Compostela, Cebu

Compostela
—  Municipality  —
Seal
Nickname(s): Land of the Free
Map of Cebu showing the location of Compostela.
Compostela Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°27′N 124°0′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Visayas (Region VII)
Province	Cebu
District	5th district
Founded	December 26, 1878
Barangays	17
Government
• Mayor	Ritchie Reyes Wagas
Area
• Total	53.9 km2 (20.8 sq mi)
Population (2007)
• Total	39,167
• Density	726.7/km2 (1,882/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	6003
Dialing code	032
Income class	5th class; partially urban
Website	elgu.ncc.gov.ph

Compostela is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 39,167.

Compostela is part of the Cebu Metropolitan Area.

History

In the year 1844, a Spanish captain by the name of Manuel Aniceto del Rosario was commissioned by the higher Spanish authorities to establish local government units on the northern part of Cebu starting from what is now known as the town of Compostela as far north as what is presently called the town of Borbon. Compostela was among the early barrios of the Municipality of Danao established by Captain del Rosario. The newly establish barrio was named Compostela upon the suggestion of Father Jose Alonzo, a Roman Catholic friar who, by some historical account, reportedly came from the town of Compostela in Spain and brought along with him the image of the town’s patron saint, Senor Santiago de Apostol, Subsequently thereafter, Father Alonzo was designated as the first parish priest of the newly established barrio of Compostela. Adopting Senor Santiago de Apostol as the parish patron saint, Father Alonzo spearheaded the construction of the parish chapel out of light materials. As the population grew, the Spanish church authorities decided to elevate the chapel into a church so that in the year 1866 the Roman Catholic Church was constructed in the same site replacing the old chapel. Since then up to the present time, the same structure continues to be the major place of worship among the Catholic faithfuls in Compostela.

The early leaders who served as barrio capitanes of Compostela were as follows: Juan Gesulga, Intoy Terrado, Carlos Perales, Felix Kanen, Severino Calo, Arcadio Bantilan, Segundo Gesulga, Bonifacio Librero, Lorenzo Castro, Gregorio Kanen and Mario Castro.At the turn of the 20th Century, the Americans gained control over the Philippines when they defeated the Spaniards in the Battled of Manila Bay. As a consequence, the Treaty of Parish facilitated the reorganization and reclassification of all local government units in the country in accordance with their population and income. The actual reorganization which took place in 1903 resulted in the secession of Compostela to the Municipality of Liloan. In the year 1918, Compostela was finally considered to be converted into a municipality when a special committee headed by Hilario Kanen, thru Cebu Provincial Governor Manuel Roa, made representations to Hon. Sergio Osmena Sr., Speaker of the Philippine Assembly, to sponsor a bill creating the Municipality of Compostela. A year later, on the 17th day of January 1919, Compostela officially became a municipality.

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces entered and occupied the town of Compostela.

Battle of Guila-Guila
Part of World War II
Date March 05, 1943 Location Guila-Guila, Compostela, Cebu Result Filipino Victory
Belligerents
Philippine Commonwealth * Philippine Commonwealth Army * Various local guerrilla units	Empire of Japan * Imperial Japanese Army
Strength
80,000 Filipino troops 14,400 Cebuano Guerrillas	210,000 Japanese troops
Casualties and losses
Filipino troops 600 killed 1,832 wounded Cebuano guerrillas 244 killed 1,670 wounded	Japanese troops 2,610 killed 8,533 wounded 3,400 captured

During the Battle of Guila-Guila on March 5, 1943, guerillas and male civilians organized as the soldiers and officers of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and its subordinate units the several Infantry Regiments, Field Artillery Regiments and many others and supporting of the local troops and officers of the PCA 3rd, 8th, 82nd, 85th, 86th and 87th Infantry Division and the local Cebuano resistance groups fought the Japanese. This battle, commanded by Major Fabian M. Sanchez, resulted in numerous casualties to the Imperial Japanese Army led by General Sosaku Suzuki and conservative estimates were ten (10) truckloads of dead Japanese soldiers observed being carted away after the battle versus one (1) Filipino killed.^{[citation needed]}

Liberation of Compostela
Part of World War II
Date 1945 Location Compostela, Cebu Result Allied Victory
Belligerents
Philippine Commonwealth * Philippine Commonwealth Army * Philippine Constabulary * Various local guerrilla units United States * United States Army * United States Navy * United States Army Air Force	Empire of Japan * Imperial Japanese Army
Strength
245,000 Filipino troops 16,000 Cebuano Guerrillas 25,000 American troops	190,000 Japanese troops
Casualties and losses
Filipino troops 4,120 killed 16,500 wounded Cebuano guerrillas 700 killed 2,750 wounded American troops 879 killed 1,800 wounded	Japanese troops 30,000 killed 80,000 wounded 12,000 captured

During the Allied Liberation in 1945 after the Battle of Guila-Guila in 1943 from the successful Filipino soldiers and Cebuano guerrilla fighters. The U.S. Liberation forces was came back and liberated the towns in Compostela, Cebu and helping the stronghold Filipino soldiers of the 3rd, 8th, 82nd, 85th, 86th and 87th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the 8th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary included the Cebuano guerrilla fighters and defeats Japanese Imperial forces and ended in World War II.

Barangays

Compostela is administratively subdivided into 17 barangays:

Bagalnga Basak Buluang Cabadiangan Cambayog Canamucan Cogon Dapdap Estaca

Lupa Magay Mulao Panangban Poblacion Tag-ubi Tamiao Tubigan

See also

• Metro Cebu

External links

• Official Website of Compostela, Cebu
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2007 Philippine Census Information