MUNICIPALITY POLANGUI, ALBAY, Historical Data of Part 2

PART II

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About these Historical Data

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[p. 21]

Invasion of Camarines. Meanwhile the American expeditionary forces which landed in Calabanga, Camarines Sur on February 20, 1900, were meeting with similar success. Within two weeks most of Camarines Sur was in the hands of the Americans. General Guevara, with his aides, Lieutenant Colonel Sanz and Colonel Peña of the Filipino revolutionary forces could do little to oppose the American forces in Iriga on March 1, 1900. General Guevara and Colonel Peña were always on the run, with the Americans at their heels. General Guevara and his fast thinning forces transferred to Libon. Colonel Dorst decided to bring his forces which were in Iriga to Albay. Two companies operating in Buhi were also ordered to proceed to Polangui. Another company from Nabua was ordered to Libon. The meeting place of these three units was Polangui.

From Camarines Sur To Polangui. By noon of March 4, 1900, Colonel Dorst and his four companies occupied Polangui without a fight. The civilian population had vacated the town. Several officers of Polangui revolutionary forces had fled to safety, too. General Guevara who was in Libon had left the town with his 125 men carrying 80 Remington and Mauser firearms. Colonel Dorst not having encountered General Guevara in Libon, returned to his headquarters in Iriga.

[p. 22]

From Legaspi to Polangui. General Belarmino’s main line of defense was in Malabog. After the fall of Malabog the American forces were constantly harassed by Filipino guerrillas. But the American forces bided their time. On March 14, 1900 however, Colonel Howe, Commander of the American expeditionary forces in Albay, after receiving a reinforcement of soldiers and supplies from Manila, decided to launch a general invasion of Albay. American soldiers therefore advanced firmly fighting off every heroic but futile resistance put up by the Filipino guerrillas. The Americans proceeded to Ligao and stayed there for the rest of the day of (March 14^th). On March 15^th, Commander Graighill, of the American forces, was ordered to proceed to Oas, Polangui, and Libon. The American forces found these towns deserted. Thus the Americans first entered Polangui from Camarines Sur on March 4 through the expeditionary forces of Colonel Dorst and then on March 15 through the expeditionary forces of Colonel Howe coming from Legaspi.

Local Government During the American Occupation. Don Clemente Sarte was then at the helm of the government. The seat of the municipal government was transferred to Ponso. The rest of the officers were not filled. The president was the secretary and treasurer simultaneously.

References. “La Revolusion en las Tierras Albayanos” by Don Elias Ma. Atariado.

[p. 23]

POLANGUI FROM THE AMERICAN OCCUPATION UP TO THE SECOND
WORLD WAR

Forms of government During the American Regime. The American regime began in the year 1900. There were three forms of government, military, civil, and Commonwealth (in the order of establishment.) The Chief Executive of the town was called “president” during the military and civil government periods and “mayor” during the commonwealth period. The following were the important officials with their respective terms of office:

1900 – Acting President – Clemente Sarte

Note: Other officers were vacant because it was a period of emergency, the American military occupation.

1901–1902

COUNCILORS

[p. 24]

1903

COUNCILORS

1904–1905

COUNCILORS

1906–1907

[p. 25]

COUNCILORS

1908–1910

COUNCILORS

1911–1912

COUNCILORS

1913–1916

[p. 26]

1913–1916

COUNCILORS

1916–1919

COUNCILORS

1919–1922

COUNCILORS

[p. 27]

1913–1916

COUNCILORS

1916–1919

COUNCILORS

1919–1922

COUNCILORS

[p. 28]

1931–1933

COUNCILORS

1933

COUNCILORS

1934–1935

COUNCILORS

[p. 29]

FIRST MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS OF POLANGUI UNDER THE
COMMONWEALTH

1935–1938

COUNCILORS

1938–1941

COUNCILORS

[p. 30]

POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS AND ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
DURING AND AFTER THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION

Japs Enter Albay Province

On December 12, 1941 the Japanese Imperial Army caught the sleeping town of Legaspi unaware. To prevent destruction of lives and property, Governor Bonito, Saturnino advised the Philippine Army contingent which was stationed in Albay not to fire a single shot. On December 13 the Japanese occupied Polangui without any resistance. There was a general confusion on the part of the civilians. Later, the Japanese Imperial Army put up the Military government at Polangui. It was not until February 1942 that a Municipal Mayor was appointed by the Japanese Military Administration. Mr. Cipriano Saunar, then the Vice Mayor of the defunct civil government of this town, was appointed Mayor of Polangui under the Japanese sponsored government. Mr. Luis Gregorio was made the Municipal Secretary. Later Mr. Amadeo del Castillo was appointed Secretary in place of Mr. Luis Gregorio. Together with these appointees were a handful of employees which formed the nucleus of the first local government under the Japanese regime.

The Civil Government in Polangui

In October, 1942 the guerrilla movement began. Another civil government was organized under the auspices of the guerrillas. This however did not come out openly. It was a secret form of government which the people revered more than the

[p. 31]

Japanese sponsored government.

Julian Saunar, the brother of the Jap-appointed Mayor was the head of the Guerrilla troopers and the Civil government. Later, the former government employees of the defunct Municipal Civil Government joined the local government sponsored by the Guerrilla Troopers. Mr. Isabelo Sarte was appointed Mayor of the Civil government under the Guerrilla Troopers. Atty. Alfredo Samantela was appointed Judge Advocate of the resistance government.

Religion during the Jap. Occupation

Religious activity was stifled, so to say. The parishes were evacuated. The priests stayed on their posts like valiant soldiers prepared to die for their King if need be. Due to lack of grape wine and wheat flour, Holy Masses were not celebrated as frequently as during the prewar days. But if there was only little of the outward pomp of religious activities there was conversely a great religious fervor in the hearts of men. "There is no atheist in the foxhole." There is no unbeliever in time of stress. Whoever forgot to pray when B-29's zoomed perilously overhead?

Commerce Under The Japs

Commerce grew out of proportion. Everyone pretended to be a merchant. Business was a house-to-house affair. It was not uncommon to see

[p. 32]

“transactionistas” ply their trade. tableware, utensils, furniture, clothes, bakias. Business was then called "Buy and Sell". Bartering was employed in places where war notes were not considered as legal tender.

Life in General Under The Rising Sun

During the Japanese sponsored government no untoward incidents in general happened in Polangui, aside from a few isolated cases. These cases were either the seizure of some guerrilla members by the Japanese Kempeitai or the arrest of Japanese collaborators by the guerrillas.

American Liberation

Such was the situation in Polangui UNTIL February 1945 when the American liberation forces landed. In July, 1945 an element of the 158th Regimental Combat Team and the 1279 Engineers of the U. S. Eighth Army established camps in Polangui. One was in Balinad and the other was in the town proper, in Ilawod.

Rehabilitation at Work

With the liberation forces was the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit (PCAU). Sometime in July, 1945 a civil government was established. Major James Simms of the PCAU, organized the Civil Government. Mr. Manuel Samson, then a member of the Municipal Council in 1941 was appointed Mayor of Polangui. Mr. Pedro Espinas Sr. was appointed Vice Mayor and Mr. Luis Gregorio was the municipal

[p. 33]

Secretary. These officials together with other branches of the civil government of Polangui went a long way in returning the state of affairs to normalcy. A unit of the PCAU had its headquarters in the Home Economics building of the Polangui Elementary School. This unit ministered to the immediate needs of the people by distributing food, clothing, and medicine.

Politics after the Liberation

Peace which reigned once again in Polangui warranted a general election. Elections were held in 1947.

MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS FROM 1947 TO 1953

1947–1951

COUNCILORS

[p. 34]

1951–1953

COUNCILORS

The American soldiers, symbols of the four freedoms that they were, brought religious freedom in their wake. Followers of certain creeds such as Iglesia ni Cristo, Witnesses of Jehovah, etc., came to Polangui to win over some new converts. The arguments of the new religious heralds must have so fallen by their own weight that up to writing not a soul has proven himself gullible. The Roman Catholic religion still reigns supreme.

Education after the Liberation

Polangui may be called the “educational hub” of the third district of Albay. It has three high schools i.e. the Polangui Institute, (a non-sectarian school) established in 1941, the Albay High School (a public school) established in 1947,

[p. 35]

and St. Peter’s Academy (a Catholic School) established in 1951. It has two elementary schools, i.e. the Polangui Elementary School (a public school) and St. Peter’s Academy (a Catholic school). Two private vocational schools i.e. (the Elite Fashion School) established in 1949 and (a Secretarial School) established in 1950 help in the rearing of vocationally trained youth. The havoc which Typhoon Trix wrought on the school buildings on October 21, 1952 did not dampen the youths’ enthusiasm in their search for knowledge. In fact it proved an oil poured on a fire.

Economic Condition after the Liberation

The volume of trade in Polangui has had a mercurial increase after the liberation. Consequently Polangui is now classified as second-class municipality. Its being the terminal of five roads coming from Legaspi, Tabaco, Naga, Buhi (under construction) and Libon is a sure augury of a bright economic future of Polangui.

[p. 36]

HISTORICAL SITES, STRUCTURES, BUILDINGS AND OLD
RUINS (IN POLANGUI)

1. Porong Banua Kilometer No. 41 is to be remembered as the place where three American soldiers from Naga were killed by Filipino guerrillas in 1900. There was no casualty among the Filipinos.

2. The site where the municipal building is at present was the town market during the American regime. At the stroke of six and eight o’clock in the evening the marketers said their Angelus and prayed for the departed souls in Purgatory. Failure to do so earned some form of punishment from the parish priest.

3. The Catholic Church of Polangui was built in 1654. It took ten years to construct because it was built through forced labor.

4. The Catholic cemetery of Polangui is the oldest cemetery in the province of Albay. It was constructed by Father Francisco Cabrera in 1856 and enlarged later by Father Mateo Atienza and Andres Prieto. This cemetery was also constructed through forced labor.

5. The “Casa Tribunal” (town house) was constructed in 1858 under the Capitan, Don Tranquilino Hernandez through forced labor. It was in Ilawod about one hundred meters west of the present municipal building.

[p. 37]

DESTRUCTION OF LIVES, PROPERTY, AND INSTITUTIONS
DURING THE PAST WARS (1896–1900; 1941–1945)
AND
MEASURES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS TOWARDS REHABILITATION
AFTER WORLD WAR II

Polangui Before 1896

Touching slightly on the conditions obtaining in Polangui before 1896, it would be interesting to recall some important landmarks of the town to give an idea to the succeeding generation after that date what and where were those landmarks and their importance to the community.

Market sites

There were three sites then in Polangui during that time: one in Ilawod, where the present municipal building is now constructed; another in Magurang where the houses of Mr. Catalino Felin and Mr. Dominador Infante are now situated; and a third market site was in the barrio of Ponso in front of the present Catholic chapel near the present house of Don Juan Florin.

Municipal Building

The tribunal (now called municipal building) was then in Ilawod about one hundred meters west of the present municipal building. It was made of mixed materials with G.I. roofing sheets.

[p. 38]

Economics

The principal sources of income of the people then were rice and abaca. There were not many coconuts then. There were, however, plenty of work animals – carabaos and horses. The only means of transportation then was horseback riding. The beast of burden was the carabao. The mountains of the municipality were uncultivated. Upland rice was not yet resorted to by the farmers since they concentrated their planting to lowland rice. The population of Polangui was around 12,000 in round figures.

Polangui in 1896; destruction of lives, properties and institutions

The year 1896 was the period of the Philippine revolution. This era of trouble and confusion passed out without much destruction to human lives nor property in Polangui since the revolution was not much felt in Polangui. The people continued their normal way of life. There was an epidemic of smallpox which broke out during the revolution which lasted for about two months. The number of casualties was negligible. Only about twenty people died in Polangui as a consequence of said epidemic.

1900 – Coming of the Americans

American cavalry and infantrymen which came from Camarines Sur arrived in Polangui.

[p. 39]

That was the beginning of the so-called American Regime. There was no destruction to human lives nor properties in Polangui during the arrival of the Americans because there were no actual hostilities in Polangui when the troops came. On three different occasions, however, cholera broke out in Polangui and no less than one hundred persons died of cholera during those three occasions. Also, during the early part of the American occupation in Polangui, rinderpest struck the carabaos in Polangui and about one-half of the number of work animals was lost to this pest. Between 1900 up to the outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941 when the Philippines was still under the American Regime (this period includes the ten-year transition period of the Philippine Commonwealth from 1935) the town progressed along the social, economic, political, agricultural and educational phases; public schools were built here and there; the people were taught the right to participate in the local government; better agricultural ideas were taught and introduced, and civilized ways of life were taught and practiced.

1941–1945 World War II

The Pacific War broke out in December 1941 and the Japanese occupation in Polangui started almost a week after the outbreak of the war and lasted up to about April 1945. During the

[p. 40]

war years the people had to dedicate mostly to agriculture and local business transactions. Government schools and offices throughout the Philippines were temporarily closed. Polangui had several sons who fought gallantly in the mountain fastness of Bataan and in the rocks of Corregidor for the defense of the motherland. About 25 soldiers from Polangui died bravely either in the battlefronts or in the concentration camps; about 10 missing in action and about 50 were lucky enough to return to their loved ones.

Resistance Movement

The local underground resistance movement then was organized by some of the survivors of Bataan and Corregidor together with a handful of civilians. They were the so-called “guerrillas.” These guerrillas had to engage the enemy every now and then in a hit-and-run battle just to keep up the morale of the people and at the same time to accumulate arms for the resistance movement. At the same time they patrolled the mountains of Polangui and eliminated the isolated bunch of bandits that were preying upon the civilians in evacuation centers. During this period of resistance (from May 1942 to about April 1945) there were about 30 guerrilla soldiers who were killed by the enemy in various encounters and/or raids; 10 civilians shot or murdered in cold blood by the enemy and about 50 imprisoned for several

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