MUNICIPALITY OF SANTA BARBARA (PANGASINAN), History and Cultural Life of

DIVISION OF PANGASINAN
DISTRICT OF STA. BARBARA
Sta. Barbara

-- 0 --

H I S T O R I C A L   D A T A
o f    t h e
Municipality of Sta. Barbara
Province of Pangasinan
B y    t h e
LOCAL HISTORICAL COMMITTEE:

Mrs. LUZ E. ESTRADA - Chairwoman
Mr. AURELIO SALON - Member
Mr. CORNELIO D. EVARISTO - Member
Mr. CANDIDA M. ARCIA - Member
Mr. FORTUNATO ALANO - Member
Mr. JOAQUIN DALOPE - Member

and the
TEACHERS OF THE STA. BARBARA DISTRICT
SCHOOL YEAR 1952-1953

H I S T O R I C A L    R E S E A R C H
C O N T E N T S

F o r e w o r d P r e f a c e Map of STA. BARBARA showing the different Barrios and Sitios Map of the Poblacion showing the names of the Streets grouped into 12 "POLOK" organizations HISTORICAL RESEARCH OF The Town of Sta. Barbara The Barrio of Maticmatic The Barrio of Payas The Barrio of Tuliao The Barrio of Panaoang The Barrio of Banzal The Barrio of Gueguesangen The Barrio of Botao The Barrio of Minion The Barrio of Patayak The Barrio of Nilombot The Barrio of Maronong The Barrio of Sonquil The Barrio of Malingueo

I II III IV 1 - 3 4 - 22 23 - 26 27 - 29 30 - 35 36 - 37 38 - 47 48 - 50 51 - 56 57 - 58 59 - 63 64 - 70 71 - 74 75 - 82

F O R E W O R D

DISTRICT OF STA. BARBARA
Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan

This historical research for the municipality of STA. BARBARA has been done very accurately and painstakingly by all teachers in the district. It is, therefore, a reliable record of the past and present history of STA. BARBARA, as taken from written documents as well as from verbal interviews with old men and women in the different barrios. Future historians and research workers can, therefore, have a valuable reference work to consult.

At present, Sta. Barbara is classified as a third class municipality with a population of 20,408 as taken from the vital statistics of the Bureau of Health, and according to the Census of 1948, it has a population of 16,009.

The following table gives the yearly enrolment of the elementary school and the high school for October 1952, and other pertinent data for the schoolyear 1952-1953. Future historians may want to see the progress of this town ten years hence, so this data may prove handy to them.

The data for the Sta. Barbara-Mapandan High School have been furnished by Mr. Marciano C. Cruz, its present principal.

S C H O O L S		No. of Teachers	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	TOTAL
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.	Central Maticmatic Payas Tuliao Banaoang Banzal Guesguesangan Botao Minion Patayak Nilombot Maronong Songquil Balingueo	18 12 8 8 6 6 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2	118 82 82 96 59 45 25 44 51 48 50 61 53 18	143 76 55 60 49 18 35 40 51 43 35 - 40 42	120 79 59 62 48 30 31 52 55 34 40 42 28 21	139 62 56 48 52 43 29 47 53 41 40 49 31 20	164 121 66 60 51 57 31 - - - - - - -	106 123 60 53 39 40 - - - - - - - -	790 540 378 379 298 233 151 183 210 166 165 152 152 86
GRAND TOTALS		84	836	671	701	710	550	422	3890

ENROLMENT AS OF OCTOBER, 1952 First Year Second Year Third Year Fourth Year T O T A L

Male 91 67 44 34 236

Female 59 30 35 26 150

TOTAL 150 97 79 60 386

Name of Teacher	Yr & Sec.	Male	Female	TOTAL
Mrs. Eliza M. Ruiz Miss Rocio Fernandez Miss Olympia B. Quita Miss Felicidad T. Liwanag Miss Marcela Gabriana Mr. Dominador Dumaraoc Mrs. Purificacion Moroña Miss Fe C. Eraso	I - 1 I - 2 I - 3 II - 1 II - 2 III - 1 III - 2 IV	33 28 30 35 32 21 23 34	19 19 21 15 15 19 16 26	52 47 51 50 47 40 39 60

(SGD.) TRANQUILINO MACARANAS
District Supervisor

Our town was founded or declared a municipality in the year 1762. It had been a part of the town of Calasiao, which was formerly called "Calasian," the place of lightning. Later on, because we had a protectress from lightning and storms, the people of this town pleaded for separation from Calasiao. At first, the people of Calasiao did not like that Sta. Barbara would separate from their town, but prominent people of this town fought for the separation of Sta. Barbara from Calasiao. That was how Sta. Barbara was founded. Don Daniel Maramba and his followers were responsible for the foundation of our community. Our town is in the middle part of Pangasinan. It was given the name Sta. Barbara and placed under the special protection of Saint Barbara. We are not told why Sta. Barbara was chosen to be the name of this town, but perhaps, we are not far from the truth that for centuries, Saint Barbara has been considered as the special protectress against lightning and storms. That was why our community had been named Santa Barbara in honor of Saint Barbara, our patron saint. During the early times of our community, the people were in peace; but when war occurred, they were disturbed.

The church, municipal hall, kiosko, public market, and the elementary school buildings were erected before the war. The national highway and the provincial nursery were constructed before the war, too. During the war, the buildings were razed to the ground. The destruction of the road, the elementary school building, the bombing of the church and bridge occurred during the war. There was a great loss of lives and properties during the war. After the war, all the damaged buildings were rehabilitated. Construction of more elementary schools in the remote barrios and the construction of the high school building are monuments to the town's progress.

Plans are being prepared for the installation of electric light, the construction of a hospital, college, and a children's park.

Dates		Presidents	Remarks
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.	Jan. 10, 1907 - Dec. 31, 1908 Jan. 1, 1909 - April 1, 1909 April 2, 1909 - Dec. 31, 1909 Jan. 1, 1910 - Dec. 12, 1912 Jan. 1, 1913 - Dec. 31, 1916 Jan. 1, 1917 - Dec. 31, 1920 Jan. 1, 1921 - Dec. 31, 1924 Jan. 1, 1925 - Dec. 31, 1928 Jan. 1, 1929 - Dec. 31, 1932 Jan. 1, 1933 - Dec. 31, 1935 Jan. 1, 1936 - Dec. 31, 1939 Jan. 1, 1940 - Dec. 8, 1941 Dec. 9, 1941 - Dec. 31, 1942 Jan. 1, 1943 - Jan. 23, 1945 Jan. 24, 1945 - Dec. 31, 1946 Jan. 1, 1946 - Dec. 31, 1948 Jan. 1, 1949 - Dec. 31, 1951 Jan. 1, 1952 - Date	Daniel Maramba Vicente Cirenio Bernardino Alano Inocencio Pontawa Vicente Cirenio Genaro del Prado Vicente Cirenio Julian Garcia Roque Silan Roque Silan Santiago Bautista Cecilio Villafania Cecilio Villafania Bernardino Alano Juanito Paraon Marcelino Bautista Marcelino Bautista Cesario T. Tigno	Elected (Special) Elected do do do do do do do do do do (Appointed, Jap. Occ.) do (Appointed, Military Gov't.) (Appt. Rep. Form of Gov.) Elected do

The following are the traditions, customs, and practices in domestic and social life of the people of Sta. Barbara. When a woman gives birth, the family is blessed happily. Soon, baptism follows with a great preparation by the parents concerned. Courtship is done first between the two contracting parties, and then marriage follows. Death is considered a great loss in a family, and burial is done within twenty-four hours, after which, visits are done frequently to the cemetery. Festivals are celebrated in many ways, and December fourth of every year is observed religiously. Punishments are given by parents and elders to make youngsters learn to be good citizens.

Myths, legends, and beliefs are very common to the people. Interpretations are transmitted from generation to generation. The origin of the world is not known by many. The land, mountains and caves, seas, lakes, and rivers, if any, are always used to advantage. Plants, trees, and animals are considered precious properties of the people. The appearance and coming of the sun, moon, stars eclipses, earthquakes, lightning and thunder, clouds, rain, wind, storms, and changes of climate are always interpreted with at least correct meanings, especially by the old men and women.

The other natural phenomena found in the town cannot escape the eyes of the people and these help much in the daily activities of the people. We have no record of the first man and woman of the town. The birth of twins or more brings good luck to the families concerned and such a belief cannot be eradicated. Sickness comes often that it is attributed by some people as the [unreadable] coming from our Savior. Witchcraft and magic will always go together but few people believe in them. Some few gifted old men can tell many things about divinations.

Of the popular songs, we have the Kundiman, which are sung throughout the year. Games and amusements are so few that many people are led to idleness. Puzzles and riddles are losing their importance among the young but gaining ground among the old. The proverbs and sayings will never be forgotten. Young and old are happy to listen to at least one every day. So far, we have no records of the methods of measuring time and having special calendars.

The reported knows no record of other folktales by the people in the community.

Daniel Maramba, better known as "Mama Daniel" by his townmantes, as "the Governor" by his provincemates, and as "the grand Old Man of Pangasinan" by the Filipinos, was born on July 21, 1870 in Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan. His father was Guillermo Maramba of Dagupan and his mother, Maria Bautista of Sta. Barbara. He received his elementary education in his hometown, then transferred to Calasiao. He finished his secondary course at San Juan de Letran College and his Surveying course at the Sto. Tomas.

In 1893, he began his career in public service as a Secretary to the Municipal Council of Sta. Barbara. From 1891 to 1898, he served as [unreadable] of his town, but this was interrupted by the Philippine Revolution. He took up arms as a first lieutenant in the revolutionary forces. Because of his heroism in battle, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In the province, he was recognized as a general.

As a soldier, he was instrumental in the capture of Mangaldan and Dagupan from the Spaniards. He did not confine his activities to fighting the enemy during the revolution. He was chiefly responsible for the elimination of abuses committed by many soldiers outside his regiment, particularly those coming from other provinces who were proven to lose after [unreadable]. He showed his heroism in the battle royal with these undesirables as [unreadable] others who wanted to use their power to annihilate their personal enemies. All the towns under his influence — Sta. Barbara, Urdaneta, Malasiqui, Calasiao, Mangaldan, San Jacinto — were spared those due to his efforts.

When the Americans came, he took up arms against them. He was captured in 1899 in Bautista, Pangasinan. As soon as peace was restored, he was released from prison and he returned to his native town. In 1902, he was appointed judge of Santa Barbara. Because of differences with the tyrannical provincial officials, they maneuvered to make his hometown a barrio of Calasiao. When elections came, he ran for municipal president of the combined towns and won. The provincial board annulled his election and the fight went on. In 1907, he succeeded in regaining the independence of Sta. Barbara and was elected its first municipal president.

The town being poor, he undertook the construction of schoolhouses, barrio roads, a municipal hall, and a public park — all by means of voluntary labor and contributions. He led in agricultural activities, conducting contests for farmers. On the strength of his record as a municipal [unreadable], he was elected governor of Pangasinan.

During his administration, he extended the provincial road to but two municipalities in Pangasinan. These two towns are Anda and [unreadable]. The number of schoolhouses and teachers were doubled during his term [unreadable] established two normal schools, one in Bayambang and the other in Lingayen.

His work along agricultural lines deserves special mention. During his incumbency, locusts and rinderpest invaded the province. Because of his foresight and leadership, their effect was not felt and the province consistently produced bumper crops. He established a nursery in Minion, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan that was one of the best, if not the best, in the [unreadable]. This was later converted into an Agricultural Demonstration, which [unreadable] considered a model. It was used to support his campaign for diversification. To this policy is due the existence of bountiful orchards all over the province. He encouraged many home industries and advertized their [unreadable] in provincial and Manila carnivals. He made contacts for the products and saw to it that they received just compensation for their goods.

After serving two terms as governor, he withdrew from politics so ask to devote himself to his farm. But, upon being prevailed upon to return to public service, he ran as a candidate for assembly man for the third district of Pangasinan in 1934 and won. He was chairman of the committee on National Defense . When Commonwealth Act No. 1, the National Defense Act, was passed. In the assembly, he identified himself with all measures designed for agricultural and economic development. One of his biggest disappointments was the veto of the bill requiring religious instructions in the public schools. Being a God-fearing man, he sincerely believed that compulsory religious training was the only basis of sound morality.

Don Daniel was in the National Assembly for three terms. In 1941, upon the request of the late President Quezon, he ran for senator and won in the November elections. A month later, on December 27, 1941, he passed away in Manila at the age of 71 years, the Japanese were bombing the city. He did not live to take his oath of office as a senator.

Don Daniel died in office, and he died a poor man.

As a family man: Don Daniel Maramba came from a family or farmers and mere landowners. He was a believer in anchorage to the soil. In spite of the fact that most of his days where spent in public life, he always found time to dedicate to planting. In fact, his wife, the former Pelagia Garcia, stayed most of the time on the farm even when her husband was out on his duties in Lingayen or in Manila.

His farm was intensely cultivated. He had an irrigation system for rice fields which was at the same time a productive fish pond. The rice fields were planted to tobacco, corn, mongo, and vegetables after rice harvest. [unreadable] where planted to fruit trees, particularly mangoes. He had one of the biggest poultry farms in the country during those early days.

As a father, he was a strict disciplinarian. He thought his children to respect the dignity of labor. To him common vacation was merely a change of [unreadable]. Accordingly, the week ended and the summer months were spent on the farm. The boys had to work side by side with the laborers. He believed that since all were made from the same clay, what is laborers could do, he and his sons could do, too. "What is not good enough for my children is not good enough for my laborers," he often remarked.

One thing he could not bypass was deceit. The severest punishment went to the child who dared tell him a LIE. He believed that children would grow up into dishonest men.

In another sense, he was quite liberal. There was perfect democracy and the home of Don Daniel Maramba. All his children discussed with him as [unreadable]. He enjoyed playing games and jokes with them, just ask a brother would.

His main concern was the education of his four sons and four daughters: Felix - eldest, born January 7, 1896. Concepcion - born December 8 [unreadable] Emilia - born April 4, 1900. Arturo - born February 4, 1903 Tomas - born January 25, 1905. Paz - born May 5, 1908. Nicanor - Born January 1 [unreadable]; and Manuela - born October 16, 1912. His ambition was to leave them with a good education. He used to say, "I will give you the best education that I can afford. That is the best weapon that you can have. In spite of this, you [unreadable] make the grade, no amount of money will make you a success, anyway."

AS A PUBLIC SERVANT: The success of Don Daniel Maramba in politics was primarily due to to qualities: sincerity and the ability to remember people. He was the rare type of public official who said what he thought the people want him to say. He was often misunderstood by those who did not know him [unreadable] to the Pangasinanes, Don Daniel Maramba as the one who seldom [unreadable] promise, but when he did, you would count on it.

He had a stupendous memory for remembering people. In the early days, when a visit to the next town meant spending the night there, he was forced to stay in the houses of friends. Once there, he would get acquainted with the hostesses and the children. Years afterwards, when he would happen to meet his hosts, he would inquire about the wives and children, mentioning them by their first names.

As municipal president, when he supervised all voluntary work in the construction of schoolhouses and barrio roads, he knew everyone by his first name. This meant every able-bodied man over eighteen years old.

When casiquiam was rampant and the rich tried to take possession of the properties of the poor, Daniel Maramba became the owner of pieces of land without his knowledge. When a poor man was in trouble with his rich neighbor, he transferred land ownership to Maramba's name. After things had settled down, then he would ask Maramba to sign so that he could get back his property legally. To the old people of the town, he was the judge. Husbands, wives, brothers, and cousins agreed to bring their differences to him and to abide by his decisions. In this way, they could obtain justice at no expense.

Don Daniel Maramba was a very poor man at heart. He always took the cudgels for the weak and the oppressed. During the political campaign of 1928, he became ill and was defeated. This illness, together with a series of crop failures, forced him to sell his biggest farm. He then went to stay in Manila for treatment, but he never failed to help those who needed his services.

He was an intense nationalist, to the extent of being accused as being anti-foreign. He refused to use an imported product if a local substitute was available. Guavas and bananas, to him, were preferable to apples and peaches. Foreign candies had no place in his home. "Why sell our sugar to the States cheap and import it as expensive candy?" he would ask. To his critics, he answered, "I want to save the dollars to import more machines, more fuel, and more fertilizers to enhance our production."

Don Daniel Maramba was a brave soldier, a true patriot, an honest leader, and a model public servant. But above all, he was a good man. Even for that alone, his life is worthy of emulation.

No sakey ya labin, siac so nankogkogip,
Haplag ed pagew koy, rosas ya nagbabig,
Siopa ya casim rosas, kuankon namolitolit,
Rosas non Polana, to sikatoy pinablik. (2)

Tekiab kapan papel, papel de Karta,
Dapo [unreadable] nam ed arapan di Polana,
Tapet ton danan bilang, no sippay nanpabaki ed sica,
Inbaki toac non Polano ta, sikay labay ton pabisita. (2)

Transcribed from:

History and Cultural Life of the Municipality of Santa Barbara, Province of Pangasinan, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections. The pagination in this transcription is as they appear in the original document.