Alitagtag, Batangas: Historical Data Part III

PART III

PART I | PART II | PART III

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SECRETARIES (con’t)

MUNICIPAL TREASURERS

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

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JUSTICES OF THE PEACE (con’t)

CHIEFS OF POLICE

6. Data on historical sites, structures, buildings, old ruins, etc.

(No data on historical sites, structures, buildings, old ruins, etc. could be given.)

7. Important facts incidents or events that took place.

a. During the early days of the Spanish

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regime, on a hill northwest of what is now the poblacion, an apparition was beheld by a gambler’s wife who was on her way to fetch water from the distant Taal Lake. It is said that on this hill, which is now called Labak, a strange, blinding light that turned the vicinity into midday was beheld by the woman. Thereupon, the lady knelt before the Cross of the Anubing tree from whence the light came from. She prayed, and Alas! a voluminous flow of water came from the trunk of the Cross which filled her water jar in no time. She thanked God and proceeded home, thereafter keeping for herself alone the marvelous incident that took place. But, as designed by the Almighty, the miracle did not escape the knowledge of the people. For, while the woman was keeping it a secret, the light coming from the Cross was also seen by the people in the neighborhood. The news spread to the neighboring towns until the priests of Batangas, Bauan and Taal were also informed of the phenomenon. They went to the scene and each of them tried to move and excavate the Cross. The priests from Taal and Batangas failed. When the chance of the priest from Bauan came, he pulled the Holy Cross very easily off the ground. It was brought to Bauan and was confirmed as its Patron Saint. When Alitagtag became a town, the consensus of opinion was to have the Cross divided into two so that Alitagtag might have a share of the Cross.

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The proposition having been peacefully agreed upon, one half of the Cross was given to Alitagtag and was made its Patron Saint as well. In honor of the Holy Cross, a small chapel was erected at the very spot where the Cross was found (now called Labak) and a mass is said every 3^rd day of May simultaneously with the town fiesta of Bauan.

b. During the early days of American occupation, a short but significant encounter between the American Occupation Forces and the Filipino Revolutionists occurred in Pinagkurusan, Balagbag, although the encounter was not as decisive as other clashes in some places in Batangas province it, nevertheless, remained engraved in the minds of those who witnessed the glory of it. The rebels did fight and pour every drop of blood that generated their burning desires to make the Philippines only for the Philippines. But they were very much inferior in every respect; and in the face of such overwhelming odds, they retreated not as vanquished but as victors for they left behind them scores of dead foes. The Americans, having been badly outmaneuvered, set afire all the houses in the place.

The Americans organized a unit of Filipino soldiers as scouts. Most of them were from Macabebe, Pampanga whom the people called Macabebes. They

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were very cruel. They manhandled men and made abuses to women. It was not until the total surrender of the Filipino Revolutionists to the American Forces that the civilians were relieved of the “iron hand” of the Macabebes.

When the Japanese Imperial Forces came over to Alitagtag, the inhabitants were forced to plant cotton in their farms. Those who disobeyed were subjected to so many kinds of barbarous tortures. Many people in this place were rendered invalid after the Japanese had laid their hands on them. At the time the American Liberation Forces were already in Leyte, a bunch of guerrilla leaders, numbering no less than twenty, were picked by the Japanese Military Police and were brought to Lipa. They never returned. Just as the Americans were nearing Alitagtag, a group of six Japanese soldiers who were then stationed at Cuenca, Batangas burned all the houses and left nothing but ashes before they left.

On March 7, 1945, the 158^th Regimental Combat Team led by Col. Shoemaker of the American Liberation Forces spearheaded the attack on Maculot Mountain. Alitagtag was made the frontline of attack. The soldiers were quartered at the Alitagtag Elementary School. While Col. Shoemaker was making plans for the attack, the erstwhile Fil-American guerrillas which

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was led by Col. Pedro Pasia were making reconnaissance patrol along the lake. It was in one of these places, in Calumpit, that these guerrillas encountered a number of Japanese soldiers who were bound for Maculot, possibly to join the forces that were there. The guerrillas suffered a very great casualty.

8. (a) Destruction of lives, properties, and institutions during wars, especially in 1896-1900 and 1941-1945.

The Alitagtag Elementary School was partially damaged.

(b) Measures and accomplishments toward rehabilitation and reconstruction following World War II.

The rehabilitation of the Alitagtag Elementary School was undertaken by the United States Philippine War Damage Commission in 1950.

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Transcribed from “Alitagtag Historical Data,” 1953, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.