MUNICIPALITY OF LINGAYEN (PANGASINAN), History and Cultural Life of Part III

Libang was formerly called "Libsong" because there were many low places where the people caught fish. This barrio is between the Gulf of Lingayen and a river. In the heart of this barrio, there is a sitio called Pogon Boa. This was so named because there were, in bygone days, plenty of boa palms growing in this locality. Pogon Boa as a sitio still exists today.

Some of the Anak Banuas were Don Tobias Molano, Don Ramon de Guzman, and other whose names no people can remember. The present barrio lieutenants are Mr. Jose Doria in Libsong East and Mr. Emiliano Castillo in Libson West.

During the Spanish regime, there were very few people who came to live in this place. Those who first lived in this locality cannot be ascertained. They lived by fishing in the Gulf of Lingayen and along the banks of the river. There were no roads but paths along the banks of the river.

During the American occupation, schools were constructed. The roads were widened, which made transportation to other places easy.

The Japanese soldiers committed many atrocities. They were not friendly to the people. They did not understand Filipino psychology, that is why they did not succeed as rulers. They made Filipino lives miserable during their almost four years' sojourn in the Philippines.

In January 1945, the American forces came. They shelled the town of Lingayen, which caused the destruction of public and private buildings. When they landed, the people were indeed very glad to meet them. The Americans gave the natives canned food, cigarettes, and clothing. The natives, on their part, gave their liberators coconuts, roasted chickens, native cakes, and wine.

Later, schools were opened in Libsong. There were many pupils who enrolled. Many of them were over-aged.

Malawa was once a part of barrio Rosario. There are versions of how the place got its name. This region was once a thick forest. In the middle of the forest, there was a clearing in which no tall trees grew. Only grass grew there abundantly. The word clear in the local language is maliwawa. Since the middle portion of the thick forest was clear, the people called it maliwawa. Later, the place weas called malawa.

Another version tells us the story of "lawa." Lawa in the local language is a natural phenomenon which characterized by the calmness of the weather, not a single leaf moves, while the sun is rising. When you take a bath at this moment, you will surely die. The people in this place believed that this was true. One early morning, a person whose name cannot be remembered took a bath. After taking a bath, he died instantly. Since this man was not sick when he took a bath, the only cause of his instant death was lawa, because at the time of his death, they noted that the sun was rising and the world was calm.

Once again, early one morning, a man took a bath in the river. After taking a bath, he died instantly. Since the man was healthy and vigorous, there again was no cause for his instant death except that it was caused by lawa. Since many deaths of this kind took place, the barrio was later called Malawa.

In 1914, the barrio was separated from Rosario. The founders are not definitely known. The tenientes del barrio were the following: Bernardino Arias, Ignacio Gansino, Jose Quino, and Doroteo Paragan.

There are no important facts worth mentioning during the Spanish regime, American occupation, and the Japanese rule.

The name of the barrio is Malimpuec, which means round. Doroñgan is a sitio included within the jurisdiction of the barrio. It is believed that this barrio was established during the Spanish regime. Once upon a time, a child was born in the village who had a perfectly round head. The people in this region bartered their products with products coming from other places. In transporting their products, they rode in bancas. One day, the mother and the child with the perfect round head were riding on a banca. Their boat capsized and the child and the mother were drowning. While they were drowning, the people on the banks of the "look" cried and shouted for help — "Malimpuec! Malimpuec!" To commemorate the existence of the child with an unusual round head, the place is now called Malimpuec.

Some of the Malays who came to the Philippines landed at the mouth of the Agno River, a place now called Sabangan. Some of these settlers moved eastward to a place now called Malimpuec. They were engaged in salt making and fishing. With other people living in Doroñgan, they bartered their salt and fish with other products which they needed.

Other Malays who settled far from the seashore were engaged in farming and in fishing in the river. Nipa palms and mangroves grew abundantly in the swamps along the river bank. The people made nipa shingles from the leaves of the nipa palms. The nipa sap was made into vinegar and wine. These products were brought to Labrador, a town across the river in the west. In exchange, they got venison, beeswax and other forest products.

Some of the Anak Banuas are mentioned by old folks who can remember some of them. They are not arranged according to chronological order.

Don Andres Castro Don Ladislao Yari Santos	Don Esteban Fernandez Don Vicente Matias
Don Maximino Fernandez

After the establishment of American rule in the Philippines, the following were appointed tenientes del barrio:

1. Don Anacleto Perez 2. Don Maximo Perez 3. Don Florencio Perez 4. Don Petronilo Flores 5. Don Toribio Austria 6. Don Sulpicio Fernandez

7. Don Teodoro Yari Santos 8. Don Anastacio Estrada 9. Don Victor Santiago 10. Don Toribio Austria 11. Don Pedro Velasco 12. Don Guillermo Lopez

In Malimpuec, the people are found in two places. One group of the people is found in Doroñgan, a place where boats anchored during Spanish times. Another group of inhabitants is found in the central part near the old Spanish road called Polong.

In Doroñgan, one can still see the ruins of a big camarin where cargoes were stored during the Spanish time. Near this camarin are the skeletons of old boats called sasakyan which were owned by the rich men of Malimpuec.

The Filipinos who before the Spaniards came to Malimpuec were peace-loving people under the rule of a chief or a headman. The Spanish did not change this unit of government, but recognized it. Later, some chiefs were not friendly with the Spaniards, so they were removed and put in their steads were men who were willing to cooperate with the Spanish authorities. These men were called cabezas de barangay.

Missionaries came to Malimpuec. These priests taught the people how to build better houses, how to construct larger boats known as sakayan, how to build roads and bridges, and how to read and write the alphabet. In order to do these things, the priests had to learn the local language. They wrote books in the native tongue about religion.

The Spanish teachers were so cruel that children were afraid to go to schools. As a result, very few were able to read and write.

The people suffered very much from the collection of tributes and the abuses in connection with enforced labor. These two were the causes of rebellions against Spanish rule in the Philippines. When the Americans came to the Philippines, the people were trained to manage their own government. Public schools were opened for both the rich and poor. They were also given the privilege to elect their own officials. Better roads and bridges were constructed.

The people in Malimpuec were suspected of keeping guerrillas in their homes or helping them by providing them with food and other supplies. The case of Acolao Maria Fernandez and her grandson Jose might be cited as an example of maltreatment by the Japanese. After these two were subjected to the most devilish punishments one could imagine, they were finally released because the accusations were false.

During the rule of the Japanese, food and clothing were scarce. But the people in this locality did not evacuate. They stayed in their homes and worked very hard to make both ends meet.

It was Sunday, January 9, 1945, when the American soldiers landed and they greeted the natives who cried with joy.

Private buildings and properties which were either destroyed or lost were rehabilitated by the War Damage Commission, an agency of the U.S. government to help the people start life anew.

Schools were opened and children who went to enrol were over-aged. Many schools were also rehabilitated.

Ever since the Spanish regime, goldsmithing as an occupation of the people has been in existence. Silver and gold were melted before they were made into rings, earrings, bracelets, and other articles. In order to melt the metal, a blowpipe was used to blow the fire from a big lamp toward the metal so as to heat and melt it. To blow in the native tongue is "maniboc." From the Spanish regime to the present time, goldsmithing gained wider and wider popularity, so that the people outside the region called this place "Maniboc." That is how this barrio got its name, Maniboc.

The barrio of Maniboc is sometimes called Maniboc City. How this barrio was called Maniboc City cannot now be clearly explained. It should be remembered, however, that in Maniboc, the people are interested in education. Modern facilities which can be found in a city are in this barrio. It has buildings and wide provincial streets. Filipinos and American GI's who were here during the liberation wrote to their relatives and friends by addressing their letters — Mr. Isabelo Domingo, Maniboc City, Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Old folks who are, at present, living cannot tell when this barrio was established, but it is the consensus that it was already a village before the Spaniards came to the Philippines.

No records are available from which the names of tenientes can be located. From data gathered from old people, the following served in this capacity.

1. Mr. Benedicto Santos 2. Mr. Laureano Soriano 3. Mr. Tito Cruz 4. Mr. Fidel Baltazar 5. Mr. Marcelo Sison

6. Mr. Graciano Fernandez 8. Mr. Francisco Domingo 9. Mr. Jose Yameza 10. Mr. Timoteo Belasco

The following were municipal councilors:

1. Mr. Martin Domingo
2. Mr. Laureano Soriano
3. Mr. Timoteo Belasco
4. Dr. Ildefonso U. Cruz
5. Mrs. Susana Almazan

According to our informants, the place was the scene of fierce fighting between the Spaniards and the Chinese. Limahong, the Chinese pirate, fought against the men of Juan de Salcedo, a Spanish conqueror. The Chinese were driven into the interior and the Spanish soldiers besieged them for many months. The tricky Limahong and his cohorts were able to escape into the open sea by digging a canal which now bears his name — Limahong Channel.

Upon the arrival of the Spaniards, a brave man, Martin Domingo, led a handful of Filipinos and fought against the invading Spaniards. He rode on horseback and went around to encourage his men during the encounter. It is said that, while riding on horseback, he caught bullets with his bare hands. He was given the cognomen as "Martin Maliksi."

Matalawa is a little barrio with no sitios under its jurisdiction. It has a long list of tenientes del barrio, among whom were the following:

Don Alejandro Terio
Don Nicasio Vinluan
Don Tranquilino Quinto
Don Gregorio Molano
Don Isidoro Molano
Don Anselmo Nava
Don Doroteo Rodriguez
Don Floro Molano
Don C. Eustaquio
Don Telesforo dela Cruz

During the Spanish regime, Philippine history was replete with rebellions which culminated in the revolution of 1896.

It was during this period when many changes took place. Believing in the superiority of the Spanish culture and religion, the Spanish colonizers destroyed the basic culture and religion of the natives.

The most important event which occurred in this barrio was the Battle of Palaris which gave the origin of the name of the barrio.

During the American regime, schools were opened and many children were enrolled.

The present and past name of the barrio is Naguelguel. When Limahong, the Chinese pirate, came to the Philippines to establish his kingdom in Lingayen in the sixteenth century, Juan de Salcedo, with his soldiers, drove the Chinese into the interior. The Spaniards pursued them. In one of these reconnaissances, the Spanish soldiers reached this region where they saw young women washing clothes along the river that separates Naguelguel and Matalawa. In the days of old, this river was a deep river. One soldier asked one of the girls, "Como se llama este lugar?" The girl who was asked was embarrassed, so she remained silent. The soldier repeated his question. One girl in the group who was the eldest among the women answered him. She said "mangueguelguel," which means "washing clothes," for the women thought that the soldier was inquiring what they were doing. This is one of the versions on how this place got its name.

Another version relates that, during Malong's rebellino, fierce hand-to-hand fighting occurred in this locality between Malong's men and the Spaniards. This hand-to-hand fighting in the native tongue is "nangueguelguelam." So, this barrio was later called Naguelguel.

This barrio does not have sitios under its jurisdiction. It is believed that it was established during the time when Limahong came to Lingayen.

The original founders cannoot be determined.

The Anak Banuas were the direct representatives of the alcaldes or the gobernadorcillos. These Anak Banuas acted as rulers, judges, and collectors of tributes or taxes. Among these [unreadable] rulers were the following

1. Don Ariston Paragas 2. Don Atanacio Vinluan 3. Don Andres Calamiong 4. Don Martin Lavarias 5. Don Manuel Vinluan 6. Don Juan Paragas

7. Don Salvador Vinluan 8. Don Lucas Paragas 9. Don Macario Malgasi 10. Don Simplicio Paragas 11. Don Pedro Paragas 12. Don Proceso Vinluan

In June 1908, the first public school was established in this barrio. The first teacher was Mr. Gaudencio Rosario, who was succeeded by Mr. Juan Saiñgan. Later, Mr. Felipe Escado came to teach here. The first American Supervising Teacher was Mr. Cadwell, who was succeeded by Mr. Early Embank.

When the Japanese came to the Philipines, Naguelguel was one of the barrios for evacuation. With the evacuees, the Columban Fathers came and occupied one of the school buildings. Neighborhood associations were organized. Since food was scarce, people were urged to plant vegetables and other food crops. They were also encouraged to make cigarettes, to distill wine, to weave mats and other useful articles. Japanese Mickey Mouse [money] flooded the country, but the people needed food and clothing.

In November 1944, Bishop Madringa, Father Feeny Dwyer [unreadable] and Ford came to Naguelguel. They stayed here until the Americans completely restored peace and order. Everyday, Mass was said in Naguelguel, attended by the people of Naguelguel, Matalava, Nagpalañgan, and Talogtog.

Many priests returned to their homes after the liberation. Father McDebeth was left to minister the religious needs of the people. He organized the Legion of Mary in Naguelguel. Later, Father McDebeth went abroad and Father James C. Cano succeeded him. Under his administration, ₱2,000 was donated by an American Catholic. The amount of ₱1,000 was allotted for the construction of a chapel in this barrio.

The superior of the Columban Missionaries, Father Sheehan, came with Father Debonay, World Superior for the Columban Missionaries, who gave the proposal that a priest would live here if a piece of land and a convent could be donated. This proposition was approved by Bishop [unreadable] of the Lingayen Diocese. Now, Naguelguel is known in the Catholic world.

The first priest who stayed for one year with us was Father Joseph Gallagher, now in Labrador. He organized the Junior Reasidium [?], Lady of Our Assumption. The present priest is from Ireland, Rev. Barnard Hagarthy.

During the wars in 1896-1900 and in 1942-1945, beautiful women were not safe from being raped by men, especially by Japanese soldiers. They invariably disguised themselves as ugly, old women. The people are thankful that these wars brought no destruction in lives and property.

The official as well as popular name of the barrio is Namolan. Old people who are still living in the barrio tell us that Spanish soldiers who were then the enemies of the people were burned alive if they were caught by the barrio folks. Even the dead bodies of their enemies were burned. That is how this barrio is called Namolan.

This barrio has no sitios. Nobody knows who the original founders were. The names of the persons who held positions as tenientes del barrio during the Spanish occupation cannot now be remembered by the old folks. Some of them were the following who served during the American regime — Marcelo Ferrer, Faustino Ferrer, and Leoncio Fernandez. The present tenientes del barrio are Eusebio Evangelista and Rodolfo Paulino.

There are no historical events that are worth mentioning during the revolution and the recent global war.

The past, present, and official name of the barrio is Pangapisan. It is also popularly named as Pindañgan, Asinan, and Bocayoan. Pangapisan north was divided into two parts. One part was eastern Pangapisan and the other was western Pangapisan.

The northeastern part of Pangapisan is popularly known as Asinan. Most of the people are engaged in making "bagoong" (salted fish). There is the "inasin ya mamamen" and the "inasin ya aganang." [unsure about the transcriptions of these quotes, blurred] One will find the best kind of bagoong in this part of the barrio any time of the year.

The northwestern part of Pangapisan is popularly known as Pindañgan, which means the drying cards needed for gambling purposes. Most of the people are engaged in catching fish such as taksay, tankek, kaleker, pekek, daklis, bannual, and baklad.

Pangapisan south was well known as Bocayoan, which means making coconut candy. It is still the industry in which most of the people are engaged in.

When the Spanish soldiers came to Pangapisan, they saw people making bocayo. They stopped to see how bocayo was made. They saw coconuts, molasses, and dried banana leaves. One soldier, pointing at the bundles of banana leaves, asked for its use. One man answered, "Pangapis na bocayo." That is how this barrio was named Pangapisan.

As to the founder of Pangapisan, no one can definitely tell. Information was gathered from the families in Sison, Cruz, Ferrer, and Manuel. These families are considered to have long lineages behind them. Generally, people believe that the first inhabitants were the Sison family, for they have Chinese blood. It is the consensus that Limahong stayed in this region before he was driven into the interior by the Spanish conquerors.

The following served as tenientes del barrio:

1907-1910 1910-1913 1913-1916 1916-1924 1924-1927 1927-1931 1931-1935 1935-1944 1944-1952 1952-

Don Ciriaco Reyes Don Aniceto Pasion Don Marcial Reyes Don Francisco Ferrer Don Canuto Vila Don Antonio Victorio Don Liberato Ventanilla Don Laureano Victorio Don Rodolfo Garcia Don Raymundo Cruz

In 1574, Limahon, the Chinese pirate, tried to establish his kingdom in Lingayen. He built two forts — one in Pangapisan and the other in the interior part. He required the natives to supply him food. He imprisoned the chiefs who did not want to contribute or who did not want to supply him with the needed foodstuffs.

When Salcedo came, he captured the two forts of Limahong. He besieged Limahong for four months. The channel that he dug in order to escape cut through Pangapisan. This canal is popularly known as the Limahong Channel.

When liberation came, the 7^th Evacuation Hospital was stationed in Pangapisan. Wounded soldiers from the battle fronts were taken to this hospital. Many civilians were employed in the hospital.

The present and past name of this small barrio is Quibaol. As to how it got its name, the old folks in this barrio would tell different versions. Some of them said that the Spanish came to this place to search the [unreadable] for the capitan de insurrectos. They saw a "baul" in every home. One soldier who was very curious asked, "Que baul?" The owner thought that the Spanish soldier wanted to see the contents of the baul. So, the baul was opened for him to see their clothes and their valuable treasures. So, the words "que baul" could not be forgotten by the people so that later, it became the name of the barrio.

Another story tells us that in this place, there were many old men and women who, for reasons unknown, were not married. So, their civil status was "apaul," [not sure, blurred] which means they missed the beat to matrimony.

Quibaol is a very small barrio. It has a list of worthy men who served as tenientes del barrio from time immemorial to the present. Among them are listed below:

1. Don Victor Estrada 2. Don Estanislao Tandoc 3. Don Ignacio Escaño 4. Don Juan Estrada

8. Don Ventura Seco 9. Don Cirilo Seco 10. Don Flores Reyes 11. Don Alejandro B. Santos

5. Don Cecilio de Guzman 6. Don Emigdio Cruz 7. Don Mariano Guarin	12. Don Marcelino Estrada 13. Don Gaudencio Jimenez 14. Don Gaudencio Najera
15. Don Primitivo Guarin

During the Spanish occupation in the Philippines, there were no important events worth mentioning. But when the Americans came in 1899, they opened schools in different parts of Lingayen. Unfortunately, this barrio was not given a school. However, schools were opened in nearby barrios which the children from this barrio attended.

The economic condition of this locality was very much affected during World War II. Food was then very scarce. There were people who shed tears because they could not appease their hunger. However, the Japanese did not make very much trouble in this barrio.

Rosario is the past and present name of this barrio. In the early part of the Spanish rule, a rebellion broke out. The Spanish priest from Lingayen evacuated to this region. The priest invoked the mercy and kindness of God the Almighty. The natives were urged to recite the rosary. It is said that because of the prayer — of the rosary — and their devotion to God, the priest as well as the natives were saved from the ravages of the rebellion. Since then, the place has been called Rosario to commemorate the rosary which the people prayed during the time of danger.

Nobody can now remember who the first inhabitants were or who were the founders of this barrio. As far as the old folks can remember, the following were the tenientes del barrio:

Don Isidro Estrada
Don Domingo Mandapat
Don Jose Cruz
Don Juan de Guzman

According to information gathered from several sources, this region was covered with forest and swamps. It was then traversed by two branches of the Agno River.

A great flood came which covered the woodland and swamps with rich and fertile sediment at the latter part of the American rule. So, after the flood, this region became and agricultural land. Also, the two branches of the Agno River became only one after this inundation.

This barrio, because it is very far from the town, was not very affected by the Filipino-American War and World War II.

In order to control the flood that destroys life and property, a dike was constructed before the war and later continued after the liberation.

Many of the children go to school in Lasip, a nearby barrio.

Sabangan was once a sitio of Estanza. It was then called Camantilis because there were many camantilis trees growing there. Since the barrio is located at the mouth of the Agno River, where its two branches meet, it is now called Sabañgan.

Possibly, this barrio was established at the end of the sixteenth century. The original founders cannot be determined. The tenientes del barrio were as follows: Pascual Toriñgan, Fortunato Gonzales, Gregorio [unreadable], Hipolito Decena, Eustaquio Taliman, Esteban Vila, Domingo Fabiana, Jose Capila, Dionisio Viray, Pedro Paragas, Hilario Perez, Guillermo Manuel, Catalino Cristobal, Pablo Vidal, Fausto Toringan, Juan Parras, and Martin Taliman.

When the Americans came to the Philippines in 1898, a detachment of American soldiers was established at Sabañgan. One soldier, belonging to the cavalry unit, went to a nipa wine distillery where he got drunk. The owner of the distillery, Marcos Abalos, found the unconscious soldier. He got the soldier's pistol and turned it over to the company commander. When the soldier regained consciousness, he noted that his pistol was not in its holster. He thought that someone had stolen it while he was drunk. The only person around was the guard of the distillery, Emong by name, and Ilocano from Agoo, La Union. The soldier asked him if he got his pistol. The soldier was very angry. He found a rope and hung the guard from a branch of the camantilis tree.

The present and past name of the barrio is Talogtog, which is named after the abundant Talogtog trees which grew in this place.

Before the Spaniards came to this place, there were few inhabitants. They were ruled by a chief or datu. A datu usually ruled a barangay. When the Spaniards came, they found that this was an ideal place to live in, so they established a settlement here. One reason why this barrio was selected by the Spaniards was that it was higher than sea level. Talogtog is a word which means higher than the surrounding country.

The following is the list of barrio tenientes from the Spanish time to the present:

Don Domingo Ramos
Don Mariano Ramos
Don Eulogio Ramos
Don Celestino Tuazon
Don Octavio Ramos
Don Pedro Ramos
Don Jose Ramos
Don Catalino de Guzman
Don Celedonio Ramos
Don Jose Reyes
Don Mariano Quiratman
Don Carmelo Natudio
Don Fidel Ramos
Don Mariano Serrano
Don Teofilo Valerio

The northern part of Talogtog is swampy. Fish ponds are now found in this swampy region. These fish ponds were made during the latter part of the American regime.

No worthwhile incidents during the Spanish and American rules were recorded or remembered by the old inhabitants in this barrio.

During the middle part of the American occupation in the Philippines, Pedro Cabula, a leader of the revolution who was then residing in Tumbag, organized a secret society to overthrow the American government. Some prominent men in Talogtog, among whom was Jose Ramos, joined the secret movement. Unfortunately, the secret organization was discovered and the leaders were all put to prison for several months.

Later, a civic organization was formed under the leadership of Mr. Pedro Ramos and Catalino de Guzman. A barrio chapel was constructed under the leadership of these two leaders.

The people during the Japanese occupation were not molested. Many evacuees lived here until the liberation. When the American soldiers shelled the town of Lingayen, two civilians were killed.

In 1946, a society of young people called the "May Flower Association" was formed under the leadership of Mr. Marcelo David. This society raised enough money which was used in repairing and improving the chapel. Part of the money was spent in constructing a cement auditorium in 1948.

In the early days of the Spanish occupation, one of the first organized barrios of the town of Lingayen was Tonton. The name means

Transcribed from:

History of Infanta, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections. The pagination in this transcription is as they appear in the original document.