Halang, Taal, Batangas: Historical Data
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| Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines. |
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Bo. J A L A N G
Jalang is the present and popular name of the barrio. This place was first a sitio, remaining a part of the subdivision of the northern jurisdiction of the town of Taal which was founded in the year 1576. This word Jalang was a native dialect which was conserved by the Spanish language “Substituto” when Salcedo landed on our shores in the year 1572. This sitio was established under the local Spanish administration and was named Jalang for they made this place as a resting place of the Insurrectos to act and change the weakest Teniente del Barrio. The changing of the Teniente del Barrio will always [be] from the order of the local representative detailed to stay in this place as their superior.
The family living there was pure Tagalog descended from the tribe of Rajah Kumintang under the administration of the different Tenientes del Barrio. The Teniente del Barrio from the earliest time to date are as follows: Saturnino Leonor, who served for six years; Crispin Araja for one year; Jose Morales for two years; Gregorio Morales for six months only and was changed by Macario Magsumbol who had just served only for four months; then Tomas Marasigan for three years; Ruperto Endozo for three years also; and Alfredo Dimaano up to the present. During the earliest time of this barrio, more than one half of the land remained vacant. Only less number of houses could be seen and only a small area of the land was planted to palay and corn which was not even enough for consumption. After the establishment of the different barrios in the northern part, followed the eruption of the Taal Volcano in 1709, 1715, 1716, 1749, 1754, 1808, 1873, 1904 and 1911. According to some of the Tenientes del Barrio of Jalang, the
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eruption of 1911 caused too much damage to the properties as well as the lives of the people who were around the distance of ten kilometers from it. More than a thousand died and some were helpless to recover.
The customs and habits of the early tribe, which were pure Tagalog, living [in] the barrio of Jalang was very similar to the general customs of the Filipinos. They were very polite, civil and courteous in words and in action. Upon meeting one another, they practiced the custom of uncovering the head like that of Spain. They wore a piece of cloth like a towel around their heads instead of the hats like the ancient crowns or diadems. This piece of cloth, like the towel, was removed whenever they talked with somebody or in approaching their superiors. They never stood before a person whom they respected but instead, they sat themselves upon the ground or rather on their heel bones, with head uncovered while talking to their superiors. Whenever they met friends, relatives and their old men or their superiors in general, and upon entering, they drew the body together and made a low reverence, raising one or both hands to the face and placing them upon the cheeks.
Then followed the Spanish Occupation throughout the Philippines. They established successively the power of Spain and laid the foundation of their permanent organization. They first introduced to the Filipinos better methods of cultivating the soil and of living. [The] Christian idea of right and wrong were inculcated by religious teachers to elevate the position of the women to the highest extent, slave-holding was discouraged, usury attached and interference lessened. Churches were built and many charitable institutions were established. After this religious intention toward us, many of the Filipinos were converted to Christianity.
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This conversion of the natives to our Holy Catholic Church made them to believe that they are people of good understanding. They have recognized the error of their paganism and [the] truth of the Christian religion. But, on the other hand, the Spanish government, after winning the sympathies of the Filipinos by this political method of conversion and preaching to make us believe whatever they did for us, even pertaining to our economic condition, they turned moreover their attention as to what shall be in turn the Spanish occupation be praised by his Majesty, the King of Spain. So, they paid more attention to laying heavy taxes and enforced labor on the Filipinos so as to consolidate the wealth of the whole Philippines for the benefit of the King. Because of this act of the Spanish government, the Filipinos felt discontented and disguise [disgusted?]. Two years later, after this contentment [discontentment?] from this attitude of the Spanish government, the Americans, by the management of Gen. Dewey, set forth to the shores of Manila Bay for the conquest of the Philippines. Nearly all the Filipinos went with these Americans to revolt against the present form of Spanish government. They successively [successfully?] overturned the armed forces of Spain and a year later, they were able to drive the Spaniards [away]. After the successful conquest followed the establishment of the American rule throughout the islands, and because of so many dissatisfactions, a lesser number of our native Filipinos a [broken sentence] Filipino-American War broke out and the result of which we’re being completely under the hand of the U.S. government in a manner of self and economic ruling. After being friend and gaining the sympathy of the U.S., they introduced to us the democratic form of government under the supervision of their highest authority. After a period of so many years, we’re able to secure the Commonwealth
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form of government.
While we were in this stage form of living, we were indulged [involved] again in war. When Bataan fell under the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army, the Japanese were able to occupy the whole Philippines for four years temporarily. These four years of [the] occupation of Japan over the Philippines marked a complete disastrous and discontentment of the Filipinos. The administration and the Japanese Imperial Army deprived the whole rights of the Filipinos in political, social and economic conditions we had in the hands of the U.S. government. They robbed here and there and threatened our peaceful relatives and friends. Their intention was not to colonize the islands but to sack the wealth of the whole Philippines. On the eve of 1943 and 1944, they burned houses, killed our peaceful friends and relatives, even the minor age of our mother. Like here in this barrio of Jalang, more than a hundred persons were killed and about forty houses burned.
After the landing of the Americans in the islands in 1944, the people of Jalang began rehabilitating their houses and farms. [The] Construction of houses began as early as 1945 and [the] cultivation of the farm was likewise done. [The] Building of roads and bridges was made through the aid of the American government.