Balayong, Bauan, Batangas: Historical Data - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore Balayong, Bauan, Batangas: Historical Data - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore

Balayong, Bauan, Batangas: Historical Data

Full transcription of the so-called “Historical Data” for the barrio of Balayong, Bauan, Batangas, the original scanned documents at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections not having OCR or optical character recognition properties. This transcription has been edited for grammar, spelling and punctuation where possible. The original pagination is provided for citation purposes.

[p. 1]
Historical Data
HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF BALAYONG

1. The present official name of the barrio is Balayong.

2. The popular name of the barrio is Balayong. This name was derived from the name of a hard tree called Balayong.

3. The date of establishment cannot be ascertained. The date nobody in the barrio can give.

4. The original families were:
 1.  Victor Abanes  7.  Juan Austria
 2.  Ambrosio Robles  8.  Teodoro Arenas
 3.  Damaso Magpantay  9.  Antonio Sandoval
 4.  Santiago Abarentos 10. Andres Landicho
 5.  Segundo Reyes 11. Pantaleon Briones
 6.  Agapito Adia 12. Valeriano MaƱibo
13.  Mariano Villanueva

5. The following are the tenientes from the earliest time to this date:
 1.  Martin Austria 12.  Luciano Gelera
 2.  Antonio Sandoval 13.  Sotero Villanueva
 3.  Damaso Magpantay 14.  Antonio Arenas
 4.  Buenaventura Alvarez 15.  Nicasio Abarintos
 5.  Gregorio Abanes 16.  Simon Austria
 6.  Modesto Gelera 17.  Rafael Landicho
 7.  Gregorio Marasigan 18.  Cipriano Magpantay
 8.  Ambrosio Robles 19.  Eusebio Reyes
 9.  Arcacio Villanueva 20.  Sixto Arenas
10. Daniel Vergara 21.  Crispin Brual
11. Daniel Vergara 22.  Manuel Arenas
CABEZAS COUNCILORS
 1.  Alberto Magpantay  1.  Nicolas Austria
 2.  Esteban Sandoval  2.  Simon Austria
 3.  Roman Bautista  3.  Alipio Valdez
 4.  Raymundo Abrenica  4.  Miguel Briones
 5.  Jose Magpantay
6. The barrio has never been depopulated.

7. The historical site is the “sitio” called Mahabang Dahilig. It is the place where Filipino soldiers in the year 1900 fought the Americans. There was a fierce fight in this place. Many Filipino soldiers were killed, their bodies buried in the field just west of the road. The remnants were dug out and

[p. 2]

transferred to the Municipal Cemetery after liberation from Japanese occupation in 1945.

8. (a) No important facts to be mentioned about the place during the Spanish Occupation.

During the American occupation, the people were happy. They were not molested in their daily tasks. Their properties were safe.

(c) During and after World War II, the people in this barrio were unhappy. During the Japanese Occupation, the landowners and farmers were forced to plant cotton. Oftentimes, the farmers were forced to cut down their young rice plants and other crops to have the sites planted to cotton. The farmers who were either reluctant or slow to follow orders were punished.

9. (a) For lack of information, nothing could be mentioned about the destruction of lives, properties, and institutions during the war in 1896-1900. On Feb. 28, 1945, Japanese soldiers who were stationed at Manghinao bridge bayoneted to death the following persons:

1. Gregorio Magpantay (married)

The above victim was going to sell fuel in the Poblacion when the Japanese soldiers caught him.

Prepared by:
MR. HIPOLITO CICERON
Head Teacher

10. Traditions, customs and practices in domestic and social life; birth, baptism, courtship, marriage, death, burials etc. commonly observed in the locality.

B U R I A L S

The coffin must be exact with regards to the size and length of the dead person, or else if the allowance is made, there will be a member of the family to follow.

A dead person is clothed with his best clothes but shoes are not put on because there might be nightmares.

When a child dies, the candle used during the baptismal ceremony is placed inside the coffin and the other candle is

[p. 3]

lighted by the godfather before the child is buried.

Serving food to the visiting relatives is done before the burial ceremony commences.

The dead of the well-to-do hires a band of musicians to play during the burial ceremony. Poorer people, none at all.

M A R R I A G E

After the ceremony, the bride would step on the bridegroom’s foot to deprive him of some of his rights.

During the transfer of the bride to the groom’s house, a married woman who has no dead son or daughter is requested to bring the bride’s clothes so as to minimize the death rate of their sons and daughters in the future.

As soon as the bride and groom reach the house of the former, they both walk on their knees, kissing the hands of all the elder members of the family.

Candles used during the ceremony are twisted together to be kept by the couple so as to avoid separation.

The bridegroom will stay in the house of the bride for two or more days after the ceremony.

Rice with sugar is being showered on the couple before they enter the house. Rice is showered to prevent scarcity of food and sugar to keep their love sweet.

Showering commonly known as “sabog” is practiced in this community.

Soil from the stove is being showered to avoid quarelling.

B I R T H

After cutting the umbilical cord, the midwife will put the cut cord on the cheek of the baby. This is done so the baby will have a mole.

After the delivery, the placenta is buried with pencils, pin, paper, calendar and other things to make the baby become studious and busy as he grows.

During the first bath of the baby, coins are placed in the water container so as to make him rich.

The draperies are not allowed to be hung at night in the open air to avoid naughtiness on the part of the baby.

[p. 4]

The remaining umbilical cord is hung to prevent the rats from stealing it. If stolen by rats, it will make the baby [come] out from home all the time except when it is time for eating or for sleeping.

After birth, the baby must not be visited immediately or else he will be naughty.

Firecrackers or guns are fired to announce the birth of a new child.

B A P T I S M

During the baptismal ceremony, the baby’s cap is held tightly to avoid falling, for if it falls, the baby will encounter so many falls from the ladder or trees.

After the ceremony, the mother used to run the baby outside the chapel to make the baby run errands quickly.

The baby is given money so he may be rich in the future.

As soon as the baby reaches home, his clothes are taken off immediately. If this is done, the baby will form the habit of taking good care of his clothing.

The oldest son or daughter is the one to take the child to be baptized in the church, in case there are more than one in the family.

A feast is always celebrated after the baptismal ceremony.

D E A T H

Eating vegetables especially malunggay when there is a dead relative is bad for death would be successive in the family.

Watching the dead body at night prevents the “eke” or “aswang” from getting the liver of the dead person.

It is a practice not to sweep the surroundings whenever there is a dead person for it will drive away the soul of the deceased.

Taking a bath is not good when a relative is dead, because the soul of the dead will not reach heaven.

Persons with wounds are prohibited to go and visit the dead or else if they do so, their wounds won’t heal.

Going under the house directly down where the bed

[p. 5]

of the deceased is bad. Violation will cause the individual to suffer from pediculosis.

Do not let the tears drop on the face of the dead or else its spirit will always visit the house.

It is also the custom of the people to arrange the plates singly and not in piles or else there will be successive deaths, etc.

C O U R T S H I P

1. If a man wants to marry, he has to serve the parents of the girl by giving either material or labor.

a. He has to repair the house of the parents of the girl.
b. He fetches water every day.
c. He helps them in their work as in farming, gathering firewood, etc.
d. He pays the debts of the father of the girl (although this is rare).

These customs still prevail in the barrios of As-is and Balayong.

Submitted by:

MR. MARCELINO ROSALES

B E L I E F S

Superstitious beliefs concerning natural phenomena and sickness and interpretations of them which are not based from a scientific point of view have always been a part of the lives of the inhabitants of the barrios of As-is and Balayong. In the foregoing paragraphs are some of the most common beliefs in these two barrios.

NATURAL PHENOMENA

When there is an eclipse, people believe that the sun and the moon are fighting and whichever comes out victorious will give its bright light. In this case, the sun is always the victor and it is believed that in the course of the quarrel, the moon is swallowed by the sun.

Rainbows should be left alone by children. Any child will have a crooked forefinger if he happens to point at a rainbow.

[p. 6]

Many also believe that the thunder resembles a black, plump little pig which rolls on the ground during a thunderstorm. When you happen to be on the path where it is going to roll, it may cause your death.

People also believe that the world is held on the head of a very strong giant. If he happens to move any of his fingers, a slight earthquake is felt, but if he happens to move either his legs or his hands, a strong earthquake ensues.

SICKNESS

Services of quack or witch doctors will continue in this area because to some people who do not believe in the advances made in medical science, if the quack doctor fails to cure the patient, the family says, “It’s God’s will” and the quack doctor gets no blame for the death of the patient.

If a young child develops fever, the parents believe that the malady is caused by an evil spirit and the cure for such is known as “Tawas.” The quack doctor is asked to conduct the smoking ritual. She prepares bits of dried coconut palm leaves which had been blessed in the church during Palm Sunday, and with incense, she throws all into some live charcoal. When it begins to smoke, the child is lifted over it. This is supposed to cure the child of the evil spirit soon after.

It is also believed that the first rain of May when drunk is supposed to prevent intestinal disorders; when someone takes a bath with it, it becomes a prevention against prickly heat and other skin eruptions.

A person who has swallowed a fishbone which gets stuck in the throat has to undergo any one of the following:

(1) The most common local cure is to get a cat and rub its paws on the throat. This is supposed to push down the offending fishbone.

(2) Another cure is to bring the sufferer to a person who is known to have been born feet first known locally as “siwi.” The siwi, thus, fondles the throat of the sufferer to make the fishbone disappear.

PLANTS

Seeds of vegetables are wrapped in pieces of paper and inserted between the leaves where smoke can reach them. This is to prevent weevils.

A taboo against planting bananas exists in this barrio. The one planting must not look up or else the banana plant will grow as tall or taller than he before bearing fruit.

[p. 7]

Bottles and pots are suspended from trellises for ampalaya, upo, patola and other vegetables. This is done to make the vegetables grow as big as the bottles and the pots hanging from the trellises. Others say it is to have as many fruits as possible.

When planting citrus trees or tamarind, it is believed that by putting spoonfuls of sugar into the ground where the seedling is to be planted, it will make the fruits sweet.

Cadios or cowpeas are believed to be the playthings of the “tigbalang.” When the cowpeas are about to ripen, it was believed that “tigbalangs” go to the fields and play among the bushes. The best time is when the full moon is about to rise.

SOCIAL BELIEFS

(1) To show mourning, the female members of the family of the bereaved wear black dresses usually for one year.

(2) Before the grave of a dead mother is covered, the surviving children are passed over the open hole. One relative stands to one side of the grave while the other awaits on the other side. The babies and other children are then transferred one by one so the dead parent will not think of her children in the other world.

With the advent of science, less people now believe in these superstitions. But there are still a few who adhere to their own beliefs but although those beliefs may be totally wiped out, still they will be handed down from one generation to another by word of mouth because they form one of the most interesting heritage of posterity.

By:

(MISS) PAULINA ILAO

[p. 8]

12. Popular Songs

Old Songs (Kundiman)

Ang Kahoy


Mayabong na kahoy sa gubat at parang
Puspos ng bulaklak ang mga halaman;
Sagana sa simoy ng hanging amihan
Ang tinubuan ko’y bayan ng Bawang.
Ang Bawang na ito’y bagama’t sagana
Sa dikit na handog at mayamang lupa,
Lupang kababayang may budhing masama

Masaklap na Hinog

Alin mang halaman na itinanim,
Sa huerte ng nasa’y maligayang hardin;
Ang nasa ay dipa sukat panamnamin
Liban sa panahon marapat na kitlin.

Coro

At kung di pa hinog at buko sa tangkay,
Masaklap ang lasa sa tamis ay kulang
Di naman maasim ay masaklap naman.

Sa produkto mo po’y huwag pahinugin,
Mura pay huwag mong pagpilitang kitlin;
Kung ang pagpitas mo’y sa mura nanggaling
Pahinugin mo ma’y siempre maasim rin.

Panawagan

Nanang ko'y dungawan
Sulyapan ng mata
Akong tumataghoy
Anak sa pagsinta;
Sa aking pagdaying
Ay kung maawa ka
Maituturing ko rin
Langit ko na baga,

Juwag mong habagin
Ang aba kong puso
Lalong magsisilbi
Sa iyo'y susuyo;
Kahit man ang aking
Hininga'y mapugto
Pipilitin ko rin
Sinta mo'y umamo.
Lagas na Bulaklak
1. Ako’y ang bulaklak ng ama’t ina ko
Pinakamasetas sampung kapatid ko;
Kung pipitasin mo kaya ay pano?
Malalanta yata kung pagiisipan ko.

2. At baka maparis at doo’y matulad
Sa ibang pumitas ng mga bulaklak;
Na mapagsawa ang bango ay kumupas
Ay pinabaya-baya at kumalatkalat.

[p. 9]

Pagpapasakit

Di mo ba namamasdan, dini sa dibdib ang punyal
At sa dugo’y tumutulong ang puso kong sinugatan
Yaring bumubugsong hirap, awa mo’y muling isaksak
Dini sa dibdib ang sibat.

Ang paghihingalo ko’y huag mong alalahanin
Ang kamatayan ko’y sa iyo nanggaling;
Pakaaasa-asahan mong ikaw at ikaw rin
Magpakailanman ikaw rin ang giliw.

Gandang Mapamihag

Bakit ka nag-ayos ng mukha mong maningning?
Bakit napakilala ka sa aba kong palad?
Bakit may mata kang dapat isulyap?
Mundo’y sinungaling kungdi ka mabihag!

Ang bagay sa iyo’y sa bundok at parang…
Doon ka manahimik, doon ka manahan.
At kung mamalagi sa loob ng bayan
Marami kang dwenyang pusong susugatan.

Amusements:

1.  Bangihan ng mais
2.  Lupakan
3.  Sabalan

4.  Kurido at Original
5.  Pandangguhan
6.  Sungkahan
7. Damahan
8. Lipunan
9. Huego de Prenda

13. Puzzles and Riddles:

1. Water as clear as crystal
Held by the hands - - - - - - - - - - - ice
Tubig na sakdal linaw,
Hinahawakan ng kamay.

2. Water that is blessed
Only the child can take . . . . . . . breast milk
Tubig na pinagpala
Walang makakakuha kundi bata.

3. When standing he is short
When sitting he is tall - - - - - - dog
Mahaba kung nakaupo
Maiksi kung nakatayo.

4. When hot it is growing
When cool it is withering - - - - - acacia
Kung tag-init ay sumasanga,
[last line not scanned]

[p. 10]

5. Black as a hawk
White as a cloud - - - - - - - - - - letter
Maitim na parang uwak
Maputing parang busilak.

6. Not a fish
Neither the goose,
But could say quack
In land and water
Their noise could be heard.

13. Puzzles – Patukuyan

1. Wika ng lawin sa bato-bato, “mayroon bang isang daan kayo?”
Ang sagot ng bato-bato ay ganito “Isang gamin, at kalahati pa naming at ikaw pa mandin lawin ang pasandaan naming.”

Ilang bato-bato ang binat ng lawin?
Sagot – Animnapu’t anim na bato-bato.

2. Sa isang estasyon ng tren sumakay ang limang tao.
Sa sunod na estasyon ay tatlong tao ang sumakay.
Ng makaraan ang tatlong estasyon ay bumaba ang lima
at may sumakay na dalawa. Sa sunod uling estasyon
ay bumabang lahat. Ilang estasyon ang dinaanan?

Sagot – Pitong estasyon.

3. Ako’y namaril ng ibong nakadapo sa siit.
Ito’y sampung maya. Pinaputukan ang ibon.
Ang napatay ay tatlo. Ilan ang natira sa siit
na pinagdapuan?

Sagot – Walang natira.

4. Ang mahal na hari at soldado ay naglalayag sa dagat.
Sa lakas ng hangin ay napadpad sa tabi ang sasakyan.
Nakita ng hari ang isang malaki at magandang ibon.
Tinawag at tinanong ang mg soldado ng ganito, “Kung
sino sa inyo ang nakakapagdala ng ibon sa aking
harapan ng di sinasaktan ay magiging esposo ng mahal
na prisesa.
At paanong paraan at ito’y makakuha sa kahoy na
dinapuan?

Sagot – Sa pamamagitan ng salamin.

[p. 11]

5. Limampung tulisan pumasok sa tubohan ng
sila’y lumabas ay ang unang tulisan ay
ang dala ay isa, ang ikalawa ang dala ay
dalawa, ang ikatlo ay ang dala ay tatlo
hanggang sa ika limampung tulisan ang
dala ay limampu.

Tanong: Ilang tubo ang dala ng mga tulisan?

Sagot: 1,275

6. Ang prinsesa ay maraming nagala at nakakaibig;
Ang naisip ng prinsesa ay siyang magtaya upang
mawala ang hinanakit ng bawa’t isa. Ito’y mga
anak hari rin. Ang kasunduan ay ito ang makaka-
sagot sa aking taya ay siyang may kapalaran at siya
kung pakakasalan.
Saan man ibaling ang bilang ang lalabas ay siyam.

Sagot:
9
0
0
0
0
9 – 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 – 9
0
0
0
0
9

Prepared by:

(MISS) ANTONIA BATAC

Proverbs and Sayings

1. Walang matimtimang Birhen sa matiyagang manalangin.
There is no hard-hearted Virgin
To those who do pray ceaselessly.

2. Ang dila ay hindi patalim,
Ngunit kung sumugat ay malalim.
A tongue is not a blade, but it cuts deep.

3. Walang sumisira sa bakal,
Kundi ang sariling kalawang.
Iron is destroyed by its own rust.

4. Ang sapa kung malagaw-gaw, asahan mo at mababaw.
The shallow water makes much noise.

5. Daig ng agap ang liksi at sipag.
The early bird catches the worm.

[p. 12]

6. Hindi lalapit ang bato sa suso.
The stone never approaches the snail.

7. Ang mga ibong may iisang kulay,
Ay siyang magkakasama sa kawan.
Birds of the same feathers flock together.

8. Huag bibilangin ang sisiw hanggang hindi napipisa.
Do not count the chicks before they are hatched.

9. Gawaing lahat sa kahinahunan;
Kung sa dahas dadaanin,
Ay walang mararating.
Take things by the smooth handle.

Prepared by:

(MRS.) AMELIA ENCARNACION

THE STORY OF JUAN AND MARIA

Once, there were two children who lived with their parents and other brothers and sisters. They were known by the names of Juan and Maria. They were the ones who cooked their food. Every time they ate, these two were sent down and after their parents had eaten, they were called to eat the left crumbs only for their food for their parents did not want them to eat.

Not long after Maria and Juan went away from their home. They walked and walked without knowing where to go. As they walked, they found a squash seed on the way. They picked it up and continued to walk. They found at this time a basket and picked it up again. Again, a grain of rice and they picked it up again. Again, they walked and for the third time, they saw a grain of rice and they picked it up as usual. For a time, they stopped and put the squash seeds and the grains of rice inside the basket. Then, they started to walk again until they became tired and stopped at the forest near the brook.

After a short time, they cleared this part and cultivated the soil and planted the squash seed and the grain of rice. Every day, their plants grew faster and faster. One day, they visited the squash plant and found that there was a big squash on it. They got this and opened it but to their great surprise, they saw a ring glistening inside. At once, they wished things for their needs and the ring gave these things to them. They used the grain of rice they grew as their food. Once, they needed a house and wished for it so they asked the ring to give them one and there stood a beautiful glistening big house.

[p. 13]

They threshed the palay and the things left after threshing were thrown into the river. It was carried by the streams and it stopped near the house of their parents. They ordered that their sons should look where they came from. The sons obeyed their parents and they discovered that they came from the house that glistened. They at once went to this beautiful house and were welcomed by their brother and sister, Juan and Maria. They sat on the chair that glistened also and Maria prepared their meal and their viands were the best kinds of food. When the two were about to leave, Juan and Maria gave them much palay and asked the two to tell their mother to visit them.

So, their mother went there as requested but the earth opened and she fell.

By:

(MISS) FLORENCIA YLAGAN


Notes and references:
Transcribed from “History and Cultural Life of Balayong” 1953, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.
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