Albuera, Leyte
Encyclopedia
Albuera is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines
. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 34,335 people in 7,193 households.
The town boasts of a semi-concrete municipal building. Streets within the poblacion are reinforced with cement along the ditches giving the town a neat look and at the same time providing security against muddy streets during the rainy months.
Infrastructure projects like a puericulture center, pre-fab school buildings and concrete tennis courts have been built through the efforts of the civic conscious people of Albuera. Artesian wells and a rural health center station have likewise been established. However, there are certain projects the people would greatly benefit from, like the construction of roads that would link Albuera to the eastern coast as a market for its products which have depended entirely on the markets of Ormoc City and neighboring municipalities. Furthermore, the installation of a water system, construction of permanent dikes to contain river floods, a seawall and wharf as well as some bridges are some long-range development plans envisioned by the townspeople of Albuera to give them inestimable benefits.
s.
of the town, and appears to have been taken almost word for word from the history section of the official homepage of the town. http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/albuera-leyte/index.php?cat1=32&cat2=20&cat3=4
It was in 1862 when settlements began to appear in the areas between south of Ormoc
farther down towards the town of Baybay
. The appearance of these settlements was soon followed by the formation of barangay
s. Among these settlements, Sebugay led in population.
Due to the constant danger posed by marauding bands of Moros
who plundered the coastal settlements and kidnapped a number of its inhabitants, the village heads soon got together and formed a junta. Among those kidnapped and killed was a prominent Sebugaynon couple, Ta Sindi and her husband. During that eventful gathering, it was agreed to adopt St. James the Apostle as their patron saint. The village heads stayed near the shore at Wangag, where mounted volunteers scanned the seas for the Moro vintas. When the dreaded vessels appeared, the guards beat their gong
s on top of a tower as a warning of impending danger. The men would then take their families to safety and afterwards, gather along the shore with their bolo
s and spear
s ready. Blood flowed both from the attackers and the attacked.
The growing community was then under the parish
of Ormoc. Father Catalino Cabada, parish priest of Ormoc (1849–1867) came to organize the said community, but some family heads disagreed with the establishment of a poblacion near the Sebugaynon River. This river always threatened the lives of the settlers that lived along its side. Most of them agreed to have the poblacion situated in Balugo but a strong-willed Sebugaynon, Eusebio Calabia, who later became known as Kapitan Sebio, gave a suggestion. He proposed that the image of the patron saint be tied on horseback and wherever the horse would first stop, that particular place would become the site of the poblacion. The church was built near the beach across the place where the horse had indicated.
The majority of the settlers disliked the name Sebugaynons. One day, the settlers held a meeting with the purpose of renaming the community "Herrera," in honor of Governor Herrera, thus expediting its recognition as a pueblo. When the junta was formed, a sailboat, coming from Pilar Island and on its way to Ormoc, dropped anchor. A Spanish priest on board saw in the many beautiful lakes and the numerous springs a similarity with the town in his own native province of Galicia, Spain
. The Spanish town which was named "Albujera" - - which means "fresh water lake" - - was noted for the healthful springs and cool lagoons. The Spanish priest lost no time in naming the town after his own municipality and the name "Albujera" or "Albuhera" was popularly adopted by the people of the town.
The Spanish priest
who was also the parish pastor of Pilar, Cebu at that time was given the honor of christening the town during its inauguration in 1918. The town officials have since carried the name "Albujera" in their records. However, for easier pronunciation and because the natives of the town always referred to the municipality as "Albuera", prominent citizens petitioned to have the name changed officially. The request was granted and the name remained to this date.
The town of Albuera lies on the western coast of Leyte. It is only 14 kilometers away from the City of Ormoc. Despite its being a fifth-class community, the people have always been self-sufficient and Albuera has never had a deficit since its inauguration.
Father Leoncio Faelnar, the first parish priest, served for 25 years (1862–1887). He organized the parish of Albuera extending from Benolho to Tenag-an. He was responsible for the erection of the church which was completed by Father Casimiro Abete. This stood for many years but was destroyed during World War II. In 1942, the occupied by the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Albuera, Leyte. In 1944 to 1945, the founded in the battles in Albuera, Leyte by combined United States and the Philippine Commonwealth forces against the Japanese troops our defeated in World War II
. A new and beautiful church now stands in its place, through the efforts of the beloved and energetic parish priest of the town, Fr. Frumencio Cainglet.
Presently, it is headed by Hon. Erlinda dela Victoria, wife of the former mayor Sixto dela Victoria.
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...
. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 34,335 people in 7,193 households.
The town boasts of a semi-concrete municipal building. Streets within the poblacion are reinforced with cement along the ditches giving the town a neat look and at the same time providing security against muddy streets during the rainy months.
Infrastructure projects like a puericulture center, pre-fab school buildings and concrete tennis courts have been built through the efforts of the civic conscious people of Albuera. Artesian wells and a rural health center station have likewise been established. However, there are certain projects the people would greatly benefit from, like the construction of roads that would link Albuera to the eastern coast as a market for its products which have depended entirely on the markets of Ormoc City and neighboring municipalities. Furthermore, the installation of a water system, construction of permanent dikes to contain river floods, a seawall and wharf as well as some bridges are some long-range development plans envisioned by the townspeople of Albuera to give them inestimable benefits.
Barangays
Albuera is politically subdivided into 16 barangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s.
- Antipolo
- Balugo
- Benolho
- Cambalading
- Damula-an
- Doña Maria (Kangkuirina)
- Mahayag
- Mahayahay
- Naga
- Poblacion
- Salvacion
- San Pedro
- Seguinon
- Sherwood
- Tabgas
- Talisayan
- Tinag-an
History
The following is a colloquial historyHistory
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of the town, and appears to have been taken almost word for word from the history section of the official homepage of the town. http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/albuera-leyte/index.php?cat1=32&cat2=20&cat3=4
It was in 1862 when settlements began to appear in the areas between south of Ormoc
Ormoc City
The City of Ormoc is a 1st class city in the province of Leyte, Philippines. The city's name is derived from ogmok, an old Visayan term for lowland or depressed plain. It is the first non-provincial city of the Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 177,524 people...
farther down towards the town of Baybay
Baybay, Leyte
The City of Baybay, is a component city located in the Province of Leyte, Philippines. It is situated on the western coast of the province of Leyte...
. The appearance of these settlements was soon followed by the formation of barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s. Among these settlements, Sebugay led in population.
Due to the constant danger posed by marauding bands of 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 ....
who plundered the coastal settlements and kidnapped a number of its inhabitants, the village heads soon got together and formed a junta. Among those kidnapped and killed was a prominent Sebugaynon couple, Ta Sindi and her husband. During that eventful gathering, it was agreed to adopt St. James the Apostle as their patron saint. The village heads stayed near the shore at Wangag, where mounted volunteers scanned the seas for the Moro vintas. When the dreaded vessels appeared, the guards beat their gong
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
s on top of a tower as a warning of impending danger. The men would then take their families to safety and afterwards, gather along the shore with their bolo
Bolo knife
A bolo is a large cutting tool of Filipino origin similar to the machete, used particularly in the jungles of Indonesia, the Philippines, and in the sugar fields of Cuba...
s and spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
s ready. Blood flowed both from the attackers and the attacked.
The growing community was then under the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Ormoc. Father Catalino Cabada, parish priest of Ormoc (1849–1867) came to organize the said community, but some family heads disagreed with the establishment of a poblacion near the Sebugaynon River. This river always threatened the lives of the settlers that lived along its side. Most of them agreed to have the poblacion situated in Balugo but a strong-willed Sebugaynon, Eusebio Calabia, who later became known as Kapitan Sebio, gave a suggestion. He proposed that the image of the patron saint be tied on horseback and wherever the horse would first stop, that particular place would become the site of the poblacion. The church was built near the beach across the place where the horse had indicated.
The majority of the settlers disliked the name Sebugaynons. One day, the settlers held a meeting with the purpose of renaming the community "Herrera," in honor of Governor Herrera, thus expediting its recognition as a pueblo. When the junta was formed, a sailboat, coming from Pilar Island and on its way to Ormoc, dropped anchor. A Spanish priest on board saw in the many beautiful lakes and the numerous springs a similarity with the town in his own native province of Galicia, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The Spanish town which was named "Albujera" - - which means "fresh water lake" - - was noted for the healthful springs and cool lagoons. The Spanish priest lost no time in naming the town after his own municipality and the name "Albujera" or "Albuhera" was popularly adopted by the people of the town.
The Spanish priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who was also the parish pastor of Pilar, Cebu at that time was given the honor of christening the town during its inauguration in 1918. The town officials have since carried the name "Albujera" in their records. However, for easier pronunciation and because the natives of the town always referred to the municipality as "Albuera", prominent citizens petitioned to have the name changed officially. The request was granted and the name remained to this date.
The town of Albuera lies on the western coast of Leyte. It is only 14 kilometers away from the City of Ormoc. Despite its being a fifth-class community, the people have always been self-sufficient and Albuera has never had a deficit since its inauguration.
Father Leoncio Faelnar, the first parish priest, served for 25 years (1862–1887). He organized the parish of Albuera extending from Benolho to Tenag-an. He was responsible for the erection of the church which was completed by Father Casimiro Abete. This stood for many years but was destroyed during World War II. In 1942, the occupied by the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Albuera, Leyte. In 1944 to 1945, the founded in the battles in Albuera, Leyte by combined United States and the Philippine Commonwealth forces against the Japanese troops our defeated 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...
. A new and beautiful church now stands in its place, through the efforts of the beloved and energetic parish priest of the town, Fr. Frumencio Cainglet.
Presently, it is headed by Hon. Erlinda dela Victoria, wife of the former mayor Sixto dela Victoria.
External links
- Official website
- http://www.mindanao.com/kalinaw/people/people1.htm
- Philippine Standard Geographic Code
- 2000 Philippine Census Information