MUNICIPALITY OF VICTORIA, LAGUNA, Historical Data of Part 1

[Note to the reader: Pagination of this document in the original file at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections is handwritten and for some reason begins at page 4. This transcription follows the original file's transcription.]

Self-government is rooted in every Filipino from time immemorial. Rosarios of battles were fought from Mactan to heroic Corregidor to achieve their political ideal — independence. So, on July 4, 1946, the liberty bell was rung by altruistic America. The Philippine Republic was born.

The thought of separation from Pila by the barrios of Nanhaya and San Roque dated back from the outbreak of the war in the Islands. Never before did it become a burning issue among the young and the old in the year 1946, being an election year. The move scattered like wildfire. In their deep desire to have immediate and absolute separation, the finance committee was able to solicit more than ₱2,000. Prominent men were delegated to work for it in Manila. Among them were Mr. Jose Fernandez, his brother Mr. Alejandro Fernandez, Mr. Andres Franco, the Honorable Sergio Osmeña, the Grand Man of the Nacionalistas, succeeded Pres. Quezon, when he died in 1944. A promise was made by Osmeña that if he would be elected president, our dream would be fulfilled. Unfortunately, he was beaten by Manuel Roxas, the candidate for the Liberal wing. The people of Nanhaya and San Roque renewed their desire to work for it. The Hon. President Roxas didn't serve his people for long for fate claimed him on April 16, 1948, while delivering his speech at Camp Nichols in Pampanga. The then-Vice-President Elpidio Quirino succeeded him. This time, our delegates redoubled their efforts. Night and day, they worked and worked until the memorable day of November 15, 1949, when our town was created. It was named after his only daughter Victoria. The inauguration was held on November 26, 1949.

At present, the people enjoy the privilege and honor that every town in the Philippines has.

The name Nanhaya has an interesting meaning and derivation. It is said that there lived near the banks of the Mapait River a man named Clarin. He was brave and strong. Nanhaya, at this time, was sparsely populated. There were very few homes and thick grasses and tall trees covered the area. Being a forest in capital, a capri [probably "kapre" in standard Tagalog] or giant lived in this place. Nobody could challenge him. Clarin, being strong and brave, was able to kill him. The few natives were afraid of Clarin. His supernatural powers were frightening that, whenever he passed by, the men raised their bolos. They were always ready to defend themselves. Then, the place was named Naghaya. When the Spaniards came in 1774, they did the same. The word "Naghaya" was changed to Nanhaya for euphony. Robbers could not attempt to rob Nanhaya. It was respected by everybody. Antonio Tenorio was the Alcalde at the time of the town of Pila to which Nanhaya belonged.

Barely seven years after the coming of the Spaniards, Nanhaya and San Roque were joined. The two barrios got the name of Pagalañgon. It meant that the place was to be given due respect. This new name did not last long, for the people of Nanhaya and San Roque often quarreled. They separated, and each of them retained their old names until the two barrios became the town of Victoria on November 15, 1949.

[Note to the reader: Page 5 of the original page on file at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections is extremely blurred and is, therefore, not transcripted.]

On March 16, 1521, Magellan, in the course of his voyage overseas to seek for the Spice Island, incidentally discovered the Philippine Islands. In his eagerness to extend the Spanish culture and religion in the land, he met death in a battle with Lapu-lapu and his brave warriors in Mactan Island. From this time on, the siege of war continued.

In the succeeding voyages, Spain sent her able soldiers for the purpose of colonial expansion. For almost three centuries, the Philippines remained a dominion under the sovereign power of the Spaniards. Maltreatment of the Filipinos became a part of the administration. The peasants suffer the most from the abuses of the tyrants. Graft and corruption dominated the government. Filipinos who could no longer withstand the abuses of the conquerors deemed it proper to revolt. On the other hand,the Spaniards who took notice of the secret movements of the Filipinos ordered the persecution of the latter.

Day by day, Fort Santiago became a slaughterhouse of human beings. Matters went from bad to worse. The deportation of the Filipinos to the Spanish penal colony and persecution of innocent intellectuals followed.

The Spaniards, embittered deeply, ordered attacks on places of the Insurrectos. One battle took place in Banca-banca, in an old bridge which is now a part of Victoria. Some soldiers who joined the battle were our town-mates. They were Evaristo Oca, Felipe Hobong [not sure, blurred], Miguel, Tanacio Barcenas, and others, and their weapons were only bolos. According to reliable authorities in Nanhaya, during the 15^th century, the place was likely a jungle inhabited by a few. The houses were situated far apart. Messages of news of dangers were being carried by means of boats until the entire barrio knew about these.

Huge trees sheltered the houses. Shortly speaking, Nanhaya was no less than a jungle where animals and outlaws dwelt, but peace-loving citizens dwelled. This was a remote barrio that kept her independence as a precious heritage.

The people who inhabited Nanhaya shall always allow their blood to be shed onto the ground if any shall dare distract their peacefulness. The roaming bandits met their graves whenever they attempted to enter it. This record made the Spaniards fearful. No battle between the inhabitants of Nanhaya and the Spaniards were jotted down as far as history is concerned.

Pagalañgan, now known as Lumang Bayan, was the seat of the town of Pila. History proves this statement.

A big church was built in Tirado not far from sitio Lumang Bayan. A Franciscan friar, Rev. Juan de Florencia, was the parochial priest. Saint Antonio de Padua and St. Roque were the patron saints.

The inhabitants were forced to become Christians and to go to church by giving them money or candies. Old men and women, including children, kissed the hands of the priests in the church or anywhere the priests were met. Each knelt before kissing the hands.

Anyone who failed to kiss the hands of the priests were given names like pigs and monkeys. In Tagalog, the priest said, "Hana baboy," "Hana matsing."

During fiestas when the priest's service was hired, the priest was carried on shoulders inside the "oriman."

Churchgoers were counted to find out how many failed to hear the Mass. On the Lenten Season, no one could ride on carabaos, horses, etc. Particularly on Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Holy Friday, all should go to church without shoes, slippers, or any footwear. Children were not allowed to run, jump about and climb trees. Those found disobedient were imprisoned in the tribunal and put in a pañgaw or laktaw according to the weight of the misdemeanor done.

School children were all forced to go to church in town, each with a paper lantern set on a pole. They entered the church in line. No seats were provided in church as they are now. Children prayed under their "decorion" as their leader in praying. The prayer book was called Oprisimiento. Those who didn't answer in prayers were punished, so with those who broke the line during the processions.

Compulsory going to school was enforced. In going to school, discipline was strict. Children should go and be dismissed with folded arms. Those pupils who could not recite the lessons well were punished by sitting on the wind, by hanging at the well with feet up and head down, placed under the ants, or beating of the fingers until they bled, so that they desisted from going to school.

Some of the teachers were Justo San Jose, Esteban San Jose, Valentin Saavedra, Imo Jose Badiola, etc. All the teachers ere disciplinarians.

During those days, people were very polite. Especially the young men when they visited their girlfriends, they took off their hats even if they were still far from the house. They needed to help the old parents carry heavy things, fetch water, pound the rice.

There was a time when an old woman said, "Oh! Pedro, please drop in for a while and pound two cavans of palay, so you can rest."

The man obediently helped. Unlike these day, if the young men will be requested to do such things, they will just laugh at you.

I regret to say that those days of chivalry are fast vanishing into the blue.

In the 19^th century, Spain, which was a mighty ruler of a vast colonial empire, began to experience the tragedy of seeing the distribution of her dominions beyond the seas exhausted by foreign wars, harassed by internal troubles, and despoiled of her naval supremacy and treasured colonies in the New World, slipped down as a global power. The grandeur that was hers in the days of Queen Isabella and Philip II were only but a memory of her glorious past. In the Philippines, this decline was felt even more keenly in the political administration of Spain, which resulted to various revolutions. However, the American occupation of the Philippines mitigated the revolutionary movements when the Filipino revolutionists combined their forces with the Americans. Jealousy betwen the two collaborating powers gave the first sign of tension in the gleaming of August 13, 1898, moved by the general impulse to safeguard and defend the sanity of Filipino independence and in the name of the republic, General Emilio Aguinaldo declared war against the Americans, who had drawn the first blood. This intentional fight had been carried on in the biggest towns to the remotest barrios of the Philippines, exploding the violence across this miserable country.

The flames of war spread rapidly to the region south of Manila. General Aguinaldo was the energetic leader of the Filipinos. An American soldier and able general, Henry Lawton, took the risk of capturing Laguna. One after the other, Loñgos, Paete, Lumban, and Santa Cruz fell into the hands of the Americans.

Fortunately to mention Victoria, Laguna, which was then Nanhaya, a barrio of Pila, had not been subjected to any sort of war with the Americans. But those people who sided with the Spaniards burned some houses here which made the people very afraid. It remained like a colon seas [the previous two words do no make sense] and disturbed by the roaring bosom of the furious waves. History reveals that no encounter took place during those years of domination. Although Victoria, formerly Nanhaya, was far from the changing course of civilization, yet liberal ideas kept on penetrating like air seeking for places to shelter in.

With the influence and examples of American ideals, remarkable changes took place in the lives of the people. Democracy, as a way of life, broke down social barriers and brought about new relationships among the masses. Religious freedom became an established right. Hygiene, sanitation, public welfare, and various forms of recreational life were taken into consideration. The mode of dressing has been Americanized. American names were adopted. Education by means of schools was carried on. This Nanhaya, Victoria emerged from the land.

[Note to the reader: Page 9 of the original page on file at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections is extremely blurred and is, therefore, not transcripted.]

The Oca family as it is now is a big family of families ever since there were strong families. They were rich and powerful. They owned big tracts of land from that period until now.

Once, during the Spanish occupation, the son of King Philip of Spain visited Sta. Cruz. A woman by the name of Lucia Oca from this place and annother woman from Pila met King Philip's son in Sta. Cruz. According to reliable information, these two women, when meeting, wore the same dresses and everything. That showed to say that the Oca family ever since was dominating and influential.

At present, this Oca family still owns lands. Still, they own lands, what they call "commonales." These are bamboo groves from where relatives of the Ocas cut bamboo.

There are three Oca doctors now. One of the Ocas is a mining engineer and there are many successful professionals.

A man named Mr. Evaristo Oca became a councilor for thirteen years and a barrio lieutenant for twelve years. He is still living.

Still, the present generation of this family will continue to work for the betterment of this new town.

Succession of TENIENTES DEL BARRIO during the Spanish regime:

1. Pedro Herredera - Father of Estanislao Herredera
2. Pedro Fernandez
3. Vicente Herredera
4. Allistron Fernandez
5. Jose Rebong y Matias

During the American regime till the separation of the place from Pila:

10. Gregorio Herredera, Sr.
11. Estanislao Herredera
12. Sebastian Herredera
13. Genaro Herredera
14. Ambrocio Herredera
15. Fernando Herredera
16. Ciriaco Barlez

1. Show respect for elders, parents, relatives, godfathers and godmothers by kissing the hands or touching their hands to the forehead after prayers, after Angelus, upon returning home, upon meeting them on special occasions.

2. Greet elders and old acquaintances with polite terms such as opo, oho, ho, and po.

3. Give gifts are Christmas time and on special occasions such as weddings, christenings, birtdays, etc.

4. Ask permission to leave the house to attend social affairs.

5. Care of the aged, sick, etc. Do not answer back. Recognizing the authority of the older brother or sister after the deaths of both parents.

6. Bending the body in passing between two persons.

1. Entertain visitors and strangers with the best in the house. Offer your visitors some sweets or soft drink.

2. Help neighbors do a piece of work in the farm or in the home. You must not charge them for your services. Render help during calamities.

3. When passing between or in front of two persons, ask to be pardoned and walk with hands extended downward.

4. Share your food with your neighbors.

1. All members of the family get together durings Sundays, Christmas, Easter, weddings, funerals, and births. Absent members may come if they can.

2. Hold a feast in connection with a Baptism. The whole family, including friends and relatives, attend. The party lasts the whole day.

1. Take off your hat or make a sign of the cross when passing a church or a cemetery.

2. Making the sign of the cross at a staircase before going out of the house.

3. Pray before helping and when working on some difficult tasks.

4. Pray before sleeping and upon waking up. Go to church on Sundays.

1. Friends and relatives send flowers and visit the dead.

2. Relatives of the deceased wear black bands around their arms for males and females wear black the whole year.

3. Relatives of the dead abstain from dancing.

4. The family of the deceased serves refreshments to those who come to mourn.

6. Giving money in times of death or misfortune to neighbors and acquaintances.

1. When asking a girl to attend a party, the boy invites the parents of the girl first. When she attends the party, she is always accompanied by a relative or chaperons.

2. The boy's parents and the girl's parents ask for the hands of the daughter. [Note to the reader: The previous sentence appears badly phrased. What it seems to be saying is that "The boy's parents ask the girl's parents for the hand of their daughter.]

3. Friends and relatives give gifts to the young couple.

4. The wife holds the purse and gives out the money. She is responsible for keeping the home.

5. The whole family considers the courtship and possible marriage of the marriageable members.

1. It is the practice of the people to kindle firecrackers when a child is born.

2. During the wedding ceremony, in the church when the [missing word] gives the money to the bridegroom, the belief is not to make any noise for there will be trouble in married life.

3. When the bride and bridegroom are going up the stairs after the ceremony in the church, the mother of the bride will let them both taste any sweets prepared by them so that they'll live sweetly and smoothly later.

4. And then they both kneel so that the father and mother of both the bride and the bridegroom shall convey their first blessings.

5. Before the marriage ceremony, the bridegroom-to-be has to serve the bride a long time before he wins the opinion of the majority.

6. During the pregnancy period, the husband forbids himself from helping in any work or labor at a dead person's carriage for it is the belief that a pregnant woman shall meet difficulty during the delivery or may meet death.

7. After the delivery, the cord is hung above the roof so that the voice of the child shall be high-pitched.

8. Whenever a visitor comes and there is a pregnant woman in the house, the visitor must not stay at the door or by the stairway so that the pregnant woman will not meet any difficulty during the delivery.

9. It has been a belief also by the people that when a cat washes its face or a lizard makes noise during a meal, a visitor is expected to come.

10. Visitors are also prohibited to wash the plates or dishes simply because the palay in the field of the owner of the house will be eaten by rats.

11. When a cock or rooster or hens cackle at midnight, or a dog howls at midnight, too, there'll be an accident or death in the family or in the neighborhood.

12. The ladies must also not sing at the stove while cooking or else she will marry a widower.

13. All single persons must be aware that the plates will not be removed while they are eating or else they will be disliked later by their suitors or sweethearts, thus [their] weddings will be postponed.

Have you ever heard of a wonderful tree? Why was it called wonderful? Read this story and find this tree which even now is called wonderful.

San Roque, on the western part of our town, has for its credit this wonderful tree. Along the shores of San Roque are bamboo groves and in them grows the wonderful Mataas na Kahoy. Many tales and legendary stories are connected with it. It is not a very tall tree. But from a distance in the sea or land, this tree stands promiscuous. Strong winds blow in and blow out, but this tree never breaks its branches. It never sheds leaves. It is forever green throughout the year.

Folk tales are connected with the tree. A certain Severo Martinez of Baykutan died because he was enchanted. He got lost for some days but was found at the foot of the tree unconscious. Upon his recovery, he said he saw a dozen white chicks with their mother. As he tried to catch the hen and the chicks, he lost his memory and fell asleep.

People from Baykutann, San Roque, and Nanhaya looked for him. A few came close to the wonderful tree and they heart a sweet voice and beautiful fairy music. As they came close to the tree to find where the music and the sweet voice came from, the song and the music stopped.

It was claimed that a mine of gold was somewhere around the tree. Can it be true that this tree is a wonderful one? Has it some enchantments?

If you wish to see the tree, go to San Roque and ask for the Mataas na Kahoy. They will show you the place where it grows.

Men seek their ways of livelihood. Those with little capital or none at all seek but important trades.

Balonglong, a poor man of this place now Victoria, did nothing to earn a living for himself but sold chickens in Pila daily.

Balonglong could be seen around the village carrying his balolang over a pingga on his shoulders. As his baskets got filled with chickens, he then trotted along to town on the road to Pila founded by Oca de San Julian. This is a shortcut way to Pila from Nanhaya and San Roque.

Upon reaching Pila, before selling his chickens, he would enter the church and offer his prayers kneeling straight and tall.

One day after selling his chickens, he started for home. At the side of big canal, he saw a big snake and a centipede fighting. The snake crossed the canal. Balonglong put his pingga across. The centipede crawled at it and soon found the snake. They again fought until both died.

Balonglong continued on his way. Just as he was crossing the river, he saw a stout puppy with black stripes at the foot of a wooden bridge. How happy he was! He placed the puppy in one of his baskets and reared him. He fed him milk and put a soft bed under his bamboo bench inside his house. The puppy grew very fast.

It was now a very big dog. One day, Balonglong noticed that the dog was trying to cut his chain. He quieted the dog by giving him some food. He continued to town to sell his chickens. As usual, as he reached the town, he entered the church. This time, the priest came to him and talk

Transcribed from:

Historical Data of the Municipality of Victoria, Province of Laguna, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.