Salakan is an adjacent barangay of Sta.Cruz. A big river that was once for transportation traversed its mainland. It was pioneered by the families of Mariano Andaluz, Venancio Salumbides, Apolinario Salumbides, Pablo Rebuelta and Anastacio Cerilla. This place had no name then, being part of Barrio Hinabaan. But in the year 1925, a Japanese lumberman started logging business from its lucrative forests along the river bank. A sawmill was built. Three big dams were built across the river which was then used for floating the logs. It was from these dams that the place got its name. Salak, a Tagalog word for a small dam.
The work of putting dams across the river for floating the logs stands for the word Salakan. This word which was used in the sawmill work was then used to call the entire barrio. Salakan was made an independent barrio or barangay because of the sudden increase of population. Workers moved to the barrio to work in the saw mill. Juliano Amparo, a prominent logger was chosen its first “Tiniente del Barrio”. Under his able leadership, the barrio prospered. After several years of service, he resigned and his eldest son, Pablo was chosen to take his place. He was fallowed later by Teodoro Cerilla and then by Guillermo Guerrero who now is the incumbent barrio head.
In the year 1926, the sawmill started its operation, It was owned by Mr.Yamamoto, and managed by Mr. Y. Ikeda. The capacity of the mill in its daily production was 30k board feet of lumber. In that same year the construction of the provincial road along the barrio was being started. The Municipal President, Faustino Araña got hard time convincing the landowners to give the right to pass. The people realizing the importance of the highway gave up part of their respective land for the road. It was built in 1934, but the formal opening of the said road was on May 1, 1939 with the Eastern Tayabas Bus Company granted the only franchised over it. The opening of the road was a great blessing to the whole barrio. For it enhanced a better means of transportation and communication.
The Japanese owned sawmill continued operation until the year 1934, after which a Filipino-Chinese Corporation bought it. For two years the lumbering business was very prosperous under the management of one, Jose Piñas. Later the enterprise was not profitable because the supply of logs cannot meet the needs of the mill. It was closed with heavy loss. Only the visible ruins of the big sawmill shed and destroyed dams remained to remind the people of the prosperity this barrio had once enjoyed.
During the dark days of the Second World War, may people left the barrio as they are too near the highway. Most of them evacuated to Barangay Sta.Cruz which is farther from the road. Others joined the underground movement. After three and a half years of suffering, the country was finally liberated. People went back to their homes to rehabilitate. With the help of the War Damage Commission the people slowly rebuilt their homes. Bridges were rebuilt too and the provincial road reconstructed and attained its prewar standard.
Although the supply of logs have been very scarce because the forests are too far from better transportation , a Chinese capitalist opened another sawmill. This time in Sitio Gaboc (adjacent sitio of Salakan) in the year 1949. This mill was owned by Ngo Yo And Company with a daily production of 6k board feet. It was not a successful venture, so in the year 1950, the Corona Sawmill of Co Cho Siok bought it. Again the mill never profited and so the owner closed it for good.
The lumbering industry didn't succeed because of the shortness of supply. The people then have to rely upon farming and copra making for livelihood.
Four kilometers north of Brgy.Poblacion is the sitio of Gaboc. Once a full pledge independent barrio or barangay before the war, this sitio lies now with the jurisdiction of nearby Brgy.Salacan.
The settlement was opened and cleared beginning the year 1890 by the early pioneer, Pedro Molines and his son Juan. The Aetas were employed in the clearing of this rich region.
They found its slopes and soil beneath the thick under growth so soft and fine, a real dust, so they kept saying “gabok” all the while they were cultivating it. They gave the name Gabok to the place, which literally means dust. The given name was never changed since then.
Ever since, the whole sitio was owned by the Molines family from generation to generation. Parts of which were sold to other people and prominent of the buyers were Brigido Gamo, Clodualdo Valencia, Jose Arellano, Elena Talavera and Canuto David. Some part of the land belongs to Ladislao Molines, the descendants of the old family.
During pre-war, when the whole area of Salacan was dependent with the mother barrio of Hinabaan, Gaboc was also lies on its jurisdiction. Barrio (Brgy.)Hinabaan administrated all of the political and social affairs of this large area of Guinayangan. Most of the people were tenants, living peacefully with the generous landowners. During the early days, the oldest man of the place was called “matanda sa nayon”. Often times he was considered the leader. He had the love and respect of the people. He was known as Balbao.
Life flowed smoothly in this small place. Since it occupies a narrow strip of land, with mountains creeping to the coasts, the population increased slowly. During the time of American regime, it became an independent barrio or barangay and was separated from Hinabaan. The first teniente del barrio was Edurdo Servando. The lands near it, as far as what is now Salakan was under its jurisdiction. However, its status did not stay long, for the year 1925, the barrio of Salakan was established. Reducing the status of Gabok and its importance, many of its people move to Salakan due to its sawmill. Gaboc back again to its former status of a sitio, now under the administration of more progressive Brgy.Salacan.
Compiled by:
Ms. Alodia Fernandez
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
