Galamay-amo, San Jose, Batangas: Historical Data
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| Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines. |
Division of Batangas
District of San Jose
Galamay-amo School
HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF THE BARRIO
Part One – History
1. Present official name of the barrio – Galamay-amo
2. Popular name
b. Past – Diya
c. Derivation and meaning of this name –
2. Alagaw
3. Date established – as early as 1900.
4. Original families – 7 families.
5. List of tenientes from 1900 to the present:
(2) Basilio Guce
(3) Felipe Castillo
(4) Felipe Luna
(5) Sinforoso Marasigan
(6) Melecio Mercado
(7) Paulino Sarmiento
(8) Angel Macalintal
(9) Apolonia Mercado
(10) Francisco Carandang
7. No data on historical sites, structures, buildings, old ruins, etc.
8. Important facts, incidents or events that took place.
When a gentleman desires to marry a woman, his parents will send the family some presents and the son will serve the family of the woman. The man’s parents and the woman’s parents talk and arrange the marriage.
The marriage is performed in the church by a priest. There are sponsors chosen by both parents. There is a party after the ceremony.
When there is a dying person, a member of the family calls upon the person who knows who to pray and assist this dying person for the salvation of his soul.
The burial is simple. When leaving the house, the dead person in the coffin is followed by a woman pouring water until the stairs and throws the dipper away.
It is when the “Patron Saint Joseph” goes to this barrio.
During “Flores de Mayo.”
In a village far away, there lived a beautiful maiden of sweet eighteen. She was charming, with smiling eyes and glossy, long hair. Her beauty was beyond compare. Nita, as her friends called her, was the blooming rose of the village. No gathering was ever complete without the presence of beautiful Nita. Nita! Sweet Nita.
Pepe! Who was Pepe? He was the most handsome youth of a neighboring village. He, too, was loved by his friends. Was he known to Nita? No, they were strangers to each other.
One afternoon, Nita and her friends held a picnic near a beach. They admired the beautiful sunset giving its charm and magical rays to every corner of the shore. A moment passed. Nita saw at a distance an approaching figure. She called her friends and pointed the youth to them. One of them knew him. He was Pepe, the handsome youth of [the] nearby village whom they adored. He was introduced to the girls and then to Nita. Nita grew cold. Pepe’s eyes were cast down. Was he in love with the blooming rose? Yes, Pepe’s heart beat for no one else except Nita. Their eyes met. She, too, loved the handsome youth.
Days, weeks, and months rolled by. Pepe promised to love Nita till death. They knew no sorrow. To them, the world was full of happiness. To them, love was young and hopes were high. They thought that life was forever a bed of roses devoid of thorns. They thought that they would be the happiest of the happy. Oh! Blessed souls.
Two years elapsed but all was changed. Pepe was no more Pepe of the younger days but a man filled with worries and misfortunes. How those memores of days gone by made him lonely and blue. Poor Pepe! Nita was no longer his love. She was claimed by another whom she never loved.
Bitter tears of regret were her consolation in the midst of her sorrows. She often sighted and called Pepe in her dreams. But what could she do? Pepe had sworn never to love her again. Poor Pepe had [a] wrong conception of Nita. Why should he hate her as such when she had been true to him, but as fate would have it, she was forced to love another for her parents’ sake?
December morn was a glorious day. The tolling of the bells were heard for two hearts would be blended into one, Nita’s and Nilo’s heart. To Nita, all was darkness and gloom. Her heart was still bestowed upon her only happiness, Pepe. Her heart would burst at the heavy burden it kept. She longed for someone else, for Pepe, not Nilo. She claimed for miserable death. To her, death was sweeter than to be forced to marry Nilo who she did not love.
All stood unmoved for there came the bride and the bridegroom. The people were anxious once more to see the blooming rose of the village. Pepe was there, too, silent and lonely. Nita saw him with tears in his eyes. Pepe drew near but oh, he held tightly a dagger in his hand and stabbed Nita to death.
Nita was dead. Her friends were all in mourning. Pepe was there. The people deeply regretted the thought of losing the beauty of the village. They accompanied her until the graveyard. Pepe gazed for the last time at the unfading beauty of Nita. One by one, their happy days came to his mind. His heart was touched once more with grief. Nita was buried but in his agony, he shouted, “Sumpa kita!” He thought Nita was never faithful to him. But then, he ran here and there. Pepe was crazy. He called out for Nita but no Nita would answer!
Days passed by. Her friends continued to visit her grave but they saw a tiny plant which bore flowers on her tomb. They were white and pure as the love of Nita to Pepe. They, they gazed at the open sky to recollect once more those dear, old days of Nita.
They seemed to hear at a distance the undying words of Pepe, the words he uttered at the death side of Nita. “Sumpa kita.” Tears were in their eyes for they pitied both Nita and Pepe. They watered the plant with bitter tears, tears of undying love to Nita. Then, they named the plant “SAMPAGUITA.”
Nguni’t nang mag-umaga’t aking kunin,
Nalampasan ko na’y di ko pa nararating. (Araw)
Kung talagang tubo, matamis hanggang dulo.
Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa parurunan.
Huli man at magaling, ay maihahabol din.
Walang matigas na tutong sa taong nagugutom.
Kilala na sa labong ang magawang bongbong.
a. They used the sun and the crowing of the rooster.
b. The opening of the flower of the patola.
c. The moon and stars.