CITY OF LUCENA, Quezon, Historical Data of Part 1

LUCENA, the capital of Tayabas Province now Quezon Province, is nestled amidst the protecting shadows of her coconut palms, barely 137 kilometers from the metropolis of the country. Sixty-nine years ago, she was but a mere dot on the map, an insignificant barrio of the town of Tayabas. Through the ceaseless efforts of several civic-spirited residents, Faustino Enriquez, Leon Reyes, Melecio Allarey, Bartolome Queblar, Doroteo Trinidad, Rufino Barcelona, Merchan, Ulpiana, Juarez, Simeon Perez, and a galaxy of many others, she was liberated and held as an independent town on June 1, 1882. In commemoration of their achievements, streets were named after them.

The name of the town was subjected to various changes, first as Buenavista due to the gorgeous panorama of the town; then Oroquieta in honor of the then-incumbent Governor Oroquieta of the Spanish regime. Finally, it was named Lucena as a posthumous honor to the Spanish prelate, Padre Mariano Granja, who was born in the town of Lucena in the province of Andalucia in Spain. This was confirmed and officially adopted on November 5, 1897 in the "Orden Real Guper. [Guber?] Civil." Stone monuments marking the town limits and her jurisdiction were erected on June 23, 1880. On November 3, 1879, the first election was held. The Principalia was organized and members of the organization held their positions for a tenure of ten years.

On the data of the official adoption of the name, an election was held and the "Principalia" was organized composed of tenientes, tenientes-mayor, juez de ganado, capitan pasado, and cabezas. The tenure of office was ten years. The elected officials had limited powers, all of them under the control of the cura parroco, Padre Mariano Granja. He was the inspector, watcher, and at the same time the judge of the election returns. Revenues were raised by members of the Principalia by cedula tax, forced labor fines in court, registry of animals, collected by the capitan and forwarded to the alcalde provincial. Other town officials were classified as somatins, comissionados, aguacils, guardias civil, cuadrilleros, and tiktiks. The cuadrilleros were guards in the house of the capitan and in the courthouse. The civilians who acted as spies to suppress the guerrillas who were plotting revolution against the government were the tiktiks.

Lucena had her own role in the crimson history of the country. She rose against the Spanish tyranny. She rose against Spain under the leadership of Don Jorge Zaballero. The revolutionary government in Lucena was established in 1896. Don Jose Barcelon was made the first President but later gave way to Don Crisanto Marquez, who had the distinction of being the least executive in the Spanish era.

Came the year 1896 and the revolution. Jorge Zaballero was then the incumbent capitan of the municipality. Headed by Col. Manuel Arguelles, Lucena established a revolutionary government. Don Jose Barcelon was first appointed chief executive of the town, but when the election was held, Don Crisanto Marquez was elected first Municipal President of Lucena under Aguinaldo's Philippine Republic.

In the year 1900, the American military government was established in the Islands. Having been convinced by the American policy of attraction, the Filipinos laid down their arms and peace was restored. The men elected as Municipal Presidents and Mayors were:

Gabriel Cord Gregorio Marquez Juan Carmona Venancio Queblar Feliciano Zoleta

1902-1903 1904 1904-1906 1906-1908; 1906-1910 1910-1912

Fortunato Lavarez Pedro Nieva Jose Nava Venancio Queblar Domingo Gamboa Fernando Barcelona Melecio Custodio Anselmo Nadres Pedro Torres Federico Marquez

1912-1916 1916-1922 1922-1925 1925-1928 1928-1931 1931-1933 1933-1936 1936-1937 1937-1940 1940-1941

Then, the war broke out on December 8, 1941, and Lucena was occupied on December 27, 1941. Federico Marquez continued his mayorship until 1943. He was replaced by Jose Mendoza 1943-1944, who was killed by the Japanese for being implicated in the guerrilla movement. Teotimo L. Atienza was appointed Mayor, 1944-1945. After the liberation of Lucena on April 4, 1945, all employees were called to work. Julian Zoleta, appointed mayor during the occupation of Lucena by the guerrillas, continued his mayorship under the PCAU. Federico Marquez succeeded him, then later by Honorio Abadilla, the last mayor under the Commonwealth. In the election of November 1948, Amando Zaballero won and took his oath of office on January 1, 1948.

Topographically, Lucena is situated between two rivers, the Dumacaa and Iyam, on the only plain from the premises of the Banahaw Mountain. Due to these geographical advantages, she made a firm claim in this sphere of the globe. She has very limited jurisdiction with no outlying barrios more than five kilometers from any part of the town. She has sixteen barrios under her jurisdiction. The inhabitants in each barrio were:

Ilayang Talim Kanlurang Isabang Bocohan Gulang-gulang Ilayang Dupay Kanlurang Mayao Ibabang Mayao Cotta

238 80 87 2055 191 98 2235 2708

Ibabang Talim Silañgang Isabang Iyam Domoit Ibabang Dopay Silañgang Mayao Dumacaa Salinao

448 370 2162 112 701 1433 1190 836

These sixteen barrios, comprised of 14,944 inhabitants together with the poblacion, 17,905, makes a total population of 32, 849 as of the Census of 1948.

imposing and magnificent ₱250,000.00 Capitol Building stands proudly as monument to the past wealth and glory of the Province of Quezon. An architectural feat, surpassed only by a few, it is, indeed, worthy of housing the honorable sons of the province who are at the helm of the government. The Perez Park, named and made under the incumbency of former Governor Perez, has still to find its equal in this part of the globe. Composed of three sunken gardens, each one symbolic of the ideals of Filipinism, it has won the plaudits of joy-seekers. The Dalahican Beach, a miniature Waikiki, with sparkling white sand, is indeed a rendezvous for pleasure hunters. Adequate dancing pavilions are ideally located at the beach and can be availed of for a minimal fee.

Many, many years ago, a mother named Marta lived with her daughter Luce. One day, Luce went to the woods to gather firewood. While busy cutting, thunder roared, and lightning flashed. The mother, thoughtful of her daughter, immediately began searching for her. She did not like her to be wet. Upon reaching the place, she saw Luce busy cutting firewood.

The mother said, "Why did you not ask permission before coming here?"

Luce answered, "I came for we shall have nothing to use tomorrow."

"But you don't know that this place is quite dangerous?" the loving mother continued.

Luce further stated, "But Mother, there is plenty of firewood here."

The mother said, "Well, let us go home."

"Yes, Mother," answered Luce. In Tagalog, she said, "Opo, Ina."

It so happened that an old woman passing by overheard the conversation.

Because of [her] age, she heard only Luce - Ina. Upon reaching her home, this old woman began narrating what she heard.

From that time on, the forest was called Luce-Ina.

Because of the fertility of the soil, people began transferring to that place. The spot became a town in no time. The word Luce-Ina was later called Lucena.

Hundreds of years ago, there was a small stream near a small nipa house. That stream flowed from Mount Banahaw. It was clear, cool, and clean. In that stream lived a beautiful creature. She attracted hundreds of people far and near.

One day, the stream was again full of people watching for the beautiful creature. It rained, and the stream was flooded. The people could not cross the stream, the water having risen high. Twilight was approaching. The people were hungry and cold. So, they went to the small nipa house near the stream and called loudly, "Ale, Tao po! Ale! Tao po!"

That is how the Ali Tao River got its name.

Under the earth below the soil are layers and layers of hard rocks. These rock layers support all the soil, stones, trees, houses, hills, mountains, seas, and oceans above them. All the soil, stones, trees, houses, hills, mountains, seas, and oceans are very heavy — very, very heavy. Sometimes, a weak part of a rock layer breaks, part of it sinks, and as it sinks, it trembles. These trembling movements of the broken layers of rock are the earthquakes. After the rock layers have finally settled, the trembling stops and the earthquakes also stop.

We have strong earthquakes as well as weak ones. If the layer of rocks is very big and the break is also big, then we have a strong earthquake. But if the rock layer is small and the break is also small, the earthquake is also weak. Earthquakes are very destructive. They destroy plants and houses. They kill animals and also peole.

The stars are bright suns. They are so very far away that they look like little lamps to us. Really, they are not small at all. There are stars that are hundreds of times larger than the sun. It is because they are so far away that they seem so small to us.

Stars do not fall. What we call "falling stars" are little pieces of rock that fall to the earth. There are many pieces of rock going around the earth and the sun. When they come near the earth, they fall down it so fast that they get very hot and burn. We see the light of these burning rocks and call them "falling stars."

Submitted by:

[Sgd.] Mrs. Pilar B. Daniel

There is a cave under the mountain located at the northern shore of Infanta, Quezon. Whenever the cave makes a noise like the burst of a mortar shell, the fishermen are glad because it means a calm day for them, so that it is good for them to go out to sea to fish.

We see weeds in the sea. They look like moss that we see in cold places or at riverbanks. If these seaweeds, called "gulaman-dagat," are found piled on the beaches, it tells of bad weather or a typhoon is coming.

The gecko's cries at night are carefully counted in Quezon Province. This animal (which looks like a house lizard but is darker and larger and lives in bamboo clumps) emits shrill cries at regular intervals. As soon as it emits the first cry, people say, "Rain!" At the next cry, they say, "Sun" and then continue with the rhythm, "rain, sun, rain, sun" to themselves. Wherever the last cry of the gecko ends (whether sun or rain), that's supposed to be the condition of the weather the next day.

Barrio folks in the town of Tayabas, Province of Quezon, have a common belief on a tree called "baliti," which is usually located at the banks of rivers. They say that this tree is the home of bad spirits, locally known as "tikbalang."

When a person happens to pass by this tree, he can get sick because these evil spirits will try to get inside them. They can't be cured unless these spirits leave them. Now, in order to drive these evil spirits, the homemates of the sick person must have to offer food near the tree. Roasted pigs and sometimes chicken will do. There can be a sort of gathering of about 12 persons and then one will shout aloud, driving these evil spirits, after which the crowd will eat the food and leave everything down there.

The next day, the sick person will get well. If, in the first time, it

People of the different parts of the Islands have a belief with regards to the sun. Quezon Province has its own.

There is an old story how this quarreling began. A story that boys and girls of Quezon Province are glad to hear.

A long time ago, the sun and the moon were good husband and wife and they were blessed with a child. A time came when this child had to decide where he would like to be with. Both his parents claimed the child and whenever there's a quarrel between them, there heat was being mixed, so that it gave red heat. This strong red heat would be followed by a hard rain.

On stormy days and clouds are low, lightning strikes tall places and buildings. When thunder rolls a long time after lightning strikes, there's no doubt that we are remote from this destructive area. By when lightning & thunder strikes simultaneously, it is unwise to take refuge in towers or under a single tree in the midst of the field. But after this succession of thunder & lightning [strikes], barrio folks are sure to have a plentiful harvest of mushrooms.

Since the beginning of man's existence, he has been awed by the majestic growth that defies wind, rain & lightning. This developed a large body of superstitions about trees. The balite tree is generally regarded as an enchanted tree that houses the nuno and the tikbalang. It is believed that an intrusion on these beings will cause harm or death to the intruder.

Seeds of tuba trees are universally used for poisoning fish.

Linuhuran trees are bent from the trunk and people believed that Jesus Christ passed the Mt. to Calvary & that these bent in adoration.

The wild limoncito tree bears fruits that have a sticky juice. This, when applied to stubborn hair, will glue it down.

The kasundit tree foretells weather. As long as the red flowers stay in the tree, violent wind & rain stay in the locality. But if one considers crabs as a delicacy, it is best to buy crabs when the kasundit tree is in bloom.

The legas is an itch-dealing tree. If one touches the leaf of this peculiar tree, he gets itching all over. The cure is to dance around the tree & call out "Ligas-ligas."

Sour fruit-bearing trees planted near the house is a good lightning catch [catcher?]. Fruit tree owners tried to evade conceiving women in the belief that the whole branch where the likened fruit is taken will bear the sourest fruits. [The gist of the previous sentence seems to say that pregnant women are not allowed trees of fruits in the fear that they will cause the tree to bear sour fruits.]

Even the stars have a way of communicating their messages to the people. A starry night is a sign of fair weather. A starry night on New Year's Eve foretells a prosperous and plentiful year. A shooting star, as we generally call it, gives the observer good luck if able to name the

succeeding day correctly before the star reaches the ground.

Submitted by:
[Sgd.] Maria R. de la Cruz

Historical Data of the City of Lucena, Province of Quezon, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.