Suddenly toward the end of the sixth year of the Philippine commonwealth, a turn of events in the pacific caused an uproar and untold misery, particularly in the barrio of Baleno. Men, Women and Children became excited on hearing the news of the outbreak of the pacific war on December 7, 1941, and at the casual sight of airplanes that flew over Baleno. Eventually on February 1942, when Japanese soldiers occupied Baleno, the people fled to the hills and some stayed there until the liberation forces came. The Japanese soldiers captured three Filipinos. They ransacked and looted the Chinese stores. They wanted to burn the town but the timely intervention of prominent citizens saved the barrio from the planned conflagration.
In spite of the repeated attempts by the Japanese detachment at Aroroy to put Baleno under their complete subjugation, the people in some way or other demonstrated a tactful passive resistance. When the late Gregorio Virtucio was appointed barrio Lieutenant of the Japanese sponsored government of Baleno, he was kidnapped and taken to Balud, the guerilla headquarter. The old man, Francisco Valdemoro, then, succeeded him, Doring Dora, a fanatical old man was appointed chief of police. Two months later, a band of guerilla, under Antonio Mason, entered the town and in broad daylight killed the chief of police, Doring Dora and his sergeant fearing Japanese reprisal, the people of Baleno, again fled to the mountains. Many young men, under the leadership of Casiano Balag, Vice Mayor of Aroroy, joined the geurilla movement to help check the Japanese penetration. With Lacson, Casiano Balag formally organized a guerilla government in Baleno. All at once, outposts were stationed at strategic places to warn the people of the approach of the Japanese soldiers. Later on, to avenge the death of police officers, the Japanese soldiers raided the barrio, killed three guerilla rondas and wounded two rondas.
These casualties did not dishearten the guerillas. The undaunted Balag, has to reinforce his unit and strengthen his post. Many times, he was the object of the Japanese raid, but he had neither been caught nor enticed in the Japanese ruse, that the policy of attraction and pacification. The fear of Balag and his comrades virtually kept away the squad of Japanese soldiers who were sent to Baleno on a reconnaissance mission.
While the guerilla activities in Baleno and her immediate vicinity were becoming more widespread, counter-attacks by the Japanese forces were becoming moro atrocious. Life became more dangerous in the hills than in barrio. With the policy of pacification, launched by the Japanese and some native prominent citizens, the people in the hills then, chose to return to their homes in the barrio.
Life during the Japanese occupation was difficult and miserable. Foodstuffs and other necessities of life were scarce or difficult to procure. But this difficulty was a challenged to the ingenuity of the people of Baleno. It did not deter them. They became more ingenious and more determined to surmount difficulties. They produce salt, soap, medicines, clothing from bark of trees, flour from cassava or camote, they made baskets of many kinds, kettles, frying pans, lamps, plates out of G.I., sheets, bolos, plows and other metal works. All these manifested certain ingenuity of the Baleno people never before was so apparent in the good old days of abundance.
Surplus articles, if there were any, were disposed by means of bartering. Business was limited to exchanging foodstuffs and clothing or other manufactured articles. Due to the poor medium of exchange and the risk attendant to the disposal of commodities, local businessmen did not engaged in their usual trade.
Abnormal conditions existed not only in business but also in education. In September 1942, the Japanese commander Numata, in Aroroy, ordered the opening of the schools in the municipality of Aroroy. Mr. Lino Bueno was appointed principal. Mr. Jose S. Rubia and later Mr. Marcos Mangaliman were made classroom teachers in Aroroy Elementary School. In Baleno Elementary Messers. Jose Pastorin, Lino Candidato, Filomino Valdemoro and Amado Ulanday were appointed teachers. Books were censored so that all materials related to American and Filipino nationalism were eliminated. Another educational philosophy consistent with life in the greater co-prosperity sphere, evolved. Nippongo became a subject in the curriculum in addition to the regular subjects. Due to occasional checks by guerilla forces, classes were interrupted so frequently that they had to be intermittently closed.
The ultimate closing of Japanese schools in the municipality of Aroroy and practically, the end of all misery and fear resultant to the Japanese occupation, was on September 24, 1944, when the American liberation forces arrived in Masbate and Aroroy. A squadron of planes raided Aroroy and drove the Japanese soldiers away.
As soon as the danger from surprise assault from Japanese had been completely controlled by guerilla and liberation forces, the people returned to the barrio of Baleno and started life anew. They repaired or built their houses and made their immediate surroundings once more fit for human habitation. Sooner, they resumed their usual ways of life. Some intrepid young men engaged in trading foodstuffs, such as pigs, chickens, eggs, rice and corn with clothes, shoes, medicine and canned goods in Leyte. Gradually business grew up. Copra commanded a high price in the market and soon the coconut landed people in Baleno became again, prosperous. Foremost of them all were the young, energetic businessmen, Rafael Licup, Juanito Relova, Andress Joson, Rosendo Chavez and Felipe Valdemoro.
The price of copra is its boom until December 25, 1947, when typhoon Jean swept over Masbate and destroyed ruthlessly the vegetation of the province. Subsequently typhoon which badly hit Baleno wore away its shore and destroyed houses, plants and animals. These calamities followed by an consequent decline in business had reduce Baleno from affluence to poverty. Thus had business risen and fallen after the war.
Setbacks had been apparent not only min business but also in education. Education too, had for some time degenerated. Morality, which before the war was at the highest level sank deeper below the accepted norm. the multifarious misdemeanors visible in some quarters were certainly alarming aftermaths of the war. And this needed immediate reforms by school teachers and officials. Improvement of living conditions of the community became another concern of school teachers. Hence, Baleno teachers during the incumbency of the writer, as principal, rallied to the community improvement. In the school year 1946-47 and thereafter they exerted tremendous efforts to teach the democratic ways of life, clean the barrio, and increase the production of foodstuffs, through intensified food production campaign. Consequently, Baleno with the people has become self-sufficient in foodstuffs (excepting fish) clean and peaceful community.
Baleno has paced one more step in education. A catholic high school, (Liceo de Baleno) under the able leadership of Mr. Rafael Licup and Fr. Magencio Rey, President and director, respectively was organized in June 1951.
In spite of the repeated attempts by the Japanese detachment at Aroroy to put Baleno under their complete subjugation, the people in some way or other demonstrated a tactful passive resistance. When the late Gregorio Virtucio was appointed barrio Lieutenant of the Japanese sponsored government of Baleno, he was kidnapped and taken to Balud, the guerilla headquarter. The old man, Francisco Valdemoro, then, succeeded him, Doring Dora, a fanatical old man was appointed chief of police. Two months later, a band of guerilla, under Antonio Mason, entered the town and in broad daylight killed the chief of police, Doring Dora and his sergeant fearing Japanese reprisal, the people of Baleno, again fled to the mountains. Many young men, under the leadership of Casiano Balag, Vice Mayor of Aroroy, joined the geurilla movement to help check the Japanese penetration. With Lacson, Casiano Balag formally organized a guerilla government in Baleno. All at once, outposts were stationed at strategic places to warn the people of the approach of the Japanese soldiers. Later on, to avenge the death of police officers, the Japanese soldiers raided the barrio, killed three guerilla rondas and wounded two rondas.
These casualties did not dishearten the guerillas. The undaunted Balag, has to reinforce his unit and strengthen his post. Many times, he was the object of the Japanese raid, but he had neither been caught nor enticed in the Japanese ruse, that the policy of attraction and pacification. The fear of Balag and his comrades virtually kept away the squad of Japanese soldiers who were sent to Baleno on a reconnaissance mission.
While the guerilla activities in Baleno and her immediate vicinity were becoming more widespread, counter-attacks by the Japanese forces were becoming moro atrocious. Life became more dangerous in the hills than in barrio. With the policy of pacification, launched by the Japanese and some native prominent citizens, the people in the hills then, chose to return to their homes in the barrio.
Life during the Japanese occupation was difficult and miserable. Foodstuffs and other necessities of life were scarce or difficult to procure. But this difficulty was a challenged to the ingenuity of the people of Baleno. It did not deter them. They became more ingenious and more determined to surmount difficulties. They produce salt, soap, medicines, clothing from bark of trees, flour from cassava or camote, they made baskets of many kinds, kettles, frying pans, lamps, plates out of G.I., sheets, bolos, plows and other metal works. All these manifested certain ingenuity of the Baleno people never before was so apparent in the good old days of abundance.
Surplus articles, if there were any, were disposed by means of bartering. Business was limited to exchanging foodstuffs and clothing or other manufactured articles. Due to the poor medium of exchange and the risk attendant to the disposal of commodities, local businessmen did not engaged in their usual trade.
Abnormal conditions existed not only in business but also in education. In September 1942, the Japanese commander Numata, in Aroroy, ordered the opening of the schools in the municipality of Aroroy. Mr. Lino Bueno was appointed principal. Mr. Jose S. Rubia and later Mr. Marcos Mangaliman were made classroom teachers in Aroroy Elementary School. In Baleno Elementary Messers. Jose Pastorin, Lino Candidato, Filomino Valdemoro and Amado Ulanday were appointed teachers. Books were censored so that all materials related to American and Filipino nationalism were eliminated. Another educational philosophy consistent with life in the greater co-prosperity sphere, evolved. Nippongo became a subject in the curriculum in addition to the regular subjects. Due to occasional checks by guerilla forces, classes were interrupted so frequently that they had to be intermittently closed.
The ultimate closing of Japanese schools in the municipality of Aroroy and practically, the end of all misery and fear resultant to the Japanese occupation, was on September 24, 1944, when the American liberation forces arrived in Masbate and Aroroy. A squadron of planes raided Aroroy and drove the Japanese soldiers away.
As soon as the danger from surprise assault from Japanese had been completely controlled by guerilla and liberation forces, the people returned to the barrio of Baleno and started life anew. They repaired or built their houses and made their immediate surroundings once more fit for human habitation. Sooner, they resumed their usual ways of life. Some intrepid young men engaged in trading foodstuffs, such as pigs, chickens, eggs, rice and corn with clothes, shoes, medicine and canned goods in Leyte. Gradually business grew up. Copra commanded a high price in the market and soon the coconut landed people in Baleno became again, prosperous. Foremost of them all were the young, energetic businessmen, Rafael Licup, Juanito Relova, Andress Joson, Rosendo Chavez and Felipe Valdemoro.
The price of copra is its boom until December 25, 1947, when typhoon Jean swept over Masbate and destroyed ruthlessly the vegetation of the province. Subsequently typhoon which badly hit Baleno wore away its shore and destroyed houses, plants and animals. These calamities followed by an consequent decline in business had reduce Baleno from affluence to poverty. Thus had business risen and fallen after the war.
Setbacks had been apparent not only min business but also in education. Education too, had for some time degenerated. Morality, which before the war was at the highest level sank deeper below the accepted norm. the multifarious misdemeanors visible in some quarters were certainly alarming aftermaths of the war. And this needed immediate reforms by school teachers and officials. Improvement of living conditions of the community became another concern of school teachers. Hence, Baleno teachers during the incumbency of the writer, as principal, rallied to the community improvement. In the school year 1946-47 and thereafter they exerted tremendous efforts to teach the democratic ways of life, clean the barrio, and increase the production of foodstuffs, through intensified food production campaign. Consequently, Baleno with the people has become self-sufficient in foodstuffs (excepting fish) clean and peaceful community.
Baleno has paced one more step in education. A catholic high school, (Liceo de Baleno) under the able leadership of Mr. Rafael Licup and Fr. Magencio Rey, President and director, respectively was organized in June 1951.
1 comment:
I am the grandson of Dr. Tomas Virtucio. I was just wondering if the old house is still there? i believe the japanese took over the house to use it as their head quarters during the war.
Post a Comment