MUNICIPALITY OF SAMPALOC, QUEZON, Historical Data of

20. Andres Jardin 21. Leon Dejelo 22. Leon Dejelo 23. Gregorio Abeja 24. Fortunato M. Obisna 25. Roman Villaverde 26. Sixto Obnamia 27. Juan Jardin 28. Simeon Veluz 29. Paterno C. Abcede 30. Atty. Antonio Buenaventura 31. Bautista Daya 32. Lucas Liwag

Vice-President Municipal Treasurer President President President Municipal Mayor Municipal Mayor Sanitary Inspector Municipal Treasurer Municipal Mayor Justice of the Peace Vice-Mayor Councilor

tion. Diego Cagan and Juan Saludades were the recognized leaders of the insurgents that fought against the Spaniards. In a showdown between the Spaniards and the Filipinos, the Spaniards were practically annihilated in Bilucao on one of the passes there.

When the Americans came to occupy the town, the insurrectos, carried on their fight for independence. One of the living insurrectos of the town narrated that they thought the American soldiers can not very see well at noon, because their eyes were like parrots. So they charged at the enemy at noon, but they were met by deadly and accurate fire.

The Pacific War surpassed all the destruction wrought by the two previous wars. As in other places, the Japanese killed many civilians suspected to be guerrillas or aiding the guerrillas. Properties, food, and books that have something to do with the Western Powers were confiscated and burned. Work animals, like carabaos were commandeered to serve as their beasts of burden.

During the last days of the war, the Japanese mined the concrete school building. Inside the building were plenty of vital war materials, which the enemy could not carry in their hasty retreat. To prevent them from falling into the enemy’s hands, the Japanese blew the building by means of a timed-bomb, and many civilians and guerrillas perished. It was reported that 72 men were killed in the blow-up.

With the forces of liberation in town, the people of the town, began the task of rehabilitating themselves and their homes. The people who had gone to the mountains to hide, once more returned to the town to live. Sanitary measures were enforced to prevent epidemics, and the water supply was chlorinated to check diseases. The PCAU and the ECA made available to the population cheap foodstuffs and clothing. Medicines were sold cheap or distributed free. When the War Damage Commission began functioning, the people filed their just claims to rehabilitate their homes and farms.

The election of Paterno C. Abcede as Mayor after the liberation marked the beginning of a new era for the town. A far-sighted and energetic Mayor, he has done more than any other official has done for the town. A tennis court was put up and a ₱10,000 puericulture center was constructed, to serve the needs of the growing population.

The Sampaloc Elementary School was reconstructed from War Damage Funds, together with the Caldong Barrio School. From Congressman Suarez, he got a share of his pork barrel allocation, and the streets of the town were repaired and asphalted. Through his initiative, a campaign for funds for the erection of the Quezon Monument was waged. After a short time, the quota was reached and the Quezon Monument now stands in front of the Municipal building, a tribute to the greatest son of the province from one of the ablest Mayors of the province of Quezon.

Education was not neglected. Additional rooms were made available even in private houses to meet the growing school population. The mayor also gave to the town the Luzonian Academy, so that the children of poor parents can afford to go to High School.

Places of amusements were erected like the show house of Vice-Mayor Bautista Daya, so that the people will have the chance of spending their leisure hours profitably. Two pool rooms were put up, so that those who are always cooped in their offices could have plenty of relaxation on afternoons. Besides all these, one of the sons of the town, Dr. Felino V. Barnes, managed to put up some playground facilities in the court of the Municipal building for children and adults alike.

The school lent a cooperating hand. Reading Centers in the different puroks were established to give the people all the benefits of newspapers and magazines. The Sampaloc Professionals’ Club likewise put up a Reading Center where everybody could go and be informed. Thus Sampaloc Marches On.

Traditions, Customs and Practices:

Birth

Before the establishment of the local Puericulture Center, the women of the town deliver their babies, the primitive way. The “hilot” system is taken advantage of in the absence of a more competent one. With the local Mid-Wife of the Center, prospective mothers are given the best care in their condition. When a child is born, the neighbors all flocked to the house of the newly born baby to gossip and comment on the features of the new arrival. In a small town like Sampaloc, news travel faster than the wires. A birth is considered news, and everybody soon know of the event. The mother is congratulated by her friends and relatives for her safe delivery.

Baptism

Unlike the barrio folks who have their children baptized at later dates, the mothers of the town are the opposite. Some babies are baptized a week, some, old, others younger.

The sponsors for the christening are chosen even before the birth of a child. So that there is enough time for the godparents to prepare for the event. It is customary in this place for the godparents to pay for the baptismal fee in church. Then after the baptism, they will have to give a gift to the child locally called “Pakimkim” or “pakimkis”. In the event the godparent fails to give a gift at christening time, he will be obliged to give when the child dies or when he marries in the future. And that means more plus the interest. A baptismal party follows the ceremony and the sponsors and friends relatives, and sometimes the municipal officials are invited to the affair. Drinking wine is a favorite part of any party here, and no feast would be considered satisfying without it.

Courtship

The time has not changed altogether the way courting is done in this town. Before the parents do the talking and the courting of the girl a man loves. Nowadays, the young man regardless of the qualities the girl the parents may like throws all inhibitions to the four winds. Visiting your lady love is customarily done on Thursday evenings and on Sundays, or any holiday. It is still the custom to ask the permission of the girl’s parents before one converses with the lady. When a man and a girl are engaged, the parents of the man have to go to the house of the girl three times to ask for her hand. The first approach is called “Pamanhikan”, the second, “Usigan”, and the third, “Hatiran”. The terms are self-explanatory in the vernacular, and there would be no need of a lengthy explanation. There are parents who ask for dowries, but there are those who do not. It all depends on the talks between the parents. Seldom is a boy required to do some forms of specific services for the parents of the girl, unlike in the remote barrios, where domestic service for a prospective son-in-law is required and a must to merit acceptance. When the date of the marriage is agreed upon, then preparation for the affair follows.

Marriage

Before the marriage date, the prospective bride goes on a shopping trip to the capital or to Manila. Her trousseau is provided for by the man and all other dresses she might need for the marriage day and her honeymoon.

Marriages are solemnized either by the Ministers or priests or justice of the peace. A big feast follows usually at the residence of the bride. Invitations are not in fashion (formal), a nod or a casual greeting from the parents of the married couple will entitle the nice dinner or supper. There is always dancing throughout the day to the tune of guitars, orchestra or the juke box today. The giving of gifts is done after or before dinner. The bride and groom go around separately and ask for gifts by giving a cup of wine to everyone in the affair. This is called “Galahan”. After the merrymaking in the bride’s residence, the party transfers to the residence of the groom. This is called “lipatan”, lipat meaning to transfer or move from one place to another. This “lipatan” is done with the most noise, as most of the men and women in the party are already drunk. The merrymaking and drinking of wine continues in the groom’s house.

The next day, the relatives of the groom will go again to the residence of the bride to clean the house. This is called “lunisan” or linisan, meaning to clean. After the cleaning, there may be left-overs of yesterday’s feast and drinking and dancing again resurge.

Death and Burial

The news of the death of someone is always news, so the information spreads throughout the town like fire. In the evening many people go to the house of the dead for the wake. There are those who give some form of material help to the bereaved family, but this is only done, when the family is known to be very poor. Games and jokes prevail during the “bankayan”. Coffee and bread are served to the guests. Relatives do not go home, but instead stay to keep the bereaved family company in its vigil. If a person dies in the basement of a house, he is taken upstairs, because the people say it is bad to have a dead person down your house. Burial takes place the following day.

Games in the town which are very popular are softball, volleyball basketball, sipa and badminton (local style). These games are played on Sundays, and Holidays, like Rizal Day, Independence Day by teams of the different zones of the town. The construction of the tennis court which also serves as basketball court gave a boost to basketball in here. Prizes for competing teams are given by stores and civic-spirited citizens. Nowadays, the church plaza was bulldozed and the town folks have a better space for playing, either sipa or softball there.

Amusements in this locality are few. Some go to the billiard halls to pass the evening. There are pool tables and some card playing. Most of the populace however go to the occasional show at the movie house. Tagalog pictures draw more audiences than English pictures. This is accountable to the sentiment and English vocabulary of the masses.

Transcribed from: Historical Data of the Municipality of Sampaloc, Province of Quezon, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.