MUNICIPALITY OF PILILLA, RIZAL, Historical Data of Part 1

1. History of Pililla and Its Barrios 2. Music in Pililla 3. Customs and Traditions 4. Methods of Measuring Time 5. Special Calendar 6. Games and Amusements 7. Sayings of Old Folks 8. Facts about "Bahay na Bato" 9. Folk Songs

Pages 1-4 5-6 7-10 11-12 12 13-14 15-16 18 18-22

Pililla was originally created as a Visita of Morong and denominated as Pilang-Morong. (To differentiate from Pila, Laguna.) It had jurisdiction over the following cabezarias at the time of its creation:

LOCATION Tan-ay (Mountain) Tigbe (Site) Quisao Yacat (Mountain) Dole (River)

CHIEFTAIN D. Francisco Casag D. Pedro Canayon D. Alonzo Rael D. Pedro Bacay D. Vicente Bouan

In 1583, Pilang-Morong was separated from Morong and became the independent town of Pililla. Cavana also placed 1583 as the creation of the town of Pililla. In 1599, the Superior Gobierno issued the license allowing the construction of a stone church which was done the following years. In 1606, Tan-ay separated from Pililla and became and independent town. In 1632, the church and the whole town of Pililla were burned, but later on were rebuilt. In 1668, the church was burned again. In 1670, the construction of the present stone church was begun. In 1673, it was finished. In 1676, Jalajala became a barrio of Pililla. In 1679, the Lagunde Bai (Laguna Lake) rose to such extraordinary height that the parish priest, Fr. Nicolas Santiago, celebrated the Mass in the choir, and the people of Pililla attended riding in bancas inside the church. In 1786, Jalajala was separated and became an independent town. In 1816, Jalajala was incorporated again as a barrio of Pililla. In 1825, Jalajala was separated again from Pililla and became and independent town. On Dec. 4, 1837 was held in Pililla the election of the local officials of Morong, Pililla, Tanay, Baras, Jalajala, and a new town named San Diego (probably Quisao, where the patron saint is San Diego, or it may be Niogan). In order to identify this new town, here are the names of those elected as the officials of this Pueblo de San Diego.

GOBERNADORCILLO (A pluralidad)

1^st Place: D. Antonio de San Josef
2^nd Place: D. Santiago delos Angeles
3^rd Place: D. Ramon Nonato

TENIENTES (A pluralidad)

1. O - D. Diego de San Francisco
2. O - D. Leonardo de Rosales

On Dec. 13, 1842, a band of tulisanes attacked and looted Quisao. In 1845, Pililla had 500 houses, 3,238 inhabitants and 657 tributes. In 1848, the convent of the church was extensively repaired. In 1853, Pililla was separated from the Province of Laguna and incorporated into the newly-created Distrito de los Montes de San Mateo (late in 1857 denominated Distrito Politica-Militar de Morong).

In 1876, the population was 3,276 (Cavada). On March 10, 1881, two principales of Quisao, D. Leonardo San Jose and D. Juan Anieso, petitioned the government on behalf of the inhabitants of the barrio of Quisao and the sitios of Maria and Puang, that the said barrios and sitios be separated from Pililla and created into an independent town to be named PEREZ. This was favored by the gobernadorcillo and cura parroco of Pililla and the Gobernador Politica-Militar de Morong; but was disapproved by the civil administration on account of the existing laws that required the barrio deciding to be an independent town must have as one of its prerequisites at least 500 tributantes. On July 9, 1885, the Cabezas de Barangay of Quisao, D. Pedro Buan, D. Jose Siga, and D. Francisco Casali, petitioned the government to make Quisao sort of a self-governing barrio of Pililla, on account of its distance. On Jan. 25, 1886, the government approved the creation of Quisao into a "Visita con Teniente Absoluto." On May 5, 1887, a devastating fire ravaged Pililla, burning sixty houses. in 1896, The Katipunan revolutionists of Pililla and Quisao established their military camp at RAmbo or Pahalang-na-Gubat. The population of Pililla was 2,486 and that of Quisao 776. In 1898, Aug. 6, the town joined the revolutionary government of Gen. Aguinaldo. In 1899, Jan. 5, the American forces that landed from launches and cascos engaged the Filipino troops defending the town in a free combat around the church, the latter retreating to the mountains of Tanay. The combat caused a part of the town to be destroyed by fire. In June 1901, the towns of Pililla and Quisao (which became and independent town during the existence of the Phil. Republic) were incorporated into the newly-created Province of Rizal.

In 1903, by Act No. 942 by the Phil. Commission, and in accordance with the policy of economy and centralization, the towns of Pililla, Quisao, and Jalajala were consolidated, with the seat of government at Pililla. In 1903, the population of Pililla was 2,055, Quisao 804. In 1907, by Act No. 1720 approved on Sept. 20, 1907, Jalajala was separated from Pililla and became an independent municipality. In 1918, the population of Pililla was 2,766, and Quisao 814. In 1929, the place called Longos within the jurisdiction of this municipality was cleared by the majority of the tenant population of the town of Jalajala, who transferred their homes to this site, whereon they founded a new community, thus avoiding their agrarian conflict with the plantation owners of Jalajala. The principal families who led in the task of practically moving a town were NEMENO, GUITO, GILLIDO, GELLIDON, PEREGRINA, ROXAS, BOBADILLA, MASIKIP, VILLARAN, BELLIN, BELLIDO, RODRIGUEZ, AGUINI, BELIEZA, MIRANDA, BICLAR, MATERIANO, VILLAVICENCIO, etc. The first positive act of transferring the bulk of the tenant population was done on March 24^th 1929. Mr. Francisco Ycasiano y Vella gave permission to Messrs. Quintin Gellido and Jose Roxas to transfer to a place now called the barrio of Malaya, a community of about 300 families. Then, on the 24^th of Sept. 1929, Mr. Ananias Vicencio, in a public document, donated a tract of land containing approximately 150,000 sq. meters to the families of Manuel Roxas, Canuto, Pillas, and Quintin Gellidon, all of Jalajala, who distribute or assign free of charge, and to the best interests of the said residents "the said lot at Longos, Barrio Quisao, Municipality of Pililla."

In 1939, Engineer Quintin Gellidon surveyed the layout of the new community; their community is now called "Barrio Malaya."

The following are some of the municipal officials that time:

G. Felipe Martinez G. Jose Flora G. Fermin Bermudez G. Benigno Anievas G. Constancio Melendres G. Juanito Angangco G. Francisco Pendon G. Juan Guinto G. Laureano Cadawas

Mayor Councilor Municipal Sec. Vice-Mayor Councilor " " " "

During the early part of the American regime, only primary instruction was given in the town, but gradually, the schools were expanded and there is now a complete elementary school in the poblacion and in the barrio of Quisao, and Grades L to V in the barrio of Malaya. The opportunity to acquire high school education in the town has been provided with the establishment by some residents of the town of a private high school, the Pililla Academy.

During the battle for the liberation of the town on March 18, 1945, nearly three-fourths of all the houses and public buildings, including the Municipal Building, were either burned or destroyed by American bombing and shellings to dislodge from the town the Japanese forces and Makapilis. Immediately following the liberation of the town, the PCAU and the US Army reestablished the municipal government of Pililla on April 20, 1945, with the designation of Mr. Lucio R. Aquino, an active guerrilla leader, as mayor.

Pililla is noted for the fertility of its soil, mines, and farm products. In the uplands of Barrios Niogan and Malaya, new farms are being tilled by migrating farmers from the towns of Laguna who find the soil and climate of the place favorable to agriculture. There are groves of bamboo and rattan which have won for it a name because of their unlimited output. Besides these, sabutan hats and mats and rattan baskets are woven and exported to other places. Shoe heel-making, lumbering, and duck raising are now becoming major industries and constitute among the main sources of the people's income.

1. Florencio P. Gatchalian 2. Rangino Cuitiong 3. Cesario Nicolas 4. Narciso de los Reyes 5. Pastor Asuncion 6. Felix Bernadez 7. Graciano Banaag 8. Felix Sta. Ana 9. Mamerto Tingkungko - 1940 10. Esteban P. Garcia (Japanese Occupation) 11. Maximino San Diego (1945-1946) 12. Eulogio Cervantes (Sept. 1, 1946)

Guillermo Dikit (Auxiliary) "" Angel E. Paz (Auxiliary) Vicente Lozano (Attorney at Law) " " " " "

Gregorio Paz Regino Cuitiong Rufino Melendrez Felipe Martinez Florencio Gatchalian

1922

Maximino Bautista Guillermo Dikit Ildefonso Alcantara Angel E. Paz Felipe Martinez Guillermo Dikit Francisco Bautista Julio Paz Vicente Flora Lucio R. Aquino Vicente C. Flora Lucio R. Aquino Jose M. Flora

Mayor " " " " " " " " " " " "

1934-1935 1936 1937-1938 1939-1942 1943 1943 1944-1945 1945-1946 1946-1947 1948-1951 1952-

Submitted by:

(Mrs.) B. CERVANTES
(Mrs.) F. SOSA

The Pililla folks are music-minded people. Proof of this musical inclination among them are the generations who composed overtures, marches, funeral songs, and other musical selections. Some of these people even go as far as composing dramas, zarzuelas, and organizing violin and string orchestras and bands.

Heading the list in this distinguished branch of art was the late Mr. Julian Paz who, over a century ago, was a musician of his own distinction. He was the first person in this locality to compose funeral selections and overtures. Like father, like son, as the saying goes; the late Mr. Pedro Paz followed in the footsteps of his father. He even excelled his father in the composition of marches and overtures. Next in line came the late Pablo Paz, intimately called Mang Ambo, who would compose songs by the tweets of birds. He would go up to the mountains and, with his pencil and paper, jot down any sweet humming of birds. Another Paz to be distinct in this field is also the late Gregorio, who wrote zarzuelas and dramas. He taught women how to organize orchestras. Known to have composed the first Pililla woman orchestra were Natalia Ledesma and Catalina Amores, baritone, and some other natives of this locality.

Daniel Flora and Adriano Pateña, both 68 years old now, were the first to organize the Aglipayan Band. These two men were the ones who taught violin orchestra, of which Marianita Paz, Godiosa Roxas, Perpetua Paz, Engracia Carlos, and Catalins Amores were the members. Very successful was

this phase of development that Vicente Lozano and Elias Dikit organized a string orchestra. They also composed kundimans.

Respectfully submitted by:

(Miss) DOLORES M. MIRANDA
IV-1

Our generation, at present, in its mode of expressing its love and affection is quite different now from the generation of the good-old-days. At present, anytime and anywhere, lovers express their love [for each other] whenever they feel they have a chance. Dances, picnics, parties, and all other like outings are at present good chances of a man to say and express his feelings to a girl. The old-fashioned lover prefers a visit to the house, which is usually at eight o'clock in the evening. The old-fashioned parents watch the girl as she talks with her lover. Most of this kind of parents are very strict, so that they criticize every act and move of their daughter's lover.

Many have many ways of winning their beloved. Some men woo the parents of the girl besides courting the girl, while some court the girl with the aid of their parents. Some men impress the girl by giving them valuable gifts as tokens of love. Still others are too smart in their acts and ways of expressive their love to make a girl believe their promises, which bring about inspiration and sincerity. At present, there are people who get engaged by means of letters only. Still others get engaged without the knowledge of their parents. Engagement is not favored by the old-fashioned, whereas those whose whims and desires are influenced by the modern changes of living appreciate it. Courtship, at present, seems to render the old-fashioned courtship undesirable to our young generation.

When a man is prepared and likes to get married, he consults his parents. His parents, if in favor, will then consult the girl's parents. The agreement of both parties brings about the plan for the marriage.

In going to the house of the girl, the old-fashioned may require the man's folks to bring with them wines, bread, cigars and cigarettes that they would offer to the family of the girl as the conversation is going on. Usually, the folks of the girl ask from the parents of the man a certain amount of money or property which is commonly called in Tagalog "bilang." If the parents of the man accept these conditions, then the marriage date is set. It is also a tradition among the old-fashioned that the man should live in the house of the girl like a servant until the date of marriage, which is termed, in Tagalog, as "paninilbihan." But these customs and traditions seem seem to be fading because they sound to be undesirable on the part of our generation of the present. At present, if the man and the girl are in love with each other, and the parents are in agreement, the marriage can be settled very easily.

As the married couple goes out of the church after the ceremony, the old-fashioned persons throw a handful of rice at the couple, which as a belief is wishing them wealth and prosperity. The wedding feast and celebration are usually held in the home of the bride. Some people prefer a silent wedding without a feast at all. Some people prefer their weddings to be celebrated with dances and music. After the celebration, the couple is blessed with happiness and prosperity by all, especially by the godfather and godmother of the newly-wedded couple.

Historical Data of the Municipality of Pililla, Province of Rizal, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.