Saturday, July 18, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
HISTORY OF THE DEVOTION TO
OUR LADY OF THE PILLAR
According to early Christian legend, the title of “OUR LADY OF THE PILLAR” originated in Spain in connection with the conversation of St. James, the Apostle.
Before St. James left the holy land for Spain, he bade Mary goodbye. Mary told him that he would succeed in doing wonders there. So it was a high-spirited James who landed in Spain to convert the pagan Spaniards in the early days of the Church. Fired by the prophetic words of the mother of God, he went about his missionary work with great zeal and enthusiasm.
But soon he realized he was getting nowhere. His enthusiasm turned cold, his spirit broken, his body tired, his hopes dimmed.One night, while he and his followers camped along the banks of the river Ebro in Saragossa, Spain, Our Lady appeared to him on top of a pillar of sparkling jasper stone. She told him to build a church right where she was standing and he would succeed in his mission. When she left, the jasper pillar on which she stood remained. Following her words, St. James immediately constructed a church there in her honor. In no time at all, Spain was converted to the catholic faith. It took the Mother of God to succeed in converting the Spaniards.
For more than nineteen hundred years, the shrine in Saragossa has been a center of religious life in Spain. The jasper pillar of the apparition is the greatest relic of the Catholic Church in Spain. It is still there today. Standing about six feet high, it has a straight pillar with decorations. On top of it is the statue of the Madonna and Child carved a long time ago to remind the faithful of Mary’s apparition there. This statue is made of black wood and covered with gold leaf-it is fifteen inches high.
It is said further that some Spanish missionaries brought with some replicas of the image of Our Lady of the Pillar to the Philippines.
One of this replicas was brought to Baleno, purportedly from Cebu intended to be taken to San Agustin town to be venerated there as its Patroness. But heaven willed otherwise. Every time the image of the Lady was loaded on boat to be shipped to San Agustin a storm arose. It seemed that nature wanted the Lady to stay in Baleno ever since, and stay here till the end of time.
IMPORTANT FACTS, INCIDENTS OR EVENTS
DURING THE SPANISH OCCUPATION
The old town Da-an na Lungsod was small, hilly and rocky. The absence of adequate water supply made it difficult for the people to live. Its limited size could not accommodate the growing population. About the beginning of the nineteenth century therefore, the town was moved to the present site. Peopled mainly by hardy and sturdy farmers, the new town grew up to a prosperous community. The people cleared and cultivated the lands and planted rice, corn, coconuts, palms, abaca, and root crops. Sooner, more crops than were needed by the populace were produced. They needed to be disposed somewhere. Fortunately, inter-island traders who visited the place brought the surplus products, sold or bartered clothes, utensils, trinkets and other household articles.
From this traders news spread far and wide that Baleno was rich in agricultural products. For this reasons and because of its geographical location, Baleno was often the subject of moro raids and banditry. So frequent were these moro raids that the people built walls around the old town for protection. Favorite story, still the current among the town folks is about one of these moro raids. Once, some moro pirates landed stealthily on the shores old town. When they were seen by the natives, the entire people took refuge in the church.
The moros besieged the town for several days. There was shortage of water in the town and no water could be secured elsewhere. A few more days, many people would have died of thirst. The priest told the people to pray and say the rosary in honor of the patron saint of the town, “Virgin del Pillar”. And a miracle ensued! Through the intercession of the Virgin, a gush of fresh water sprung forth at the foot of one of the church’s posts, and the whole town was saved.
Foremost of the later events that was destined to play a greater role upon the cultural life of the town of Baleno, was the construction of the church by Fr. Flaviano Incino some time in the year 1870. This church which was made of stones and bricks lasted until 1948 when it is partially demolished, reconstructed and patterned after modern churches.
It was Fr. Flaviano Incino, a saintly priest, who organized the first society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This religious society has persisted up to the present time and has helped cement the faith of Catholicism among the inhabitants of Baleno. Through the wisdom and guidance of the priest and other priests that followed him, Baleno has remained the unshakeable bulwark of roman catholic faith.
The year 1896 brought to this shore a notable figure Fr. Pedro Chavez. He was not only a religious thinker, but also a versatile man-a farmer, a politician, and an educator. He taught the natives scientific methods of farming and of controlling diseases. He was then one of the most learned men I the island of Masbate. He was instrumental in the rapid advancement of the town of Baleno.
During the Philippine revolution, Mariano Regio de Dios, Ananias Diokno and Pedro Aguinaldo, all revolutionary leaders, visited Baleno, Juanillo Relova, Manuel Paez and Ferro Spanish residents, fled to Capiz. Later, a provisional government with Ciriaco Dela Rosa as the first appointed president of town, was created.
DURING THE AMERICAN OCCUPATION
Dewey’s victory of the battle of Manila bay ushered in an era of political transformation, particularly in the town of Baleno. In 1901, after the general elections, Florentino Vidal was elected president. Meanwhile, Aroroy was developing due to her mines, forests, and fisheries. Its natural advantages, lying between to old town, San Agustin and Baleno, with good harbor, made it a better site for new town. In 1903 therefore, to effect economy on the part of the government, Baleno and San Agustin were fused together to form the Municipality of Aroroy. In the general elections of 1903, Matias Inopia, a native of Baleno is elected first president of Aroroy. Francisco Valdemoro Sr., Elpidio Cortes and Isidoro Albao, all son’s of Baleno, occupied for some time the presidential chair of Aroroy, Baleno remained a barrio of Aroroy until 1949, when it was created a separate Municipality.
While Baleno had degenerated politically, some of her sons had won unequalled fame. That man, Pedro Chavez, who was for some time the parish priest of Baleno, tempted by the lure of politics and inspired by his ardent patriotism, renounced his vows, discarded his habiliments and entered into the political arena. He decided to reside permanently in Baleno. Cognizant of the will of his constituents, that was his, made him candidate for representative of the Philippines national assembly. Masbate was a sub-province then of Sorsogon. He was elected and became representative of Sorsogon to the first Philippine National Assembly, and rose to an unprecedented height. He introduce the first Philippine independence bill which became the forerunner of succeeding independence bills.
Another political luminary of Baleno was Gonzalo Licup. He was once the municipal Treasurer of Aroroy and Milagros. In 1916, he was appointed lieutenant governor of the sub-province of Masbate by governor general Francis Burton Harrison. When Masbate became a separate province, he was elected a member of the provincial board.
Alongside with the changes in the government was the progress in education. In 1905, Mr. Moore, a Thomasite, organized the first public school in this town. At its inception, very few pupils, mainly adults attended it. Some of the first pupils who finish the primary curse, were appointed teachers, after a short training at Masbate, the capital. Later on, the enrolment in the public school gradually soared higher. In 1921, under the gabaldon act, a permanent, two room building was constructed. In 1932, a four room semi permanent building and a modern home economics building were built to accommodate the growing school population.
The church has also contributed something to the educational progress of the people of Baleno. Church schools, (Cartilla or Catecheses) have been put up from time to time, to facilitate the teaching of the Roman Catholic religion to the youngsters. Partly due to this and to home training, Catholicism has so permeated the minds of the Children that even up to this time; we find the greater majority of the people to be devout Catholics. Several attempts to establish a protestant sect in Baleno failed miserable and only served to strengthen the hold of Catholicism.
During the incumbency of Fr. Francisco Banawa, as parish priest of Baleno, sometime in 1928, a religious re-awakening flared up. Under his leadership, many people were drawn closer to the church. He encouraged young boys to study priesthood. Consequently, some boys were won over to his career. However, only the Virtucio Brothers were ordained priests, Fr, Artemio Virtucio in 1940, and Fr. Antonio Virtucio, in 1950.
This political and socio-cultural progress would have been retarded were it not for the advancement in agriculture in Baleno. With the coming of the Americans, better means of farming were introduced and as a result, a new impetus in agriculture evolved. Moreover, steady market for Philippine products was found. All these favorable factors gave the Baleno people encouragement to devote to farming, eventually; Baleno became one of the most progressive coconut and abaca regions in Masbate. Opportunists in agriculture rapidly grew up to be coconut and abaca magnates and amassed wealth. On the whole, many landed people became prosperous.
Consequently to the increase in production business became so brisk and its volume so great that some commercial houses dealing in copra, hemp, and rattan were established. Most of this establishments were own by the Chinese. However, four Filipino businessmen, Teodoro Virtucio, Francisco Valdemoro, Felipe Valdemoro and Gonzalo Licup were prominent in this business. Retail businesses were controlled mainly by the Chinese.
The sixth year of the commonwealth of the Philippines was for Baleno a year of affluence and contentment. There were bounteous harvests of varied crops, a big circulation of money as a result of gold boom, easy and profitable employment everywhere in the Municipality of Aroroy, a low cost of living all tending to the attainment of an easy and contented living.
DURING AND AFTER THE WORLD WAR II
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.
CREATION AS MUNICIPALITY
While Baleno in business and education has suffered setbacks after World War II, it has experienced a forward stride in its local autonomy. At this juncture, it will be recalled that in 1903, the town of Baleno was made a barrio of Aroroy. On July 18, 1949, by virtue of an executive order no. 244, Baleno with its old environs was made a separate municipality.
Messers Mauro Valdemoro and Isidoro Albao were appointed Mayor and Vice Mayor respectively. Messers Juanito Relova, Gregorio Salivio, Flor Pusing, Pauline Albao and Lupo Morado were appointed councilors. Mr. Digno Candidato was appointed municipal treasurer, Mr, Exequiel Casidsid, chief of police, Atty. Artemio Raborar, Justice of the peace, Mr. Augosto Arco, supervising principal and Dr. Manuel Arevalo, president of sanitary division.
Messers Mauro Valdemoro and Isidoro Albao were appointed Mayor and Vice Mayor respectively. Messers Juanito Relova, Gregorio Salivio, Flor Pusing, Pauline Albao and Lupo Morado were appointed councilors. Mr. Digno Candidato was appointed municipal treasurer, Mr, Exequiel Casidsid, chief of police, Atty. Artemio Raborar, Justice of the peace, Mr. Augosto Arco, supervising principal and Dr. Manuel Arevalo, president of sanitary division.
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