Concordia, Alitagtag, Batangas: Historical Data
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| Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines. |
Full transcription of the so-called “Historical Data” for the barrio of Concordia, Alitagtag, Batangas, the original scanned documents at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections not having OCR or optical character recognition properties. This transcription has been edited for grammar, spelling and punctuation where possible. The original pagination is provided for citation purposes.
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HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF THE BARRIO
Part One: History
1. Present official name of the barrio.
2. Popular name of the barrio, present and past; derivation and meanings of the names. Names of sitios included within the territorial jurisdiction of the barrio.
Seven years after the creation of the town of Alitagtag, when the municipal officials headed by the late Mayor Raymundo Bautista came to realize to divide the barrio of Munlawin into two, each having a population of more than a thousand families. With a plan in mind, the mayor at once called a meeting of his municipal council, in which Mr. Prudencio Cusi, a member and a resident of Munlawin, attended.
It was in the same year 1917 when all the municipal officials of Alitagtag, headed by Raymundo Bautista, together with the prominent men of the barrio of Munlawin, gathered at the house of the late Mr. Iñigo Arguelles to discuss their plan. Among the prominent men in the barrio who attended were Mr. Maximo Castillo, Antero Castillo, both councilors, and Teodoro Dagdagan, a barrio lieutenant.
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Those town officials in that meeting of Mr. Iñigo Arguelles’ home were not able to give [a] name to the said barrio. They had in mind that everything that existed must have a name. Danoy Caraos, in a corner, spoke to his compadre [as] to what name they will give the newly established barrio. Later, Mr. Iñigo Arguelles, because of his talent and wisdom, called his daughter whose name was “Concordia.”
“Concordia, please get some cigarettes and let them smoke.” The charming daughter obeyed the command of her father.
Raymundo Bautista rose from the seat and called the attention of his fellow workers to name the barrio after her. He told that the name means “Unity” derived from perfect cone.
Finally, the said name was submitted to the higher authorities for approval and it was approved on the year of Our Lord One Thousand nine hundred seventeen.
3. Date of Establishment.
4. Original families.
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5. List of tenientes from the earliest time to date.
| Tenientes | Year |
| 1. Teodoro Dagdagan | 1917-1920 |
| 2. Eulogio Dimatulac | 1921-1923 |
| 3. Bartolome Beloso | 1924-1926 |
| 4. Faustino Bayanin | 1927-1929 |
| 5. Bernabe Cabalfin | 1930-1933 |
| 6. Sabino Bayanin | 1934-1937 |
| 7. Rafael Dagdagan | 1938-1940 |
| 8. Simplicio Gonzales | 1940-1945 |
| 9. Leoncio Beloso | 1945-1948 |
| 10. Simplicio Gonzales | 1949-1951 |
| 11. Simplicio Gonzales | 1951-1954 |
6. Story of old barrios or sitios within jurisdiction that are now depopulated or extinct.
7. Data on historical sites, structures, buildings, old ruins, etc.
8. Important facts, incidents or events that took place.
(a) During the Spanish Occupation – None.
(b) During the American occupation to World War II – Houses were burned by the Japanese soldiers.
(c) During and after World War II –
Houses were burned by the Japanese soldiers.
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9. (a) Destruction of lives, properties and institutions during and especially in 1941-1945.
Part Two: Folkways
10. Traditions, customs, and practices in domestic and social life; birth, baptism, courtship, marriage, death, burial; visits; festivals; punishments; etc.
11. Myths, legends, beliefs, interpretations, superstitions; origin of the world, land, mountain and caves, seas, lakes, rivers; plants, trees, animals; sun, moon, stars, eclipses, earthquakes, lightning and thunder, clouds, rain, wind, storms, changes of climates; other natural phenomenon; first man and woman; birth of twins or more; sickness; witchcraft, magic; divination; etc.
SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS
1. It is believed that there are three dwarves going around and when these dwarves happen to enter a certain house, a member of the family will die; thus, they put bamboo crosses on their gates to frighten the dwarves.
2. When a hen clucks at midnight, there will soon be a pregnant unmarried woman.
3. When somebody is eating and the spoon happens to fall, there will be a female visitor; if a fork, a male visitor will arrive.
4. Among young women, when an eyelash falls on the face, a letter will soon come.
5. Two sisters or two brothers marrying in the same year will vie for each other’s luck.
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6. It is believed that when a fellow dies, he will take a bath on the fourth day and when he scrubs his body, the flesh will fall and only then will he know he is no longer on earth. Members of the family of the dead take a bath on the fourth day also.
7. When there is a dead fellow in the house, the members cannot cook fresh vegetables especially “malunggay” for this vegetable falls off the stem easily; thus, the other members will fall off also.
8. Sweeping in the afternoon will sweep away the wealth.
9. When the moon and star are near each other, certain lovers will elope.
10. When the old and new years part, the people look up [at] the sky and the place where there is light is the direction of bountiful harvest.
11. Do not let tears fall on the cadaver, otherwise the dead will always be wet and will not be peaceful.
12. If you have a wound, do not go near a dead person or cemetery for the wound will not heal.
13. Children are allowed to pass over the grave of the parent so that they will not be afraid of the spirit.
14. When marrying, the bride should put coins inside her stockings or shoes. It means she steps on money and [will] be wealthy in her wedded life.
15. If there is plenty of steam coming from boiling rice, there will be more rains.
16. When there is an eclipse, women giving birth to babies will have a hard time of it.
17. When the first cry of the baby is loud, the godparents will be from a far place.
18. When a woman is pregnant, she must not laugh at a harelip otherwise her child will have a harelip also.
19. When we hang corn cobs on a cucumber trellis
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the cucumber will bear more fruits.
20. When a young woman sings in front of the stove, she will marry a widower.
21. Do not point at the rainbow, otherwise the finger will be crooked.
22. Do not open an umbrella inside the house because the dead will share it with you.
14. Puzzles and riddles –
“MGA BUGTONG”
1. Hayan na, hayan na
Hindi pa nakikita.
2. Eto na si Ingkong
Nakaupo sa lusong.
3. Duwag ako sa isa
Matapang ako sa dalawa.
4. Isang bayabas
Pito ang butas.
5. Limang puno ng niyog
Iisa ang matayog.
6. Tititigan ng titigan
Bago ngingibitan.
7. Ang anak ay naupo na
Ang ina’y gumagapang pa.
8. Hinalo ko ang linugaw
Nagtakbo ang inihaw.
9. Pagsipot sa maliwanag
Kulubot na ang balat.
10. Tubig ko sa digandigan
Hindi mapatakan ng ulan.
11. Ilang-ilang na walang bango
Bayabas na walang bisto.
12. Uka na ang tiyan
Malakas pang sisigaw.
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“MGA BUGTONG”
13. Isang tabo
Laman ay pako.
14. Isda ko sa Maribeles
Nasa loob ang kaliskis.
15. Isang supot na uling
Naroot bibitinbitin.
16. Pisong hindi magasta
Pisong malakas kumita.
17. Maraming dalaga
Iisa ang bituka.
18. Walang punoy walang ugat
Nahihitik ng bulaklak.
19. Dumaan ang Negro
Nagkamatay ang tao.
20. Tulos sa Punso
Walang buko.
21. Tinugtog ko ang Bangka
Nagsilapit ang isda.
22. Bahay ni Santa Ines.
Punong puno ng pardigones.
23. Isang malaking punsiyon
Iisa ang umiinom.
24. Narito ang kinaon.
Wala pa ang kumaon.
25. Aso kong puti
Inutusan ko’y hindi na umuwi.
26. Mataas ang iinitin
Kaysa sa pagbibitinan.
27. Suelo ni Kaka.
Punong puno ng lisa.
28. Wala sa langit wala sa lupa
Ang dahon ay sariwa.
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1. A tree is known by is fruit.
2. A tree falls where it is inclined.
3. A rolling stone gathers no moss.
4. A soft answer turneth away wrath.
5. What we owe, we pay.
6. A bird on hand is better than two in the bush.
7. He who believes in idle tales has no mind of his own.
8. The sleeping shrimp is carried away by the current.
9. A lazy man’s garden is full of weeds.
10. If you walk slowly, you will be hurt slightly.
11. To walk rapidly is to fall heavily.
12. The fish is caught through the mouth.
13. No fly enters in a closed mouth.
14. Patience has its own reward.
15. The blessing of a virgin goes to the real pilgrim.
16. He who makes no friend never makes a foe.
17. Manner makes the man.
18. A penny saved is a penny earned.
19. Saving money saves worry.
20. Many hands make light work.
21. An honest centavo is better than a stolen peso.
22. What you sow, you reap; sow kindness and you reap love.
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23. He who will not work shall not eat.
24. Respect yourself so that others may respect you.
25. Promise is a debt we must not forget.
26. Pain in a finger is felt by the whole body.
27. When your blanket is short, learn to crouch.
28. The speed of the banca does not depend upon the wood the banca is made of, but to the wind and the paddle.
29. A stitch in time saves nine.
30. Tell me who your companions are and I’ll tell you who you are.
31. A barking dog seldom bites.
32. To try is to succeed.
33. We can tell from the shoot which will be a bamboo.
34. It is hard to earn but easy to spend.
35. A santol comes from a santol tree.
36. A sleeping shrimp is carried by the current.
37. When you doubt yourself, do not speak.
38. The liar is the brother to the thief.
39. A real sugarcane is sweet to the top.
40. A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.
41. Jack of all trades but master of none.
42. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
43. Life is what we make it.
44. What is to be will be.
45. God helps him who helps himself.
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15. Methods of measuring time, special calendars.
16. Other folktales.