Sunday, September 11, 2011

Part 1

                                             "SITIO GARANG"


Sitio Garang Lies on the east of the Arabunog river, where the surroundings are scented
by the semi wild flowers, the camias and ilang-ilang.
At the outskirt of the Sitio is a flowing creek, the "alucaoc creek" that joins the river.
And in going northward the hibucawan river and other streams and brooks also joined
and finally to the sea in Barugo, Leyte.
This is the primitive means of transportation by the natives of the Sitio is believe to have began
its existence long before the spanish-american war, because the people of those time
built their homes near the bodies of water for an accessable transportation.
The Chief occupation is farming . They raised corn, rice, root crops and bananas.
They also raised fowls and pigs for thier means of livelihood.
The environment of the sitio is vast in abaca plantation so that the natives are enggaged in
weaving abaca and piña fiber.
The "abaca" is for making the "pabyon" a sort of wide clothing enveloping the room and
ceiling so as not to be entered by mosquitoes.
The piña was for making kimona and barong. They weave mats and hats.
They make longbiya thatches for roofing.
For Thier social conditions they were also religious, devoted to the catholic religion.
The Sitio has its own music, called the "cumparsa".
It consist of guitars, tenor, banduria, violin of programs. They lived harmoniously and help
each other in the moment of hard times.

Part II

                       PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR

        After the the  spanish-american war, the Filipino freedom
       fighters had practically wiped out all spanish oppositions in the
       different parts of the country

         President william Mckinley the president of the united
         states of america issued a special message to general otis who
         was in the philipines that reads: "American sovereignty must be
         recognized in the Philippines with out conditions". The message
         angered the Filipinos.
                The day following the otis announcement of president
         Mckinley's message, aguinaldo issued his own manifesto of protest.

     The third civil Governor was governor peter borseth from
      tear 1904-1906

           the establishment of the local goverments were made in
       accordance with  the subdivision during the spanish regrime, the
      "pueblos" which were then headed by the gobernadorcillo now a
      local mayor.In those pueblos municipal council was created.
           The constabulary took over the function of the army.

      every municipality has a constable officer. one of the
     recommendation of the Schurman commission to the President of the United
     states of america was to establish a secularized and free
     public schools. it also recommended the establishment of high
     school and elementary schools all over archipelago, and use
     english as medium of instruction in all these schools.
 
           In 1900 a group of legendary American teachers arrived in
    the Island known as the Thomasites.They were assigned in every
    province of the Philippines, that help Filipino teachers and
    parents create the first public school system in Asia.
          
          It is this system that has produced the country's leaders
    who had created the democracy in asia.

Part III

                           SAN MIGUEL, LEYTE
     
     during the spanish regine and in the early part of the
  American regine the town of san miguel was along the Sapiniton
  river. the place was called "Luntad". from Luntad, it was
  moved to the place where it is situated at present.
       Romualdo Aguirre was a resident of san miguel, Leyte. He
  has advantage over his male friends of the town for he was strong
 brave, couragious, and ambitious, born 1880 in the town of
 San Miguel, Leyte.
     
     With the compliance stated in the Schurman commission
  sent to the Philippines, every town has to organized its own
 officers of the municipality. The officers include  the Gobernadorcillo
 (mayor) Capitan, four council men, a treasurer and a secretary.
 On constable officer is assigned in every town council.

       Romualdo Aguirre was appointed as a council man.
 The capitan was Lorenzo Babula, a native of san miguel.
      The Presiding officer, Lorenzo Babula called for a session.
 The principal agenda was about the precautionary measures, regarding
 peace and order under the american regime. On motion of
 councilor Romualdo Aguirre, a big church bell will be purchased.
 the church bell even during the spanish regime, and during remolution
 was as a signal to the people that an ususual happening is going on . To be alarmed
 espaecially of the subversive
 gorup the pulahan would interfere the affairs in the government
   
     The treasury of the town lacked a big amount of money
 for the purchase of the bell. Councilor Aguirre Voluntered to
 strip abaca, together with them a month for thier provision. he believed
 that one month of stripping of abaca can produce bunches of
 hemp and would cover the amount needed.

    Despite of the bad weather, the strippers of the abaca
 worked hard. They make some make some make-shift huts for shelter, and
 one make-shift hut for placing the hemp. One of the fifteen men
 was incharge in preparing thier food. Aguirre led the men at work.

       early one foggy morning in the lonely place in Nabulkasan
 the workers started thier work earlier, because they will have to
 finished thier work the following day . while they were eating
 their breakfast, the workers were surprised that three intruders
 in uniform arrived by surprised and arrested the councilor. He
 was brought before the constable officer for interrogation. The
 young councilor faced the problem bravely with innocence at his
 face. A traitorwitnessed againts him that one evening Agguirre
 led the Pulahan, a subversive group of men that raided the town'
 of san miguel. After days of detention , he was brought to Alang-alang
 leyte for further trial under constable Capitan Francisco
 astorga. After the series of investagation there was no single sign
that the councilor was guilty. Capitan Astorga sent aguirre
 some errands to the different sitios of alangangalang. the accused
 would return to capitan astorga with in a given time. He has no
 single idea to escape.
         After three weeks in alangalang under Capitan Astorga,
 he was acquitted for lack of evidence.
        One fine morning, Aguirre approached the Capitan in this
office . He told his plan to create a barrio, and he needed the
assistance of the capitan. The capitan give him instructions
and the personnel's in the office that are needed. According to
Aguirre he will never return to live in hs home town, san miguel
The officials of the town helped him, especially the secretary
to the alcalde was bearing the same family name of Romualdo.
He was able to file a resolution for creating a barrio on October 1903

    One day Romualdo was informed by the secretary, Pablo
Aguirre that governor Peter Borseth is scheduled for his travel
to alangalang on may 20, 1904. Since there was two days to prepare
, Romualdo came to garang and selected some men and women
who can speak well in spanish to meet the Governor, in case he
will grant his request to see the place. he also requested the
people to meet the Governor and assigned groups for food preparation
and a sortof program to be held in Garang. Romualdo
assinged leaders to each committee. The natives of Garang were
glad to hear the news, and everybody move to clean the sitio.
    the third civil Governor, Governor Peter Borseth and party
arrived at alangalang, Leyte at 8:00 o'clock A.M. on may
20, 1904. His party consisted of four Americans and Three filipinos.
They were met by the town folks and officers of the
town. As he was scanning every paper or records, he incedentally
glanced at a resolution for creating a barrion, at the
file, for approval. He took interest on that resolution and
beg one of the officers in the office to let Aguirre see him
The incedents that befell on the life of Aguirre was clearly
understood by the Governor through a Filipino who interpreted
every story told in details to the Governor. The governor
asked Aguirre if the place ( Garang ) is prepared to be converted
into a barrio. Aguirre positively answered. Governor with his
party and Aguirre with some officials of the town came to
Garang . In Garang they were met by the people assigned, and
almost all the residents gathered in a special place where the
people temporarily entertained the officers. Aguirre invited
all the strippers of the abaca in Garang and neigboring places
because it was through strippings of the abaca who had behind
a "bleesing in desguise" and resulted to the future of sitio
Garang . The people had their eating and dringking tuba and
merry-,making. Then for a while, Governor Peter Borseth
stood and the natives ware still to hear him say, "By the virtue
vested upon me as the third civil governor of the Philippines
I, governor Peter Borseth name this place Barrio borseth in
the name of our Lord on this 20th day of may , 1904".

Part IV

            EARLY PART OF AGUIRRE'S ADMINISTRATION


       Romualdo Aguirre appointed as "Teniente" of Barrio Borseth
rigfht on the gathering when the Governor was present.
Aguirre right away assumed as Teniente of borseth. He assigned
some men for the maintenance of peace and order of the Barrio.
He was as good as his words, that even slight offense committed
by any barrio folk is lashed by a rattan ( yantok ) and the body
close flat to the floor. This method of punishment was still
the influenced of the spanish authorities. when he assigned
his men to patrol at night nobody would dare violate the ordinance
of the barrio. The barrio was clean. a drainage enclosed
    "I protest against the imposition of American sovereignty
over these islands. I like wise protest in the name of the whole
Filipino people againts such intruction, by their vote of the power
to maintain its liberty and indepence at all costs".
In the light of the development, otis evaluated the manifesto of
aguinaldo as a "declaration of war".
         Despite the growing tention between the Filipinos and the
Americans, Aguinaldo appointed three Filipinos. They were Florentino
Torres, Ambrusio Flores , and manuel Arguilles. General Otis
in turn apponted General R.P. Col. James Smith, And Leutenant-Col.
 E. Crowder, for a peace talk. Both parties met in session from
jan. 9 to 29. It did not take along before the Filipinos
realized the American strategy of delaying their discussion
obviously, to give time for American re-enforcements to arrive.
     On August 14, 1898, General Merrit announced the military
occupation in manila . By virtue of the authority vested in him
by President Mckinley, Merrit exercised executive, legeslative,
and judicial powers over Philippinnes territory. On August 29,
1898 General Merrit was succeeded by General Elwell Otis as
military Governor of the Philippines.
    With superrior arms of the Americans and majority in members
was not surprising that their victory came one after the
other. At almost every encounter the Filipinos lost to the American
Forces. The war lasted for three long years.
      By January 20 ,1899 President Mckinley appointed the first
Philippines commission in the country. March 4, 1899 the Schurman
commission arrived and to manila to investigate the condition in
the Philippines and to establish a local self-government.
    On January 31, 1900 the commission reported that the Filipinos
are not yet prepared for independence, so that the American
will remain in the island. The following are some provisions in
the commissions:
 
     *the withdrawal of military rule in the Philippines
     *the establishment of civil government in pacified areas
     *organization of the autonomous municipal and provincial government
     *appointment of men of high ability and fine character toparticipate the government affairs
  
  
     the next commission is the Taft commission. The civil
government in the Philippines was fully established on july 4,
1901 with William Howard Taft as the first civil Governor in
the Philippines. The next civil Governor was the commanding
General in the army.
the barrio ( combis ) so that no muddy area will be seen. Every
household is encouraged to have a vegetable garden. No Asking
of any flavoring plants like tanglad, dulaw, etc. Every household
should have a representative in attending meetings called by
the Teniente. During bad weather especially when there is a team,
 likewise to spy some people who are going to steal some
properties . Anybody caught loitering around without any purpose
is subject to clean a definite area in the barrio. Aguirre's
term ended on 1916 . He was succeeded by Gabriel Bacanes.
The same ordinance had to be observed. the people are already
disciplined. though assist the teniente to help solve the towns
of barugo and San Miguel who moved their residence to borseth
     On 1915 - 1917 marked the period of a certain horrible
epedemic that struck the natives of Borseth. many people died
of small pox. Some were still alive but already rotten. Since
there was no immunization yet to certain diseases, it was the
will of God that stopped theepedemis. In 1916, there ware classes
opened for gradies one and two in private houses. Finally
school buildings were opened and the grades were only from grades
one to grade four until 1944 ( after the liberation day )
The people of Borseth from 1916 had acquired mostly a primary
education. however, some of the well off families, and those
who are interested to study in towns could acquire higher
education. By 1930 there were some elementary teachers who came
from Borseth. They studied in leyte Normal School in Tacloban
Some ambitions people also seek their fortune in other
places, they became merchants in other places. A few became
sailors in the United States.
      In 1935, the opening of a provincial road connecting the
road from Borseth to another provincial road going to San Miguel
and Barugo. China men who were merchants established business
in Borseth, buying hemp ( abaca fiber ) and selling goods for prime
commodities. In 1941, The outbreak of the war (WWiII) the barrio
has plenty of farmerswho raised the corn, and other root crops
and vegetables for the natives consumptions. So that in the midst
of war the poeple didn't feel hunger because food was in
a bundant.
       The natives were very nationalist, not any one had collaborated
to the Japanese army, but bigger farmers support the
Filipino guerillas.

      In 1949 Brgy. Borseth was enveloped by our notorious brothers
who were againts the government, the Hukbalahap ( huks )
many natives were fled to other towns, because they torture some
well to do people whenever they're not contented of their contribution
for their existance. That was the beginning of our people
to move to other places and no longer returned.
    
     In 1970, the barrio folks were aware of another brothers
of ours, due to political beliefs who had organized another government
in the mountains. Although we are in the plains, we're also
affected. We have that conception that some NPA might be patroling our farms,
harassing some farmers when not given the required amount they ask.
But in the heights of the Marcos Administration the people submit
theirselves in the compliance to the Presidential decrees for the real
properties especially the people work more for their needs.From that time until now,
many parents send their children to take higher education. The Barrious notorious people
had lessened.



The following people became Teniente in Brgy. Borseth from
1904 - 1999.


       1. Romualdo Aguirre
       2. Gabriel Bacanes
       3. Julio Quintas
       4. Julian Bacanes
       5. Patricio Labarrete
       6. Ignacio Tolud
       7. Protacio Aguirre
       8. Jose Antoni
       9. Diosdado Magallanes
       10.Romualdo Lagarde
       11.Tiburcio Labordo Sr.
       12.Zosimo Labarrete
       13.Wenceslao Salazar
       14.Jaime Antoni
       15.Edgardo Lagaday
       16.Francisco D. Labordo
                           Republic of the Philipines
                                 Province of Leyte
                          Municipality of Alangalang
                                   Barangay Borseth


                            Barangay Officials:
                            CY 2007-2010
             
                            Punong Barangay: Hon. Francisco D. Labordo

                            Kagawad:
                           
                            1.Hon. Noel T. Antoni
                            2.Hon. Diosdado A. Bustillo
                            3.Hon. Ariel P. Labordo
                            4.Hon. Antoni Q. Duavis
                            5.Hon. Norma C. Esquibel
                            6.Hon. Oscar C. Morilla
                            7.Hon. Recardo P. Cabangisan
                
                            Sk. Chairman: Hon. Anson Rey S. Labordo
                   
                            Brgy. Treasurer: Ofelia B. Calipayan
 
                            Brgy. Secretary: Vilma L. Aguirre
                               Republic of the Philipines
                                       Province of Leyte
                               Municipality of Alangalang
                                       Barangay Borseth

                                   Barangay Officials:
                                CY 2010-CY 2013
                
                               
                                Punong Barangay; Hon. James D. Labordo
                              
                                Kagawad:
           
                                1. Hon.Joel R. Salazar
                                2. Hon. Noel T. Antoni
                                3. Hon. Oscar C. Morilla 
                                4. Hon. Ariel P. Labordo
                                5. Hon. Siony S. Lacabe
                                6. Hon. Diosdado A. Bustillo
                                7. Hon. Norma C. Esquibel
          
                                Sk Chairman: Katherine S. Labordo

                                Brgy. Treasurer; Ofelia B. Calipayan
                      
                                Brgy. Secretary: Vilma L. Aguirre