Mapulo, Taysan, Batangas: Historical Data Part I
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| Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines. |
PART I
PART I | PART II
Full transcription of the so-called “Historical Data” for the barrio of Mapulo in the Municipality of Taysan, 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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DIVISION OF BATANGAS
District of Lobo
DAGATAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Taysan
REPORT ON HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE
OF THE BARRIO – MAPULO
1 – [The] Present official name of the barrio is MAPULO
2 – Mapulo is the present and past name of the barrio. It was derived from its physical feature during the olden days.
Long ago, Mapulo had many islets, “mga pulo,” which at present are hills, and form that topography was dubbed the sobriquet “Mapulo.”
Presently in this barrio, natural resources abound. A certain kind of stone was discovered which was best for lime-making. Since limy stones were teeming in the locality, the manufacture of lime became one of the important industries of the people.
Similarly, the name of the lime being made or produced derived its distinctive appellation from the place where it originated. The term given was “apog Mapulo.” This lime was popular among sugar mills where the lime used in sugar making came from. It was the pride of the barrio.
At sitio known as Malayag is included in its territorial jurisdiction.
3 – Date of establishment:
4 – Original families:
a. Juan Manalo – husband
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5 – List of tenientes from the earliest time to date:
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1. 1905-1940 2. 1940-1941 3. 1941-1945 4. 1945 - to date |
Florentino Comia Felix Hernandez Manuel Comia Isidro Hernandez |
6 – There were no stories of barrios or sitios within the 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 regime:
b. During the American Era to World War II:
c. During and after World War II:
The people evacuated to places where they felt safer from the cruelties and brutalities of the Japanese. Food became scarce. Starvation was the deadly ghost which everyone dreaded most.
After World War II, most of the people realized the
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9 – a. There was no destruction of lives, properties and institutions during the periods between 1896-1900 and 1941-1945, as per information gathered.
10 – Traditions, customs and practices in domestic and social life:
a. Births – Upon the birth of a child, the father or any member of the family went to town to have the child registered. The couple had to consult the old folks as to whom they would like as godfather or godmother of the child.
b. Baptism – After the lapse of some weeks, the baptism of the child followed. The couple conferred with the old folks in the family as to whom they would like to be the godfather or godmother as the case might be, of the child. Once they had decided who would be the sponsor, they fixed the date of the baptismal party. They would inform the godfather or godmother. If it so happened that the sponsor was a young woman who had many aspirants for her hand, many gifts where received. The party was usually a grand one if the parents of the child were well-off.
c. Courtship – it was the practice during those days that the parents wear to decide whether the man who was
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after their daughter was fit to be the husband of their child. They had to consider the family background, the characteristics of the suitor, and the like and so on. If the man came up to their standard, he had to render services to the family before he could marry the woman of his dreams.
d. Marriage – When the allotment of time for the man’s services was about to end, and his services merited the appraisal of the old folks, the parents of both parties met together to design and fix the date of the marriage. The date of the wedding was always set in accordance with a quarter of the moon within the stated month, whatever the case might be, for their minds were cloaked with superstitions.
e. Visits – In this barrio, the traditional hospitality is the distinctive characteristic of the people. It is best shown when a visitor from another place comes. That guests cannot leave the house without partaking with the family even how frugal the food may be. From the seat, the visitor is literally dragged toward the table or “latok,” where the meal lies awaiting. No amount of alibis can convince the host to let the visitor leave the house without eating. Often, the visitors are not allowed to go without something to tag along.
f. Deaths – [The] Neighborliness of the people from this place is well manifested when death comes to a member
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of a family in the neighborhood. Upon knowing of the demise of a person in the vicinity, the people go at once to the home of the bereaved family, not only to condole [with] them but also to extend whatever help they can afford. Every person who comes gives [a] certain amount. Some bring chicken, and others help in repairing the ladder or the kitchen or the back porch. All these actuations of the people help lighten the burden of the bereaved family.
g. Festivals – During the festivity in honor of the patron saint of the barrio, or during the traditional barrio novena as the Mayflower celebration, every home is open to all those who may care to come. On this occasion, whether the visitors are known to the host or not, they are all welcome. Every home is a haven of abundance, peace, contentment and happiness. Often, the visitors have to eat three or four more times, especially if they have many acquaintances in the place. During the fiesta in the barrio, a visitor from another place has to drop in the house of his friends or chance acquaintances, lest the latter will be disappointed. It is customary in the place to give material gifts, like chicken, eggs, fruits, and so on and so forth, two the visitors when they go home.
11 – a. No legendary tales and myths can be found or gathered.
Interpretations –
1. A comet presages war or calamity.
2. A pregnant woman who eats twin bananas will give birth to twins.
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