Alangalang, Leyte
Encyclopedia
Alangalang is a 4th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines
. It is a landlocked province with an area of 151 km². It is bounded on the north by Barugo
and San Miguel
, on the south by Pastrana
, on the northeast by Tacloban City
, on the east by Santa Fe
and on the west by Jaro
. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 41,245 people in 8,188 households.
On the way to Carigara is a steel bridge spanning the Mainit River. Soon after it is a smaller bridge. There was a time when only footpaths existed and when this river was too wide for a leap and too narrow to wade in, the traveler was undecided what to do. Hence the name Alangalang was given to the town, from the vernacular word "alang-alang" which means indecision.
s.
, was made a "cabicera" of nine towns with Fr. Mateo Sanchez as superior.
In 1600, the town suffered from the moros
raids. A punitive force from Cebu
under Capitan Francisco de Pedraza was sent to suppress lawlessness. In 1611, a hurricane swept the whole town and floods became frequent. The 18 or 20 rancherias declined in importance and around December 1628, Alangalang became a "visita" of Barugo.
The old town of Alangalang was founded in 1748 in a site located across the steel bridge at Binongto-an called Bukid Height. This settlement was headed by Francisco Antonis, a courageous leader, together with Pongal
, Manamot, Francisco Gariando, Hidalgo Pedrera and Solang Adlao. Antonis was famed for having eaten the liver of a Moro bandit whom he caught during one of the raids. Fr. Baysa, a Franciscan, was at the time their spiritual mentor. The objective of the frequent Moro raids was the gold church bell. During every Moro attack, the inhabitants would take the gold bell with them to the hills. At one time, when the townsfolk were being pursued, they had to drop the gold bell in the Bangka River if only to save it from the invaders but up to now the bell has never been recovered.
Alangalang was made into a parish in 1809 according to a historian named Cousin
. Toward the end of the 18th century, the settlement in Bukid grew so large that Fr. Jose Olmo, then Parish priest, transferred the town across the Mainit River where the Provincial Nursery is found at present. The government officials at that time were the Governadorcillo, Teniente Mayor, Teniente Segundo, Cabez a de Barangay or Guinhaopan, Delgado de Rentas and cuadrilleros. Among the lay leaders were Eulogio Barrantes, Santo Pabilona, Eulogio Daroles and Esteban Pedero. By the middle of the 19th century, Alangalang had a rectory and six rural schools; the roads to Palo and Barugo were also opened. The town was noted for its abaca, copra, seeds of "kabalonga", wax, cocoa, tobacco and rice.
A big flood leveled the town in 1883. By November of the same year, the Gobernadorcillo moved the town to its present site. In 1892, when there was rebellion in the country, Alangalang was in the thick of the fight. Leocardio Pabilona overthrew the Spanish rule in the town and became the Jefe or Capitan with a new set of Guinhaopan. When the Americans
occupied the town upon orders from Pabilona, the inhabitants evacuated the place. The Americans, angered, set the town on fire. It was the hardship of mountain life which finally made the townsfolk yield to American authority.
From then on, the town's growth was steady. Alangalang is a big producer of copra and rice and lies along the route of the busiest national highway of the province. The town has one of the biggest Spanish-made churches and shortly before the ward had a new concrete municipal building with a swimming pool.
After the fall of Corregidor
in May 1942, the municipality became the emergency capital of the province. General MacArthur
was reported to have passed an evening in that town. Provincial and national offices and government records were accordingly transferred there for safekeeping. On December 16, 1942, Japan
ese planes bombed the town. Alangalang again became one of the bulwarks of the resistance movement with Filemon Pabilona and Elias Macina as leaders. In 1944 to 1945, the Filipino forces of the 4th, 9th, 91st, 92nd, 93rd and 95th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army took in the town in Alangalang, Leyte fought the battles against the Japanese forces in World War II
. After liberation, a regional high school was opened. The town continues to lead in agriculture.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It is a landlocked province with an area of 151 km². It is bounded on the north by Barugo
Barugo, Leyte
Barugo is a 4th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 26,919 people in 5,108 households...
and San Miguel
San Miguel, Leyte
San Miguel is a 5th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 15,153 people in 3,017 households.-Barangays:San Miguel is politically subdivided into 19 barangays.* Bagacay* Bahay...
, on the south by Pastrana
Pastrana, Leyte
Pastrana is a 5th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 14,351 people in 2,805 households.-Barangays:Pastrana is politically subdivided into 29 barangays.* Arabunog* Aringit...
, on the northeast by Tacloban City
Tacloban City
The City of Tacloban is a port city approximately 360 miles southeast of Manila. It is the first in Eastern Visayas to be classified as a Highly Urbanized City. It is the capital of the Philippine province of Leyte and is the largest city in terms of population in Eastern Visayas...
, on the east by Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Leyte
Santa Fe is a 5th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 15,042 people in 2,899 households.-Barangays:Santa Fe is politically subdivided into 20 barangays.* Baculanad* Badiangay...
and on the west by Jaro
Jaro, Leyte
Jaro is a 4th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 38,797 people in 7,554 households. It is located just 20 kilometers west of tacloban or a 45min ride on a jeepney. Tacloban Is a large city and is famous for General...
. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 41,245 people in 8,188 households.
On the way to Carigara is a steel bridge spanning the Mainit River. Soon after it is a smaller bridge. There was a time when only footpaths existed and when this river was too wide for a leap and too narrow to wade in, the traveler was undecided what to do. Hence the name Alangalang was given to the town, from the vernacular word "alang-alang" which means indecision.
Barangays
Alangalang is politically subdivided into 54 barangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
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History
When the beginnings of this town were still "rancherias" and barangays in about the year 1596, Fr. Cosme de Flores, a priest-engineer, made it into the fourth "Doctrina." Fr. Tomas de Montaya, a Manila college professor succeeded Fr. Flores who died at the early age of 29. Alangalang, with DulagDulag, Leyte
Dulag is a third-class municipality in the province of Leyte in Eastern Visayas in the Philippines. This coastal town covering 11,007 hectares of land is home to 44,143 residents...
, was made a "cabicera" of nine towns with Fr. Mateo Sanchez as superior.
In 1600, the town suffered from the moros
Moros
In Greek mythology, Moros is the personification of impending doom, who drives mortals to their deadly fate. He is one of the offspring of Nyx , who had conceived him without male intervention, and brother of the Moirae ....
raids. A punitive force from Cebu
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
under Capitan Francisco de Pedraza was sent to suppress lawlessness. In 1611, a hurricane swept the whole town and floods became frequent. The 18 or 20 rancherias declined in importance and around December 1628, Alangalang became a "visita" of Barugo.
The old town of Alangalang was founded in 1748 in a site located across the steel bridge at Binongto-an called Bukid Height. This settlement was headed by Francisco Antonis, a courageous leader, together with Pongal
Pongal
Thai Ponggal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamils in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Indian Union Territory of Pondicherry and in Sri Lanka. Pongal coincides with the festival Makara Sankranthi celebrated throughout India. Pongal in Tamil means "boiling over" or "spill over". The boiling...
, Manamot, Francisco Gariando, Hidalgo Pedrera and Solang Adlao. Antonis was famed for having eaten the liver of a Moro bandit whom he caught during one of the raids. Fr. Baysa, a Franciscan, was at the time their spiritual mentor. The objective of the frequent Moro raids was the gold church bell. During every Moro attack, the inhabitants would take the gold bell with them to the hills. At one time, when the townsfolk were being pursued, they had to drop the gold bell in the Bangka River if only to save it from the invaders but up to now the bell has never been recovered.
Alangalang was made into a parish in 1809 according to a historian named Cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
. Toward the end of the 18th century, the settlement in Bukid grew so large that Fr. Jose Olmo, then Parish priest, transferred the town across the Mainit River where the Provincial Nursery is found at present. The government officials at that time were the Governadorcillo, Teniente Mayor, Teniente Segundo, Cabez a de Barangay or Guinhaopan, Delgado de Rentas and cuadrilleros. Among the lay leaders were Eulogio Barrantes, Santo Pabilona, Eulogio Daroles and Esteban Pedero. By the middle of the 19th century, Alangalang had a rectory and six rural schools; the roads to Palo and Barugo were also opened. The town was noted for its abaca, copra, seeds of "kabalonga", wax, cocoa, tobacco and rice.
A big flood leveled the town in 1883. By November of the same year, the Gobernadorcillo moved the town to its present site. In 1892, when there was rebellion in the country, Alangalang was in the thick of the fight. Leocardio Pabilona overthrew the Spanish rule in the town and became the Jefe or Capitan with a new set of Guinhaopan. When the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
occupied the town upon orders from Pabilona, the inhabitants evacuated the place. The Americans, angered, set the town on fire. It was the hardship of mountain life which finally made the townsfolk yield to American authority.
From then on, the town's growth was steady. Alangalang is a big producer of copra and rice and lies along the route of the busiest national highway of the province. The town has one of the biggest Spanish-made churches and shortly before the ward had a new concrete municipal building with a swimming pool.
After the fall of Corregidor
Corregidor
Corregidor Island, locally called Isla ng Corregidor, is a lofty island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in southwestern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of...
in May 1942, the municipality became the emergency capital of the province. General MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
was reported to have passed an evening in that town. Provincial and national offices and government records were accordingly transferred there for safekeeping. On December 16, 1942, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese planes bombed the town. Alangalang again became one of the bulwarks of the resistance movement with Filemon Pabilona and Elias Macina as leaders. In 1944 to 1945, the Filipino forces of the 4th, 9th, 91st, 92nd, 93rd and 95th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army took in the town in Alangalang, Leyte fought the battles against the Japanese forces in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After liberation, a regional high school was opened. The town continues to lead in agriculture.