MUNICIPALITY OF BAILEN,(GEN. EMILIO AGUINALDO), CAVITE, Historical Data of Part 1

PART I

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About these Historical Data

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THE HISTORY OF BAILEN, ITS ORIGIN, ORGANIZATION AS AN INDEPENDENT MUNICIPALITY AND ITS PROMINENT CITIZENS:

Bailen is a small town on the western part of Cavite province. It is inhabited at present by around five thousand, industrious, peaceful and law-abiding people. It is about eighty-two kilometers and three hours’ trip to Manila by regular bus transportation. It is a fourth class municipality.

Before the year 1856, Bailen, then known as Bataman, was only a barrio of Maragondon. It was composed of scattered cottages, connected by trails. There are many mango groves. There was no good road connecting the barrio to the town of Maragondon, but trails, which were always muddy during the rainy seasons. The only means of transportation was by horse, by which goods and persons were carried on horseback to and from Maragondon. Because of these the people of Bailen suffered hardship in their trade and business transactions; in the payment of their taxes; in contracting marriage, baptisms and in all other civil and religious duties to the mother municipality. These led the people to file a petition for the separation of Bailen from Maragondon, to become an independent municipality.

The inhabitants of the barrio filed the petition through their prominent citizens, who signed the said petition on January 2, 1958. They asked that, they be separated from Maragondon on the following grounds: 1. That they have more than six hundred voters, living in houses of their own; 2. That it was very hard to transact commercial, civil and religious business in the poblacion of Maragondon because of the great distance and poor means of transportation. 3.

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3. That they have all the means necessary to run an independent municipality, and 4. That all the people are unanimous in their desire to be separated from Maragondon and become an independent municipality. They also reasoned that during rainy days, it took them many days to reach Maragondon, because of the mud and the floods on rivers they have to cross in going there. In the said petition, they included the then barrio of Sanitan, now known as the town of Magallanes.

The following were the prominent leaders who signed the petition to the then Governor General Norzagaray, the original of which is on file in the archives of the National Library and Museum in Manila. The original petition was in Spanish, a copy of which is herewith attached.

After a thorough study of the merits of the petition, the then Governor General Norzagaray approved it on August 2, 1858, making the barrio of Bataman an independent municipality of Bailen for the first time in its history. The barrio of Sanitan, (now Magallanes) which was also included in the said petition, was not however

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This is the copy of the original petition of the citizens of the then barrio of Batas (now the town of Bailen) for separation of that barrio from the mother town of Maragondon. The original was filed in the files of the archives of the National Library and Museum.

Volero para los Años
de 1858-59

Sr. Gobernador

Los vecinos moradores que subscriben en los barrios de Batas y Sanitan del pueblo de Maragondon llenos del respeto y sumisión que V.E. se presentan suponiendo: Que considerando hace una porción de años de los abandonado en que se encuentran los habitantes de dichos barrios de los auxilios corporales y principales en los casos en que son apetecibles no han podido menos Señor Gobernador de elevar hoy sus clamores ante V.E. ya que S.M. la Rey nuestra señora se al dignado dos tramos si esta provincia para protegerla y darle todo el impulso que necesita en agricultura y civilización.

Nuestro objeto Señor Gobernador . . . de elevar a V.E. este presente recurso es como se ha dicho viene demostrado en lo infinito y temporal esto es que los barrios de Batas y Sanitan se hallan y unidos se en pueblo independiente de Maragondon que constituido así se le de en parroco que cuide de los Almas sus feligreses.

Los fundamentos que los tienen los recurrentes para pretender que dichos barrios se unan y se siten de ellos un pueblo independiente son 1. que Batas cuenta en el día con seiscientos tributos que hacen cuatro cientos próximamente, cantidad más que bastante para sostener en iglesia de un pueblo; 2. Estos dichos barrios distan entre sí de Maragondon como cuatro horas de camino en tiempo de secas y serenos pues que en lluviosos absolutamente que se interrumpe el transito dos o tres semanas; 3. Batas y Sanitan están poblados de casas bastante regulares con calzadas en uno y otro caserío de policía porque en la primero no lejos de los tenientes están encargando la administración de justicia de estos barrios tan bien poblados más que en estos tres individuos que no habrán más que por el impulso del Gobernador Civil de Maragondon a quien inmediatamente están subordinados los habitantes de dichos barrios severo con timorato atención por mal hecho el que entran en ellos solían y cometen imposición de exámenes, razón de que no hay allí su vale tenientes justos que los tres individuos mi cuadrillano que los persiguen estando ... estos, los vecinos mismos absolutamente pues acaso se han de impedir que pudiesen los lugares la captura de los ladrones si hubiese a suficiente número de una artilleros y justicia por la distancia en que hay pueblo de donde tienen que venir los auxilios se hallaba así como la averiguación de los ... menos.

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Estos mismos fundamentos son los que tienen los suscritos para pedir que se les dé de párroco al menos un coadjutor que venga al pueblo de Maragondon si establecen en dicho punto con suficiente poder administrativo los servicios inmediatamente que el caso exigiera pues en la situación actual luego puede que desde que principian las aguas y hasta terminan su estación continuamente hay avenidas en los ríos grandes y los mares por esto impiden la comunicación al pueblo por algunas semanas como dicho; que por esta razón y por la distancia de la mayor parte se privan en los días de fiesta que dan de cumplir con el precepto de las Santa Madre y Iglesia. Que en caso de confesiones sucede que hace una porción de años han podido llegar dichos barrios según antecedentes a administrárseles y que teniendo que concurrir en las horas llegan al pueblo los cargadores ya cuanto por último los ... gerien nacidos cuentan semanas antes de sus ... siendo otra de estos ramales la de una compañía que los quiere seguir la ocasión de la noche para las obligaciones de cristianos.

Por los motivos es puestos por que se pretende esta conforma ... la elevación del recurso especiales que se dignen examinarnos los expediente. A V.S. pueden implorarse se elevan esta instancia con apuro al ... ponlo Señor Gobernador superior de este Gobierno. Una pronta concesión de inobjeto beneficio que en el caso de que la superioridad tenga a bien acordar la erección de dicho pueblo se denomine este Santa María como prueba de su amor paternal a estos sus gobernados.

8 de
Julio de 1858.

Note: The grammatical errors and mis-spellings that may be found in the foregoing copy of the petition are due to the fact that the original from which this was copied was written in long hand; some words or parts are not legible because of the age of the manuscript. It is also due to the fact that the one who copied this is not well acquainted with Spanish language. This is as copied by

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The following is a copy of the approval of the petition of the leaders of Bailen, for the separation from the mother town of Maragondon, by the then Spanish Gobernador General Norzagaray, on August 2, 1858. The original is in Spanish.

Manila 2 de Agosto de 1858

Vista la instancia de los vecinos y moradores del barrio de Batas en solicitud de separación en lo civil y religioso de su matriz Maragondon de la provincia de Cavite. En atención a lo manifestado por el mismo Señor Arzobispo Deseado por el Señor Intendente General de Ejército y haciendo la relación del Sr. Asesor General de Gobierno con el fin de lo económico venga en decretar concediendo la separación espiritual y temporal del barrio de Batas de su matriz Maragondon y la agregación del mismo pueblo de Bailon pudiendo proceder los de temporal ministrar de justicia un número que considere estrictamente necesario el jefe de aquella provincia al quien se parece que disponga y a lo que los habitantes de Bailon se dedican desde luego a construir los edificios públicos de que carecen y que son arreglo al decreto de 3 Agosto de 1846 proceda a fijar y ejecutar los límites del nuevo pueblo verificándolo con asistencia de parroquial antes y formando una nota que deberá quedar archivada en su Visto y de la misma remitirá copia a esta superioridad debiendo comunicarlo al quien corresponda y remitir los archivos.

/f/ Norzagaray
/t/ Norzagaray

Copied by Mr. Jose Angat, from the original found in the files of the Archives of the National Library and Museum.

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included in the approval, because the people of that barrio had already filed a similar petition for separation. The territory of the new municipality of Bailen was based on the old survey of the barrio made on August 3, 1946, and which has remained up to the present time, as can be seen in the attached map.

The following are the leaders of Bailen, who led the affairs of the people from its organization to the present time or until it was again made a barrio of Alfonso during the re-organization of the municipalities of the province of Cavite in 1903.

CAPITAN MUNICIPALIES DURING SPANISH TIME AND DATES OF THEIR INCUMBENCIES

MUNICIPAL PRESIDENTS DURING THE EARLY PART OF
THE AMERICAN REGIME AND BEFORE REORGANIZATION

In the later part of 1903, there was a re-organization of the towns of Cavite province. Bailen was made a barrio of Alfonso because of lack of income to support the expenses of the municipal government. In the elections of 1904, the people of the former Municipality of Bailen, then a barrio, elected Bartolome Angat, coun-

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cilor and representative of the place to the municipal Government of Alfonso. In the elections of 1907 the people of the barrio of Bailen was able to elect a vice-President and two municipal councilors namely Bartolome Angat for vice-president and Agapito Gonzales and Cesario Bendo for councilors, thereby increasing participations and representations in the municipal council of Alfonso. These three leaders worked together and had to have Bailen be separated from Alfonso and again once more become an independent municipality. In 1909 a petition was filed by Cesario Bendo, Agapito Gonzales, Rufo Gloriani, Victor Belostrino and Bartolome Angat. In 1912, when the first petition, Bartolome Angat and Agapito Gonzales, renewed or filed another petition to the then Provincial Governor Hon. Antero Soriano. In order to justify the petition and to remedy the main cause in becoming a barrio, which was the lack of sufficient income to run a municipal government, they urged or recommended to increase the assessed value of real properties, by ten percent. This, according to the estimates presented by the petitioners, will enable the town of Bailen to support or maintain the expenses of the municipal government. In 1915, because of the untiring efforts of the leaders, particularly, Bartolome Angat and Agapito Gonzales, who hiked up to Naic in order only to reach Cavite and present their cause, the petition for the separation of Bailen as a barrio of Alfonso, to become once more an independent municipality, was approved by the then Provincial Governor Hon. Antero Soriano. Since then, Bailen became permanent and independent municipality and took her place as one of the twenty towns of Cavite Province. Rufo Gloriani was appointed first municipal president of the newly re-organized town. In the following

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elections for municipal officials, he was elected to succeed himself as also the first elective Municipal President of Bailen. The following were the Municipal Presidents of this town from the time it was re-organized in 1915 and the dates of their incumbencies:

MUNICIPAL PRESIDENTS OF BAILEN (Elective)

MUNCIPAL MAYORS

CENSUS OF 1903

CENSUS OF 1918

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CENSUS OF 1938

CENSUS OF 1948

POST-WAR BAILEN

The post-war Bailen is very far advanced from the former Bailen of the pre-war days. It has advanced in economic, social, religious and educational progress.

-Economics: - There is now a macadam, although still rugged, road which is passable throughout the year, even during the rainy season, which make possible the establishment of a regular bus line. Products are now carried to Manila and neighboring towns within a short time and at least expenses. This makes possible the good prices for the goods or products produced in the locality. Local merchants, can now go to Manila and return the same day, bringing with them many things, heretofore unknown in the locality and at prices within the reach of everybody. Thus the income and purchasing power of the people has considerably increased.

-Social - Many people of this town, who before, have never been far from the locality, have now gone to many places far and near, where they can observe the living conditions, activities and social progress of the people and many people from other towns and places

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come to Bailen, which make possible the exchange of ideas. This influence very much, the advancement of the social progress of the people, that they are not now very far behind the other people of other places. The days, when anything that is awkward or backward was referred to as from Bailen, is now a far cry.

-Educational - There was very rapid progress along this line. In addition to the increase in enrolment and the number of teachers after liberation in the Elementary grades, a private high school has been established in the locality. Before the war only a handful of intermediate graduates, who were more ambitious than the greater majority, ventured to the town of Indang and in Manila to pursue further studies in the high schools and still fewer are those who went as far as college. Now, majority of the intermediate graduates continue in the high school and many go to College. Before the war, there were very few High school graduate who can teach in the elementary school, but now there are many normal graduates from the place now teaching and many still out waiting for vacancies. There are also many Education graduates. There are many with other College degrees.

-Religious - Compared with other towns, Bailen has the most number of religious sects. Although it has the smallest population among towns of Cavite, yet it has the most number of religious sects and cults in the entire province. The following are the religious with some followers from the town:

1. Catholic
2. Aglipayan
3. Protestants
4. Seventh Day Adventists
5. Iglesia ni Cristo
6. San Pascual
7. Amang Dios

A new remodeled Catholic Church, built along modern line and

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design has been built from the ruins of the old church, thanks to the untiring efforts of Rev. Fr. Jose Flores, the parish priest and the town people. The Protestants also have constructed a semi-concrete modern chapel.

Political - The electors have considerably increased also after liberation. After the disfranchisement of electors with property qualifications only, the number of voters in the municipality decreased. But with the advance of the educational progress in this town, the number has again gradually increased until a proportion of 2 to 5 ration to the population or two voters for every five inhabitants has been reached in the 1951 elections. Before the war, candidates with few exceptions, for local offices were persons, whose educational qualifications were intermediate or lower levels. But in 1951 elections all candidates were either college graduates or students. The elected Mayor is a commerce graduate. Very few ballots were declared null and void, which goes to show the educational maturity of the voters.

Agricultural Progress - Although the surface of the locality is generally rugged and soil erosion is rapid, the people of the locality produce a greater part of their needs and some products to export to other towns and city. A little rice is imported. Peanuts, and corn are exported in large quantity. But the biggest source of income of the people are the Mangos and bananas. More than two thirds of the income of the people of the locality come from this two sources. Because of the suitable climate of the place, the people have learned and become proficient in the art of mango smudging, which enable them to produce fruits out of season. This early mangoes when

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sold in Manila commands high prices, which bring an average yearly income to the people an estimated ₱100,000.00. Bananas ranks second in exports and income to the people. Bailen produces the best qualities of bananas of all the up-land towns of Cavite. These contributed to the rapid progress of the town.

There are however no important money making industry in the place. Weaving sinamay for mosquito nets and for fishing are what may be called industry. Another household industry is shelling peanuts and corn for export to Manila. This bring very little income to the housekeepers.

Bailen, unlike many other places does not have or still never have any agrarian troubles or problems. There are no big landed estates and almost all family heads have even a small farm and lot of his own, in which the family work. But because of the smallness of the farms and the rugged terrain, mechanized farming cannot be used. Inspite of marked soil erosion the farmers are able to produce good harvest because of the introduction of the fertilizers, of which the people are now learning to use and can be secured thru credit from the U.S.A. PHILCUSA field men.

With these advantages and handicaps, Bailen is making progress along many lines. These and others will make Bailen take her place among the sister municipalities in the province of Cavite and in the whole Philippines. Bailen will not again suffer the humiliation of becoming a barrio. The favorable climatic conditions, the natural industriousness of the people, will contribute further to the future progress of Bailen.

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THE HISTORY OF THE BARRIO OF CASTAÑOS

Castaños, a barrio of Bailen, is situated in the southern part of the Municipality. It is four kilometers from the poblacion on the provincial road to Alfonso. It is one of the biggest and most progressive barrios of this town. How it got its name was a subject of discussion, conjectures and supposition. But in the absence of authentic documents, the facts furnished by some old men of the barrio and Poblacion, whenever corroborated by any one or more of the resource persons were given credits as most probable if not completely true. However, it is believed that most of the facts furnished are true and correct. The most convincing one is:

When the Rev. Fr. Baltazar Narvaez was the parish priest of this town the barrio of Castaños was known as Batas, very likely because it was a part of the former barrio of Batas, now the town of Bailen. But when it was made an independent barrio, the name Castaños was given in honor of the great, brave and illustrious Spanish General Castaños. This order of giving the name of Castaños was promulgated in the year 1872. Among the first prominent families of the barrio were the Dinlasan, Lopez, Oximoso and Cabitan.

During the incumbency of Juan Narvaez, as Capitan Municipal of the town, the barrio of Castaños was traversed by a well-kept road to Alfonso. Cosme Lopez, the Grand Old Man of the Barrio was honored, loved and respected by the people. His words were laws that the people obeyed. When bandits and outlaws tried to rob and ransack the barrio, their attempts were foiled by the wisdom and courage of Cosme Lopez, so that they also learned

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to fear and respect him.

During the later part of the Spanish regime, the tenientes del barrio were appointed by the Capitan Municipal. The first appointee was Mr. Victorio Cananbros, whose appointment was considered most wise and appropriate by the people. It was during his term as barrio lieutenant of Castaños, that the provincial road to Alfonso was opened. The barrio then became prosperous, peaceful and progressive. His successor, Mr. Hilarion Rolle was another dynamic, civic spirited man who had the welfare of the barrio at heart. The last of the appointive teniente del barrio during the Spanish regime was Mr. Ildefonso del Mundo, who, like his predecessors did everything for the good of the barrio. He lost his good health and died a hero's death in the eyes of his barrio people, during the Philippine Revolution.

When the revolution broke out in 1898, the people with the true Malaynn blood, flowing in their veins, left their homes and went to the field of battle to drive the oppressors, and to win the long cherished independence of our beloved country, a great heritage for the Filipinos. The barrio was later named "Trina" in honor of the great and brave patriot General Mariano Trina, from Malabon, now known also as Gen. Trias.

When the American forces annexed the Philippines to the United States against the will of the Filipinos in 1900, a democratic and liberal form of government was established. In 1902 Mr. Marcelino Aure, known as "ALAPAAP" during the revolution was elected president of the towns of Mendez, Alfonso and Bailen. Later, the name Castaños was restored.

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In 1920, the barrio school was established through the insistence of the barrio people, and through the initiative of Councilor Francisco Villa. During the World War II, the school was made the headquarters of the FIL-AMERICAN GUERILLA (Castañeda Unit). The neighboring sitio of Kaymisas was also made the headquarters of the R.O.T.C. Unit. There was no damage because of war.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION:

Mr. Cosme Lopez
Mr. Emilio Oximoso
Mr. Tiburcio Dinlasan
Mr. Bonifacio Rollon
Mr. Fabian Rolle

LIST OF TENIENTE DEL BARRIO OF CASTAÑOS, BAILEN, CAVITE AND DATES OF THE INCUMBENCIES ARRANGED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

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HISTORY, ECONOMICS AND CULTURAL LIFE OF THE BARRIO
OF BATAS, BAILEN, CAVITE.

DERIVATION- Origin of the Name Batas for the Barrio. During the later part of the Spanish regime, just before the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution, the sitios of the municipality of Bailen have not names yet. In a proclamation issued by the Spaniards, it was required of all able bodied inhabitants of the sitios to make roads leading to the Poblacion. The leaders of the group were authorised to give names of their respective sitios together in their report of the completion of the projects. While they were working, Capitan Juan Narvaez who was the head of the town at that time, was thinking of a name to be given to the sitio now the barrio of Batas. He had already given names to other barrios and sitios, but not, to the sitio of Batas. As he was deep in thought about the name for the sition, some one in the group spoke something about the law that is forcing them to work without pay. That suggested to Capitan Juan the name batas, meaning law. From then on, the barrio has been called Batas up to the present.

The date when the barrio was established and given its name is not fully determined but it is sometime between 1888 and 1889, during the incumbency of Capitan Juan Narvaes. According to reliable informations, the first time that it was recognized as a barrio and a barrio lieutenant was first appointed was in 1884. The list of barrio lieutenants and the dates of their incumbencies are give below arranged in chronological order:

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Important FACTS AND EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE:

(a) During the Spanish Regime:

1. Political: In the year 1872, a high ranking Spanish Official called Gobernadorcillo appointed men whom they can entrust to guard the Spanish sovereignity in all places. These officials were called Alcalde Mayor. The people were not allowed to select their head. Any man in the place who is in good grace with the Spaniards, specially the Priest, were the ones appointed barrio head.

2. Education: During the period, education was very limited for the Spaniards did not like the Filipinos to be educated. There was no designated school at that time. The people learned to read Tagalog with the help of civic-minded citizens, while learning their religion. The earliest teacher of the place was an old woman called Andang M.

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Andang Maria, a native of the barrio. She taught the children how to read the Cartilla and Caton. The children learned fast because of very strict discipline. Corporal punishment was generally practiced even for slight faults. Whipping with a piece of stick or kneeling was very common punishment.

3. Religions: The mission of the Spaniards was to spread Christianity. Almost all the people at that time were Catholics because the Priests at that time were very powerful and can punish offenders and have the power to appoint town officials. There was no religious freedom and all people kissed the hands of the priest wherever the people meet them.

(b) American Occupation:

There was no significant event that happened during the occupation of the Americans except the establishment of the Schools during the later part of the regime and the granting of suffrage to the inhabitants. There was very minor changes in as far as the people are concerned except the organized and liberal education exchange. The people enjoyed more religious freedom. All other forces were also those that happened in all places.

c. Japanese Occupation: At the beginning of the occupation the people in fear of the enemies, did nothing but hide. They neglected everything including their fields. Most of the work animals were stolen by the bandits. Because of these, the people planted root crops... gabi, ube, sweet potatoes, cassava and other root crops which they ate. During the greater part of the Japanese Occupation most of the people ate very little rice if ever, but ate with the root crops.

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Historical FACTS OF THE BARRIO OF NARVAEZ

The past as well as the present official name of the barrio is Narvaez. This barrio is composed of the following sitios: Narvaez proper, Subungan, Masukal, Guyongguyong, Ampayong, Malibigan, Hadlang, Kaybinkwagan, Inkatan, and Lamoymoy. Narvaez was derived from Capitan Juan Narvaez, who was the capitan of the town proper. Others got their names from trees that grew in those places which have some legends woven around them. Still others got theirs from geographical features.

According to reliable sources, the barrio, then sitio was established prior to the coming of the Spaniards. Some of the prominent families of the place were: Capitan Juan Narvaez, in whose honor the barrio was named.; Capitan Regino Javier, Capitan Sotero Angat. There is no historical site, structure, building or ruins in the place. The only significant event was when the Spaniards came to Bailen, the town officials hid there and refused to come to town. This caused the anger of the Spaniards and burned the town. The Barrio Lieutenants of the barrio and sitios are:

During the Spanish time there was no mark of any educational activity. When the right of Suffrage was given, very few could vote. At about the outbreak of the World War II a prominent man by the name

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