1900 or 1901]. His army bivouacked at the town plaza. He was followed by Gen. Funston, who passed also in the afternoon of Nov. 29, the same year.

2. Guerrilla activities between the Katipunan and American Soldiers. Salcedo was on the crossroads.

3. The Puebelo de Salcedo as a town and municipality was abolished in 1903. The western barrios including the Poblacion Salcedo were annexed to Sta. Lucia. The eastern barrios became a part of the sub-province of Abra.

4. The town was not only abolished in the year 1903 but also suffered from locust infestation and from the worst storm that levelled the town including the church, Oct. 25, 1903.

5. Salcedo suffered as a barrio of Sta. Lucia. The residents were utilized as labor by the higher-ups of Sta. Lucia, who became fault-finders and persecutors (replica of the Spanish rule).

6. The barrios annexed to Abra sub-province became [a] township in 1906. The municipal building was set up in Bauguen. Governor Joaquin Ortega of Bangued, Abra, called it [the] township of Bauguen, and appointed Pablo Ñgade as the President, next Kadawing (Alejo Ambago) 1906-1908.

7. Headed by Dn. Ruperto Taqueban, the four barrios of Salcedo, Sr. Gaspar, Calioaquio, and Balidbid seceded from Sta. Lucia and became a part of a township. This move was approved in 1908.

8. In this same year, 1908, the election of municipal officials was inaugurated. Sr. Feliciano Annaguey was first elected President of the township's government.

9. The Protestant religion (Methodist) was brought in 1908 to this township by an American missionary and two Filipinos, Rev. Nicolas Cariño and Rev. Severino Cordero.

10. Elected township (later municipal) Presidents:

President Ruperto Taqueban in 1917 began the move of removing eleven barrios from Sta. Lucia to become incorporated with Bauguen. These barrios (from Sta. Lucia) that were formerly barrios of Pueblo de Salcedo are:

Sorioan Dinaratan Arañgin Pias

San Tiburcio Culiong Nagtablaan Bulbuluacan

Buliclic Cubcubbo-ot Coplasan

The fight for these barrios lasted for over 20 years but it was finally accomplished on January 1, 1939 during the incumbency of President Flor Taqueban.

(a) First Mass of the Philippine Independent Church by Obispo Maximo Mons. Gregorio Aglipay. Feb. 3, 1911.

(b) Fiesta de Bauguen. Comedia ken Zarzuela. May 29, 1911.

(c) Dedication (Benediction) of the church building by Bishop Gregorio Aglipay. June 1, 1911.

12. The township became a regular municipality in 1919. [In] The next year were erected on donated lands the elementary and domestic science buildings. In 1921, the Nabucaan, Cabugbugan irrigation was established, watering over 200 hectares of ricelands. Frequent outbreaks of animal pests between 1918 - 1928, minimized by preventive measures such as quarantines, injections, and other sanitary measures.

13. Awakening of [sense of] civic duty among the young people. Societies, the most important of which were the New Era of Salcedo and later the Women's Club affiliated with the National Federation of Women's Clubs of the Philippines, were organized. Both were headed by Miss Monica Taqueban, first P.N.S. (1919) graduate of southern Ilocos Sur. These served as effective instruments in the cultural and civic improvement of the community.

14. Through the efforts of Governor Alejandro Quirolgico and Municipal President Ruperto Taqueban, the Gregorio del Pilar National Committee succeeded in exhuming the remains of the general in Tirad Pass and took them to Bauguen and thence to Manila. Mr. Ruperto Taqueban played host to the committee:

15. World War II broke out in 1941 and, shortly after, the municipal government of Bauguen was abandoned.

1. Establishment of the local government by the conquering Japanese. Appointed municipal mayor was Sr. Francisco Col-long, followed by Sr. Candido Candasan. Both were killed by guerrillas.

2. Guerrilla soldies were organized here secretly by Col. Walter Cushing with a few Filipino officers. During the first months of 1942, the Candon-Bauguen Road became the scene of guerrilla activities in which the Japs, including high-ranking officers, were casualties. Then, the guerrillas laid low. The Japanese, however, continued searching for guerrillas and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

3. In 1944, the U.S.A.F.F.E, N.L., established its military government in Bauguen, appointing Mr. Jose Makil as the mayor. Mr. Jose Makil was chosen by the residents and later appointed by Major Barnett of the 121^st Infantry.

Bolomen were organized and this organization splendidly and honorably carried [out] its work in protecting the civilians, in feeding the soldiers, and in carrying ammunition to the front lines.

Bauguen served as the gateway in driving Yamashita from [the] Bessang and Cervantes areas.

4. The civil government was resumed in August 1945.

5. The Puericulture Center was organized in 1945 - Pres. - Mrs. Monical T. Makil.

6. The Methodist Church has been giving emphasis on the teaching of her members, especially the children. Beginners, primary, juniors, and youth classes are conducted with impetus during the Sunday schools.

7. The Community Centered School is doing its level best to encourage the development of home industries through the school children. In spite of the efforts of the officers of Purok No. I to clean and beautify the Poblacion, improvement in general is not very noticeable.

Transcribed from:

History and Cultural Life of Bauguen, Ilocos Sur, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections. The pagination in this transcription is as they appear in the original document.