Mahabang Dahilig, Batangas (Town), Batangas: Historical Data Part I
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| Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines. |
PART I
Full transcription of the so-called “Historical Data” for the barrio of Mahabang Dahilig, Batangas Town, 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.
[p. 1]
HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF THE BARRIO OF MAHABANG DAHILIG
1. Present official name of the barrio. The present official name of the barrio is Mahabang Dahilig.
2. Popular name of the barrio, present and past; derivations and meanings of these names. Names of sitios included within the territorial jurisdiction of the barrio.
a. The former name of the barrio was “Buayahan.” Buayahan was derived from the word buaya meaning crocodile. It was believed that the river in this barrio Buayahan (which was formerly made up of the present barrios of Mahabang Dahilig, San Isidro, and Sto. Niño) was infested by crocodiles. The settlers called the place “Buayahan.”
b. The present popular name of the barrio is Mahabang Dahilig. This originally meant long hill. This came to be called by such a name because when the river came to be infested by crocodiles, the inhabitants sought a safer place for refuge on the hillsides. When the river became peaceful, the people instead of returning to their former homes, they settled in the valley just below the place where they built their temporary homes. Since then, the outlying villages (Sto. Niño and San Isidro) were separated and Mahabang Dahilig proper became a separate barrio. The people gave that name because in going to the place, one has to climb a slightly sloping but long hill.
c. Names of sitios:
1. Malalim, meaning deep, is situated in the northern part of the barrio.
2. Loko-loko is another sitio at the southeastern tip of Mahabang Dahilig.
3. Sosyo means cooperative business. The sitio is in the southern part of the barrio.
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3. Date of establishment: The exact date when the barrio was established can nowhere be found, but according to old barrio folks, the earliest settlement can be placed during the early part of the Spanish discovery of the Philippines.
4. Original families: The earliest known inhabitants of the barrio were the members of the “Ebora” family. Others were the “Ronquillos” and the “Panganibans.” These still form a greater part of the present population.
5. List of tenientes from the earliest time to date:
b. Pedro Cueto
c. Serafin Ronquillo
d. Esteban Panganiban
e. Juan Ebora
f. Pedro Ebora
g. Simeon Panganiban (present)
6. At present, the sitios mentioned above are all inhabited.
7. Data of historical sites, structures, buildings, old ruins. The first public school building was built in 1925. The improved school house was burned in 1939; establishment of the Japanese camp in 1943.
8. Important facts, incidents, or events that took place.
[p. 3]
b. During the American occupation up to World War II. When the Spaniards left the Philippines in 1899, the Americans took the former’s place as Filipino conquerors. However, the Americans left the recorded events in the history of Mahabang Dahilig. On the other hand, the barrio people aspired for the improvement of the community economically, politically, and socially. The farmers learned better ways of farming because they learned to use fertilizers to produce better crops. Schools progressed because of the well-trained teachers who at present teach in the barrio. During this period, when a barrio head was selected to become the leader of the barrio.
c. During World War II: In December 1941, when the war broke out, Mahabang Dahilig became an evacuation place. During the early part of the war, the evacuees and the barrio residents were not much troubled except on occasional frightful experiences due to the news of the coming of the Japanese soldiers. In the year 1943, the people fled to a farther place for the presence of the Japanese soldiers in the sitio of Malalim. Tunnels were built, domestic animals were used as their food and as beasts of burden. Farm work was abandoned for fear and at times due to loss of working animals. Some people formed secret guerrilla organizations.
d. After World War II: When the town of Batangas was liberated in the early part of 1945, the barrio folks found themselves too poor, under-nourished, and sickly. The coming of the Americans brought new life to the people. Had the Americans not arrived within that period, the barrio of Mahabang Dahilig might have also been a victim of Japanese slaughter. That was in January 1945 when all barrio people cheered and thanked God for the return of the Americans in our country. The jobless were able to find work and their home lives were restored.
9. a. Destruction of lives, properties, and institutions during war, especially 1896-1900 and 1941-1945. No life and property were destroyed during the war in 1896 to 1900. In 1941-1945, properties were destroyed. When the Japanese soldiers made camp in the barrios in 1943, some homes were destroyed. Working animals were taken for food and same as beasts of burden.
[p. 4]
FOLKWAYS
10. Mga kaugalian sa pantahanan at panglipunan at pamamahay, paglilibing, pagdalaw, pistahan, pagpaparusa, at iba pa. Sa kasalukuyan, ang mga kinauugalian ng mga nagsisipanira sa Mahabang Dahilig ng panahon ng Kastila ay umiiral pa rin sa pamumuhay ng mga taga nayong ito. Ang mga sumusunod ay ilan lamang sa kinagagawian.
Traditions, customs and practices in domestic and social life, birth, baptism, courtship, marriage, death, burial, visits, festivities, punishments, etc.
At present, the beautiful traditions and practices of the barrio during the Spanish days are still noticeable among the lives of the barrio folks. The following are some of the customs and practices.
a. Panganganak – Kapag ang isang ina ay nagdadalang tao, siya ay maraming sinusunod na pamahiin. Siya ay di nararapat pumunta sa silong ng bahay kapag nakalubog na ang araw sa hapon. Ang kanyang asawa ay hindi pinahihintulutang gumawa ng bahay at tumulong sa pagbubuhat sa patay. Ang babae ay pinagbabawalang tumigil, maupo o tumayo sa mga pintuan o hagdanan. Pagkagising niya sa umaga, dapat niyang ihagis ang kanyang unan sa kaniyang paanan. Hindi dapat siya tumawa o magalit kaya sa mga taong may kapinsalaan sa katawan sa paniwalang baka tumulad sa kanyang natawanan o nakagalitan. Ang malilinis na damit ay sa paglalagay sa baol o sa ano mang lalagyan ay dapat pantay-pantay ang mga dulo nito o di kaya’y pantay-pantay. Ang batang kasisilang lamang ay nakitaan ng di pangkaraniwang ayos sa katawan, ito ay tinatawag na “pinag-ibigan.”
Birth – When a mother is about to give birth, she adheres to some superstitions.
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She does not go under the house when the sun has already set. Her husband is prohibited to build a house nor to help lift or carry a dead person. She must not stay at doorsteps. When she wakes up in the morning, she must immediately throw her pillow to her feet. She must refrain from laughing at or become angry with feeble-minded persons or with physical incapacities. If she wears a dress to protect her clothes from becoming dirty, she must wear it with even edges. When [a] newly born child appears to be somewhat having an abnormal appearance, they say that she has a maternal marking of any sort.
b. Pagbibinyag – Kapag ang isang bata ay dadalhin sa simbahan upang binyagan, ang ina ay pinadurungaw sa bintana at susundan ng tingin ang anak upang kung ito’y lumaki ay maging masunurin.
Baptism – When a child to be baptized is to be taken to church, the mother looks out of the window so that the child grows or she may be obedient.
c. Pagliligawan – Sa pagliligawan ng binata’t dalaga sa nayon ay mayroong tinatawag na “pagpapakilala.” Ang isang binata ay hindi makapagpahayag ng pag-ibig sa dalaga hanggang hindi niya naipapamalay sa mga magulang ng babae ang kanyang matapat na pag-ibig sa pamamagitan ng pagtulong sa ano mang gawain sa bahay ng dalaga. Ang unang kanyang pagpapakilala sa magulang ng dalaga ay ang pagdadala ng panggatong, tubig, at iba pa. Sa unang pagluhod ng binata sa magulang ng dalaga ay kapag siya ay ginawaran ng bendecion ay mangangahulugang tinatanggap siya ng magulang ng dalaga bilang isang mangingibig, ngunit kapag siya ay di ginawaran ng bendisyon, nangangahulugang huag rin siyang magpatuloy sapagkat siya ay di naiibig. Ito ang tinatawag na “pangangasawa” na tumatagal ng ilang taon. Ang binata ay lagi sa bahay ng dalaga at tumutulong sa bahay ng dalaga. Kung inaakala ng magulang ng babae na sapat na ang pagsubok sa kadakilaan ng pag-ibig ng binata, ay kanilang ipinagbibilin ang magulang ng binata upang pag-usapan ang kasalan ng dalwang magsing-irog. Ang magulang ng binata sa pagpunta sa bahay ng magulang ng dalaga ay may dalang mga ano mang pangpalubay-loob tulad ng alak, pagkain at iba pa at sa kanilang pagpuntang iyan ay kanilang mapapag-usapan ang bagay sa kasal ng kanilang mga anak. Ang pag-uusap na ito ay tinatawag na “bulungan.” Sa bulungang ito mapapagkasunduan nila ang anyo ng pagdadaos ng kasal,