MUNICIPALITY OF PEÑABLANCA (CAGAYAN), Historical Data of Part 2
PART II
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ning or the mere neglect of not having them cleaned or repainted would cause or bring sickness to any or some members at home.
Not long after the occupation of the Philippines by the Americans, missionaries came to the islands and spread out. An American, with two Filipino companions, came to Peñablanca and wandered in the barrios of Dodan, Macusi, and Sisim to introduce the Protestant religion. Because of their fluency in speaking, they could easily convert the people of these barrios to the new faith. Just as soon as the people were converted, they immediately destroyed, or rather, threw away their respective idols and images whose power and miracles they feared much in former days. Most of them threw their possessions into the river. They made fun of them, they ridiculed them, they despised them. Some prepared bamboo rafts for their idols and images to float down. They even put provision for the supposed voyages of the idols and images. When they pushed the rafts downstream, they were floated to find that they floated upstream. One man tried to strike the eye of an idol with his sharp pointed bolo. It was a sad thing to know that this man got blind on both eyes not very long afterwards.
After a lapse of time, heavy rains came. It rained and rained for several days. The Pinacanauan River rose up very high. A great flood, possibly the biggest flood that had ever occurred since the birth of the town, came. This was in the year 1907. Most of the people in these particular barrios got washed away by the high river and drowned. Their houses, animals, and other personal belongings were also washed away and drowned.
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THE DIFFERENT CHIEF EXECUTIVES WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICIAL
POSITIONS AND DATES OF TENURE
| Name of Official | Date of Tenure | Official Position | |
|
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. |
Don Agustin Saquing Don Tiburcio Soriano Don Mariano Taguinod Don Severino Perez Don Pedro Marallag Don Dalmacio Guillermo Don Severino Taguinod Don Luis Alonzo Don Francisco Carag Don Gerardo Perez Don Jose Pelagio Don Pedro Tuliao Don Antonio T. Obispo Don Antonio T. Obispo Don Eriverto S. Obispo Atty. Crescenciano I. Saquing |
1892-1893 1894-1896 1897-1900 1901-1904 1905-1908 1909-1912 1913-1916 1917-1920 1921-1924 1925-1928 1929-1930 1931-1932 1933-1938 1939-1941 1942-1944 1945 to the present |
Teniente Absoluto Teniente Absoluto Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal President Municipal Mayor Municipal Mayor |
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THE OTHER MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS OF THE TOWN
| Name of Official | Official Position | |
|
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. |
Mr. Vicente Saquing Mr. Cristobal Santiago Mr. Gerardo Perez Mr. Leon Limun Mr. Luciano Dazo Mr. Estanislao Pagulayan Mr. Lorenzo de Leon Mr. Enrique Guttierez Mr. Benito Carag Mr. Jose de Asis Mr. Sergio Taguinod Don Francisco Carag Don Dalmacio Guillermo Don Pedro Marallag Don Primitivo Villanueva Atty. Honesto Peñafiel Atty. Remigio Butacan Atty. Domingo Gosiengfiao Atty. Angel Agustin Atty. Virgilio Y. Pobre Atty. Nicanor M. Canapi Mr. Manuel Melad Mr. Lucio Perez Mr. Eulalio Tuppil Mr. Matias Apostol |
Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Municipal Treasurer Juez de Ganado Justice of the Peace Justice of the Peace Justice of the Peace Justice of the Peace Justice of the Peace Justice of the Peace Justice of the Peace Justice of the Peace Justice of the Peace Municipal Secretary Municipal Secretary Municipal Secretary Municipal Secretary |
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(Other Municipal Officials cont.)
|
5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. |
Mr. Crisogono Sibayan Mr. Victoriano Sambat Mr. Gerardo Perez Mr. Pastor Danguilan Mr. Jovino del Rosario Mr. Juan Templo Mr. Joaquin Garcia Mr. Constantino Tabieroz Mr. Demetrio Pelagio Mr. Emiterio Liquigan Mr. Manuel Furigay Mr. Jose Furigay Mr. Vicente Pagalilauan Mr. Roque Talattad Mr. Antonio T. Obispo Mr. Pedro Obispo Mr. Cipriano Calimag Mr. Feliciano Calimag Mr. Calixto Tanguilan Mr. Rufino Natanauan Mr. Pedro Leones Mr. Gavino Siddayao Mr. Domingo Maquema Mr. Agapito Saquing Mr. Andres Daquiuag Mr. Jose Ballad |
Municipal Secretary Municipal Secretary Municipal Secretary Municipal Secretary Municipal Secretary Chief of Police Chief of Police Chief of Police Chief of Police Chief of Police Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor Municipal Councilor |
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(Other Municipal Officials of the Town Cont.)
|
17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. |
Mr. Aurelio Maquema Mr. Rufo Apattad Mr. Vicente Fugaban Mr. Pedro Furibay Mr. Estanislao Nonato Mr. Jose Pelagio Mr. Valentin Tabisaura Mr. Eugenio Danguilan Mr. Marcos Maramag Mr. Alejandro Ballad Mr. Alfonso Calimag Mr. Petronilo Maribbay |
Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor |
Part Two: Folkways
TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS, AND PRACTICES IN DOMESTIC AND SOCIAL LIFE
It may be of interest to know that the traditions, customs, and practices in domestic and social life of the people in both the Poblacion and the barrios are identical. Most of the people still cling to and preserve the old traditions, customs, and practices of their old ancestors. Some of the following traditions, customs, and practices are hereunder enumerated below:
(a) Community Service
The people do not fail to carry on the spirit of helpfulness and cooperation re any undertaking that confronts a family. This is true in the construction or repair of a house, working in the farms such as planting tobacco planting rice
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and harvesting, in the celebration of weddings, baptisms, and deaths. Every relative or neighbor must lend a hand either in the form of labor or money. They all work cooperatively.
(b) Births
While in the town, from time immemorial, there was a great number of births of twins, not very long ago, this record had been broken when a woman in the Poblacion gave birth to triplets, two girls and one boy. The honor goes to Mr. and Mrs. Salvador Furigay. When any woman is pregnant or is on the family way, she has to be very conscious never to ridicule or laugh at any cripple or physically-handicapped person. It is the general belief that when a mother ridicules or laughs at a cripple or a physically-handicapped person, the child, when born, will surely be a cripple or physically-handicapped. A pregnant woman is also conscious of her movements, her going out in the evening or in her way of urinating. She has to make her hair loose and has to urinate by standing lest some evil spirits do some harm.
(c) Baptisms
Baptisms are sometimes expensive and as pompous as weddings. Long before a baby is born, contracts are being made as to who would be the sponsor or sponsors. Sponsors of a baby sometimes number a dozen. They are responsible to prepare the baptismal dress of a baby. They share equally the required fee for the priest's church ceremonies. They also give gifts in the form of foodstuffs, money, etc. to the child. The practice of getting a band or an orchestra is imperative
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during baptisms. The sponsors will have to dance with the baby and, while dancing, a cup of ordinary wine is sprinkled in the air, falling, of course, on the heads of the dancers while someone makes some yellings. The affair cannot be complete without the so-called "babbag," hard boiled rice (malagkit) with coconut juice and sugar and wrapped with banana leaf. This has to be given to each of the sponsors and nearest relatives. This so-called "babbag" has to be exchanged with some dresses and, sometimes, with money. During the lifetime of a godchild, for any sickness that may befall him or her, the sponsors or the godfathers and godmothers will be resorted to for cure. If a certain skin disease appears on the head, a hat or a handkerchief will have to be given to the sponsor for cure; if the skin disease appears on the foot or feet, stockings and shoes are to be sought for cure; if it appears on any part of the body, a dress or a pair of trouses is needed; and if it appears on the ear or ears, if the baby is a girl, a pair of earrings will have to be produced by the sponsor. It is also a general belief among the people that the child gets the customs and talents of the godfather or godmother.
(d) Courtship
Most parents still shoulder the responsibility of looking for and choosing the ones their respective children marry. Courting is done through the parents. They still cling to the three stages of marriage, namely: (1) the manulo-c, the proposal; (2) the manaladdo-c, the staking; (3) the mamalebag, the fencing. The mamalebag is sometimes called the mamasiccal.
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During the mamassical period, the go-between or spokesman for the young man spreads a handkerchief in the center of the crowd in the house of the girl. He places a ring in the middle of the handkerchief with four fifty-centavo pieces on each corner, while several ten centavo-pieces are lined at the edges, all encircling the ring. After the spokesman is through explaining the purpose of his coming, which is no other than the arrangement for a wedding, he gets the handkerchief, together with its contents, and hands it to the go-between or spokesman for the girl. With this ceremony, the wedding day is fixed.
(e) Marriage
One, of not the most, important dream of most parents is to see their respective children marry before they (the parentss) die. To most parents, it is a great joy and honor to see their children marry young. Long before the boy or the girl reaches the age of puberty, pigs are being raised, fed and cared for, for any eventuality. An ordinary wedding will last only for a day, but a pompous one will last for at least two to three days. The expenses are mostly borne by the parents of the man. It will be a great sacrifice. The man's parents are to go to the extent of mortgaging or selling several pieces or the only piece of his land. After the marriage, the man has to live with and work for his in-laws for a period of at least one or more years. This is done before he, with his wife, can declare to live independently.
(f) Death and Burial
Just as soon as a patient expires, he or she is bathed
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immediately. Then, his best clothes are put on him and then he is laid flat on the floor in the center of the house. The immediate relatives are not allowed to wander around. They all gather around the dead. They are not supposed to hold anything, especially fruits. The relatives and neighbors all come together and join the bereaved family. Some come for the making of the coffin for the dead. During the interment, the services of the priest are sought. This is done for the eternal repose of the dead's soul. No member of the immediate family is allowed to touch the coffin of the dead while it is on its way to the cemetery. As soon as the dead is buried, all the members of the immediate relatives all walk around the grave calling for his or her soul before they go back home. The ninth day is an occasion for a great feast. The expenses incurred are almost identical with those of a wedding. Another occasion occurs on the fortieth day, but usually of lesser expense. The members of the family mourn for the dead by wearing black clothes for a period of at least one year.
(g) Visits
On visits to the homes of people, one is customarily being offered meals, chocolate, coffee or wine. You may stay with anybody as long as you may like without any financial trouble on your part. The family offers you the best it can. The host will be insulted if you decline to serve or accept any offer of his. In remote places, you are served coffee or chocolate, accompanied by boiled eggs in the absence of some biscuits or cakes. Upon leaving the house, they share with you whatever they can think of such as a ganta of beans, a ganta of mongos, some peanuts, a hen or some eggs. This is the so-called famous Cagayano