MUNICIPALITY OF GUINAYANGAN, Historical Data of Part 2

This combination became so formidable that any attack made by the Moros was repelled, so that since then, the Moro piracy came to an end. At this period, about 150 years ago, Catholic missionaries belonging to the Franciscan Order had reached this place and founded the town of Guinayangan. The town was about to be named SAN LUIS GONZAGA perhaps, because it was June 21 when they landed on this incident, but for for an incident when a solicitous Spaniard asked the settlers what kind of weapon they used in repelling the Moro pirates, the settlers responded that it was bow and arrow fitted with a steel known to the Moros as gayang, "guina-yañgan ang palaso," meaning arrow was fitted with a gayang. The priest who came at the moment misunderstood the question of the Spaniard and believed that the question was, what was the name of the settlement, and because the natives and the Spaniards did not understand each other, the natives kept repeating the word GUINAYANGAN..., believing that they were still asked the name of their weapon; and for historical purposes, it came to pass that the settlement became known to the colonizers as Guinayangan. From this date, the local government that was established fell under the ecclesiastical province of SAN LUIS.

There was an existing cooperation between the natives and the colonizers, until some Spanish soldiers and Spanish subjects inter-married with the natives. Among those that inter-married the natives were the Garcias, the Camposes, and the Perillos.

The progress of the settlement was also due to the geographical advantage, [the place] being a seaport. It was also a logging and lumbering center. It was due to those assets that the "gobernadorcillo" of the ecclesiastical province of San Luis proclaimed the settlement an independent municipality (municipio independiente), and the "capitanes" were appointed from time to time. Among capitanes marked "subrasalientes" were from the old families of Matta and Tupaz, conspicuously were:

Notable among the various guerrilla organizations whose members were the people of Guinayangan were the MATTA'S UNIT and the VERA'S PARTY. Both these organizations had harassed the Japanese forces in many encounters and, above all, kept and maintained the spirit of resistance and encouraged the people to fight actively and passively for liberation.

A few days before Christmas in 1944, Guinayangan was raided by the Japanese soldiers stationed in Tagkawayan and killed not less than 20 persons in the poblacion without any cause. The innocent civilians were prominent members of the local society and others were government officials. Among them was Mr. Graciano Almario, a known

Those appointed by the Japanese Occupation Forces to lead the puppet government of Guinayangan were Dr. Hipolito Velasco, followed by Mr. Victoriano Alejar.

The first act of the central government was to appoint those who were elected during the election of 1941, and Mr. Timoteo C. Ramos was replaced by Dr. Lazaro Tayag, who in 1941 was elected mayor of this municipality.

The task of the new government had been very difficult: to restore peace and order, the re-establishment of the school system, the reorganization of the health and public service, and many others. The rehabilitation of the economic condition of the people was the paramount undertaking at this period due to the lawlessness and other evils brought about by the economic and moral dislocation.

By the year 1949, the improvement was magnitude, which warranted the election and "Gen." Natividad B. Matta was elected the Municipal Mayor, followed by the election of Mr. Mariano Roldan in 1952.

(MRS.) SALOME L. RAMIREZ
(MRS.) ADELA V. ESCOBAR
(MRS.) LOURDES CAISIDO
(MR.) TIMOTEO RAMOS

1. The expectant mother was attended by a "hilot" or midwife who took charge of the delivery.

2. In case the expected child was delayed, the attendant chewed some medical herbs as lubi, betelnut, tobacco leaf, etc. and applied the mixture on the mother's abdomen. By doing this, it was believed that the coming of the child would be hastened.

3. No one was allowed to stay in the doorway for it was believed that it retarded the child's immediate delivery.

4. Usually, the father washed white the placenta and [umbilical] cord, wrapped these in pages of books or newspaper and buried them under the place of the altar or the ladder. It was believed that if the child was a female, she would be clean and talented; and if a male, he would be a well-groomed personality and would return home from whatever journey he made and would a deep love for God.

1. An expectant mother was not allowed to sponsor baptism, else danger might occur to either the mother or the child.

2. The sponsor should be a person of good repute.

The child was thought to grow up to be what the sponsor was.

1. The lover visited the young lady, but the lady was not allowed to entertain the visitor. Her mother or elder sister received the message of love and conveyed the affair to the girl.

2. The parents had the sole responsibility in deciding whom they would like their daughter to marry. The parents betrothed the young lady to the man of their choice.

3. The lover was given terms of service in the form of fetching water, storing firewood, helping in the farm work, and other forms of service. Others gave dowry as a house where to live after marriage, a parcel of land, or a certain amount with which to start a new life.

4. No suitor would escort the young lady without the company of a member of the family or chaperon to maintain chastity and modesty of manner.

1. When the arrangement for marriage came, whether the

young lady liked her groom or now, she would obey and respect the will of her parents. Rigid law were her parents' words, firm and resolute in its sense. It was considered holy and becoming for a young woman to follow the wishes of [her] parents and [she] ought to sacrifice her own love and happiness. That thought consoled the bride. She was thankful to God that she had done her duty meekly by obeying her parents.

1. The appearance of a black moth or butterfly was an omen that a relative was dead.

2. The family kept vigil over the dead with some relatives, neighbors, and friends. Practically riddles, puzzles, and games were executed as a sort of entertainment. No one should sweep the floor.

3. The family of the dead was not allowed to eat gabi, for it would taste itchy. No one should take a bath until after the burial.

1. When the dead was started for interment, windows were closed to evade another death in the family.

2. If possible, the family of the dead should not carry the coffin.

3. While the coffin was being lowered into the pit, relatives picked up a handful of soil to be thrown into the pit. It was believed that with the dead went all sicknesses and ill luck.

1. Neighbors visited a newborn baby.

2. Friends and relatives visited and gave the sick something to please.

3. The dead was visited by the kin and neighbors, who extended condolences to the family.

1. It is recorded that Christmas and the New Year had been celebrated by our grandparents. During Christmas Day, everybody was expected to give and receive gifts. There was plenty of delicious food to serve the visiting friends. Before New Year's Eve, grandmother saw to it that the rice bin was full, there was plenty of water in the jar, and that other household necessities were in. Before twelve struck, there was a family reunion and there, they feasted and ate fried chicken, roast pig, soup, and "suman" and "sinukmani" rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves. Early in the morning, grandma obliged all to go to church, hear Mass, and greet other elders.

2. The Patron Saint's Day is celebrated every 21^st day of June. During the early days, the "capitan" or "alperez," head of the town, slaughtered a cow and pig