Alagao, Bauan, 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 Alagao, Bauan, 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
ALAGAO
PART I – HISTORY
1. Present official name of the barrio - - - - - - Alagao
2nd Barrio Lieutenant - - - - - - Mr. Roman de Chavez
2. [The] Popular name of the barrio is Alagao. The name of the barrio was derived from the alagao trees. The sitios of Alagao are Kamastilisan and Talagan.
3. This barrio was established during the Spanish Regime.
4. The original families were:
2. Nemesio Dimayacyac
3. Pantalion Landicho
4. Antonio Asilo
5. Leon Generoso
6. Jacinto Cabral
5. List of tenientes from earliest to date
2. Nemesio Dimayacyac (During the Spanish Time)
3. Pedro Landicho
4. Marciano de Guzman
5. Juan Abante
6. Hegino de Guzman
7. Antonio Asilo
8. Agustin Asilo
9. Jacinto Cabral
10. Salvador Asilo (15 years of service)
11. Telesforo Magnayi
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13. Benito Asilo
14. Atanacio Rosales
15. Laureano de Guzman (present barrio lietenant)
6. This old barrio is Alagao, which was derived from alagao trees. This barrio has two sitios:
(1) Talangan
(2) Kamastilisan
The first sitio was named Talagan because formerly there were fruits there called talang. There are only five houses at present.
The second sitio is Kamastilisan. Before the Japanese occupation, there were kamastili trees in that place. In the said sitio, there is only one house.
7. As to some historical sites, structures, buildings, old ruins, this barrio has none.
8. (a) During the Spanish occupation, the old males in Alagao had the so-called “Rondahan or Bantayan.” There were Spaniards passing in this place, but they were only guards.
(b) It so happened that the Insurrectos and Spanish guards met in this place, so they fought. During the fight, two civilians were killed. They were Goyo and Tiburcio Dimayacyac.
(c) Sometimes, there were soldiers wandering and the farmers were afraid to stay in their farms. The people in this place were not reached by the Japanese to plant cotton. So, they could at least plant and harvest little for their food.
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9. (a) During 1896-1900, two persons were killed and some were wounded. Last 1945, one was killed by the Japanese. These civilians were plowing in the field, there were Japanese hiding near where he was plowing. So, he was shot and instantly killed.
(b) Traditions, customs, and practices in domestic and social life, birth, baptism, courtship, marriage, deaths, burial, visits.
Birth
When a baby is born, money is placed in the basin of water where the baby is to be given [a] bath. After bathing, the baby will be wrapped in the diaper against “manga-galaw” according to them. When the baby is sickly or gets sick a few days after birth, the baby is baptized by an old man in the barrio, the method locally known as “Buhusan.” This becomes the practice among the people in the place, due to the fact that it is far from the town. Later on, the baby will be baptized in the church.
Baptism
With regard to baptism, the barrio people have a usual and common practice. The godparent of the baby buys the baptismal dress for the child. The godparent also pays the registration fees. After the baptismal rites in the church, every godparent tries his best to be ahead of the others in going out. It is their belief that when the baby grows old, he
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or she will be alert and skillful. Upon reaching home, anybody who is carrying the baby will bring first the baby to the kitchen near the stove. Then, the baby is given to the godparents to be handed to the mother.
Marriage
There is a common practice followed by the people pertaining to marriage. When there is already a day set for the wedding, both can’t go to a far place, believing that person who are going to be married a few days before the set day is near to accidents. One belief is that the woman should not fit her wedding gown just to find out whether her gown fits her. During the wedding ceremony, before the couple leaves the house, they should put money inside their shoes. This money must be in silver coins.
It is also their custom that when the newlyweds arrive home, before going up the stairs, their parents will sprinkle rice, while the couple are looking down. When the couple comes up & before entering the house, the newlyweds will be served any kind of sweets and two glasses of water. Then, they can enter the house. The couple will now serve the people inside the house the same kind of sweet.
It is also their custom that when the newlyweds arrive in the man’s house, the bride hands the money given by the relatives to her mother-in-law. Then
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she again offers sweets to the people in the house.
D E A T H S
If a member of the family or a very near kin dies, no one in the house of the dead or no one of the relatives of the dead takes a bath. They do not sweep the floor nor the environment of the home till after the fourth day. Then, all the members of the family take a bath. They do not cook any fresh vegetables, especially malunggay. Dishes are taken from the table one by one and not in files or one on top of the other. For one year, the relatives of the dead wear black garments.
Superstitions
(a) When the people hear noise from the mountain, it is a sign that a typhoon is coming.
(b) If a fork drops while eating, it means a male visitor is coming and if a spoon drops means a female visitor will come.
(c) When a cat wipes his face with his paw facing the stairs, a visitor is coming.
(d) When a black butterfly hovers over a person, it means that a relative died.
(e) According to the old folks, when the star and moon are close to each other, a young man and a young woman will elope.
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12. Popular Songs
In this barrio, the people have the Lullaby as their popular song. Aside from this, they have the song for the “subli” locally known as “Awit.”
Puzzles and Riddles
(a) Baboy ko sa Pulo, balahibo’y pako. - - - - - Langka
(b) Puno’y golong, katawa’y bagin, bunga ay sampalok, - - - - - - singkamas
(c) Pulang-pula ay hindi hinog, itim na itim ay hindi sunog, - - - - - - Saga
(d) Naligo ang kapitan, di nabasa ang tiyan, - - - - - - sahig
(e) Bahay ni kiring-kiring, butas-butas ang dingding. - - - - - - Bakid
(f) Ang ibabaw ay araruhan, ang ilalim ay batuhan. - - - - - - Bunga ng kakaw
(g) Dala mo, dala ka, dala ka pa ng iyong dala. - - - - - - Sapin sa paa
(h) Maging tag-ulan, maging tag-init, hanggang tuhod ang bayakis. - - - - - - Manok
(i) Isang butil na palay, punong-puno ang bahay - - - - - - Ilaw
(j) Nagsaing si Kapirit, kinain pati anglit. - - - - - - Bayabas
(k) Mata ko’y lingus-lingusin, di ko abot-abutin. - - - - - - Taynga
(l) Dalawang magkumpare, mauna’t mahuli. - - - - - - Paa
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(m) Isang babaeng may korona, kahit saan ay may mata. - - - - - - Pinya
(n) Manok ko sa parang, napula ay natapang. - - - - - - Sili
(o) Isang prinsesa, nakupo sa tasa. - - - - - - Kasoy
(p) Baboy ko sa kaingin, nataba’y walang pakain. - - - - - - Palay
(q) Kuring puso nabibitin, pitasin mo’t nakakain. - - - - - - Mangga
(r) Hindi Linggo’y hindi piyesta, lagi nang may bandera. - - - - - - Dahon ng saging
(s) Tintang puti, plumang bakli, berdeng papel, ang sumusulat ay babae. - - - - - - Babaeng ngumanganga
(t) Puno’y kalbang, sanga’y anus, bunga’y gatang, lama’y lisay. - - - - - - Papaya
(u) Tubig sa digan-digan, di mapatkan ng ulan. - - - - - - Tubig ng niyog
(v) Ako’y nagtanim ng saging, sa haram ng Mahal na Virgen. - - - - - - Kandila
(w) Isang pirpir na kahoy, magkabila’y buho. - - - - - - Sigarilyo