Historical Setting
For many years, little has been known of the City of Tagbilaran
that nestles on a sea, protected from the southwest monsoon
by the island of Panglao and from the cold stream of the north
wind by the Maribojoc mountain range. This once unheralded
town has been under the mantle of the Province of Bohol until
it became a Chartered City on July 1, 1966 by virtue of Republic
Act No. 4660, that she made a name of her own.
Origin of the Name
How the city got its name is still vague to many chroniclers.
Tagbilaran as a settlement is known to have dated back as
early as the 15th Century known as the "Bool Kingdom".
On account of her peculiar geographic location, it has been
bruited that the place was first named TINABILAN, which
means "screened", as she is shielded on the southwest by Panglao
Island. But tradition has it that the word "Tagbilaran" was
derived from the word TAGUBILAAN, a contraction from
two local dialects TAGU (to hide) and BILAAN
(a Muslim marauder tribe), which means a place hidden from
the pillaging Muslims. How it finally evolved into her present
name TAGBILARAN must have been the work of the Spanish
conquistadores.
Early Beginnings
Tagbilaran started as a small settlement of natives who swore
by the spirit of the Anito, a pagan god, in the vicinity
of lower Mansasa. They were simple in their ways and peaceful,
husky in build and generally tall. These are evidenced by
bones and other artifacts excavated by self-styled archeologists
along the shorelines, which they asserted to be the natives'
burial grounds. Early settlers have established trade relations
with China, Malaysia and Indonesia.
During the later years of the Spanish era, a more advanced
and civilized community was established at Sitio Ubos, the
lower coastal portion at the back of the present Cathedral
compound. All phases of activities - mercantile or otherwise
- were confined to this little settlement by the sea. Most
of their houses were made of local materials like bamboo,
molave and nipa, except for a few which were made of limestones
and bricks. As the population of the settlement grew, the
upper portion of the coastal area was developed from with
what is now the Cathedral compound spreading towards the east
and northeast directions.
Historical Events
One of the most important historical events etched in the
annals in the Philippine history and immortalized in canvass
by the famous Filipino painter Juan Luna as one of his masterpieces,
is the famous Blood Compact between Datu Sikatuna, a local
native chieftain, and Captain Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, the
intrepid Spanish explorer and colonizer. That historic event
took place on an unpretentious coast of Bool, now a district
of Tagbilaran, on March 16, 1565, a day after Miguel Lopez
de Legaspi and his crew of conquistadores on four
ships were drifted into the shores of Bool during the course
of their trip to the province of Butuan from Camiguin Island
because of strong southwest monsoon winds and low tide. On
that day, March 16, 1565, Captain General Miguel Lopez de
Legaspi, the conquistador from Zumaraga, Spain, with
Fray Andres de Urdaneta and some of his crew set foot on land
for an audience with the local chieftain Sikatuna. The two
bands of different nationalities, race and creed met at a
murky place, a few hundred meters away from the beach, and
after a few pleasantries, the Basque seafarer and the native
chieftain of Bool sealed off and strengthened their newborn
friendship in a historic Blood Compact.
In that Blood Compact, Sikatuna and Legaspi each made a cut
on the left arm and collected the dripping blood oozing therefrom
in a single vessel and mixed with wine. From that single vessel,
two others were filled giving one to Sikatuna and the other
to Legaspi. The two leaders drank the mixture of their blood.
The Blood Compact sealed the ties of friendship between two
people once different in religion, nationality, culture and
civilization. The Tagbilaran native chieftain who swore by
his ancestral Anito and Bathala, and the Spanish intrepid
explorer and colonizer who sought New World with the sword
and the cross, drank to the common cause - friendship. It
was the first international treaty of friendship and comity
between the Filipinos and Spaniards.
To perpetuate the memory and spirit of that first treaty of
friendship and comity, the late President Elpidio Quirino
established the "Order of Sikatuna", a presidential award
and decoration conferred upon visiting dignitaries. A historical
marker now stands on the very spot where Sikatuna and Legaspi
perpetrated that famous Blood Compact.
Another significant event that took place in Tagbilaran City
was the battle of Ubujan where a guerilla unit under the command
of Captain Francisco Salazar, nome-de-guerre of Vicente Cubello
who engaged a Japanese troop against overwhelming odds. It
was a display of Boholano bravery of raw and naked courage
against a well-equipped and well trained Japanese soldiers.
The battle, however, cost the life of Captain Salazar.
Establishment
of Tagbilaran as a Town
Tagbilaran was once part of the town of Baclayon.
In the year 1741, the Father Rector of the Jesuits in Bohol,
Father Cesar Felipe Doria, writing from his "Residencia" in
Loboc, Bohol, said that the population of Baclayon was already
one thousand six hundred (1,600) tributes or taxpayers. The
total population going to confession was more than eight thousand
(8,000) inhabitants. In his opinion, this number was now impossible
to administer by a single priest, especially in spiritual
matters. Fr. Doria petitioned his superiors for the division
of the town of Baclayon and create another town from it to
be named "San Jose de Tagbilaran".
In his petition to the Superior Administrator, Father Cesar
Felipe Doria gave the following reasons to support his request
for the creation of a new town.
First, it is observed that the town of Baclayon has come up
to more than one thousand six hundred (1,600) tributes and
more than eight thousand (8,000) souls to take confessions.
This excessive number is hardly possible to administer by
a single priest, not even with two priests during the feast
days and usually during celebrations of Holy Mass. The greater
part of the people are found outside the church because they
could not be accommodated within the building even though
this church is the most capacious in the whole Visayas.
Second, due to the extensive number of the people it could
not easily be ascertained as to who got absent, that is why
many people could chance not to hear mass on holy days without
having been noticed by church authorities.
Third, the town has a very extended area. To be precise, when
the natives leave to make their farms and other occupations
for their sustenance, it is not possible for the priest or
his officials to find out whether they do it for the dissidents
(por los montes). Indios having trouble in their sowing, favor
the said division.
Fourth, it is difficult to form the tax-census of the church,
much more impossible to execute it. It is difficult to follow
up the Indios who remain outside of the tax-census which results
to their lack of spiritual living. Because of their liberty
they lack the instructions of their soul, and as a result
all those who stay outside of said tax-census do not pay tribute,
which is notably prejudicial to Spain.
Fifth, the last reason is a matter of judgement. In a short
while, the said town will reach at a number of two thousand
(2,000) tributes, therefore becoming difficult to administer.
It is clear that the upper class (principales) and natives
of Baclayon are very desirous of the division.
It would be noted in the first and second reason given, that
the priest was only interested in spiritual matters, the tax-census,
and the tributes paid by the inhabitants. They wanted that
everyone be included in the tax-census so that they can be
accounted to attend church services.
The third reason cited is very revealing to the actual political
situation in the area. Father Doria said "….when the natives
leave to make their farms and other occupations, it is not
possible to find out and know whether they do it for the dissidents".
The year was 1741, and the Dagohoy Revolt started in 1744
or three years later. Therefore, it clearly indicated that
there were already "dissidents" or dissatisfied residents
even before the start of the Dagohoy Revolution.
During the Dagohoy Revolution in Bohol, the sectoral leader
in the Tagbilaran area was a man named Calixto Sotero who
was of noble birth. Sotero was very well respected that the
people paid their tribute or taxes to him rather than to the
priests.
Even after Tagbilaran was established as a town and during
the incumbencies of Gobernadorcillos (now called
Mayors) Don Martin Flores and Don Manuel de la Peña, these
two chose to pay tribute in the amount of one thousand pesos
(PhP1,000) to Calixto Sotero rather than to the Spaniards.
It is discernible that the fear of the Spaniards of the control
and influence of the dissidents impelled the Spaniards to
establish the town of Tagbilaran. The statement that "…Indios
having trouble in their sowing favor the said division" simply
means that those who sided with the Spaniards were harassed
by the dissidents and therefore desirous for the division
of the town of Baclayon in order that they will be afforded
more protection by the superior arms of the Spaniards.
According to Father Doria there were two good sites for the
new town. They were Manzaza (Mansasa) and Tagbilaran, "…a
place certainly very good and with a good port and where live
the greater part of the Indios of Baclayon and a place where
many Chinese junks and medium trading ships gather and stay
for a time."
This clearly show that in the 18th century Tagbilaran, Sitio
Ubos of Poblacion existed already as a trading port of the
Chinese. It may sound contrary to the previous statement of
the first Spanish missionaries that the area was shallow and
difficult to navigate by boat.
It must be borne in mind that Chinese junks were shallow draft
boats and almost flat-bottomed and therefore can navigate
in shallow waters. The Spanish ships of European design had
deeper draft and therefore will have difficulty in navigating
shallow waters.
To the Chinese, Tagbilaran area was an excellent harbor to
berth.
A very revealing statement of Father Doria is the statement,
"…where live the great part of the Indios of Baclayon…". Most
historical writers in Bohol are of the opinion that the present
area of Poblacion, Baclayon, had the most population. The
above statement of Father Doria is proof that the greater
part of the population was in Mansasa – Tagbilaran area. However,
this area was not in the firm grip of the Spaniards. No Spanish
official was assigned in the area and therefore the people
could not be tax-censused. In fact, the people had more respect
for Calixto Sotero in Ilihan (now Elley Hill), Ubujan, than
for the Spaniards.
The events that followed in the establishment of Tagbilaran
as a town were as follows:
Father Cesar Felipe Doria wrote a petition addressed to higher
authorities for the division of the town of Baclayon into
two towns. He cited five (5) reasons and requested for verification
and inspection. He proposed that the new town be established
either at Mansasa or Tagbilaran.
The Governor of the Province of Cebu, General Francisco Antonio
Calderon de la Barca who had jurisdiction over Bohol, replied
that he could not personally do the inspection. Instead he
sent a commission to verify the contents of the petition of
Father Doria. Captain Juan de Toledo y Grimaldos headed the
commission which made the inspection, public hearing and reconnaissance
of the proposed sites.
Captain Toledo made a report to General De la Barca regarding
the result of his mission. He manifested that the contents
of the petition of Father Doria were correct and merits approval.
That the division of Baclayon will result in benefits and
that no obstacles were presented by the native leaders.
Basing on the report of Captain Toledo, General de la Barca
sent a report to the Father Procurator General of the Jesuits.
A copy of the report was sent to Fr. Doria for his record,
as requested.
The Father Procurator General of the Jesuits, Fr. Pedro Tavarnier,
indorsed favorably the petition to the Advocate Fiscal for
a grant of license to divide the town Baclayon.
On January 30, 1742 the Advocate Fiscal approved the petition.
He signed and sealed it in the name of the Governor-General.
The Advocate Fiscal indorsed the papers he received from the
Procurator General to the Office of the Governor-General.
He recommended that the town officials to govern the population
shall be selected from the natives of the place and that the
native populace will erect the church and the parsonage. That
the Alcalde Mayor of Cebu shall support the smooth and full
execution of the order.
On February 8, 1742 the report of the Advocate Fiscal was
received at the Executive House and signed and sealed by the
Adviser Doctor Josef Correa Villareal in the name of the Governor
General.
On February 9, 1742 Adviser Josef Correa Villareal prepared
the decree. The additional provisions were: The families to
be made part of the Tagbilaran should do it at their own volition;
the boundaries should be marked; and the officials shall assign
a priest. The decree was signed by the Governor-General Gaspar
de la Torre and sealed.
On February 13, 1742 the decree was indorsed to the Father
Provincial of the Jesuits, Father Fulgencio Esperimbergo who
ordered that the contents of the decree be implemented.
On February 15, 1742 a copy of the decree and petition was
sent to the Royal Bookkeeper, Don Miguel Antonio de San Esteban
for safekeeping.
On May 6, 1742 General Don Francisco Antonio Calderon de la
Barca, Governor of the Visayas, informed Father Doria that
he received the decree for the erection of the new town. However,
pressing business matters impede the immediate implementation.
General de la Barca came to Bohol on July 4, 1742 at Baclayon,
Bohol, and he supervised the election of officials for the
new town.
On July 11, 1742 at Tagbilaran, the site of the new town,
in the presence of the parish priest of Baclayon, Reverend
Father Jose Bernardo Redoon, the elected officials were installed
by General de la Barca by letting the officials confirm their
obligations. On the same date, established boundary was confirmed
by all.
On July 12, 1742 at Tagbilaran, General de la Barca confirmed
the tax-census of six hundred (600) tributees to be divided
into six (6) "cabezeras" or family groupings.
The town was now deemed to start its function and duties as
a town of Tagbilaran. Father Reddon was incharge to supervise
the new town.
It is to the credit of the Spanish officials that they did
not want to establish or start a new town without first electing
the officials for the new town. On July 4, 1742 at Baclayon,
Bohol, General de la Barca conducted the election of the officials
for Tagbilaran by majority vote.
The following were the elected officials for the new town
of Tagilaran:
|
Mayor (Gobernadorcillo)
Lieutenant (Teniente)
Chief Constable (Aguacil Mayor)
Notary/Clerk (Escrivano)
Arbiter for Farms (Juez de sementeras)
Arbiter for Coco trees (Juez de Palmas) |
- Don Calixto Marcos
- Don Ignacio Malimpin
- Don Lorenzo Verano
- Don Andres Estanislao
- Don Mariano Tomas
- Don Josef Tanquiron |
These officials were installed on July 11, 1742 at Tagbilaran,
which was the site of the new town. It was General Francisco
Antonio Calderon de la Barca who personally supervised the
installation of these officials. It must be noted that General
de la Barca was accompanied by other Spanish officials who
acted as witnesses.
The new town had a tax census which showed that six hundred
(600) tributes will compose the new town of Tagbilaran. It
means that out of the 1,600 tributes or taxpayers of Baclayon,
600 tributes were the new composition of Tagbilaran to build
the church and parsonage.
The following was the designated boundary of the new town
of Tagbilaran, "Between Tagbilaran and Maribojoc the boundary
will be at Abacong (now Bacong, Cortes, Bohol) then towards
the northeast through the mountain range until Anislag, then
to Lagnason, then to Agong, then towards the coast of Baclayon
until Guiwanon."
This very general description of the boundaries which was
apparently erroneous would later on cause conflicts between
the surrounding towns as to the correct boundaries. The actual
location of the boundary at Guiwanon, Baclayon, was later
on resolved in 1832 by Captain Manuel Sanz, the conqueror
of Dagohoy’s men.
The conflict of boundaries between the town of Cortes and
Tagbilaran is still going on. The boundary at Anislag, Corella
has not been properly resolved because the location of Lagnason
is not accurate. The present location of Lagnason is not located
in the place indicated in the description of the boundary
described in 1742.
In 1738, Father Juan Francisco de San Antonio, O.S.F., wrote
about the religious estate in the Philippines. He said, "In
the island of Bohol, in the villages of Loboc, Baclayon, Dauis,
Maribojoc, San Miguel de Hagna, Talibon and Ynabanga…" This
indicate that in 1738 the town of Tagbilaran was not yet in
existence.
In 1751, Father Juan J. Delagado, S.J., wrote about the religious
condition of the islands. He said, "…in the island of Bohol,
the ministries of Inabanga and Talibon, where the residence
(residencia) of Bohol is located with the villages and ministries
of Loboc, Baclayon, Dauis, Maribijoc, Tagbilaran (a new village),
and another on the bar of the river of Loboc, also new named
Santisima Trinidad, and on the opposite coast of the island,
the village and ministry of Hagna."
This indicated that Tagbilaran was yet a new town in 1751.
The above quoted references would verify that Tagbilaran was
established between the years 1738 and 1751.
Post Spanish Regime
The first civil government of Bohol, which was independent
from Spanish rule, was formed in April 1899 when Vice-Governor
Salustiano Borja was the ex-officio Municipal President of
Tagbilaran. The Municipal President was then called "Kapitan"
or Gobernadorcillo until it was changed to "Presidente
Municipal" in 1913, then finally to "Mayor" immediately after
the Second World War.
Some notable local executives of Tagbilaran since 1899 are
as follows: [see complete list of City
executives - since 1742]
| Kapitan Salustiano
Borja |
|
| Kapitan Anecito
Clarin |
Father of Senator
Jose A. Clarin. |
| Kapitan Jacinto
Borja |
Grandfather
of Jacinto C. Borja, one time Ambassador and Governor
of Bohol. |
| Kapitan Mariano
Parras |
|
| Kapitan Claudio
Gallares |
Father of Presidente
Celestino Gallares, one-time Governor. |
| Kapitan Miguel
Parras |
|
| Presidente
Celestino G. Gallares |
One-time Congressman
of the 1st District of Bohol. |
| Presidente
Jacinto Remolador |
|
| Presidente
Gregorio Peñaflor |
Succeeded Presidente
Jacinto Remolador who died during his term. |
| Presidente
Timoteo Butalid |
Father of Mayor
Rolando G. Butalid. |
| Presidente
Andres Torralba |
. |
| Mayor Genaro
Visarra |
Elected Assemblyman
before his term as Mayor expired. |
| Mayor Honorio
P. Grupo |
Mayor during
the Japanese occupation. |
| Mayor Pedro
Belderol |
First elected
Mayor after the war. |
| Mayor Venancio
P. Inting |
Last Municipal
Mayor and carried over as first City Mayor. |
| Mayor Rolando
G. Butalid |
Became the Governor
of Bohol after his stint as a Mayor. |
| Mayor Jose
Ma. Rocha |
Designated during
Martial Law. |
| Mayor Jose
V. Torralba |
Designated OIC
Mayor, first elected Mayor after EDSA revolution. |
| Mayor Dan Neri
Lim |
Present City
Mayor, former OIC Mayor and former City Administrator |
It was during the term of Presidente Celestino Gallares
(1913-1916) when major changes happened in Tagbilaran. He
himself drafted the what is now known as the "Gallares Town
Plan", wherein the existing street patterns are being followed.
The telephone system and the municipal library were established.
He ignited the civic spirit of the people in the organizing
associations and clubs that worked for the progress of the
town. He donated portions of his lands for public use and
changed the "Talipapa" into a real Public Market by erecting
permanent buildings. The Bohol Provincial Hospital and the
Airport were constructed during his term. Due to his good
work he was elected congressman of the First Congressional
District of Bohol and it was at this time when he was one
of those sent with the Philippine Mission to the United States.
Gallares serve for several terms as governor of Bohol after
which he retired from politics.
Although the spirit and ideas of the Gallares plan gradually
waved after his term. Presidente Timoteo Butalid revived this
spirit when he declared that his term would be devoted to
a labor-intensive road construction work. "Iyo Tiyoy" as he
was fondly called, led in the handling of the pick and shovel
immediately after taking oath of office, when he became an
acting Governor of Bohol, he worked for the construction of
Tagbilaran-Songculan causeway, now officially known as Butalid
Causeway.
Post World War II
Regime
The administration of Mayor Pedro Belderol was marked by the
opening of new city roads, the initial installation of prefabricated
school buildings, the establishment of a fire department and
the purchase of the only two fire trucks of the city and the
construction of the Bo-ol and Cogon market buildings which
were not made use of the succeeding administration. The Belderol
administration was also marked by a combined national and
provincial political odds. His opposition to the then President
Carlos P. Garcia, caused his damaging defeat in his attempt
for the fourth term. Mayor Venancio P. Inting succeeded Belderol.
With Garcia in power, Inting could have all the opportunities
for the full development of Tagbilaran, although it was during
his term that Tagbilaran became a chartered city on July 1,
1966.
Mayor Rolando Butalid, after defeating Inting in the election
of 1971 was installed on December 31 of the same year. His
first elective term expired December 31, 1975. One of the
major acts of Mayor Rolando Butalid was the development and
activation of the Cogon market which was left idle by the
former administration by converting the adjacent area into
a bus terminal. Although the finances were crippled by the
catastrophic fire which gutted down the Tagbilaran Public
Market, Mayor Butalid was determined to face the challenges
of development. He transferred the business activities from
the burnt public market site to Cogon market and expanded
business in the area to its present condition, which practically
recovered in less than a month’s time the depleted income
of the City incurred by the fire. With his development-oriented
administration and guided by a framework plan prepared by
the City Planning and Development Board (CPDB), Mayor Butalid
had the assurance of Tagbilaran's progress. It was during
his incumbency that a new political upheaval took place -
the Proclamation of "Martial Law" all over the land by then
President Ferdinand Marcos where many things were happening.
But the most testing problem of his time was to change the
attitudes of the people, especially government officials,
from hoary bents of minds to the innovations introduced under
the New Society.
After the Second World War, Tagbilaran became the center of
learning in the Province of Bohol. Besides the public elementary
schools, the Provincial High School and the Bohol School of
Arts and Trades give secondary education aside from six (6)
other private institutions giving primary, secondary and tertiary
instructions namely the College of the Holy Spirit (CHS),
the Philippine Maritime Institute (PMI), the Immaculate Heart
of Mary Seminary (IHMS), the University of Bohol (UB), Divine
World College (DWC-T) and the Bohol Wisdom School. Specialized
course institutions include the Bohol Provincial Hospital
School of Nursing (BPHSN), the French Art School, the Bohol
Technical Institute (BTI), the CONNEL Typewriting School,
the Najarro Nursery School for children, and the Cathedral
Nursery School. The colleges offer engineering courses, education
courses with various majors, law, commerce course with various
majors as well as post graduate courses.
Creation of the
City of Tagbilaran
On July 1, 1966 by virtue of R.A. 4660, Tagbilaran became
a chartered City. The political transition of Tagbilaran from
a town/municipality of Bohol to its present status of a chartered
city brought about a significant level of development in view
of the increase in the share of the internal revenue allotment
from the national government to the city.
With the passage of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known
as the Local Government Code of 1991, radical changes was
wrought out in the whole gamut of the city government structure.
The present organizational hierarchy of the City Government
includes 16 department level offices, 7 non-departmental level
office and 7 non-organic offices.
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