Bontoc, Southern Leyte

Map of Southern Leyte showing the location of Bontoc

Bontoc is a 4th class municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 27,592 people in 5,363 households.

The name “Bontoc” is derived form an old creek called Bontoc creek near the present Roman Catholic Cemetery where old “pueblo” called Daan Lungsod existed during the early Spanish regime.

Before the coming of the Spaniards, Bontoc was then a total wilderness where few aborigines lived and wild animals roamed. When the Spaniards came, they found scattered warring tribes of primitive Malays who settled in prosperous villages near the mouth and along the fertile plains of the historic Salog river basin. They then successfully subjugated these warring tribes and immigrants and founded a cluster of villages which later on formed the nucleus of the Barrio of Bontoc.

As far as history could recall the most popular among the ancient warring chiefs, was Mariano Barcelon who was nicknamed as “Tahug”. He was acclaimed to be the bravest of the braves. His name was a terror to the Moro pirates that swarmed Philippine waters during the 16th century.

During the Spanish time up to the early part of the American regime, Bontoc was ruled by a succession of native “Cabezas de barangay”, a unit government organization during that time. Bontoc was at that time a tributary “pueblo” belonging to the old town of Libagon which governed the people for many years both in civil and religious matter by a line of “capitanes or gobernadocillos.

The cabezas de barangay who governed this little pueblo also earned for themselves the honor of being called “capitan” by their own people. The church wielded tremendous power at that time in the affairs of the government. Any person who offends the clergy or disobeys religious order is severely punished.

Among the well-known capitanes who controlled the reins of the local administration of this barrio were: Hilario Barcelon, Manuel Leyes, Romualdo Tubia, Florentino Flores, Felipe Aguilar and the last well-known cabeza or capitan was Gerardo Faelnar popularly known among the people as Capitan Dadoy whose administration lasted up to the early days of American occupation.

Shortly after the coming of the Americans, Bontoc became a unit barrio of Sogod, Leyte. On June 15, 1959, she became a regular municipality by the operative provisions of Republic Act No. 522.

SALIENT FACTS ABOUT BONTOC MUNICIPALITY

• It is the seat of the famous Resistance Movement during the Japanese Occupation whose General Headquarters was at Mamingao, upper Banahao under the command of Colonel Ruperto K. Kangleon.

• Sitio Trece of this municipality is the historical place where a truckload of Japanese soldiers on patrol was completely annihilated during the Japanese Occupation.

• The only municipality created in 1950, tentatively classified as 3rd class “F” in the province with an average annual budget of over P15,000.00.

• It has an estimated area of around 181.37 square kilometres and is the greatest farming region in the entire Sogod Bay towns.

• It has the longest stretch of rich alluvial plain drained by the Salog River in entire south Leyte sector.

• It is a tobacco and abaca-producing region in the Sogod Bay towns.

• It has an excellent harbour by reason of its geographical location

Barangays

Bontoc is politically subdivided into 40 barangays (districts).

Banahao Baugo Beniton Buenavista Bunga Casao Catmon Catoogan Cawayanan Dao Divisoria Esperanza Guinsangaan Hibagwan

Hilaan Himakilo Hitawos Lanao Lawgawan Mahayahay Malbago Mauylab Paku Pamahawan Pamigsian Pangi Poblacion

Sampongon San Vicente Santa Cruz Taa Talisay Taytagan Tuburan Union Olisihan Anahao Pong-on San Ramon Santo Niño

History

The Municipality of Bontoc has a total population 27,592 inhabitants in 5,303 households. The town houses the Southern Leyte State University – Bontoc Campus, which offers agricultural and industrial courses. Its inhabitants are closely related with its mother municipality, Sogod, because of its distance.

The town is named after a creek which is found at the center of Barangays Poblacion and Talisay. The former site of the town is in the area of what is known as “Lungsodaan” (Old Town) at Barangay Santo Niño where the present cemetery stands. But later, the townspeople transfer a kilometer northbound to its present site.

During the Japanese occupation, the town serves as the seat of resistance movement against the Japanese with its general headquarters in sitio Mamingaw, Barangay Banahaw and under the command of Colonel Ruperto K. Kangleon. Also, a small monument stands in front of Bontoc motor pool at sitio Trece, Barangay Santo Niño commemorating the annihilation of truckload of Japanese soldiers that patrol in the surrounding area.

On June 15, 1950, Congress passed Republic Act No. 522 creating the municipality of Bontoc, formerly a barrio of the municipality of Sogod in the province of Leyte, which shall be composed of the barrios of Bontoc, Divisoria, Union, Paku, Beniton, Catmon, Hilaan, Taa, Sta. Cruz, Mahayahay and their corresponding sitios. On July 29, 1950, the municipality of Bontoc was inaugurated together with the formation of its parochial status under the patronage of the Holy Child Jesus.

A boundary dispute however, later arose between the municipality of Bontoc and the municipality of Sogod with the latter claiming that the former exercised jurisdiction not only over the barrios above-mentioned but also over other ten barrios allegedly belonging to Sogod.

On June 17, 1952, the Provincial Board of Leyte issued Resolution No. 617 directing the holding of a plebiscite among the barrios of Pangi, Taa, Sta. Cruz, Tuburan, Lawgawan and their corresponding sitios. The purpose of the plebiscite is to determine whether the people in these barrios would like to remain with the municipality of Sogod or with Bontoc. The plebiscite was conducted on August 1, 1952, and the results thereof show that more votes were cast in favor of Sogod than those in favor of Bontoc.

On April 4, 1959, the Provincial Board of Leyte issued Resolution No. 519 recommending to the President of the Philippines and/or to the Congress of the Philippines that Republic Act 522 be amended so as to include in the said act creating the municipality of Bontoc, the following barrios claimed by Sogod which are in the heart of Bontoc but not included in said law, namely: Baugo, Himakilo, Esperanza, Hibagwan, Pamahawan, Mahayahay, Bunga, Dao and Mauylab. The Board also recommended that a law be enacted annexing to the municipality of Sogod the following barrios which are very near Sogod and are claimed by the latter but are included in the law creating Bontoc, namely: Lawgawan, Taa, Tuburan, Santa Cruz and Pangi he board further recommended that the boundary line between the two municipalities be placed at Granada Creek (between the barrios of Casao, which is formerly a sitio of Santa Cruz and Talisay).

On December 28, 1959, Carlos P. Garcia, then President of the Philippines, promulgated Executive Order No. 368, which approved the recommendation of the provincial board of Leyte, and reconstituted the barrios and sitios which shag compose the municipalities of Bontoc and Sogod. The executive order also specified Granada Creek as the boundary line separating Bontoc and Sogod.

However, on July 14, 1960, the President of the Philippines, thru then Executive Secretary Castillo sent a telegram to the Provincial Board of Southern Leyte which states as follows:

BY DIRECTION OF PRESIDENT PLEASE SUSPEND IMPLEMENTATION OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 368 SERIES 1959 RECONSTITUTION (sic) BARRIOS AND SITIOS TO COMPOSE MUNICIPALITIES OF SOGOD AND BONTOC AND READJUSTING TERRITORIES SAID MUNICIPALITIES UNTIL FURTHER ADVISE STOP TO DETERMINE TRUE WISHES OF INHABITANTS PLEASE SUPERVISE HOLDING OF PLEBISCITE IN BARRIO AND SITIOS AFFECTED ADVISING THIS OFFICE IMMEDIATELY OF RESULT.

SEC. CASTILLO (P. 20, Rollo)

On July 18, 1960, the Provincial Board of Southern Leyte passed Resolution No. 62 suspending the implementation of Executive Order 368. The Board also created a committee to conduct the holding of a plebiscite in the barrios and sitios affected by Executive Order 368 and to finally settle the boundary dispute.

On June 24, 1970, the municipality of Sogod filed Civil Case No. R-1706 for certiorari and prohibition with the Court of First Instance of Southern Leyte (now Regional Trial Court), to enjoin the provincial board and provincial governor from taking cognizance of the long pending boundary dispute between the two municipalities and to enjoin the municipality of Bontoc from exercising territorial jurisdiction over the barrios of Pangi, Taa, Casao, Sta. Cruz, Tuburan and Lawgawan all allegedly belonging to the municipality of Sogod.

On August 31, 1973, the trial court dismissed the action for lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter of the case. On December 17, 1973, the trial court denied petitioner’s motion for reconsideration.

Hence, this petition was filed alleging that the respondent judge acted with grave abuse of discretion in dismissing the case.

After the inauguration of the municipality, Bontoc progressed and was tentatively classified as 3rd class “F” in the province with an average annual budget of over P15,000. Also, the town boasts of its long stretch of rich alluvial plain, which is drained by the Salog and Divisoria Rivers. Because of its rich soil, the town is subjected to rice farming and considered as the greatest farming region in the entire Sogod Bay District. The town is also the producer of Abaca, Copra and Tobacco in the Bay District.

The town celebrates their fiesta in honor of the Holy Child Jesus. The Karatong Festival, held every 15 January, was done by colorful participants dancing in honor of the icon of the Señor Santo Niño (Holy Child Jesus). Some devotees to the Señor Santo Niño said that it can performed miracles that can heal sickness of those who touches the said icon.

External links

• Official Website of Bontoc, Southern Leyte
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information