| ANTIQUE TOWNS: BARBAZA |
| MUNICIPALITY OF BARBAZA (Reprinted from the Binirayan 2000 Souvenir Magazine) Tracing down the history of the Municipality, long after the discovery of the Philippines by the Spaniards led by Ferdinand Magellan on March 16,1521, there was already an established settlement in a place presumably now known as Barangay Esparar. In the later years however, the Moros from Palawan and Mindanao started coming to raid and plunder the place and its inhabitants. They oftentimes abducted beautiful maidens and men to be made slaves. For fear of those Moro raids the inhabitants decided to move to a much safer place, in a narrow strip of land just at the foot of a high mountain called Mt. Dumangsal. The site of the new settlement up to this day is called Igtara. ,. Years went by and the settlement's population rapidly increased. Then the people felt that the place was already too small
for them. So, when the Moros stopped coming, they decided to move down to a much
wider plain. The settlement started to flourish and later a church and a town
hall were built out of bamboos and cogon grass. Today, it is where
Barangay Binanu-an now stands. Binanu-an means “Ginbanwahan or Binanwahan”. It is to be remembered then, that the formation of a formal government
which was headed either by a Teniente or a Captain, started at Binanu-an. The
settlement in Binanu-an lasted so long until sometime in the 17th century when the
inhabitants, again, found a much better place to live in because it is nearer to
the sea which yields fish in abundance. So, they decided to transfer from Binanu-an to the seashore
by the bank of the once deep river called Nalupa. The new settlement was named
Nalupa Nuevo. Permanent structures like a church and a Municipal Hall was built.
The people lived in abundance and progress and the way of life of the people was
enviable. Unfortunately,
sometime in the 18th century the settlement suffered another drawback. Dalanas
river, one of the biggest and the swiftest rivers of Antique, used to overflow
its bank during heavy rains causing havoc and destruction to properties and
lives of the people. Alarmed by the situation affecting the settlement at Nalupa
Nuevo, the Parish Priest being so influential received an order from Spanish
Governor named Enrique Barboza to transfer the people to another site called
Otngol which was at that time, a part of what is now the town of Laua-an. It
should be recalled that during the transfer of the settlement from Nalupa, to
Otngol the Municipal Government was already run by a Capitan. The first Capitan
was Tan Julian Flores. He was later succeeded by Tan Roman Francisco, then by
Capitan Austiniano Ogatis-Barrientos. Tan Austiniano Ogatis-Barrientos was a
big man with a loud harsh voice and with his “anting-anting” could drive
back “Pulahans” (outlaws, so named because they wear red clothes) to their mountain lairs whenever they come down to town. It
was during his administration sometime in 1886 when he worked out for the
separation of the town from the Municipality of Laua-an. The town's name was
changed to Barbaza in honor of Spanish Governor Enrique Barboza of Antique. Capitan Austiniano OgatisBarrientos, because of his able leadership,
held on to power for quite a long undetermined period during the 18th century
when the Philippines was The Americans declared war
against Spain on April 25, 1898. On May 1,
1898 Commodore George Dewey of the American fleet attacked and defeated the
Spanish fleet in Manila Bay. This led to the occupation of the Philippines by
the Americans who later
gained control of the whole country. The Filipinos kept revolting against the much
superior American forces. But history tells us that the Fil-HispanoAmerican
War was ended by the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898 when Spain ceded the
Philippines to the Americans. It
is noteworthy to mention that, before the end of the Filipino-American war, a historic event which the Barbazeños
cherish is
the signing of a Peace Treaty between General Leandro Fullon, an Antiqueno
resistance
leader, and Gen. William Scotts of the American Forces on March 20, 1898 at
Jinalinan After
the rule of Tan Ostim OgatisBarrientos, many Barbazeños rose to political
power. In succession, Capitan Fermin Marquez became Capitan and his term lasted
until the revolution of 1898. Capitan Manuel Nacionales followed, then Tan Melog Maghari. It is
on the record, that from the early part of the 19th century, many Barbazeños
rose to political power and prominence. By means of election, Antonio Ybera y
Villaruz was elected Mayor 1914-1919. Roman Bautista of Tagalog descent, Rafael
Necor, Rafael Juanitas, Antonio Inocentes, Pedro L. Gindap from 1938-1968
followed successively. Then Fidel Yonque from 1961-1972 became Municipal Mayor.
Pedro L. Gindap returned to power in 1972-1976. His son Carlo Magno Gindap
succeeded him from 1977-1985. Mayor David H. Daquila started his term as OIC in
1986 until he won the election in 1988 and gained control of the municipal
government of Barbaza for three consecutive terms, 1988 to 1998. He was
succeeded by Atty. Jose T. Maghari a LAMMP bet in Barbaza. Hence for the first
time in the history of Barbaza, it has a seasoned practicing
lawyer for a mayor. (A reproduction/reconstruction by SB Member Pacifico A. Magturo, Sr.,
Chairman, Committee on Education with the help of SB Secretary Nemesio L.
Escalada.
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