CITY OF LEGASPI, ALBAY, Historical Data of Part 1

PART I

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About these Historical Data

The transcription of this page was done using AI technology.

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HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF LEGASPI CITY
Part – 1 –
HISTORY

Many, many years before Magellan set foot at Homonhon, a small barangay of Malayan tribe settled the marshy tidelands of Binanuahan, at the right margin and near the south of Masbate River, hence the name Sawangan given to the place, meaning “delta or mouth of a river.” Then, Sawangan was a small place of squalid, thatched scattered huts of nipa and bamboo, and the natives lived only on the fish they caught in the river and the bay, and the wild boar and deer they killed in the volcanic slopes.

About the same year that Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded by her intolerant cousin Elizabeth, the Queen of England, and several years before the Pilgrims Protestant landed at Plymouth Rock, exactly three hundred sixty six years ago, today, that is, in the year 1569, there arrived at Sawangan, an expedition of Spanish conquistadores headed by Captain Pedro de Chavez, and claimed the hills, the plain, and the bay for His Most Catholic Majesty, and the natives for God.

Datu Ibali, the ruler of Sawangan and his “cacope,” descendant of the famous Bornean Datus Dumangsil and Balkasusa, refusing to surrender the land so dear to them, tinted with the blood of their forebears, valiantly and stubbornly engaged the iron–clad invaders in a fiery and bloody encounter. Fighting with inferior weapons though with superb courage, Ibali and his cacopes were vanquished.

Then, Fr. Francisco de Santa Ana planted the cross in a rude chapel of nipa and bamboo and dedicated it to San Gregorio Magno, the Pope that gave the world the ageless Gregorian calendar.

Under the guidance of the missionary priest, the settlement that came to be known as “Mision de Albaybay,” was built around the chapel.

During the first two decades, Albaybay was an adjunct or visita of Cagsawa, a town of the past, and in 1616, Albaybay was separated from Cagsawa and made into an independent canonical and civil unit, and the name Albaybay was changed to Albay.

When the Partido de Ibalon was created, Albay was made cabeza de partido, that is, the capital of the newly–organized political entity.

Then, came the Bornean and the Mindanao pirates who plundered the thriving community, burned the church, the houses, and looted what little belonging and provisions the residents had in their possessions. In all these, the Bicolanos of Albay proved, as in the past, to possess a hardy character, never willing to give up, als[page torn]

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ready to fight for the acquisition and retention of their rights. The exceptional punishment of severing an ear from the head was meted out to several Mohammedan pirates near the island of Cagraray, off the Bay of Legaspi. This ended the periodical invasion of the marauding pirates.

On Tuesday, February 1, 1814, occurred the most terrific eruption of Mayon volcano.

At dawn of that fateful day, a Niagara of fire, molten lava, and red–hot stones, came rolling down the inflamed slopes of the angry volcano, destroying in its wake, fields and orchards, killing all living things that came in contact with the hot, poisonous fumes of the sulphur–laden lava. Almost two thirds of the town of Albay was destroyed, buried in the sand and stones from the volcano, and about two hundred persons perished.

Because of this partial destruction of the town, the Spanish authorities decided to move its site farther inland: first, to the sitio of Macalaya, now the barrio of Taysan, then to the “Caserio de Taytay” wherein a new church was built. This place, Taytay, is now known as Bagumbayan the actual site of the District of Albay.

The primitive town, now called Binanuahan, within the area of the District of Legaspi, became to be known as Albay Viejo, and Taytay as Albay Nuevo. On October 23, 1856, Albay Viejo or Binanuahan, together with the visitas of Lamba, Rawis, and Bigaa, were separated from Albay Nuevo or Bagumbayan and made an independent pueblo or town, and named Legaspi, the family name of the great son of Guipuzcoa, pride of the Spanish race, the Adelantado Don Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, by virtue of a decree of the Superior Gobierno, dated in Manila, September 22, 1856.

In the eruption of Mayon volcano on February 1, 1814, the towns of Cagsawa and Budiao were completely destroyed. History says that 1,500 of its inhabitants were killed. The survivors of these unfortunate towns founded the new District of Daraga about the year 1815, and built a new church at the top of a hill.

In Cagsawa, which is now a barrio of Legaspi, there are still the ruins of the church, the Tribunal, and the convent. Of Budiao, nothing is left, but the cupola of the belfry of the church.

Daraga progressed by leaps and bounds, it being then the center of the retail commerce of the province. Albay remained a residential place with the government buildings. And Legaspi, because of its location near the sea, acquired much importance it being the port wherein the trade was centered.

In 1873, Legaspi was made a port of entry, or “puerto abierto al trafico maritimo extranjero,” in the words of the Real Cedula or (Royal Decree) dated in Madrid, May 18, 1872, and promulgated by Governor General, Conde de Alaminos, on December 3, 1874. The Administrador de Hacienda was named Collector of Customs. During the Fi[page torn]

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appointed Collector of the Port of Legaspi; and in 1900 during the American occupation, 1st. Lieut. Samuel Riggs, of the 47th Infantry Volunteers, was designated Collector of Customs; Capt. Leonard S. Goddard was the Captain of the Port; and a native of Legaspi, Francisco Abarrientos, was the Customs Guard; and Felix Aringo, also of Legaspi, was in charge of the office.

When Legaspi was made a Port of Entry in 1873, there were already two American business firms dealing in hemp and other native products established in Legaspi; the Messrs. Russell & Sturgis & Co. and Peale, Hubbel and Co.; and one English commercial house, the H.S. Endicott Company, Ltd. In this year 1873, these foreign firms exported 214,500 piculs of abaca from the Port of Legaspi, the largest shipment of this commodity among other Philippine ports of entry, including Manila. (See Boletin del Ministerio de Fomento, or Revista de Filipinas, Manila, Julio 1875).

During the Filipino–American war in 1900, Daraga and Albay were burned to the ground. The bloodiest battle between Filipino and American troops took place in this port of Legaspi on January 23, 1900. Seventy three Filipino soldiers were killed, thirty six at the foot of San Rafael Bridge now the Port market site, who engaged the Americans in a hand to hand combat.

During the Pacific war, the Japanese Imperial Forces landed at Legaspi Port in the early morning of December 12, 1941, looted and sucked it of its riches and vitality. Resistance was useless. Many fled to the mountains. Those who remained in the town collaborated with the invaders. A provisional government that was semi–military in character was set up in Legaspi and Daraga. This was done to counter–act the activities of the members of the resistance movement.

A strong police force was organized. Peace and order were maintained. The town government began to function as before. Schools were opened and the pre–war teachers were forced to serve. The Japanese language was one of the subjects taught.

A policy of attraction was soon adopted. Many people returned to their homes in the town and continued their normal way of living. They did this not out of affection for the new regime, but for security reasons. Banditry and outlawry were rampant in the mountains. Furthermore, those who remained in the uplands were suspected by Filipino collaborators and spies as members of the guerrillas.

Life dragged lazily on until April 1, 1945. The forces of liberation arrived. Every liberty–loving Legaspiño was happy although his once beautiful town was razed to the ground and his nipa house totally wiped out.

A government was established by the PCAU. Prominent men of the town were appointed to run the affairs of the new administratio[page torn] pre–war police force was revived. Schools were opened and the i[page torn] care of the food supply of the people were created. Markets, sto[page torn] restaurant ar–[page torn]nors of amusements began to appear. Last[page torn] of living [page torn]ople became normal.

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with the restitution of the Commonwealth government, the PCAU (Philippine Civilian Affairs Unit) administration ended. Pre–war government officials who survived the war, returned to their posts. Through the aid given by the PRDO (Philippines War Damaged Commission), the people were able to reconstruct their houses and rehabilitate themselves.

On December 15, 1949, the three former towns of Legaspi, Albay, and Daraga, were united and converted into a chartered city known officially as the City of Legaspi.

The creation of the city was the culmination of the long cherished ideal of its founders the then Congressman Toribio Perez of the second district of Albay, and the incumbent millionaire–senator from Bicolandia, the Hon. Vicente Madrigal.

The idea of unifying these three towns was not new. It had been long conceived since 1908 when they were fused to form one single political entity called Municipality of Albay, with the end in view, to give the Province of Albay a first class capital town, commensurate with its progress and importance.

Sometime in 1920, however, Daraga regained its former status. Legaspi and Albay remained united and called Albay, until December 3, 1925, when the name Albay was changed to Legaspi by Act 3247 of the Philippine Legislature.

The officials of the new city were all appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointment of the Philippine Congress. These first officials who were entrusted with the sacred duty and responsibility of making the new city one of the most ideal cities in the Philippines, were men of profound learning and high morale. They were as follow:

Despite that Legaspi was levelled to the ground because of the war, in less than three years the doomed seaport, as also Albay which suffered a partial destruction only, are almost re–[page torn]d. Now and larger concrete buildings were built, up[page torn]on impetus, the city expanded considerabl[page torn]

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industrially, economically, socially, and educationally.

Legaspi City which is about 25,980 ha. in area and about 60,000 people in population, is strategically located in the eastern coast of the Bicol Peninsula. It consists of the District of Legaspi, the District of Albay, and the District of Daraga. The District of Legaspi is regarded as the heart and backbone of the city. It is the commercial center and it is the solid core of the city’s working population. The city remains the capital although not a part of Albay, a situation which complicates the government functions of both entities.

The city is now the bustling terminal of a network of excellent roads which connect the city with all the towns of the province of Albay, as also with all those of its neighboring sister provinces of Camarines Norte and Sur, and Sorsogon. It is also the terminus of the Manila Railroad and the Philippine Air Lines (PAL). Ocean–going vessels and inter–island boats and many other small crafts, are daily loading or unloading in the port and pier of Legaspi.

There are well–appointed hotels and eating and amusement places where tourists, visitors, and guests can be accommodated and entertained with gusto and satisfaction. The city prides itself with one government hospital and four private hospitals; two large drug houses of Manila has its branches in Legaspi, the Botica Boie and the Metro Drug Company, aside from the Squibb, Sunco, United Drug, and other importers who maintain in Legaspi sales agents. The city has nine drugstores in the District of Legaspi, one in Albay, and three in Daraga.

With regards to educational facilities, the city has six private and one public High Schools; one public Normal College; one School of Arts and Trade; and four private colleges authorized by the government offering courses in education, commerce, law, normal, and liberal arts. Night classes are being conducted in the privated schools.

Views of incomparable beauty can be found in Legaspi City. There is the peerless Mayon Volcano and its rest house built at 4,500 feet from its base. The normal average temperature in the rest house is 22 C. There is the historic Capuntukan Rock Lording over the Port of Legaspi with its eerie stories and legends. There is the Pres. Quirino Stadium with its wide athletic field, 220–meter long grandstand, and a swimming pool. If there are in Italy the buried cities of Herculaneum and Pompey, caused by the eruptions of Mt. Vesuvius, in Legaspi we also have the buried towns of Budiao and Cagsawa, mute witnesses of the terrible eruption of Mayon in 1814.

Several contributing factors are attributed to the role played by Legaspi in the progress of the Bicol Region, namely, natural location; the easy means of transportation by land, air, and water; a rich agricultural, mining, and forest area near the city; the satisfactory peace and order conditions of the place; the credit and banking facilities offered by the Philippine National Bank and the Reconstruction and Finance Corporation; the Post and Radiotelegraph Offices with 24 hours service, the city acts as the hub of trade extending as far as Catanduanes, Leyte, and Samar; the Legaspi airfield, the largest in the Bicol Region is only about 3 kilometers from the business section of the city; in other words, Legaspi is the center of trade and the natural outlet of[page torn]

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the commerce of the Bicol Region. Among inter–island ports, Legaspi is certainly one of the busiest, excelled only by such major ports as Manila, Iloilo, Cebu, and Davao.

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PART – II – FOLKWAYS

The early inhabitants believed in the existence of a supreme God known as Gugurang. He was supposed to be the creator of heaven, earth, and men. Under the supreme God there were the lesser gods and goddesses.

They worshipped the sun, the moon, and the stars. They venerated the rainbow and believed that those brave and good men who died entered heaven through it. They feared the sight of a comet for they thought it was an omen of drought, famine, war, pestilence, and other calamity.

They looked upon the springs, waterfalls, mountains, cliffs, trees, the rocks, the fields and the hills with reverential fear and awe. They firmly believed that these places were the homes of goblins, fairies, aswang, witches, and other evil spirits. Making mischief in these places resulted to sudden illness and untimely death. Crocodiles, crows, yellow and blue birds, and other animals were considered sacred, being the spirits themselves in disguised. Anybody who injured or killed them were sure of receiving an incurable sickness, unless a person learned in witchcraft, magic, or divination, would intercede in his behalf.

This was done through a process known in the dialect as the “pabaws.” In this particular case the person affected with the malady was taken by the “parabaws” to the place where he committed the mischief. Armed with various kinds of antidotes, the “parabaws” performed an exotic ritual, in the presence of the offended invisible party. The conversation between the two could be heard but not understood. Sometimes a heated discussion followed. In this instance the case was serious. There were times when the “parabaws” was not listened to especially in cases when the injury was fatal. Consequently, the mischief–maker was doomed to die.

They feared the sight of the eclipse. They believed that a big crocodile swallowed the sun or the moon as darkness occurred, and when the sun or the moon began to become bright again, they concluded that the crocodile had emitted it out. They regarded the earthquake as the movement of a strong giant that held the world on its back, and the lightning and the thunder as the noise caused by the play or the quarrel of the gods.

Superstitious beliefs were so rampant among the people that even the present day generation believe in them. Among the most common were as follow:

1. Sweeping the floor at night was an omen of bad luck.
2. Throwing something out of the window at night without saying “excuse me” might hit invisible people passing by.
3. Bathing on Tuesdays and Fridays, and cutting off the finger nails at nights, were considered bad.
4. During meal time it was not proper for thirteen persons to sit at the table. It was feared that one might die sooner or later.

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5. Sleeping with wet hair would make one crazy.
6. On New Year’s Day one should not spend even a single cent.
7. May was considered an unlucky month for building a house.
8. The stairs of a house should never face the west, and should not be made up of three steps only. It was believed that the first step was meant for gold, the second for silver, and the third for death.
9. Good luck would come to a person who found a horseshoe facing him.
10. The flying of a duck or a goose to a certain distance was considered a sign of an approaching typhoon.

The early people believed in a life after death, and the existence of heaven and hell. They said that man have souls. After death, these souls traveled to the next world. The souls of the good went to a place of eternal happiness and bliss called “Kasu–rawayan,” and the souls of the bad went to a place of everlasting pain and suffering called “Gabunban.”

Customs and traditions tell us that usually marriages were arranged by the parents when the groom and the bride were still children. A dowry (bigaykaya) was given by the groom’s parents to the girl’s parents. It might be money or lands. Besides the dowry the groom during courtship, worked in the house of the girl’s parents for several years. Actual marriage could not be solemnized until after every whim and caprice of the bride’s parents were accomplished by the groom and his parents.

Usually the weddings were pompous. Dancing, eating, and other sorts of merry–making lasted several days. Of course it would entail heavy expenses on the groom’s parents, but the bride, her parents, and relatives must be pleased. Mind you, lands and other valuables were mortgaged or sold just to make the affair extraordinary and colorful.

During the marriage ceremony both of the bride and the groom tried to step on the foot of one and another, for it was believed that whoever did it first, God would give him or her leadership in the house. As the newlyweds passed in the aisle to their seats, a handful of rice was thrown to them by friends and relatives. Both of the groom and the bride were instructed beforehand by their parents to be the first in whatever they would do, such as getting in or out of the cart, getting into the house, etc. The groom was absolutely forbidden to sleep in the same room with the bride, until after the lapse of three days.

It was the custom of the people to mourn their dead deeply. Upon the death of a member in a family, loud crying, shouting, and wailing was done. A lighted lantern was placed under the house of the deceased to drive away the witches and vampires who enjoyed sucking the blood of the dead. Black clothes were worn during the period of mourning. No round or fried thing was eaten for fear of getting goiters or black spots on the face. The floor was not swept for by so doing, would result to the immediate death of another member in the family.

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On the day of the funeral, no person who was closely related to the deceased, was allowed to help in the bringing out of the coffin. The bearers should see to it that the coffin should not touch any part of the door of the house, and nobody remaining in the house should look out of the window while the dead was being taken to the church and to the cemetery. Before lowering the coffin into the pit, the pillow of the dead should be moved a little from the original position where the head was at first resting. After the burial the persons attending the funeral should repair to the house of the deceased, and before entering it, ashes should be showered upon them, so that nobody would get sick again.

The most common games of the young folks were the sinta, songka, binkay, sinsito, sallom, turubigan, tanga, spinning top, flying kite, palmo, bagamno, skipping rope, and playing store.

The most popular recreations and amusements of the old ones were playing cards, tuada, rifa, Moro–Moro (comedia), dama, sipa, taytayan, fencing, wrestling, boxing, carabao fighting, races, singing, and dancing.

The typical dances were the pantomina, rigodon, cariñosa, salampati, tinikling, kumintang, and balitaw.

Many were the riddles. The most common are as follow:

1. Na tacot sa saro, dai na tacot sa sampolo. (Afraid of one, not afraid of ten.) Bridge.
2. Kun kapotan mo naon, kun hilngon mo dai dian. (If you hold it, it is there; if you look at it, it is not there. (gar) not know it. (Growth).
3. Sadiri mo pero dai ca tatao. (You own it but you do not know it. (Growth).
4. May sarong parahadili. Nakabiling qui niam na bayong na nag tugdon sa kahoy. Binadil nia su lima. Pira an na tada?. (A hunter saw nine birds sitting on a tree. He shot and killed five of them. How many were left?. (Five).
5. Anong hayop na kun aga apat an bitis; kun ugto dua na an bitis; kun hapon tulo na an bitis. (What animal has four feet in the morning; two feet at noon; and three feet in the afternoon? (Man)

The following are the popular proverbs or sayings:

1. Kun ano an ama iyo man an aqui. (Like father, like son).
2. An bayawas dai na bunga qui santol. (A guava tree will not bear a santol fruit.)
3. An matab na bayong iyo an na ca dnoop qui ulod.. (The early bird catches the worm.)
4. Anohon pa an zacate cun gadan na an cabayo. (Of what use is the zacate when the horse is dead.)
5. An nag tubod sa osip, dai nin sadiring pag isip. (He who believes in tales has no mind of his own.)

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The favorite songs of both the old and the young are the following:

a.

Sarong bangui, sa igdaan,
Naan dagnog aco, inuni nin sarong ganggam;
Sa luma co catorogan,
Dai cundi siimong vooes iyo palan.

Translation:

One night on my bed,
I heard the voice of a bird;
I thought it was a dream;
No, but it was your voice I heard.

b.

Haloy nang panahon pagtios cung ini,
Dahilan saimo magayon na flores;
Ikang na pipinta sa bilog cung isip,
Malmis na bulong sa pusong may sakit.

Translation:

It had been a long time this suffering of mine,
Because of you fairest among flowers;
You are the one painted throughout my whole being,
Sweet medicine to a heart that is aching.

c. A

Ano dao itong sa gogon,
Bulawan bagang pag hilingon;
Caso csaoyung dulukon,
Burak palan nin balagon.

Caso saoyung qui oua,
Sarong vocos nag sayuma;
Dai ca oayan mag oua,
Ta burak an ni Maria.

Translation:

What is that there in the bushes,
It looked like diamond;
When I approached it,
It was the flower of a vine.

When I tried to get it,
A voice did not like it,
Do not dare get it,
For it is Maria’s flower.

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The old folks had various ways of determining the time. The most common were the following:

1. The length of their shadows and the crowing of the roosters.
2. The position of the sun in the heavens.
3. The call of the “calao.” (A kind of bird).

The most common forms of communicating ideas to others were as follow:

1. In calling each other across the river or in the forest, they shouted hard and long. This is still in vogue today.
2. To announce the coming of the enemy or the starting of an expedition, they beat their drums or gongs.
3. In some places messages were sent by beating bamboo canes or hollow logs. The sound from these things traveled a long distance.
4. When a new law was made, it was announced to all the people by method known as “Bayubay.” Usually the market was the most ideal site. The crier rang a bell. When all the people were assembled around him, he announced to them the new law. This system is at times done at present.

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COMPILED HISTORY OF:

1. Legaspi Port
2. Bigaa
3. Rawis
4. Puro
5. Maslog
6. Buenavista

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HISTORY OF LEGASPI PORT

The creation of the City of Legaspi is the result of the efforts of its proponents in establishing within the province of Albay a city commensurate with its importance, economic, and social, among the most progressive provinces of the Philippines. It is the culmination of the long cherished ideal conceived since 1908.

Moreover, since 1839, and during the Spanish regime, a “Real Ayuntamiento” with the Civil Governor as the President of the Board of Sandicos and Regidores was created in Albay.

Sawaghan, autochthonous name of this town, was formerly a small balagñay of bamboo and nipa huts inhabited by fishermen under the paternal care of Datu Ibal, also known as Gat Ibal. It occupied the marshy lands of Binanuahan, situated about one mile inland from the shores of the port of Legaspi.

About the year 1587, more exactly, three hundred and sixty five years ago today, the native balagñay of Sawaghan was visited by Capitan Esteban de Manchica, accompanied by the Franciscan missionary, Fr. Francisco de Sta. Ana. They persuaded Ibal to become a vassal of the king and pay him corresponding tribute. To this Ibal refused and a bloody encounter ensued.

Father Sta. Ana planted a cross on the roof of the first nipa and bamboo chapel ever erected in Sawaghan. Ibal and his balagñay were converted to the Christian faith.

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In 1605, Sawaghan was made a “visita regular” of the newly founded town of Cagsawa, and in 1616 became an independent town. Its original name was changed to Albaybay, later to Albay.

On or about the 25th of July 1616, the Dutch attacked Albay. The natives opposed the invaders. They retreated to Cagsawa. Reinforced then, the natives drove the Dutch back to their ship.

In 1764, Mohammedan pirates ransacked and set the town on fire. In February, 1814, the town of Albay was partially destroyed because of the eruption of Mayon. This gave way to the foundation of the “Sitio de Taytay,” the original town being called Binanuahan or “Pueblo Viejo”.

In 1856, Pueblo Viejo, together with the visitas of Rawis Lamba, and Bigaa were made an independent political unit called Legazpi, in honor of the Adelantado Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, by virtue of a decree of the Vice-Real Patrono, promulgated in Manila on the 24th of September, 1856.

In 1873, Governor Capt. General Conde de Alimanos declared Legazpi an open port and a collector of customs was designated

During the Filipino government—1899–1900—Legazpi had its Collector of Customs in the person of Capt. Eugenio Boblar of the regular Filipino army. During the American occupation, 1900–1901, a Lieutenant of the 47th U.S. Infantry was designated collector. The custom house was situated in Legazpi but in 1945, it was transferred to Tabaco.

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The following is a list of some of the officials in Legaspi:

Lorenzo Tak – First Gobernadorcillo (Sept. 22, 1856)
Camilo Abainza – First priest
Maestros Municipal – Vicente Isidoro
Victorina Almonte

More recent officials:

RUINS OF THE CHURCH OF LEGASPI

From 1587 to 1616, the spiritual administration of Legazpi was under Cagsawa. Due to an attack by Mohammedan pirates in 1754, the church, together with several houses were burned. Again in February 1814, the eruption of Mayon Volcano destroyed the new church and half of the town. Mainly through the generosity of Padre Romero, another church was built in 1834.

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This remained until in March, 1945 when the church was destroyed by the bombardment of the American landing forces. However, under the administration of Rev. Father Nicanor Belleza in 1946 and through the civic-spirited people of Legazpi who contributed several amounts, this church was reconstructed again.

SOME IMPORTANT FACTS

1740 – Gov. Pedro de Gastanbidi ordered court of fort-called Balwarte (now Sabang).

1836 – Another fort was constructed.

1900 – U.S. Navy Gunboat “Nashville” shelled Filipino troops (50 enemies were killed). Cpt. Bradley Himcock was wounded, 6 men including 1 sailor were slightly wounded.

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FOLKWAYS

TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND PRACTICES IN DOMESTIC AND SOCIAL LIFE

Birth – It is a belief among the people that when the first-born child is a girl, it is a sign of bad luck; when it is a boy, it is good luck.

Courtship – A man who is ready to embark on the matrimonial boat has to reckon with the customs, wishes, oppositions and whims of his elders, relatives and those of the girl he has selected. The parents of the girl would consent only to the man to propose or whisper words of love when they are around. His visit must not interfere with the work of the girl or that of the parents. In visiting, the man is not only received by the girl but also by the mother or grandmother. While they talk, either mother or lola sits near them, chewing buyo or doing something else. If the man desires to marry the girl, sometimes he is required to render services to the parents of the girl for a period of time.

In many cases, it is the father who does the choosing and the proposing to the girl he likes his son to be his son’s mate, even without his knowledge.

The “sawinlag” is another case wherein the party (taglalaka) arranges matters with the parents of the girl (tagbabae). If they come to a common agreement then everything follows as they planned it.

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