The Guinayangan Republic

In the year 1932 Dungawan Central -one of the progressive sitios of Himbubulo, requested a separation from the mother barrio. This sitio is about eight kilometer from the poblacion. Rufo de Jusay was the first Barrio Lieutenant and followed by Angel Abellada and then Diego Cabral who became the Teniente Del Barrio of the new sitio of Dungawan Paalyunan. It was during the incumbency of the Municipal Mayor Antonio Marquez that the separation of Dungawan from Himbubulo took place.

It was so called Dungawan, meaning window because by standing on the hilltop, you have before you the clear panorama of the immense surrounding of the sitio and long Hiwasayan River winding below like a serpent. So the people became so accustomed of calling the place Dungawan.

In the course of time, as civilization progressed and population increased



Dungawan Paalyunan

Six kilometers southwest from the poblacion of Guinayangan lies a flourishing barangay of Dungawan Paalyunan. Its topographical surface is rolling with numerous creeks. It was once entirely covered with forest dotted with thickets. These thickets were the result of the rampant “kaingin” made by the Aetas for their root crops.

In the year 1915 there was an exodus of people to this place from Batangas looking for homesteads. The place was simply called Dungawan. It is a big area so the immigrants have occupied only a portion. The natives of Guinayangan did not mind the place because they preferred to cultivate the land along the coasts.

At the beginning of 1920, sturdy pioneers from Batangas settled the place. This was the big families of Diego Cabral and Maximo de Guzman. They settled the place which now called Dungawan Paalyuna. They were successful farmers and now stand as the leaders of the barrio.

The place being dense forests before was inhabited by Aetas.  They were the aborigines of the region. Wild pigs and deer abound in the place so the aboriginal inhabitants called the place “paalyunan”, meaning roving place for wild animals. The later inhabitants coined the new name Dungawan Paalyunan to distinguish it from the original barrio of Dungawan and at the same time maintain the old name of Paalyunan. During its early years, there are about thirty seven families inhabiting the place.

In 1945 immediately after liberation, the place decided to stand as a separate barrio. Through the initiative of the Cabral Family and with the aid of the then Mayor Timoteo Ramos, the first barrio lieutenant was appointed. This was made in recognition of his leadership in the place and his success as a pioneer. The auxiliary lieutenant was Francisco de Gala.

During the Japanese Occupation many people from the neighboring barrios and even from the poblacion took refuge in Dungawan Paalyunan because of the food supply. Its important products are bananas, root crops, lumber and other forest products. Today this barangay is so progressive that it contributes much to the economic stability of the whole municipality.



 Compiled by:
Mr. Eutiquio Lorbes

Excerpt from the manuscript: 
Collection And Compilation Of Historical Data And Cultural Life Of The
Municipality Of Guinayangan Including Its Barrios And Sitios, 
Province of Quezon, Philippines
Philippine (Republic) Bureau Of Public Schools
Division Of Quezon