MUNICIPALITY OF ALABAT, Historical Data of Part 1

(1. Pinag, the rocky slope of Camagong Mountain, where the inhabitants of Barcelona evacuated to evade the invading forces of the Spaniards against the insurgents during the revolution of 1896. The attack resulted into the death of a man and a woman.

(2. Eton Beach, about a hundred meters away from the town proper, where Venancio Oliveros, his wife, and two children were shot to death in broad daylight by a squad of Japanese soldiers. Their three sons, being members of the guerrilla movement, were previously killed during an encounter with the Japs in Sabang, Quezon.

(3. Matibanglan, a swampy beach, also a hundred meters away from the poblacion, where two guerrillas and a P.C. lieutenant were killed during a brief skirmish between the guerrillas and the P.C. under the Japanese, with Dr. Felix Alpay leading the platoon of P.C's.

(2. In 1887, the people experienced an acute shortage of food, so they had to make the most of anything edible which they could find. They cut down pugahan (ubod), irok, and even buri palm to get artificial flour for food.

(3. During the Philippine Revolution of 1896, the movement affected Barcelona. The Casadores invaded this place and the inhabitants became so scared, so they went to the forest to hide. The Casadores found no men or women in the poblacion. They looked for a man to guide them to the hiding places of the people. At least a man by the name of Daquiwa betrayed his companions hiding on the slope of Camagong Mountain, and offered his services to the invading forces. During the assault, a man and a woman were killed.

(4. In the year 1900, two Spanish trading galleons named Magsaid and Suplid landed at Barcelona to load lumber. It is said that lumber made for a year was loaded and taken to Spain without leaving anything to compensate the owners.

{1. In the year 1900, the name Barcelona was changed to ALABAT, first by incident as mentioned in the legend about the name of Alabat. Then later, the name Alabat was made official by the American government.

(2. In 1903, a cholera epidemic broke out in this municipality and caused the death of several persons. Health Officer Escodero placed strict rules regarding the isolation and quarantine of victims and the proper disinfection of the dead before burial.

(3. About the end of the year 1903, Alabat was raided by a group of bandits under the leadership of a man alias "KABAYO," killing Gerardo Afable, the justice of the period.

(4. A fire accident broke out in the poblacion in 1907, reducing the houses of strong materials and a bakery to ashes.

(5. The separation of Silañgan (now Quezon) as an independent municipality was declared in 1914. This municipality was named in honor of the late President Manuel Luis Quezon.

(6. In 1929, the inhabitants of Sangirin (now Perez) declared their separation from Alabat. About the end of the same year, Sangirin was granted freedom and became and independent municipality named in honor of the late Gov. Filemon Perez.

(7. The earthquake of 1937, August 20, was recorded the strongest that had ever occurred since the history of Alabat. All the inhabitants were in great panic, left their respective homes and took refuge by lying flat on the open grounds far from any heavy object which they believed might fall on them. The false newspaper report that Alabat was being swallowed by the vast Pacific caused Father Selga, who was then in charge of the Weather Observatory in Manila, to come to Alabat to verify the news.

(8. The Alabat Water Works, known as LA ROMA WATER WORKS, was inaugurated in 1939. La Roma means La Videz, Rodriguez, and Martinez; Assemblyman, Provincial Governor, and Provincial Treasurer, respectively, during that period. They were the men who helped secure funds for the project.

(9. The Alabat dock, the longest hydro-landing in the province, was completed in 1941. It is approximately 350 meters long, but it was greatly damaged during the Japanese occupation by illegal dynamiters which was often led by the Japanese themselves when they could find no food to be seized from the natives.

(1. December 24, 1941, at about 7:00 in the morning, the invading Japs landed on the Municipality of Alabat. The people were caught unaware by the incident, relying on the belief that the countless battleships maneuvering in the narrow bay between Alabat and Atimonan in that early morning were United States curtains or her allies. But when the numerous onlookers lining the entire beach of the poblacion saw the first batch of Japanese soldiers who landed in the second landing of the long dock, they ran to their homes in great panic shouting, "Japanese, Japanese!" So, the entire populace was scared, left their homes and ran to the thickets for the safety of their lives.

(2. On August 1 to 6, 1943, the inhabitants experienced the most doubtful days of the Japanese occupation. The male inhabitants were concentrated for 6 days at the long dock without food or drink by the dog-looking Japs. They surmised that all the Alabat people were in connivance with the guerrilla movement. As a result of which, a prominent resident by the name of Mr. Norberto Santos, a private surveyor, was executed by the suspecting Japs in broad daylight.