History of Seven Baranggays of Paluan

1. ALIPAOY

The old name of the barangay was Camposanto. However, its inhabitants, upon knowing that the meaning of that Spanish word is cemetery, decided to change it. They held a meeting which started in the afternoon. It was already dark and they have not yet agreed on the appropriate name. Suddenly, one of the local leaders saw the fireflies around a tree covered with vines. He suggested to the group of settlers, to name their settlement from syllables taken from the equivalent in the Tagalog dialect of fireflies - Alitaptap; name of the vine – Lipay; and tree – Kahoy. Thus, they called their community, ALIPAOY.

During the Spanish and American occupation of Mindoro, Alipaoy was a thick forest. Sometimes, the indigenous people and hunters looking for tamaraw and other wildlife reached this place.

When the forests of Paluan were made as logging concessions by families who were very influential to government authorities, the Abeleda family was given permission to cut big trees at Alipaoy. Many able bodied males of the Iraya tribe worked as laborers at the saw mill established by the aforementioned family in this place.

Sitio Anduyanan of Alipaoy was mentioned in a book written in 1991, by Volker Schult, a German historian. It was stated that in 1922, when Honorable Cipriano Liboro was still the governor of the Province of Mindoro, he rented a house and lot in the said sitio and converted it into a school for the children of the indigenous people. Due to shortage of funds, only eighteen (18) schoolchildren were allowed to study in Grade I and II, annually. Aside from the lessons taught by the teachers from the lowlands, during that time, physical & environmental cleanliness was added as subjects to be studied and applied by the children belonging to the Iraya tribe. The school lasted only for a few years due to few enrollees.

When World War II broke out, Alipaoy was one of the places where the people who avoided the cruelties of the Japanese soldiers hid. They learned from members of the Iraya tribe how to eat wild root crops and how to live safely in the forest.

After the war, some families from the lowland, who transferred to Paluan from Lubang decided to stay permanently at Alipaoy. Among them were the families of De Lara, Aguilar, De Veas, Virola, Tarcena, Villas, Pangilinan and Paglicawan. They were able to buy the kaingin of the indigenous people. After a few years, the number of families in this community increased until Alipaoy became a sitio of Poblacion, Paluan.

One member of the Iraya tribe, Anduyong Banter loved to compose poems and songs in the dialect of the indigenous people. His poems and songs were translated to Tagalog. Some old folks of Paluan used to quote it during the early days.

Since many indigenous people live in Alipaoy, the employees of the government agencies which were established to look after their welfare visit them, sometimes. In 1959, it was the employee of the Commission on National Integration (CNI) who visited them. In 1976, it was the employee of the Presidential Assistant of National Minorities (PANAMIN) and in 1985, it was the employee of the Office of Muslim Affairs and Cultural Minorities (OMACC). However, despite the visitations, the economic condition of the indigenous people remained the same.

Before martial law period, the people of Alipaoy requested members of the municipal council that their sitio be elevated to the status of a barrio. After undergoing the required legal process, this community became a barrio of Paluan.

During martial law period, through the workers of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), an irrigation system was constructed in this place. Due to the said development project, the farmers of Alipaoy were able to plant and harvest palay twice a year.

With the cooperation of the inhabitants, leaders of the barangay, local and national government, a barangay plaza, barangay hall, concrete stage and day care center were constructed at Alipaoy.

The persons who served as leaders of Alipaoy were Pablo de Ocampo, Antonio Velandria, Jose Velandria, Adelaida Velandria and Gerry Ungria. The leader of the barangay at present is a member of the Iraya tribe, Brgy. Captain Armando Parisan.


2. HARRISON

The original name of this community was Pula. It came from the name given by the indigenous people to a kind of worm found here. It also came from the color of the soil near the seashore where sea vessels used to land.

A few families of indigenous people lived in this place during the Spanish occupation of Mindoro. Due to the thick forest found on the hills surrounding this place, it was made as a hideout of the individuals who did not want to subject themselves to Spanish rule, refused to be baptized to the Catholic faith and who committed crimes against the foreign invaders. They were called tulisanes by the Spaniards. In 1888, it was mentioned in the report of a Spanish missionary that a group of tulisanes from this community entered Poblacion, Paluan.

The indigenous people belonging to the Iraya tribe were the ones who gave the names of the sitios of this place. Sitio Calangigan where the lighthouse is located at present was named after the turtles or cala which used to lay eggs in the seashore of this place. Sitio Hinugasan was named for its being the location of a river where the Irayas washed the blood of the pigs which they used to offer to their anitos in order that their gods would allow them to gather plenty of honey. Sitio Aglimasan was the place where, for hours, they continuously drew muddy water from the newly dug wells to make it clear and potable.

Two sitios of the indigenous people of Harrison were mentioned in the report submitted by a missionary priest to the head of his congregation, during the Spanish occupation. One of the sitios was Pamutusin which he visited in 1825 to convince the Irayas to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. The second sitio was Ignonoc which was created as a barrio by the foreigners and named as San Francisco.

During the Spanish regime, the families of Garcia, Felipe, Casil, Poblete, Zambales, Castillo, Montemayor, Solomon, Villas and De Veas arrived in this community. Majority of the said families came from the nearby island of Lubang. Aside from farming and fishing, cutting of big trees from the nearby hills were their means of livelihood.

During that time, there were plenty of tamaraw in Mt. Calavite, Paluan and the American officials used to hunt there. One of them was Governor General Francis Burton Harrison who sponsored the Filipinization Policy which gave Filipinos the chance to govern their own country.

In 1914, the said official arrived at Pula. He was met by Municipal President Estanislao Pag-ilagan who was the leader of Paluan during that time. Mun. Pres. Pag-ilagan invited Gov. Harrison to visit the center of the municipality of Paluan before hunting for tamaraw at Mt. Calavite. A grand celebration was held in Paluan as a gesture of the warm welcome given by the people to the foreign leader.

Due to the historic visit of the governor general to Pula, when the community was elevated to the status of a barrio in 1916, by virtue of a municipal resolution, Harrison was registered as its official name.

When World War II broke out, the forest near Harrison was made as one of the hideouts of the Filipino guerrillas. A group of Japanese soldiers sometimes visited the barrio, especially during the period when they hunted for Major Phillip, the leader of the group of Filipino-American guerrillas who were experts in operating communication facilities.

In 1942, pilots of Japanese warplanes thought that MV Don Esteban, a cargo ship of Dela Rama Shipping Lines was an American warship. They riddled the sea vessel with machine gun bullets and bombed it until it sank.

After the war, a primary school was opened in Harrison. Many years passed before it became a complete elementary school.

One of the problems of the municipal mayors of Paluan was how to construct the road from the town’s center up to this community. Since Harrison is surrounded by hills and it is far from the poblacion, the road could not be constructed due to insufficient funds. However, projects like barangay hall, day care center, plaza and concrete stage were constructed in this place.

Those who served as leaders of Harrison were Casamero Viaña, Amador Tagumpay, Rudy Dimapilis, Apollo de Lara and Renato Ramos. The leader of the barangay at present is Brgy. Captain Benito Cababay.


3. LUMANGBAYAN

The indigenous people belonging to the Iraya tribe were the first inhabitants of this place. It was stated in the old Spanish documents that this village was made as a mission station in 1843. It was also mentioned that Fr. Miguel Caro del Salvador was the missionary who was assigned here.

The old name of Lumangbayan was Paluan. According to the old residents of this place, it was here where the defenders of the village punished the Moro pirates whom they captured. They whipped the pirates at the plaza, thus, the village became known as the whipping place or in the Tagalog dialect, paluan of wicked men.

In 1850, the census conducted by the Spanish government showed that there were fifty four (54) houses in this place with a population of three hundred twenty five (325). The priest assigned to this community stated in his report to his superior that Paluan was a barrio of the municipality of Lubang and a prison, convent, church & cemetery near the house of worship could be found here.

During the latter part of 1870, many families from Talaotao, Looc led by Capitan Vicente Abeleda and Capitan Pablo Tria transferred to this place and settled here permanently. The number of inhabitants in this settlement grew. The Spanish authorities appointed leaders with the title of cabeza de barangay. Appointed as leaders of this place were Mariano Abeleda, Mateo Tajonera and Felipe Tunay.

It was stated in the autobiography of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo that when he was still a young man, he bought a big sailboat and bartered goods with the people in the different villages of Mindoro, including Paluan. Fr. Julian Llorente, the parish priest of Paluan who according to old records of the Catholic Church was assigned here, from 1887 to 1894, became his friend.

Capitan Mariano Abeleda & Capitan Agustin Liboro, the son & nephew, respectively, of Capitan Vicente Abeleda also became the friends of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. The two gentlemen served as leaders of Paluan. When the Filipinos revolted against the Spaniards, Capitan Mariano Abeleda & Capitan Agustin Liboro served as the leaders of the Filipino revolutionaries in the western part of the island of Mindoro.

In 1910, Paluan was created as a town by the American government. The center of the municipal government was placed at the site of Lumangbayan at present. Among the leaders who were appointed by the American governor general as municipal presidents and who held office in this place were Braulio Villaflores, Mariano Tria, Jacinto Villar, Lorenzo Abeleda, Mateo Tajonera, Estanislao Pag-ilagan and Luciano Fineza.

During the middle part of the term of office of Municipal President Fernando Cuisia, in 1919, a resolution was approved by the municipal council transferring the center of the municipal government to Sitio Lipa. Due to the said transfer, the people started calling the old center of the town as Lumangbayan.

A primary school was opened at Lumangbayan in 1939. However, since this barrio is near the town’s center and the pupils studied Grade V and Grade VI there, it took twenty six years before the primary school evolved to a complete elementary school.

When World War II broke out, the sailors under Basilio de Lara of Lumangbayan were the ones who loaded to his big sailboat the communication equipment which were used by a group of Filipino American soldiers in the communication system they put up in Mt. Calavite. Basilio de Lara also served as the guide of the American soldiers when they liberated Paluan from the Japanese soldiers.

After the war, like other barrios of Paluan, through the cooperation of the inhabitants, efforts of the barangay & local government officials, the road at Lumangbayan was improved and the barangay hall, day care center, plaza and concrete stage were constructed.

Aside from the aforementioned cabezas de barangay, those who served as leaders of Lumangbayan were Gaudencio Fineza, Felix dela Luna, Remigio Arellano, Loreno Zulueta, Amado Quiñones, Leoncio Mercado, Menandro Casil, Amparo Reyes, Renato Escalona, Jr., and Nestor Quiñones. The leader of the barangay at present is Brgy. Captain Ricardo Zulueta.


4. MANANAO

The indigenous people belonging to the Iraya tribe who first inhabited this place established a community in one part of the lowland near the sea, where at the back a part of the mountain protruded, as if watching and looking for somebody in the area where they lived. In their dialect, the equivalent of the word looking is mananao, hence they called their settlement by that name.

Mananao was a forest of big trees where the honeybees lived. The Irayas used to gather honey from the forest and sell it to the lowlanders. Sometimes, the lowlanders used honey to pay the taxes the government imposed on them, during the Spanish occupation of the Philippines.

Big rocks which look like caves could be found in one part of the seashore of Mananao. The Spaniards called it Calaboso for they used to imprison here the criminals and enemies they captured during those days. At present, the inhabitants of the barangay call the cave like rocks as Underpass.

During the early part of the American occupation of Mindoro, a few families of farmers and fishermen from Talaotao, then a barrio in the small island of Golo, transferred to this place. They crossed by means of sailboats, the rough sea between the small island of Golo and the big island of Mindoro. The community of Mananao grew until it became one of the sitios of Paluan in 1905.

When Abra de Ilog and Paluan were created as municipalities in 1910, their boundary was placed at Agsigan, a sitio near Mananao.

When the American government granted permits to logging concessionaires, Mateo Tajonera was given the right to cut logs at the forests of Mananao. Big sailboats transported the logs and lumber to Batangas and Manila. In addition, lumber from this logging concession was used for building big sailboats which was the occupation of the families living in a sitio near the center of the municipality of Paluan.

When World War II broke out, a group of Filipino-American communication experts installed a communication system on the mountain at the back of Mananao called Alopa by the indigenous people and Mt. Calavite by the lowlanders. The group was led by Major Phillips. The messages sent by the experts to their headquarters, provided information to the combined Filipino-American Forces about the movements of the Japanese warships at the sea between Batangas and Mindoro, including Manila Bay. As a result, the Americans could make the necessary maneuvers in order that the Japanese warships could not inflict damage to their seagoing vessels.

For months, the Japanese soldiers looked for the exact location of the communication system installed by the Filipino-American experts. They could not get any information from the people of Mananao for many of the able bodies males of this place joined the group of guerrillas led by Lt. Pedro Nitura. Unfortunately, through their spies, the enemies found the location of the radio transmitter and they were able to kill Major Phillips at Kabilugan River, Abra de Ilog.

In December, 1944 when the soldiers of the Allied Forces liberated Paluan from Japanese occupation, the enemies retreated to the forest of Mananao. However, they encountered the group of guerrillas led by Lt. Nitura at the mouth of the river of Mananao, The enemies were killed after a bloody fight.

After the war, the people of Mananao strived to improve their community. They intensified their farming, fishing and logging activities.

In 1968, upon the request of parents and teachers, the primary school of Mananao was opened. During that time, Mr. Elias Garay was the Division Schools Superintendent of Occidental Mindoro, Mr. Mariano Ramirez was the District Supervisor of Paluan and Mrs. Purificacion Abeleda was the School Principal.

Through the cooperation of the inhabitants, leaders of Mananao, local and national officials, a barangay hall, plaza, concrete stage, plaza and day care center was constructed in this community.

The persons who served as leaders of Mananao were Fermin Nuñez, Vicente Robles, Antonio Nuñez, Hilarion Garcia, Victorino Ornilla, and Danilo Robles. The leader of the barangay at present is Brgy. Captain Elorde Marasigan.


5. MARIKIT

Baluga was the first name given by the people to this place for its soil is a combination of mud and sand. After a few years, it was changed to Narra because a big narra tree grew in one part of the place.

Baluga or Narra was a forest during the Spanish occupation of Mindoro. It was only during the American regime when a few families from the island of Lubang settled in this place.

It was not easy for the early settlers to own a farm in Narra. Oftentimes, after clearing and cultivating a piece of land, somebody would inform them that the land was a part of a logging concession or had been awarded to an influential person. Conflicts arouse on the ownership of the land. Destruction of crops, killing of domesticated animals and abuses against men & women were committed. After years of struggle, conflicts came to an end and the right to the land they cultivated was awarded by the government to the farmers.

One of the traditions brought by the settlers from Lubang to this community was called Mayuhan. This is the nightly dancing activity during the month of May. Like the Flores de Mayo, this is one way of honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Young men and women from the nearby sitios and barrios of Paluan, like Mariil, Tambo, Camias, Lumangbayan & Poblacion, flocked to Narra every evening during the month of May, to participate in the Mayuhan. The ladies who attended the occasion were beautiful, thus, Pedro Cabrera, the acknowledged leader of Narra during that time proposed to change the name of their community to Marikit, a Tagalog word meaning beautiful. The inhabitants were in favor of changing the name, thus, when Narra became a barrio in 1960, Marikit was registered as its official name.

The following year, the government opened a primary school in Marikit. Mrs. Chancha Trajeco-Terrenal, who was still unmarried during that time, was appointed as the first teacher. Since there was no existing building for the primary school, classes were held at the residence of Mrs. Piring Cajayon.

One of the important events that happened in Marikit was the arrival from Bataan and the Visayan region of the group of Major Generoso Maceda, one of the persons who was given permission by government authorities to cut trees in one portion of the forests of Paluan. It happened just after the end of World War II when it was very difficult to go to Mamburao. During that time, to reach Mamburao from Paluan, a person has to walk or ride on horseback.

Since they have to transport the logs from Paluan to Mamburao, Major Maceda and his laborers constructed a road connecting the two municipalities. They maintained and repaired the road during the entire period of their logging operation. Although the road the logging firm constructed was not the planned provincial road, the engineers of the Department of Public Work & Highways and the Provincial Engineers Office just improved and followed its route.

During martial law period, when the National Irrigation Administration constructed irrigation systems in Occidental Mindoro, an irrigation system was built in Marikit. After the peaceful revolution at EDSA, electric service reached this place, the barangay hall, day care center, concrete stage and plaza were constructed.

Aside from Teniente del Barrio Pedro Cabrera those who served as leaders of Marikit were Pedro Zapata, Sr., Ernesto Castillo, Rodolfo Cajayon, Alfredo Zapata, Rogelio Mariño, Joemari Velandria and Arsenio Cabrera. The leader of the barangay at present is Brgy. Captain Renato Estoy.


6. POBLACION

During the early days, wild plants or ferns called lipa in the Tagalog dialect grew abundantly in this place. The pioneers named the settlement they founded after the plant.

Aside from the indigenous people belonging to the Iraya tribe, families from the small island of Golo, in the municipality of Looc at present, were the early settlers of Lipa. The ancestors of the families who migrated and settled permanently in this place came from the provinces of Cavite and Batangas.

Years later, Lipa became a sitio of the center of the municipality of Paluan which, at present is Brgy. Lumangbayan.. However, in 1919, during the term of office of Fernando Cuisia as municipal president of Paluan, the center of the municipal government was transferred to this sitio. From that time onward, the name Lipa was changed to Poblacion, Paluan.

An elementary school was opened by the American authorities in this place. Pupils who have finished Grade IV in the nearby barrios of Alipaoy, Lumangbayan and Marikit studied Grade V & VI in this community.

In 1942, during the Japanese occupation of Mindoro, the elementary school building of Poblacion was converted into a garrison of the enemies. Those who were suspected of being guerrillas or supporters of the group of freedom fighters were imprisoned in this building.

Captain Alfonso Umali, the leader of a group of guerrillas under the company of Major Esteban Beloncio, frequently visited Poblacion during the war. The said leader who later on became the governor of Oriental Mindoro in 1968, married Alberta Villar, a native of Paluan.

After liberating the town of San Jose, Company B of the 503rd Paratroopers Infantry of the Allied Forces proceeded to Paluan on January 5, 1945 and liberated this town from Japanese occupation. To hasten the operation, the liberators constructed the wooden bridge between the town’s center and Lumangbayan.

In 1946, a group of educators led by Judge Jesus Abeleda and Mrs. Maura Liboro founded Paluan Academy. This private school gave opportunities to the youth of this town who were graduates of the elementary school to pursue secondary education.

Since this place is the center of the municipal government of Paluan, many projects were implemented by the municipal mayors here. Some of them were the first municipal hall built by Mayor Nestor Abeleda in 1957; the new concrete municipal hall and the school building of Paluan Academy which were constructed by Mayor Amando San Agustin in 1960; the lighting of the town’s center, construction of the potable water system, and concreting of the roads during the administration of Mayor Pablo Quiñones which started in 1967; and the construction of the seawall and expansion of the municipal hall by Mayor Abelardo Pangilinan.

On September 20, 1974 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 557, the barrios were called barangays. Consequently, the town’s centers were divided into smaller barangays. With the exception of Lumangbayan which is sometimes called by some politicians, as Brgy. 7, Poblacion, Paluan was divided into six barangays with corresponding names. The barangays are Brgy. 1 - Mapalad; Brgy. 2 – Handang Tumulong; Brgy. 3 – Silahis ng Pag-asa; Brgy. 4 – Pag-asa ng Bayan; Brgy. 4 – Bagong Silang and Brgy. 6 – San Jose.

Those who served as leaders of the six barangays of Poblacion were Julian Calabio, Amador Viaña, Leonardo Abeleda, Redentor Tinamisan, Carlito Amayan and Juan Aguilar of Mapalad; Crisanto Tagumpay, Reynaldo Tria, Senando Bernardo, Siona Viaña and Roseller Paglicawan of Handang Tumulong; Leonardo Cadahin, Leonardo Tendido and Birgilio Viguilla of Silahis ng Pag-asa; Ruperto Tendido, Abelardo Abeleda and Cesar Dueñas of Pag-asa; Carlos Capinpin, Pedro Mendiola, Jr., Manuel de Veas, Josemari Calabio and Richard Capinpin of Bagong Silang; and Sisenando Insigne, Pablo de Ocampo, Reynaldo Crisostomo, Leonardo Villas, Ronaldo Torreliza & Teodocia Paguagan of San Jose.

The leaders of the barangays in Poblacion who continue implementing the development projects of their predecessors are Joe Losito of Brgy. 1, Zaldy Tagumpay of Brgy. 2, Benito Dueñas of Brgy. 3, Ofelia Diaz of Brgy. 4, Lynette Torreliza of Brgy. 5, and Leonardo Villas of Brgy. 6.


7. TUBILI

The original name of the community was tubli. However, after years of constant use, it evolved to Tubili. The name came from a kind of plant which grew abundantly in this place. It was called tubli in the dialect of the indigenous people. A kind of chemical, harmless to man but poisonous to fishes, could be extracted from the roots of this plant.

During the Spanish occupation of Mindoro, Tubili was a forest. It was one of the sources of sturdy lumber, used as materials for constructing big sailboats, locally known as batel. The Spanish missionaries did not reach this place for its forest was believed to have been made as a hideout of men who did not want to be baptized to the Catholic faith and who have transgressed the laws of the Spanish authorities.

During the early years of the American occupation of Mindoro, Tubili was a part of the logging concession which was awarded by the government to an influential family of Paluan. Big logs were taken out of this place. In addition, hunters looking for tamaraw, wild pig and deer frequently roamed its forest.

Before World War II broke out, a few indigenous people belonging to the Iraya tribe cultivated patches of kaingin in Tubili. They built huts and planted fruit tress in their kaingin.

The war did not affect the families of the indigenous people residing at Tubili. Since no road was connecting Tubili with the center of the municipality of Paluan, the Japanese soldiers were not able to visit this place. As a result, the Filipino guerrillas frequently visited the Irayas in the area.

After the war, many families of fishermen from the Visayan region settled at the coastal areas which are under the jurisdiction of Tubili at present. Years later, some families of farmers from Lubang arrived. Despite the presence of malaria and the hardships they encountered in clearing the area, the farmers & fishermen decided to settle in this place.

Five sitios were formed out of the areas where the farmers & fishermen from the Visayan region and Lubang settled. The sitios are Tinangra, Igsuso, Absukot, Maslud, and Tiquian. More houses could be found in these sitios than the supposed barrio site of Tubili. As a result, the barangay hall, day care center, plaza, playground, schoolhouses and chapels were built in the sitios,

Additional families settled in Tubili when Major Generoso Maceda, the owner of a logging concession in Marikit constructed a road from his sawmill to Mamburao. The road passed near the sitios of this community. The flow of transportation became fast. Moreover, the basic services of the government from the center of the municipality of Paluan could now reach the sitios of this barangay.

In 1950, the people of Tubili and its sitios requested the members of the municipal council of Paluan that their place be elevated to the status of a barrio. Seeing that all the legal requirements had been met, the municipal councilors of Paluan granted the request. That same year, Tubili was created as a barrio.

A primary school was opened by the government in a sitio of Tubili. Through cooperative effort, the inhabitants of the barrio built a schoolhouse made of nipa and bamboos. After a few years, simultaneous with the completion of the elementary school, a concrete school building was constructed.

Years later, the municipal government of Paluan was able to construct the road linking the sitios of Igsuso and Tinangra to the road connecting Paluan and Mamburao. Electric service also reached most households of Tubili. Moreover, with the cooperation of the people, barangay & local officials, infrastructure projects were implemented in the sitios of this community.

Those who served as leaders of Tubili were Jose Velandria, Basilio de Lara, Theodosio Miñon, McDonald Maderazo and Jaime de Lara. The leader of the barangay at present is Brgy. Captain Lolito Zapata.

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