MUNICIPALITY OF CAMALIG, ALBAY, Historical Data of Part 2

PART II

Part I | Part II

About these Historical Data

The transcription of this page was done using AI technology.

[p. 17]

of the town of Pilar, Sorsogon, took up arms against the town authorities and overpowered them and then started killing the Spanish residents in the town and in the barrios, the sanguinary expedition of the Spanish “Guardia Civil” took place which resulted in the death of more than 300 innocent Filipinos in the town of Pilar. In pursuit of the “pulahanes” the sanguinary expeditions of the “Guardia Civil” fanned throughout the province of Sorsogon and Albay. It was during these bloody expeditions that the town of Camalig shared its part when an unaccounted number of its barrio people who were suspected as sympathizers of the “pulahanes” were mercilessly murdered.

From this time up to the proclamation of the first Philippine Republic on June 12, 1898, at Malolos, Bulacan, there were no losses on the lives and property of the people of this town, despite the fact that the country was practically in a state of war. The situation, however, began to change after February 4, 1899 when the Filipinos took up arms against the United States when many Filipino guerrillas of this town were killed by the Americans. It is estimated that more than one hundred persons of this town composed mostly of members of the Katipunan were killed. The losses, however, on property amounted only to a few thousand pesos. Losses on public buildings and other institutions were practically nil as the Americans carried the war not through the “scorched earth” but through the most human way possible with the sole aim of preserving life and property as a part of their policy of attraction.

The Period from 1941 – 1945

Although the Pacific War was officially declared on Dec. 8, 1941, the Japanese did not infiltrate the province of Albay until December 12, of the same year. The arrival of the first Japanese soldier in the town of Camalig was in the early morning of Friday December 12, 1941, when two Japanese soldiers arrived at the Manila Railroad station. With those soldiers the inhabitants of the town were so scared that a mass evacuation for the mountains immediately followed. Some diehard remained in the poblacion and only left when the situation became extremely dangerous. Minutes later after the arrival of the two Japanese soldiers a fleeing U.S. plane presumably in order to lighten its load dropped its bomb in Calle Binanuan damaging a portion of a residential house and killing a pig. This was the first time that the people of this municipality ever experienced the explosion of a bomb from an airplane. The deceased Jose Golano whose house was only a few feet from the place of explosion was shocked that he fell ill and later died. He was the first civilian casualty of the Pacific war in this municipality.

Tolls among lives and properties in this municipality started

[p. 18]

to mount during the later part of 1943 when the resistance movement began to take shape. When the guerrilla organizations showed signs of activities in the mountain fastness of the town and in the remote barrios of Del Rosario, Cotmon, Manawan and Pariaan, the Japanese took cognizance of their existence and their campaigns of extermination followed. Guerrilla suspects were apprehended and liquidated. The first victims to fall as guerrilla suspects in this municipality were the Arnesto family composed of the father Aniceto Arnesto, the mother Margarita Gimo, the son Amancio Arnesto and a married daughter Soledad Arnesto. They were arrested by the Japanese soldiers stationed at the town as guerrilla suspects and supporters of the Sandico Guerrilla Organization. They were tortured and later killed somewhere in Calle Binanuaan. Other victims like Meliguias Loma, Jose Sanchez, Crispin Blazo, etc. followed. In the Centro alone 8 persons were killed by the Japanese as guerrilla suspects, 9 civilians were victims of unexploded bombs in Quitunlan Hills, 3 persons namely Jose Lomban, Saul Verdote and Timostocles Guerrero were alleged to have been killed by guerrillas themselves for unknown reason, 2 alleged Japanese spies the Nieva brothers were liquidated by the guerrillas, and 9 deceased veterans were members of the United States Armed Forces namely Anacleto Valenciano, Quirico Salas, Alfonso Noya, Jose Legioniana, Julian Saberdo, Hipolito Sacayan, Juan Nasayao, Jose Manila and Felix Najar. Those members of the Armed Forces of the United States who from the barrios of this municipality who were either killed in Bataan or at the Japanese concentration Camp at Camp O’Donnell at Capas, Tarlac, or somewhere else during the Pacific War were as follows: Benjamin Nabor, Bantonan; Celedonio Consulta, Baligang; Renero Nonilla, Cotmon; Teotimo Moriska, Cotmon; Cecilio Napocao, Tagaytay; Angel Nuñesca, Libod; Ismael Solano, Tumpa; Ricardo Mimo, Baligang; Leon Mayvo, Baligang; Antonio Mayve, Baligang; Iupo Morco, Boghabong; Jose Muyna, Gotob; Marcial Mapay, Boghabong; Vicente Monson, Sogong, Juan Madgaco, Palanog; Nicamor Napay, Quirangay; and Ismael Millasgo, Quirangay. Other veterans of the Pacific War from this town are unaccounted for as they were reported missing in action during the war. Those who were killed by the Japanese soldiers when they evacuated Quitunlan Hills on the night of April 28, 1945, were Bernardino Alfonso, Silvestre Noya and Felicidad de Baños. All of them were residents of the Centro. This 3 persons were killed by the fleeing Japanese in sitio Ilawod when the latter were fired upon by the guerrillas. Thinking that they were guerrillas themselves, the Japanese killed these three innocent persons in retaliation while they were hiding in their evacuation huts. Each one of these three victims received two bayonet thrusts on the breast. Those killed from bomb explosions were Sebastian Moron of Ilawod; Risalino Vibar of Ilawod; Presentacion Sacayan of Tinago; Bonifacio Nova; Perfecto Peñarlor of Gotob; Josefa Nacor of Cabagangan and res Imperial, his wife and 3 children and a niece of Mina; Ciriaco Barcelon of Legaspi City; and a family of four persons in barrio Tagaytay who were simultaneously killed when a booby trap exploded under their stove.

[p. 19]

All of these were killed in 1945. Other casualties in the barrios of this town were unaccounted for due to the difficulties of ascertaining their identities. It is estimated that more than 5,000 Japanese soldiers were pocketed or beleaguered at Kituinan Hills by the Forces of Liberation and only about 2,000 of them were able to escape on the night of April 28, 1945. A few days after April 28, remnants of fleeing Japanese soldiers were hunted and killed like wild animals by the angry people of this municipality. Dogs were used to trail their tracks and were butchered without mercy as a matter of revenge.

Losses on Property

When during the later part of 1944, the Japanese Imperial Forces started to occupy the town of Camalig—particularly the poblacion, the people were driven away from their homes as their houses were occupied by the soldiers. Every building in the Centro was occupied and later looted. The first part of the poblacion to be occupied was Binanuaan street from the railroad to the Basud river. This was occupied by the engineering battalion. Later on the whole of the Centro up to Calsada and extending as far as the Ilawod bridge was occupied. When the Navy contingent arrived from Legaspi, the whole of Ilawod district was occupied extending as far as Soogong. Somewhere in January 1945, the whole Japanese Imperial forces left the poblacion and occupied the Kituinan Hills. Here they blasted the hillsides digging trenches and tunnels and destroying hundreds of hectares of abaca and coconut plantations. While constructing their tunnels and dugouts, they destroyed and looted the houses in the poblacion for whatever materials they could get to serve their purpose. Public and private buildings suffered a great deal from this Japanese vandalism. Furniture from both private and public buildings were carried to Kituinan Hills. School desks, blackboards, and other school equipment were looted. When the poblacion and Kituinan Hills were subjected to bombings by the Forces of Liberation from April 2, to 28, 1945, after the bombings, Kituinan Hills was shorn of its vegetation and appeared like vast clearings ready for the planting of upland rice. Camalig assumed the tragic appearance of a ghost-town with practically every building burned or damaged beyond repair. Estimated damages to both public and private property excluding human lives is about P1,000,000. This estimate excludes consequential damage arising from the non-production of real property such as coconut and abaca plantations as a result of the war which may still amount hundreds of thousands of pesos.

Measures and Accomplishments Toward Rehabilitation and Reconstruction following World War II

Because World War II had brought havoc to lives, properties and other institutions, United States helped in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the damaged countries. Such help extended to every part of the country. Camalig was one recipient of such aid.

[p. 20]

After liberation, the PCAU was established in our town. This PCAU served sick and poor people of the town of Camalig. Medicines, food and even clothing were distributed to the people. The distribution of medicine was not the only thing done, there too, was a traveling clinic which served people with different ailments. This clinic stayed for some days in the town of Camalig.

Another agency established to serve people who had scanty clothing was the UNRRA. This agency gave away clothes to the needy people of Camalig.

Then, too, the destruction of buildings and other properties both public and private was great. So the Philippine War Damage Commission was established. This War Damage Commission worked on the correctness of claims for payment of destroyed public and private buildings and properties. Money was paid for such destruction, so people were able to rebuild their homes and the government, too, to rebuild buildings and reconstruct roads and bridges.

The American Junior Red Cross did send the school children some gifts in forms of crayons, toothbrushes, pencils, papers, toothpaste, rulers and clothes.

[p. 21]

PART II

1. 1. Birth

   1. At the first sign of labor the mother concerned should rub her abdomen against any post three times so that she would not feel any pain.

   2. She should refrain from touching any part of her body otherwise she would suffer much pain in that specific spot.

   3. No one should be allowed to stand near the door when an expectant mother is in the delivery room for the child may not be born.

   4. The placenta should be placed on a small container so that the child would not be a huge eater.

   5. The placenta should be buried on the other side of the road for the child would be very fond of walking.

   6. The clothes of the newborn baby should not be wrung for the child would be very stubborn.

2. 2. Baptism

   1. When the baby is to be carried down, the one carrying it steps on a book which is placed at the foot of the stairs and such book contains a small piece of cotton in which money is wrapped so that the baby earns money easily when it grows up.

   2. During baptism the moment the priest tells the godmother to recite the prayer, she at once recites it without hesitation so that the child could speak right away.

   3. The godmother gives or donates a baptismal dress to the godchild so that later when both die, she would have a dress on when she meets the godmother in the land of the hereafter.

3. 3. Courtship

   1. In the early days the lovers were not given the chance to see or to talk by themselves. The parents did the courting. Most often the girl knew that she would be wedded to a groom entirely unfamiliar to her.

   2. When the man declared or made his love the parents of the girl he was asked to give a dowry in the form of money or land.

   3. The lover had to work in the house of his loved one for such length of time as may be agreed upon by the parents.

4. 4. Marriage

   1. The bride or the groom should refrain from going out on the eve of their marriage lest some accident may happen.

   2. Great care is observed in the placement of the veil and the ribbon for falling of either denotes a bad omen.

[p. 22]

5. 5. Death

   1. Whatever you see on the dead’s body should be ignored, if it is brought to the attention of the others, the thing seen grows more and more in number.

   2. Sweeping either on the floor or in the yard should be done away with for it signifies bad omen.

   3. Refrain from picking lice from the dead for they may grow more and more.

   4. Avoid eating round things for it may cause goiter.

   5. In making the coffin, see to it that the measurements are exact. Failure to do so may mean others to follow.

   6. Don’t drop tears on the dead for it may make the dead’s going to heaven more difficult.

   7. While the dead is still in the house no combing is allowed.

   8. In bathing the dead do it in such a way that the rubbing of the body should just be in one direction.

6. 6. Burial

   1. When the dead is to be brought down the windows of the house are all closed and nobody will soon follow.

   2. While going to the church the people are not allowed to turn back otherwise another death will follow.

   3. No cleaning is done until after the third day.

   4. When the people return from the cemetery they are not allowed to go directly to the house until after someone throws ashes or rice at them.

   5. After the 30th day, they say that the dead turns upside down before ascending to heaven.

   6. The prayer is begun on the third day and they believe that the dead visits the family on that day or night.

   7. When crying the tears should not drop on the dead.

   8. The widower is turned away by another widower after the dead is pushed into the grave and made to go home directly without looking back. When going to bathe after the third day

[p. 23]

7. 7. Visits

   Commendable local customs in this locality regarding visits.—When a friend or relative goes to visit a sick person, especially, the visitor on very rare occasions brings flowers to the sick, but something the patient can use during his stay in bed in the form of food and drink such as eggs, milk, fruits, cakes, etc. When a call is made on a friend, relative, padrino or persons of esteem, special preparation is made by the visitor to make the meeting warm and happy. Hence a chicken, a dozen eggs, rice, cakes, fruits, etc., compose the guest’s “panongko” or “pasabat.”

8. 8. Festival

   Festivals are pompous during town fiestas which come on the patron saint’s day; in May, Flores de Mayo, Santa Cruzan; during Christmas the “kagarong,” carols, and “pastoras” characterize the season. The traditional ball “Despidida del Año” is enjoyed by both young and old. All Souls’ Day is a festival celebrated in the cemetery; graves and tombs are decorated by loved ones converting the place of the dead into a region of flowers, light and prayers for a day.

9. 9. Punishment

   A belief prevails, too, that punishment is necessary to discipline unruly children, especially, that the rod is indispensable to parents in the training of their children. However, there are certain rules to follow:

   1. Don’t hit a child with a kitchen spoon lest he become a “tao” bird.

   2. Don’t use coconut midrib to beat children because it makes them thin.

   3. When a child is sitting on a winnowing basket he should not be slapped on any part of his body lest he gets eczema (ogiap).

[p. 24]

WHY THE MAYON VOLCANO CAME OUT INTO ERUPTION

Long, long ago a chief ordered the people to live happily but never try to approach the towering mountain. However, after a short time, due to curiosity, the people forgot his warning and went to see the mountain top. When they did so, there came forth earthquake and lightning and hot ashes out of the mountain.

ORIGIN OF THE SUN, MOON, STARS

How the sky came to be so high, and where the Sun, Moon and Stars came from.

According to the old story of long ago, the sky was so close to the earth that it was not easy for people to do their work daily. So they wished that the sky should move up. This was granted and as the sky moved upward it carried along with it the comb, the necklace and the burning stove. According to the story, these became the half moon and the stars and the sun.

THE ORIGIN OF THE HOUSE LIZARDS

There is a noticeable ritual which the house lizards do at twilight. They come down and kiss the ground. According to the legend of long ago, there was a man in love who promised to give his girl anything she might wish for. So he killed his mother. For this crime he became a little animal that crawled. Every night this animal kissed the ground in penance for his sin. This is the house lizard.

THE FIRST MAN AND WOMAN

The first people of the earth according to the legend came from notches of bamboo tree. Inside the bamboo tree a man and a woman lived in opposite notches. One day a bird flew to a bamboo tree. The knock became louder and louder. He was surprised. So he began to peck at the bamboo until it split into two. Out came a man and a woman.

DAMA DE NOCHE (PLANT)

Dama de noche is one of the foreign flowers that bloom profusely at night only and fills the air with a rare perfume. The legend tells that a very rich man had a beautiful daughter who fell in love with their gardener. When the angry father found this out he drove the gardener away. The daughter believing that her love would come back requested God that she be transformed into a plant whose flowers would wake in the night and keep watch till her lover came. Thus came into existence the exotic Dama de Noche.

[p. 25]

ILANG-ILANG TREE

The Ilang-Ilang is one of the fragrant and most sweetly scented flowers. The legend tells how a beautiful girl was born to a good family, but with the fairy’s advice that this girl should not be seen or touched by mortal man. The beautiful girl grew up and during one of her visits to the garden a young man saw her, he fell in love with her and when she was about to go away, this young man took hold of her hands. Suddenly the beautiful girl vanished and in her place a tree came out with yellow flowers that gave exquisite perfume around. The young man called the tree Ilang-Ilang in memory of the beautiful girl.

BELIEFS

1. The first rain after the long dry month of April is called Agua de Mayo. And it is always supposed to be a very heavy rain, accompanied with lightning and thunder. And one should not use that rain water. It is the accumulation of all dirt.

2. The first twelve days of January corresponds to the twelve months, as January 1^st for January, January 2^nd for February, and so on. So that if it rains on the first day of January, the month of January will be rainy. If the sun shines on the second day of January, the month of February will be sunny throughout, and so forth.

3. When the moon is at the last quarter, and if at its tip there is the evening star, births would be difficult at that date.

4. One should not point to the rainbow otherwise his forefinger would be cut off. It is also believed that the rainbow is a big snake slaking its thirst in some pond.

5. The people associate some indications in the sky with weather, time of planting, etc. These are not very reliable. When the crescent moon is seen vertically, some persons, mostly the old folks of the barrios say that the following days are going to be very rainy and they feel justified when it really rains against the contradiction of the younger generation.

6. It is not good to be sweeping in the evening because we shall be sweeping God’s grace.

7. Combing the hair in the evening will hasten the death of one’s parents.

8. If one takes a bath on Tuesdays and Fridays, his illness will be very serious if he ever falls ill.

9. Dark spots on one’s body will appear if one broils fish when a member or a relative of the family is dead.

10. Putting money on the table while eating is just like giving money for the dead.

11. Killing a cat will bring misfortune.

12. If one breaks a mirror he is sure to have seven years of misfortune.

13. If a fork drops, a male person is expected, while if a spoon drops, a female person is expected.

[p. 26]

SONGS

[p. 27]

RIDDLES

1. Apat an ojalas, tolo an botones. (Cristo)
   There are four buttonholes but only three buttons. (Christ)

2. Nagasasa si Judas (Judas cooked moro rice.
   Quina an hinagas He retained the water.
   Inunt an bagas (Wag) He threw away the rice.) (coconut)

3. Naghanos aco nin granada (I planted a pomegranate
   Sa tahao nin lagwerta. (Magha in the middle of the garden) (coconut)

4. Caputol na ugpo, nagapano sa harong. (Isar)
   (A piece of rattan that fills the house.) (Light)

5. Manoo cong oquis nasa irarau an quisaquis. (Lada)
   (My white hen whose scales are inside.) (pepper)

6. Bunay nin duit, dai nasisidot. (baga)
   (A cricket’s egg nobody can pick.) (amber)

7. Talodtod nin buaya Naghalapon paghaldaw.) (atop)
   (A crocodile’s back laid in the sun the whole day.) (roof)

[p. 28]

PROVERBS

1. Isipan gciona antes itaram.
   (Think before you speak.)

2. An nagcacapot quiracon nasorig’an.
   (One who handles pots gets the soot on his person.)

3. Anhan pa an saonti con gadan na an cabayo.
   (What’s the use of the hay when the horse is dead.)

4. Anhan an cagayaman con nasa peligro an buhay mo.
   (What’s the use of riches if your life is in danger.)

5. An pirae bungis nin capalaguison.
   (Money is the fruit of evil.)

6. An cusog caluyahan.
   (Strength is weakness.)

7. An cabayo dai naguirad con dai nin lugad.
   (A horse never twitches if it has no wound.)

[p. 29]

[p. 30]

HOW TO MEASURE TIME

In Camalig, people who are far from the reach of the peals of the church bells, employ various methods of telling or measuring time. Most of these methods are traditional and people who have been using them know more or less what time of the day it is from sheer force of habit. The people not only can tell the time of the day they can also tell the month, the weather, when to plant, etc. However, most of the latter are mingled with superstition and are not reliable.

One of the most unfailing methods by which the people know what time it is is the hornbill. Every high noon the hornbill caws. Every time it does, the people know that it is twelve o’clock.

Another bird is the kakok. When it chirps during the afternoon farmers working in the fields know that it is four o’clock—time to rest awhile to eat their merienda.

The rooster crows three times, ordinarily, a day. It seems that every time it crows corresponds to a certain hour; at ten o’clock in the evening, at two and at four in the morning.

Another bird that clunks at twelve o’clock, noon, is the Philippine eagle.

At dusk the lizard kisses the ground—it is about six o’clock.

When the screeching of the crickets at night begin to fade away, dawn is fast approaching and when it is no longer audible, it is between one and two o’clock in the morning.

The people also refer to the heavens. The appearance of the morning star indicates that it is almost four o’clock, besides the common rising of the sun.

When the Dap-dap blooms, coupled with the creaking of the cicadas, people are reminded of the advent of the Holy Week, and the month of February.

[p. 31]

THE DISH WASHER

There was a couple who loved each other dearly. After marriage they agreed to help each other in whatever work they might have. As years passed by both of them got tired with their way of life. To get rid of such monotony, especially the washing of the plates after every meal, they planned to play a game the next day—the loser would be the dishwasher, forever.

Early in the morning their neighbor’s maid went to their house to ask for fire. The maid was surprised to find the couple could no longer talk. She ran to the in-laws of this couple and informed them what had happened. Both in-laws ran to the couple’s house to find out what really happened. Both of them wondered why their children were robbed of their power of speech. They sent at once for a doctor. In a few minutes the doctor arrived. He asked who of the two should be cured first. Each of them was insisting that her son or daughter be treated first. The two were already quarreling. During that time there was an existing law that women should be given preference to men. The two in-laws agreed to follow the law so it was the wife who was treated first.

The doctor heated an iron bar and tried to insert it into the mouth of the wife. But before the bar reached her mouth, she shouted, “Please don’t do it. It will be painful.” The husband laughed and laughed and said, “So I’ll not wash plates anymore.”

[p. 32]

PART III—OTHER INFORMATION

The Names of Filipino Authors Born or Residing in This Community and Their Works. Although Camalig was one of the earliest towns founded in the Bicol Region thus being the early center of civilization and a place where sarsuelas and comedias were held, there was not one who have written these plays. The scripts were written by natives of Nueva Caceres which is called the City of Naga today. There was not one native of Camalig who have ever written an original play or story. There were Camaligueños who were translators rather than authors. Among these translators were Leon Combe, Justino Nuyda, Sr., Anacleto Napey and Timoteo Ortile. The latter can be considered as translator and director of plays.

Leon Combe was born in this town but resided in Tabaco, Albay. Because he worked in a printing press it gave him ease in translating into Bicol plays written in Spanish by other authors and in printing such translations. He translated the following: “Adela,” “Principe,” “Faraival,” “Tablante de Ricamonte,” and “Gonzalo de Cordova,” into Bicol and had them printed. He also printed the story entitled “Amor Cristal.” He created other poetries which were so lyrical. These works were called “verses” in the dialect. Justino Nuyda translated the plays of Shakespeare, then they were acted by local talents. These plays were staged in the town and in other places as far as Daet, Camarines Norte. Anacleto Napey and Timoteo Ortile ventured in translating other plays. These two may be considered as actors, directors and sort of translators. Timoteo Ortile wrote and directed some sarsuelas. All the works of these Camaligueños were unpublished.

Dr. Torribio Vibar was an educator, publisher and writer. His works were all about agriculture. He published the magazine “Philippine Agricultural Life.”

Alipio N. Alfonso is a contributor to local magazines like the Graphic, Philippines Free Press and other newspapers. He has some unpublished poetry which he had written. Hormel Nuyda is a short story writer. Some of his stories were published in the Philippines Free Press. Glen Nuyda, a brother to Hormel, is a budding short story writer, too. Some of his stories were already published in local magazines. Wilfredo Chilapson is a teacher and a poet. He indulges in writing poetry. Some of his poems were published in local magazines like the Philippine Agricultural Life. There are also unpublished poems in his possession. He writes short stories and articles, too, under the pen name, Ben Wong. Another budding writer to be is Paulino Lim, Jr., who writes short stories and articles published in some local magazines like the Catholic paper “The Cross” and “The Sontin etc.” All of these mentioned writers here are not professionals.

Part I | Part II