MUNICIPALITY OF CANDELARIA, QUEZON, Historical Data of Part 1

Philippines (Republic) Bureau of
Public Schools, Division of Quezon

History and Cultural Life of
Candelaria, Quezon

The fostering of the spirit of nationalism has, for a long time, been a principal objective of our school system. In fact, the government has provided ways and means to encourage Filipinism, but it is disheartening to note that so far, only a comparatively few Filipinos have shown their genuine appreciation for our school's noble aim.

I am of the believe that this piece of work is a forward stride towards the realization of that objective of our school system. This is a compilation of the history and cultural life of the Municipality of Candelaria - - - a material truly Philippine.

From the standpoint of elementary education, the manuscript will be a ready source of instructional materials for Social Studies. We have here local histories, folkways, customs, traditions, and social practices of barrio people. We have folksongs, proverbs, riddles, games, and other materials that can be used to great advantage in a classroom.

It is hoped that not only the teachers and pupils, in particular, but also the laymen and professionals in general, will find in this manuscript such instructional and informative materials that will be of help in promoting nationalism.

To the teachers of the District of Candelaria, without whose untiring efforts and unstinted cooperation the compilation of this manuscript would not have been made possible, I owe a debt of gratitude.

Due acknowledgment for the wholehearted support given by the committee responsible for the editing and bounding of this material is also extended.

To all inhabitants of Candelaria who, in one way or another, furnished necessary materials without which this book could not have been accomplished, I extend my most heartfelt and sincerest thanks.

HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE
OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF
CANDELARIA

INTRODUCTION

In its broad sense, history is a written record of the past wherein the most important political, economic, social, and religious events that took place are given due prominence. It is a preserved compilation of factual data that pertains to the life and labors of a people. In other words, history is a documentary evidence of the past experiences of a people in a particular geographical area where they lived.

To write the history and, at the same time, the cultural life of a certain locality, one has to take into consideration not only those big events that took place but also the customs, traditions, folkways, and social practices that dominate the lives of a people. Candelaria, with her 21,000 inhabitants scattered over a wide area of coconut and rice lands, has made history within a brief span of about sixty years since its foundation.

Branded the "melting pot" of Quezon Province, Candelaria is a metropolis of commerce, a Nueva Ecija in rice production, and a leading coconut producer. It is no wonder that this municipality is classified Class-A in Quezon Province.

Generally speaking, the people of Candelaria are modern in their social ways and practices; nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the old customs and traditions are so deeply-rooted that many, especially those in the rural areas, still cannot be weaned away from this social heritage of the past.

With this information in mind, the reader will please expect to find in this manuscript the local history pf each barrio, coupled with the cultural life and social practices of its people.

DIVISION OF QUEZON
District of Candelaria

HISTORY OF CANDELARIA

Viewed from the southern side of the famous Mt. Banahaw, the town of Candelaria, which is located at the heart of the broadest coconut plantations of the Province of Quezon, offers a scenic sight.

A wide asphalted road connects the town with Tiaong eleven kilometers to the west, and with Sairaya, at an almost equal distance to the east. The natural fertility of the soil enables the farmers to cultivate thousands of hectares devoted to coconut and rice plantations, not to mention the staple crops for home consumption. The proximity of the place to the mountain affects the place in such a way that when most of the other towns in the province are already suffering from the scorching summer heat, Candelaria is bathing in cold and balmy breezes coming from the lordly heights of Mt. Banahaw.

How the town got its name is a matter of guessing. Many believe that the town was named after its patron saint, "Nuestra Señora de Candelaria," but no trace could be found to prove the authenticity of this claim.

The other guess or conjecture is told in this way. When the final approval for the organization of the municipality was given by the government authorities, the services of the attorney named Mariano de Candelaria were secured. This man personally supervised the laying out of the streets, and the determination of the municipality and the municipal church properties. Because of these valuable services he rendered, the town was named Candelaria, in memory of Don Maria-

no de Candelaria. The founders were also fittingly remembered, for almost every street of the town bears the name of the most prominent founders.

About sixty years ago, in 1880, a group of enterprising citizens, notable among whom were Capital Ciriaco Nadres, Capitan Pedro de Gala, Clemente Nadres, Cenon Nadres, Cabezas Raymundo de Gala, Apolinario Gonzales, Tomas Cabunyag, Juan de Gala, Brigido de Gala, Isidoro Mendoza, Jose Abandia, and Hermenigildo Nadres, thought it was more convenient and advantageous to live as an independent unit in the governmental system that to be forever dependent upon neighboring municipalities for protection and care. They, together with about two thousand others of equally brave hearts, set upon the arduous task of organizing a municipality of several barrios lying in the western extremities of the town of Sariaya and in the eastern border of Tiaong.

In 1901, Candelaria was made a barrio of Sairaya due to its failure to support an independent municipality. The inhabitants were only about four thousand, and when the first election was held, one president was sufficient to accommodate the voters. The town, as if by some magic touch, has progressed by leaps and bounds. Many houses were built, including a magnificent church, a big municipal building at the center of a beautiful park, a modern concrete school building, an adequate water system, a sanitary market, and wide, well-paved streets.

Candelaria, during the Spanish regime, had five thousand inhabitants, while in the last census, the population was 21,000 and the area 17,500 square meters.

The farmers make two harvests in a year. Many of the people are engaged in commerce. Poultry is another industry in which many people are engaged.

When the Japanese forces occupied the town of Candelaria, Don Juan Ramos was temporarily appointed president of the town because he was the first man who met the Japanese forces when they arrived. A week later, Francisco Malabanan assumed office as Mayor. When Malabanan resigned, Cresenciano de Gala succeeded him. Upon the return of the American forces to the Philippines, Pastor Javier, a former Mayor of Candelaria, assumed the presidency of the municipality. Then, after a year, an election was held, and Col. Eligio Manalo defeated Mayor Ona by a big majority.

Candelaria, today, is a great deal different from Candelaria of yesterday. Ninety-five per cent of the streets in the poblacion is asphalted; new buildings, public and private, like the Candelaria public market, the Cine Cor, and the Mena Theater and the big Peter Paul Factory have been constructed.

1. 1901-1902 2. 1902-1907 3. 1908-1912	Elino de Gala Candelaria became a part of Sariaya. Hermenegildo Nadres
4. 1912-1916 5. 1916-1917	Juan Javier Juan Javier	There was a tie in the election of 1916.
6. 1917-1918 7. 1917-1918	Generoso de Gala Gregorio Remata	G. de Gala was appointed; G. Remata elected Vice-Mayor, assumed office after the controversy was settled.
8. 1919-1920 9. 1920-1922 10. 1922-1925 11. 1925-1928 12. 1928-1931 13. 1931-1934 14. 1934-1937 15. 1937-1939 16. 1939-1940	Hermenegildo Nadres Francisco Fernandez Mansueto Javier David Reyrozo Dr. Emilio de Gala Dr. Generoso Nadres Dr. Vicente G. Macasaet Felix Ona Pastor G. Javier

17. 1940-1941	Pastor G. Javier	War broke out in December (Candelaria).
18. 1942	Juan Ramos	Appointed. Japanese Occupation.
19. 1942	Francisco Malabanan Cresenciano de Gala	Appointed, Jap. Occ. Appointed, Jap. Occ.
20. 1945-1947 21. 1947-1951	Felix B. Ona Eligio A. Manalo	Liberation, Appointed
22. 1951 - (Election of Nov. 13)	Eligio A. Manalo	(No opposition)

When General Aguinaldo became the President of the Philippine Republic in the year 1898, there was an election in Candelaria. The elected president was Don Benigno Nadres. In the year 1901, there was a war between the Americans and the Filipinos. During that time, Juan del Valle was the official head of the town. After the arrival of the Americans, Don Elino de Gala ascended the presidency. Gardiner was the Governor of the Province of Tayabas (Quezon) during that time. After the term of Governor Gardiner had expired, Van Hall became the Governor. During his time, the governments of all small towns were combined with the big towns throughout the province. Candelaria being very small was combined with Sairaya. There was no elected president, so that the highest officers were Don Benigno Nadres and Don Francisco Argao.

The people of Candelaria deemed it wise to have an independent form of government. There were two successive elections held and Don Hermenegildo Nadres was elected president. In 1916, the election was different from all the other elections in the past because Don Juan Javier and Don Ricardo Nadres had a tie. The vice-president who won in the election was Don Gregorio Remata. After the term of office of Don Gregorio Remata, Don Mansueto Javier became the president after another election. Don Hermenegildo Nadres loved to serve his town, so he filed his candidacy again and he was very lucky because he won again. Because he was old already, after six months, he resigned as president. The position was given

to the vice-president, Francisco Fernandez. He was the one who managed the construction of the old municipal building. Don David Reyrozo was elected president after the term of office of Don Francisco Fernandez expired. After his term, Dr. Emilio de Gala was elected president. After a hotly contested election backed up by the two opposing parties in the town, Dr. Generoso Nadres was very lucky to win the position. Again, another election came and Dr. Vicente Macasaet was elected. He remodeled our old municipal building and managed the construction of another new modern municipal building.

C O N D I T I O N S

DURING THE SPANISH REGIME

During these years, the Philippines was under Spain. In the year 1898 or 1899, there was a war between the Spaniards and the Filipinos. Capitang Pedro de Gala was the one leading the townspeople. Capitang Pedro de Gala was the last of the capitans during the Spanish regime. The Spaniards entered the town and, because there were no soldiers in the town, they went to Tayabas, Tayabas where

they had a long fight. Because there were but a few inhabitants here in the town, there was no shortage of food. All of the people of the town were afraid of the Spaniards, but because the Spaniards did not stay long here, they settled peacefully. There was a big fire that burned many houses here during that time. Again, another struggle was made for the progress of the town. After the war, all the Spaniards were distributed and all given to rich men to serve as domestic servants.

The townspeople lived peacefully with Don Benigno Nadres as their head. The places that were burned during the Spanish period were, one by one, replaced.

After two years, Don Benigno Nadres was still the president of the town. The Americans entered the town without a fight because no soldiers lived here in the town. The Americans made the convent their headquarters. During that time, many townspeople went out of the town and called themselves "Insurrectos." When the insurrectos came to know that there were a few Americans living in the convent, they bravely entered the town. Unfortunately, they were killed by the Americans. The fighting was done in front of the church at Cabunag Street and on the provincial road. Thank God, no townspeople were killed. From that time on, many Americans lived here in Candelaria. Some Americans lived in the house of Dr. Generoso Nadres. They also resided in the house of Don Hermenegildo Nadres. Because of what had happened between the Americans and the insurrectos, the town was placed under Martial Law. They also rounded up all the people to a certain placed called "zona." During that period, people were not afraid of food shortage because they raised plenty of products for their consumption. Of course, everybody was afraid of what had happened, so many townspeople who could afford to live in other

Historical Data of the Municipality of Candelaria, Province of Quezon, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.