“APAT-A-LASUS
TAON NA KATUURAN NËN KRISTO TAN KATUURAN DAY TUTUUN KRISTIANOS
ËD BALËY NA ALAMINOS, DIAD SILONG NA PANANGAMPAYA’Y
MAARON PATRON SEÑOR SAN JOSE”
[400 years of faithfulness
of CHRIST and faithfulness of the CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY OF ALAMINOS under
the care of the LOVING PATRON SEÑOR SAN JOSE]
1609 - The Venerable
Fathers Fray Cristóbal de Cristo (other recollect record says
his name is Geronimo de Cristo) and Fray Andres del Espiritu Santo of
the Order of Augustinian Recollects (OAR) preached the Good News of
Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of the Island of Bolinao (Santiago Island
[according to the Augustinian records] or Anda [according to the Recollect
records).
1610 - The abovementioned friars, after establishing the Pueblo of Bolinao,
proceeded to Preach the Good News to the mainland, crossing the silanga
(an inlet, which is now Tambac Bay), to the places called Sarasa (the
original town of Salasa, Bugallon?), Lambuas (now Brgy. Lambes of Bolinao),
Tanobon(g) [where is this place?], Balingasay and Ripay where pre-hispanic
Filipinos (Zambals) who have their ranches (communities); since these
places are not far from Bolinao, they were put under the jurisdiction
of the Pueblo of Bolinao. Two leagues away from Bolinao, the two friars
further proceeded and found some ranches/semi-permanent communities
of pre- hispanic Filipinos (Zambals) in the place called Soyáng
(old name of Alaminos which was also the name of the village Chieftain).
They preached the Gospel and were able to convert the infidels to Christianity.
Figure 1. Pre-hispanic
Zambals that inhabited Northern Zambales (including Soyáng-old
Alaminos)
Figure 2. The Century-old Image of Patriarca Señor
San Jose, Miraculous Patron of Alaminos.
They founded a small
pueblo there, with a church and a convent which they dedicated to the
Lord San Jose, and thus it became a visita or anejo of Bolinao and it
was named “The Pueblo of San Jose de Soyáng. The prominent
Zambal forefather-leaders of Soyang were Don Gaspar Montoya (said to
be Soyang when not yet Christianized), Don Domingo De Guzman and Don
Nicolas Purificacion.
1734-35-
To accommodate the fast growth of its population and economy, the Pueblo
of Soyáng was transferred to a larger settlement not very far
from the original site and is near the seashore. It was subsequently
named “Pueblo of San Jose de Casborran (an old Zambal term for
the place of many springs or an old Pangasinan term meaning super abundance
of produce of plants or crops).
Figure 3. Commerce during early Hispanic colonization.
During this time
emigrants from Pangasinan arrived to join the pueblo lead by Don Andres
Ballesteros and his son Don Diego, and Don Andres Nicolas, of Dagupan;
emigrants from Lingayen and Binmaley followed suit lead by Don Francisco
Aquino, Don Jose Garcia, the Quimsons, Sisons, De Leons etc.
Figure 4. Pre-hispanic Pangasinenses (like the Tagalogs, are of higher
culture and wear abundant gold jewelries coming from their kin, the
Ibalois of Mountain Provinces and their neighbours, the Ilocanos.)
A church and a convent
made of wood and coral stones were erected and the town plan was designed
and laid out thus gaining the pueblo’s reputation as “one
of the healthiest, happiest and nicest [pueblos] which the recollects
established along the entire coast of Zambales.”
The “Tirong” Terror. During the 18th century, there raised
a breed of ferocious moro pirates that attacked the western shores of
Visayas and Luzon; these islands suffered the attack, plunder and kidnapping
of hostages for ransom by the so-called moro pirates from Mindanao,
locally called “tirong, tutuu ya nanikol” meaning “tirong,
people with tails”. Others locally called it “tuangas”
or “camocon”.
Figure 5. Moro pirates
attacking Christian towns.
Sacking the towns
along the coast of gold and money and holding hostages for ransom the
rich citizens and even priests of the town. Casborran was not spared
during the middle of the 18th century when these marauders attacked
the pueblo and hostaged Mariano Rabago y Basit, Rosa Fontanilla, Fabian
De Leon and others. Eventually they were ransomed and later returned
to Casborran.
In 1747, through
a delegate of then Governor General Don Santiago Arzadon y Rebolledo,
the request of the townspeople was granted and Casborran was elevated
to a town status independent of Bolinao.
There were no extant
records as to who served as Teniente Basal (mayor) from the period 1735
to 1762.
1763 - The Internal
Political Rivalry. The attack of Palaris Anggapo’y Miparis. During
the Casborran peace time, a blood compact was made between the Zambal
ruling clan and the Pangasinan emigrant leaders. Every year the office
of Teniente/Capitan Basal shall alternately be held by each tribe, one
time the Zambal clan did not follow the agreement thus stirred the resentment
of the Pangasinan rulers. Internal squabbles ensued causing the disintegration
of the community, the Zambals sided by the Ilocano emigrants, ejected
the Pangasinenses. The Pangasinenses took refuge in the present day
Bued and Pocalpocal. To retaliate against their Zambal rivals, the Pangasinenses
sought vengeance through the help of Juan de la Cruz Palaris, the rebel
leader of Binalatongan. Palaris and his men attacked and burned down
the pueblo including its church, convent and the casa tribunal, scattering
the population and the two friars to all directions. (Rev. Fr. Santiago
de la Encarnacion and another Recollect friar were most probably roving
missionaries as there were only two missionaries assigned in Bolinao
and environs during the 18th century). The Zambals and Ilocanos ran
towards the direction of present-day Bani while clinging to the image
of the Immaculate Concepcion. The Pangasinenses with the priests temporarily
settled between Inerangan (Inerangan came from the old Pangasinan word
“irangan” meaning resentment between siblings or kin, pointing
to the feelings of the
Figure
6. Casborran ruins.
inhabitants of Casborran
being torn by the political conflict) and San Jose. When the smoke of
internal war and conflict settled, the people gathered what was left
during the conflagration and tried to rebuild the pueblo but they deemed
it no longer appropriate to build from the place where the conflict
begun, so they looked for a new place to start anew. They found a hilly
portion near the bank of the Alaminos River (near the Embarcadero bridge
in Sadsaran) whose flowing water creates a lulling pleasant sound especially
after rains at the headwater areas (“tolú” in Pangasinan),
thus the new settlement was called Zarapsap, ‘salapsap’
in Pangasinan meaning the rushing sound of waters through the rocky
bed of the river. It was said that the Spaniards have difficulty pronouncing
the Pangasinan term that’s why it was corrupted to Zarapsap.
The Parish of San
Jose de Zarapsap was under the care of the Parish Priest of Balincaguing
until 1833 when it was assigned a resident parish priest, but secular
priests continue to take care of the spiritual welfare of the people;
these secular priest were considered as assistants of the priest Regulars.
The residing priest however most probably was a diocesan parish priest,
taking care of the day-to-day spiritual welfare of the people.
Figure 7. Portrait of the Geographic and Developmental
Evolution of the City of Alaminos.
1763 - The Teniente
Basal was Don Nicolas Purificacion.
1764 - The Teniente
Basal was Don Antonio de la Cruz.
1765-1768- There
were no records as to who governed as Teniente Basal.
1769 - Don Diego
Ballesteros (Dagupan émigré) was chosen as the Teniente
Basal.
1770 - Don Juan Malayo
was the Teniente Basal.
1771 - Don Jose Perio
served.
1772 - Don Francisco
Liciao served the pueblo.
1773 - Don Antonio
Caguioa was the Ten. Basal.
1774 - Don Diego
Ballesteros, the then Capitan Basal, was elevated into the office of
Gobernadorcillo.
1775 - Don Andres
de San Jose served as Capitan Basal.
1776 - Zarapsap.
(A hilly portion very near the bank of Alaminos River) The scattered
people of Casborran, San Jose, Bued and Pocalpocal grouped together
again, forgot the past resentments and build a new settlement and named
it Zarapsap. The people again elected Don Diego Ballesteros as the Capitan
Basal, the equivalent of mayor in the present day. The new settlement
started to build a solid and substantial church with cut coral and limestone
and wood but still with the parish priest of Balincaguing ministering
to the spiritual needs of the people. (The place is different from where
the present church now stands; the original Zarapsap was at the Dampay-Sadsaran
area).
Don Juan Santiago
served as the Capitan Basal.
1777 - Don Pablo
Baniqued served as the Capt. Basal.
1778 - Fr. Torribio
Raymundo, came (as claimed by Rev. Fr. Jose Vicente Braganza, SVD) as
resident parish priest for 37 years (most probably, he was a secular
priest, as during this time there was move for the secularization of
the parishes as implemented by the current archbishop of Manila, Msgr.
Basilio Sancho de Sta. Justa y Rufina ; Fr. Raymundo has no records
in the recollect archives). During his term, Zarapsap flourished economically
thus the need to expand the rice fields; this needed more Ilocano migrants
who were experts in crafting rice fields and the art of planting rice.
Don Antonio de la
Cruz was again elected as Capt. Basal.
1779 - Don Andres
de San Jose elected for another term.
1780 - Again, Don
Antonio de la Cruz served.
1781 - The Capt.
Basal was Don Vicente Narciso
1782 - Don Jose de
Ocampo.
1783 - Don Nicolas
Tolentino.
1784 - Don Pedro
Zacarias was chosen as Alcalde.
1785 - Don Nicolas
Tolentino served again.
1786 - Don Martin
Montemayor followed.
1787 - Don Pedro
Zacarias returned to served.
1788 - Don Mateo de la Cruz-Rabago served.
1789 - Don Juan Santiago-Bito
served.
1790 - Don Fernando
de la Cruz served.
1791 - Don Pedro
Constantino served.
1792 - Don Mateo
de los Santos served.
1793 - Don Domingo
Garcia served.
1794 - Don Felipe
Montemayor served as Capitan Basal.
1795 - Don Luis Fernandez
served.
1796 - Don Juan Cayabyab
served.
1797 - Don Torribio
Cayetano served.
1798 - Don Santiago
Arzadon served.
1799 - Don Pedro
de San Jose served.
1800 - Don Domingo
Montemayor served.
1801 - Don Domingo
de Mendoza served.
1802 - Don Vicente
Sison served.
1803 - Don Juan Cayabyab
returned to serve.
1804 - Don Evaristo
Garcia served.
1805 - Don Vicente
Santiago served.
1806 - Don Atanasio
Quimzon served.
1807 - Don Mateo
de los Santos returned to serve.
1808 - Don Gregorio
de San Jose served.
1809 - Don Juan de
los Santos served.
1810 - Don Juan Garcia
served.
1811 - Don Santiago
Sison served.
1812 - Don Jose de
la Cruz served.
1813 - Don Atanasio
Quimzon served the town again.
1814 - The whole
town was razed to the ground by a big fire including the church, convent,
Casa tribunal and majority of the houses.
Don Atanasio Quimson,
the Teniente Basal from 1813 to 1814 writes in Pangasinan, “Isulat
cod sicayo so masegsegang ya agawa ed baley tayo nen imbeneg ya bulan.
Apoolan so simbaan tan comvento tan samay tribunal ya impaalaguey nen
Don Diego, tan daqueraquel ya abung. Anga-nid natan agni anta no panoy
ingapoy apuy.”
Don Jose Santiago followed Don Atanasio in the same year.
1815 - Rev. Fr. Torribio
de Victoria (was he a recollect friar or still a secular clergy? No
records of his from the recollect archives) was a temporary parish priest
for three years.
Don Fulgencio de
la Cruz served as Capt. Basal.
1816 - Don Pascual
de San Andres served.
1817 - Don Jose Quijada
served.
1818 - Rev. Fr. Ramon
Aquino (a secular priest? Again no records from the recollects) served
as temporary parish Priest for one year.
Don Mariano Cayetano
was the Capitan Basal.
1819 - Rev Fr. Domingo
Mangilinan (another secular priest?) served the church of Zarapsap for
14 years.
1820 - Don Miguel
Castillo served.
1821 - Don Juan de
Ocampo served.
1822 - Don Ignacio
Andres served.
1823 - Don Juan Andres
served.
1824 - Don Francisco
Enerva served.
1825 - Don Vicente
de Ocampo served.
1826 - Don Baldomero
de San Jose served.
1827 - Don Luis de
Francia served.
1828 - Don Domingo
Ignacio served.
1829 - Don Pedro
Abella served.
1830 - Don Alonzo
Santa Maria served.
1831 - Again, Don
Luis de Francia served.
1832 - Don Mariano
Montemayor served.
1833 - Rev. Fr. Pedro
Salazar, a diocesan priest, (finally identified by Fr. Braganza as secular
priest) served as temporary parish priest for four years.
Don Isidro Montemayor
served as Capitan Basal.
1834 - During this
time another conflagration occurred, burning the whole town including
the church and convent.
Don Pablo Pascua
served as gobernadorcillo.
1835 - Don Celestino
de Castro served as gobernadorcillo.
1836 - Don Felipe
Montemayor Jr. served.
1837 - Don Juan Andres
served.
January 8, 1838-
Rev. Fr. Friar Manuel Bosquete del Angel Costudio, ORSA, served for
12 years. He started to build a big church and convent made of bricks
in 1839 which he taught the people to make. He supervised the construction
of a kiln and the manufacturing of bricks to supply the need of the
big church (the present one) being constructed and other edifices.
The people of Zarapsap
commission a maestro de obras in the person of Maestro Cenon, an engineer-architect
who earlier
Figure
8. The Present Cathedral Church of Saint Joseph built under the tutelage
of Fray Manuel Bosquete.
constructed the church
of Aguilar, to plan out and supervise the construction of the church.
Bricks were made from native kilns from Palaris (the present day Palamis)
and Sandoy. Among the principalias who contributributed for the construction
were Don Leonardo Pansoy, Don Sebastian Abalos, DonFelix de Castro,
Don Pablo de Francia, Don Domingo Montemayor, Don Juan Cayabyab and
others.
Don Cipriano de Castro served.
1839 - Fr. Busquete
and the people started to build the present church, the convent and
the Casa Tribunal.
Don Martin Quimson
served.
1840 - The corner
stone of the church were solemnly laid. Eventually the church walls
were Already standing and provisional wooden rafters with nipa shingles
were put on as temporary roofing.Fr. Busquete and the parishioners continued
to build and beautify their church.
Don Lorenzo de la
Cruz served.
1841 - Don Isidro
Montemayor served.
1842 - Don Justo
Del Rosario served.
1843 - Don Santiago
Abarra served.
1844 - Don Juan de
San Andres
1845 - Don Mariano
Garcia served.
1846 - Don Juan de
la Cruz served.
1847 - According
to Recollect Records, there is another conflagration that reduced to
ashes the church, the convent and many houses.
Don Fernando Santiago
served.
1848 - The people
again raised from the ashes and started to rebuild what was lost in
the conflagration. They did not transfer the site of the church but
built from the ruins. Again, most probably by Fr. Busquete started to
rebuild what he has started, and eventually continued by Fr. Jose Tornos
de San Francisco Javier, ORSA.
Don Felix de Castro
served.
Figure 8. Rev. Padre
Fray Jose Tornos de San Francisco Javier.
1849 - Continued
reconstruction of the church and convent.
Don Pablo de Francia served.
1850 - Fr. Bosquete
died without seeing his obra come to finish. Rev. Fr. Fray Jose Tornos
de San Francisco Javier, ORSA, was assigned as temporary parish priest.
A young and dashing castillian who, being a good mixer, eventually became
involved emotionally with one of the lass of the principalia of the
town. He continued the construction of the church and convent. His first
term was from 1850 to 1863 thereafter he went to Manila to recuperate
physically and spiritually.
The town of Zarapsap
followed the directives of the national government to lay out the town
in an orderly manner. This was implemented by the people, thus upon
the visit of the Governor of Zambales, he made this report in Spanish:
“The streets
of Zarapsap are well laid out broad and clean. Big, strongly built houses
frame the plaza in front and at the sides. The residents are exemplary
in paying their tributes. There is no or hardly any crime committed
in the town since I visited the place 10 years ago.”
Don Felipe Quimson
served as gobernadorcillo.
The population of
Zarapsap is 3,744.
1851 - Don Cristobal
Abalos served.
1852 - Don Felix
de Castro served.
1853 - Don Andres
Enerva Served.
1854 - Don Lino Domenden
served.
1855 - Don Miguel
de Castro served.
1856 - Don Pablo
de Francia served.
1857 - Don Eulogio
Rodriguez served.
1858 - Don Carlos
Montemayor served
1859 - Don Julian
Ramoran served.
1860 - Don Sabino
Dizon served.
1861-1863- Don Balbino
de Castro served.
1864-1865- Rev.
Padre lector Fray Mariano Cuartero del Pilar served as parish priest
of Zarapsap until the return of Fr. Tornos. From
Figure
9. Exsslmo. Obpo. Mariano Cuartero del Pilar.
Zarapsap, Fr. Cuartero was appointed as prior of Recollect Convent of
manila in 1867.
Then he was appointed as Vicar Provincial of the of the entire recollect
order in the Philippines and after finishing his stint as the Vicar
Provincial of their order, he went back to Zambales and became the parish
priest of Bolinao; during this time he was appointed as Bishop of Nueva
Segovia, Vigan, Ilocos Sur in January 16, 1874 and served there until
he died in August 2, 1887.
Don Domingo Montemayor
served. During this time the dreaded cholera disease struck Alaminos
which started during one fiesta celebration. During the epidemic, an
average of ten persons die every day and the prayer for the dead was
said in masse in a general funeral and burial for the dead was done
in a big pit as a common burial. To avoid further contamination those
who are dying were buried together with their relatives who died earlier.
The second big cross-beam
in the church was donated by Don Feliz de Castro in August 2, 1865.
His name and the date have been engraved in the beam and still extant
and readable up to the present day.
1866-1867- Don Sergio
de Castro served.
A famine struck Zarapsap
in 1866 when Don Sergio was the gobernadorcillo. He wrote a report in
Pangasinan thus:
“Ag inmoran
dian balot nanlapud Mayo, tan dagdaiset su pinmelag ya oran ed sayay
Junio tan Julio. Kinabuasan so penitencian libot tan Misa rogativa,
gagawaen nen Padre Mariano Cuartero. Natan (Noviembre) ta angapo o dagdaiset
so naani, angapoy kaney totoo. Dakel so mangakan labat lay labong tan
loko. Saray arum ya totoo imbuat da lad arum ya baley, angad Nueva Ecija
so nakar dan pananapay buelas.”
Fr. Tornos returned
for his second term and continued to beautify the church.
The first big cross-beam
of the church was donated by Don Juan Ramirez, on February 28, 1867.
His name and the date of the donation were engraved in the beam itself
and still extant and readable on the beam immediately near the facade
of the church.
1868-1869- Don Anastacio
Bito served.
1869-1870- Don Julian
de Francia served.
1871-1873- Don Fermin
Quimson, Don Felix de Castro, Don Esperidion Miranda, Don Santiago de
Castro, Don Leon Legaspi and Don Atanacio de Guzman served.
In 1872 Governor
General Alaminos visited Zarapsap and to honor him, the townspeople
gladly welcome him and changed the name of the town into “Alaminos”.
For the fourth time, the name of the town was changed, this being the
last. [Governor General Juan Alaminos y de Vivar became the Governor
General of the Philippines fromJanuary 24, 1873 to March 17, 1874].
The third big cross-beam
of the church is donated by Rev. Fr. Jose Tornos. His name and the date
of donation which is March 28, 1873, was engraved on the beam and still
extant and preserved up to this day.
1874-1875- Don Anastacio
Bito served as gobernadorcillo.
In 1874 Don Francisco
Enerva and his daughter Doña Alberta Enerva donated the biggest
bell in the church. It was dedicated to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.
Up to the present it is still being rung for special occasions and during
angelus.
1876-1877- Rev. Fr.
Friar Juan Ortiz de la Concepcion, ORSA, 29 years old, served as temporary
parish priest. Within this time, probably, Fr. Tornos is already indisposed.
Don Juan Rabago served as gobernadorcillo.
Figure 10. Rev.
Padre Fray Juan Ortiz de la Concepcion.
May 12, 1878 - Rev.
Fr. Friar Jose Tornos de San Francisco Javier died in Alaminos and was
buried inside the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel, constructed besides
the main altar of the Cathedral. Rev. Fr. Friar Victoriano Vereciano
de Santo Tomas, ORSA, the most loved of all friars was assigned to replace
Fr. Tornos. He finished the church and beautified it. He changed the
wooden rafters with seasoned and hardest timber of Agarú (Dysoxylum
gaudichaudianum)
Figure 11. Epitaph of Rev. Fr. Tornos inside the Our
Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel, St. Joseph Cathedral.
wood from the forests
of Saragoza; he changed the nipa roofing into galvanized iron; he bought
the embellishments of the altar and have it renovated using the hardest
and beautiful timber of Tindalo or Balayóng (Afzelia rhomboidea),
or Pindalo by the locals, from Alos and Mabini, employing the expert
artisans-santeros from Manila and Pampanga. He built a lovely choir
loft at the extreme end opposite the altar; beautified the flooring
with the hardest timber available and laid it with wood parquet; he
commissioned the painting of portraits of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and
other saints on the ceiling and the side walls; he also bought a gleaming
silver altar terrace to cover the main altar during special occasions
with a matching silver sanctuary lamp. After completing the church,
he started to finish the Casa Tribunal (municipal hall) begun by Don
Feliz de Castro. He was able to finish the Tribunal with the help of
the gobernadorcillos Don Anecito Bito, Don Romualdo Rodriguez and Don
Fernando Garcia.
.JPG)
Figure 12. Agarú Wood (Dysoxylum ssp.) from the
forests of Zaragosa, Bolinao.
Don Julian de Francia
again served as gobernadorcillo until 1879. During his incumbency, an
attack of locusts ravaged the crops of Alaminos; he asked for help from
the Governor of the province, writing in Spanish:
“Legiones
inumerables de langostas invadieron los campos de este pueblo de Zarapsap,
devorando todo lo que encontraron en su paso. El año pasado ha
sufrido ya de hambre los habitantes. Ahora se ve el spectro de hambre
mas amenazando, mas acersandose cada vez mas—a menos que recibamos
ayuda de su excelencia.”
Figure13. Tindalo Wood (Afzelia rhomboidea) from the
forests of Alos and Mabini.
[Innumerable legions
of locusts invaded the rice fields of this town of Zarapsap, devouring
every green that lay in their path. Last year the people have already
suffered much hunger due to shortage of rice owing to the long drought.
Now the spectre of hunger and famine is more menacing and ever approaching
us—unless we get help from your Excellency.]
The population of
Alaminos is 7,436.
1880-1881- Don Jose
Quimson served.
1882-1883- Don Alejandro
Enerva served. The dreaded Cholera disease appeared again.
1884-1885- Don Simon
de Castro served.
1886-1887- Don Anastacio
Bito served.
1888-1889- Don Gregorio
Montemayor, then Don Felipe Sison, again Don Gregorio, served
as gobernadorcillos.
The great ranches
of cattle, carabaos and horses in Alaminos, the Doña Edad de
Castro Enerva ranch of Amandiego, Don Doroteo de Francia ranch of Bisocol,
the Don Isabelo Soriano ranch of Alos, the Doña Atanasia Egan
ranch and the Don Ildefonso Quimson ranch in Bal-balayang were all wiped
out by rinderpest, numbering to 8,000 cattle and 5,000 carabaos. These
ranches were the primordial source of riches of the principalia of Alaminos
before the expansion of rice fields at the coming of the Ilocanos. Since
then the fabled ranches of Alaminos remained only in memory.
Again, cholera struck
the town but the people have already learned basic sanitary precautions.
1890-1891- Don Jose Quimson served.
1892-1893- Don Romualdo
Rodriguez served followed by Don Aniceto Bito.
May 17, 1893- Rev.
Fr. Friar Victoriano Vereciano died in Lingayen due to malaria. Rev.
Fr. Friar Andres Romero de la Concepcion, ORSA, took the place of Fr.
Vereciano. He improved and enlarged the catholic cemetery and renovated
its chapel.
Figure14. Rev. Padre
Fray Vereciano de Santo Tomas.
1894-1895- Don Fernando
Garcia served as Capitan Municipal.
1896 - Don Francisco
Reinoso served as interino.
April 13, 1896- a
fire broke out in the district of Palaris (now the present-day Palamis)
burning down
44 houses and rice granaries. The fire is said to have smouldered for
three whole days.
September 10, 1896-
The principalia of the town were arrested and rounded up including the
municipal officials at the instigation of Rev. Fr. Romero. They were
bound like animals and they took them to the capital town of Zambales
for questioning about the rumoured rebellion. This provoked the sympathizers
of the revolution to take action against the remaining Spaniards in
the town. The people were about to attack the cuartel when at the pleading
of Fr. Romero in tears, the enraged men were convinced that the arrested
principalia would be released as soon as possible.
Those arrested were:
Florentino Montemayor - incumbent Capitan Municipal
Vedasto Ungson - Juez de Paz
Gregorio Montemayor
- principal (prominent citizen)
Jose Quimson - -do-
Alejo Rivera - -do-
Aniceto Bito - -do-
Tito Montemayor - Cabeza de Barangay
Agustin Braganza - -do-
Pedro Reinoso - Directorcillo (secretary)
Pedro Montemayor - Cabeza de Barangay
When the arrested
principalia returned to Alaminos the incident had ignited the fire of
revolution that swept the country during that period.
1897 - Some of the
people of Alaminos secretly went to Manila to inquire about the revolution,
thus the Katipunan was eventually organized in Northern Zambales; the
very first in northern Luzon and its center is Alaminos.
Don Florentino Montemayor
and Don Alejo Rivera served as interinos up to 1898.
November 3, 1897-
The Katipunan of Alaminos was formed at the house of Don Doroteo de
Francia at Sadsaran (the grandfather of Tia Mameng de Francia). General
Roman Manalang called the meeting for all the sympathizers and recruited
those who will form the organization. Many from the barrio came but
only some of the principalia in the town proper since it was so difficult
to recruit in the town because there were secretas who spied on them.
Figure 15. Officials of the Katipunan of Alaminos posing
at the eastern side of the church, 1898.
Those who form the
officers of the Katipunan in Alaminos were:
Roman Manalang -
Presidente Generalissimo with the designated name “Bagong Silang”
Mauro Ortiz - Vice Presidente Generalissimo (“Sinukuan”)
Jose Montemayor Jimenez- (secretario) Katulong
Domingo Garcia - (cajero) Tagiyaman
Felipe Quintos - Coronel “Geniebra”
Marcelo Garcia - Coronel “Talisay”
Aurelio Garcia - Coronel
Gil Fontanilla - Comandante
Cirilo Cabangon - -do-
Pedro Natividad - -do-
Gregorio Onofre - Capitan
Graciano Rapinan - -do-
Candido Raroque - -do-
Julio Rabara - -do-
Narciso Peralta - -do-
Vicente de Vera - -do-
Felix Jimenez - -do-
Francisco Raroque - -do-
March 7, 1898 - the
revolution broke out of the town of Alaminos and the other thirteen
towns where the influence of Gen. Manalang has caused the formation
of their respective Katipunan organizations. These towns with their
leaders were:
Alaminos - Gen. Roman
Manalang, Gen. Mauro Ortiz, and Col. Geniebra
Agno - Pedro Madrid
Anda - Demetrio Cabada and Valentin Cacho
Alos - Juan Bangal and Benito Bangal
Balincaging - Jose Dizon, Santiago Ramos and Marcos Ysasi
Bani - Clemente Nebril
Potot (Burgos- Inocencio Rosete
Bolinao - Agaton Celino and Vicente Alegre
Dasol - Jose Ramos
Eguia - Nicasio Nieves
Lingayen - Pedro Rayos, Francisco Sino Cruz, Martin Domingo, Antonio
Fernandez and Jose Lopez
Labrador - Pedro Limos and Regino Manaois
Sual - Luis Fernandez
Salasa - Feleciano Verzosa and Sisenando Fernandez
Zaragosa - Isaac Nacion and Bonifacio Bauzon
Upon the liberation
of Alaminos from Spanish power, the Katipuneros executed Fr. Romero,
Agustina Sison who was pinpointed as the one who leaked out the news
about the revolution, and his brother Francisco Sison who came to her
rescue. This happened at Barrio Laragan, Alos, then a pueblo, now only
a barangay of Alaminos.
Later on the American
forces defeated the Spanish and Spain sold the Philippines to the Americans
thus starting the Filipino-American War and the subsequent American
Occupation.
1899-1901- Don Felix
de Castro served followed by Don Pedro Reinoso as Presidente local installed
by the Revolution and confirmed by the Americans.
1900 - Fr. Torribio
Macazo from Villasis became the first Filipino permanent parish priest
of Alaminos; he was one of the founders of the Instituto de San Jose
and its first director. He renovated the altar and put tiles in the
sanctuary. He donated the bell at the eastern side of the tower and
dedicated it to Patriarca San Jose.
1902-1903- Don Francisco
Reinoso was elected as Presidente Municipal.
1903-1906- Mr. Pedro
Reinoso was elected as Municipal President.
1906-1909- Mr. Tranquilino
Montemayor served as Municipal President.
1909-1912- Mr. Carlos
Garcia served as Mun. President.
1912-1915- Mr. Tranquilino
Montemayor again served the town.
1915-1916- Mr. Pablo
Bito served.
1916-1919- Mr. Tiburcio
Montemayor served.
The population of
Alaminos in 1918 is 14, 353.
1919-1922- Mr. Carlos
Garcia was elected as Mun. President.
1922-1925- Mr. Manuel
Rabago served as Mun. President.
1925-1928- Second
term of Mr. Manuel Rabago.
1926 - Rev. Fr. Agustin
Caballero was assigned in Alaminos as Parish Priest for one year.
1927 - Rev. Fr. Tomas
Chanco was assigned after Fr. Caballero. He erected the statue of Sacred
Heart in 1930 and fenced the front yard of the church with concrete
and steel matting. He cemented and tiled the church floor. He also plastered
the tower with cement. He changed the rotting roof of the church and
renovated and improved the convent. During the Japanese occupation,
he secretly helped the resistance in various ways. He donated three
bells. On the western side of the belfry is the bell dedicated to the
Holy Souls in Purgatory and was rung only during the animas at 8:00
P.M. in the evening, during funerals and during All Souls Day. The other
bell is dedicated to St. Therese of the Child Jesus which hung on the
northern side; this is rung during Sundays and holidays. The third one
hangs at the western side and is dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua.
All were casted in March 1929.
Fr. Chanco died
on July 7, 1952 at the age of 67.
1952 - Rev. Fr. Jaime
Israel built the Lourdes Grotto and the image of Our Lady of Lourdes
was sculpted by His Excellency Archbishop Mariano Madriaga of Lingayen-Dagupan.
1952 - Rev. Fr. Julian Santiago organized the Legion of Mary and the
Holy Name Society.
1955 - Rev. Fr. Montano
Domingo reconstructed the chapel of the Catholic Cemetery. He died a
Capuchin.
1958 - Rev. Fr. Ileoterio
Itliong established the first catholic school in Alaminos, the Royal
Carpenter Academy (RCA). He gave a portion of the old convento for the
school. He became a Domestic Prelate and the Vicar General of the Diocese
of Tarlac.
Figure 16. The early Royal Carpenter Academy (Originally
the convento of the church).
1961 - Rev. Fr. Ciriaco
Billote organized the Catholic Women’s League. He changed the
church pews and bought a new tabernacle. He enlarged the RCA to accommodate
more students. He also became a domestic prelate.
1963 - Rev. Fr. Bernardo
Imuan organized the St. Joseph Parish Council, improved the main altar
and the sanctuary. He also enlarged the school and added more pews.
1967
- Rev. Fr. Pedro Sison served for Seven years in Alaminos. During his
term the ceiling of the church was renovated and the whole church was
renovated in various ways. A beautiful garden was begun in front of
the church. He gave the administration of the RCA to the Daughters of
Charity. A new rectory was built for the parish priest at the eastern
side of the church. The chapel of our Lady of Mt. Carmel was opened
for the bones of the dead. During his term, he commissioned the painting
of large Stations of the Cross. He installed electric fans for ventilation.
He became bishop of Tarlac.
Figure
17. Church Renovated and Beautified by Fr. Sison.
1974 - Rev. Msgr.
Segundo Gotoc repaired the roof of the church by changing some deteriorated
rafters and trusses. He finished the construction of the new rectory
and improved all its facilities. He built a new Home Economics building
for RCA.
1980 - Rev. Msgr.
Antonio Aldana, following the footsteps of his predecessors, he worked
unselfishly for the elevation of the church into bishopric, the Diocese
of Alaminos. He expanded the religious instructions to all the barangays.
He provided the barangay chapels with regular monthly mass.
1985 - The Parish
of Alaminos was elevated to the status of Diocese and the first Bishop
was Most Rev. Jesus A. Cabrera, DD.
2007 - The second
Bishop in the Person of Most Rev. Marlo M. Peralta, DD, assumed as the
second bishop of Alaminos up to the present.
October 1, 2009-
The Diocese of Alaminos launched the six-month celebration of the Quadricentennial
anniversary of the Saint Joseph Cathedral Parish. It was attended by
religious and civil officials and the faithful of the city of Alaminos.
The Holy Mass was presided over by Bishop Marlo Peralta, with Msgr.
Rey Jose Ragudos, VG. Fr. Ed Inacay, Fr. Mariolito Ferrer, Fr. Euly
Cacho, Fr. Macky, Fr. Alfred, Fr. Dennis, Fr. Tony, etc.
After the mass, there
was the flying of 400 balloons, the unveiling and lighting if the Quadricentennial
Logo and a fireworks display courtesy of the City government of Alaminos.
January 10-12, 2010-
Three day celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Diocese of Alaminos.
The Papal Nuncio shall visit the Diocese and lead the celebration of
the Holy
Eucharist.
March 19, 2010- Solemn
and grand celebration of the 400th year of the introduction of Christianity
to the city of Alaminos by the pioneering Augustinian Recollects, starting
from the old Soyáng in the year 1610.
_______________________
References:
Santos, Edilberto
V., WESTERN PANGASINAN: EARLIEST BEGINNINGS 1572-1898 as told by Primary
Sources, Volume I, Diocese of Alaminos, Citizen’s Printing Press,
Mabalacat, Pampanga.
Quintos, Felipe.
SIPI AWARAY GELEY ED FILIPINAS (REVOLUCION FILIPINA) saray agawgawad
Pangasinan tan Zambales nen taon iran 1897 angad 1900. Bakal na Pilipino
tan Kastila, tan bakal na Pilipino tan Estados Unidos. Gumawid Press,
Lingayen, Pangasinan. 1926.
Montemayor, Felix
M., ANAK APO NA ALAMINOS ALL ACHEIVERS ALL. 1983.
Braganza, Jose Vicente.,
ALAMINOS BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 1778-1978. Alaminos City, Pangasinan.
1978.
Various Recollect
Publications in Spanish and English, Archivo Recoleto, Mira Nila Homes,
Tandang Sora, Quezon City.
Boxer Codex.
Pictures of Augustinian
Recollect Friars courtesy of Archivo Recoleto, Mira Nila Home, Tandang
Sora, Quezon City.
Old pictures from
the google images.
Old pictures from
Braganza Clan Reunion Coffee-table Book.
Old pictures courtesy
of Mrs. Carmen de Castro.
Researched and Filed by:
MELCHOR E. ORPILLA
Parish Research and Development Officer
