The Guinayangan Republic

Danlagan Central is popularly known simply as Danlagan, as it was before. The name Danlagan is derived from the word “DALAG”, the Tagalog for mudfish and the suffix “an”which denotes having more the others, hence Danlagan means more mudfish than other places.

During the early years, Danlagan Central is a subdivision of the entire original Danlagan. Before, this barrio was not subdivided into sitios, however the town administration was prevailed upon the inhabitants to create sitios. For the purpose of affording each sitio an opportunity to manage its affairs in the honest belief that the welfare of the inhabitants can be better served. The sitios thus created are Danlagan Central, Danlagan Reserva, and Danlagan Cabayao. Each sitio has its head with  an auxillaru barrio lieutenant of the “Teniente del Barrio” of the entire place. The Teniente del Barrio is also the acting Ex-oficio “Teniente Auxiliar” for the Danlagan Central.

Danlagan Central

The barrio of Danlagan was established by the Cerilla family in the year 1873. The original settlers therefore in this place are the Cerillas and the Molines.

The following names are the people who became the head leader or Teniente del Barrio. They are Vicente Molines, Remegio Cerilla, Teofilo Erandio, Fernando Cerilla, Domingo Cerilla, Juan Victor, Tomas Cerilla, Filomeno Escobido, Felagio Cangas, Andres Sevillena, Cosme Surbona, Pedro Amolar, Juan Geneblazo, Guillermo Guerrero, Isidro Escobido, Juan Geneblazo and Guillermo Guerrero.

Fate has not favored this place to become a scene of some historical importance nationally. However, it is not literally blank with any event, fact or incident that bears lasting impression, in the lives of the locals who have the luck of all of this.

There was a time during the Spanish Regime when the Moro bandits roaming far and wide in the Archipelago. In pursuit of their evil mission of plundering and looting property, murdering people, raping innocent women, spreading terror, creating constant fear of uneasiness among the people.  In one of the raids staged by these Moros in the neighboring barrio of Apad,  Danlagan became a sanctuary for those who took flight to save their necks form the blood thirsty blade of the “kampilan”.The male members of the inhabitants sensing the danger and impelled to action by the instinct of self-preservation. In the face of common peril united together, gathered whatever weapon they can avail of and formed a sort of “militia”. The purpose was the defense and protection of the place and its inhabitants. The work was not at all in vain. The Moros came and the barrio had become a scene of sanguinary conflict between the plunderers and the defending local folks. The Moros were forced to retreat by the river and boarded the bancas and to gain speed they threw the looted big church bell into the river of Tikay. The bell was looted from Apad.

On the whole during the American regime up to the Japanese occupation, this barrio was a peaceful place. Save from a few isolated incidents of murder anchored by both the Japanese Imperial Army and the Guerillas.

Immediately after the liberation and upon the return of normalcy, the inhabitants resumed their agricultural activities and in no time they regained their lost economic stability.

In 1951, in one of the meeting held by the visiting town officials of Guinayangan, headed by the Mayor Natividad B.Matta, the barrio folks especially the parents, through their spokesman. They called the attention of these visiting officials to the need of establishing a school.

The Municipal Council took interest in the request and in due time, in the cooperation with the parents themselves who took pain in constructing a schoolhouse.

For the convenience of travel, Mr. Isidro Escobido wrote a petition to the management of Manila Rail Road Co., requesting that all regular trips make a stop at this place. Thus the people can be sure to get a ride at any scheduled trip except the express train.

In the revolution of 1896-1900, there was not much destruction of lives, properties and institutions because the place was still a wilderness and not so populated. However during the World War II, there were destructions, greatly by the Japanese Imperial Forces. Some are with the fake Guerillas which are not attached to the known Guerilla organizations such as the Matta’s Unit or the Vera’s Party.

The destructions were greatly relieved by the arrival of the American Forces. Through the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit.  Medicines, foods, and clothing were distributed and the civil government was organized, transportations and communications were restored. This gigantic works were finally supplemented by the War Damage Commission.

Danlagan Reserva

The present name of this barangay is Danlagan Reserva. The word Danlagan was taken from the name of the original barrio of Danlagan where it originated and was so called Reserva. Thus a portion of the land is reserved by the government. The word Reserva is a Spanish word for reserve. This is now an independent Barangay with the corresponding Barangay Officials.
Before it became a full pledged Barangay, it was known only as a sitio of Danlagan Central.  It was in the year 1929 when four families came to reside in the place as a employess of the Manila Rail Road Company. They were in charge of the station and the Water Reservoir for the use of the train engine. The families were those of Pedro Manalo, Fidel Candag,Crispin Verdera, and Leocadio Austria. Other immigrants then settled in that place. Its independence as a barrio took place after World War II, during the term of Mayor Natividad B. Matta. Quirino Jovida was appointed the Barrio Lieutenant (Barangay Captain during that time).

Before the war, the place was so popular among travelers and employees of the Manila Rail Road Company because of the immense water reservoir constructed in that place. Trains have to stop her for the water. There was a plan also during the incumbency of President Quezon to make the place a national park due to its nice scenery and its towering first group trees. A complete elementary school building was constructed after the war because of the great number of school pupils. Its nearness also to the Provincial Nursery makes the place important during that time.

During the Spanish Regime, no historical events of national importance took place as the was then a wilderness.

It was during the latter part of the American Regime when a railroad line has been constructed from Manila to the Bicol provinces that the place came to be populated and known.

In the year 1923, when the main terminal of the railroad is in Aloneros, just a few kilometers away, Danlagan Reserva became so popular from the people living in Aloneros. The barrio have the abundant of supply of water of its reservoir. Aloneros resident have to go to Danlagan because they have no good river or spring for drinking and washing.

During the Japanese Occupation, The greatest mistake of the Japanese sponsored government was that the officials with the encouragement of the invading forces approved the deforestation of the Reserva or the reserved forests. The Japanese is in dire needs of lumbers for building war infrastructure and to the advancement of invading armies. It was also in 1944 when the Railroad Station at Danlagan was destroyed.

During the liberation, the place was reconstructed and rehabilitated, a priority of the government being along in the railroad line. The Philippine Civil Affairs Unit and the Philippine War Damage Commission have played much in restoration. Something that cannot rehabilitate immediately is the destruction of the Forest Reserved, which was considered pride of that place. Gone were the towering tress clogged with various vines, orchids and other unique vegetation, which makes the place much cooler and was earned the name “The Little Baguio of Guinayangan”.

Danlagan Cabayao

This place is called Danlagan Cabayao. The first word being the name of its mother barangay and the word Cabayao is from the name given by the Aetas to a river crossing the entire place, the Cabayao River.
The settlement was established in September 1949. The earliest settlers were the families of Honorio Sevillena and Feliciano Araña.

Prominent “Barrio Lieutenants” since its organization were Andres Sevillena, Juan Geneblazo, Marciano Maquida.

There was no historical events, sites, structures, building or ruins as the place were wilderness for a long time. And it was also a former sitio of Danlagan Central.

It was 1949 when this Barangay or Barrio was organized. Before the war, little was known of that place. The fact that it is an agricultural barrio with fertile soil conductive to farming, its agricultural products is extensively exported to Aloneros and nearby town of Calauag.


 

Danlagan Batis

The former barrio of Maligaya became so progressive that in 1907 it separated into two entities namely Batis Maligaya and Bukal Maligaya. The development of the said barrio was due to the leadership and pioneering spirit of the early family that lived there, The Abrencillos. In one of the sitios is a big spring situated In the center of the place which become the favorite rendezvous of the residents. From the spring the people get their drinking water for irrigation, drinking spot of animals, and the very place where people wash their clothes. It is therefore their important natural resource and an asset because it never dries up even during summer. It is therefore from this spring or Batis in Tagalog word where they got its name Batis Maligaya.

The early settlers were the families of Enriquez, Silvas and Ricamaras. These families have not done more than what the Abrencillos have done for the improvement of the said place. The Barrio Lieutenants who served since the establishment of this place were Adriano Enriquez, Venancio Silva. Vicente Ricamara. There was no historical record available of the original barrio until after it has been subdivided.

The last world war did not affect the lives of the people as there were no destructions made to property and lives. This was attributed to the fact that the said place is far from the highway and is not accessible by good road or trails which keep the place unnoticed by the invading Japanese Imperial Army.

This independent Barangay was formerly a part and within the jurisdiction of Danlagan. This place was popularly known as Danlagan Batis, It was so called “Batis” because of the endless flow of water coming from the spring surrounding the barrio. “Batis”, therefore is a Tagalog word for spring and is being added to the word Danlagan.

Danlagan Batis was formerly and partly a sitio of Maligaya while its other part is within Danlagan. In 1924 an association was organized composed of laborers. This association was known as Laborers Association headed by Melecio Fernandez. It was organized to help them one another. With the strong cooperation of the members, and the belief that they could manage their own affairs, they petitioned proper authorities to subdivide Maligaya into to two entities. Thus Batis Maligaya the part comprising mostly the original Maligaya and Danlagan Batis boredering and a part of Danlagan was then called Danlagan Batis.

This Barrio (Barangay) was established in 1925. The original families were the Enriquez and the Escobios. The following names are the people who became the head leader or Teniente del Barrio. Adriano Enriquez, Pedro Escobio, Venancio Silva, Clemente Rejener, Moises Villasin, Crispin Verdera, Vicente Ricamara and Florentino Manalo.

The fact that this sitio was formerly a part of Maligaya and Danlagan accounts for the absence of depopulated or extinct sitios.

During the Spanish Regime, the place being a thick forest became the sanctuary and refuge of bandits and highwaymen.

During the American Regime, the place improved well and the agriculture advanced.

During the war especially under the occupation of the Japanese Imperial Army, there were great destruction to property. Looting and stealing are so rampant, and confiscation made by the Japanese soldiers have existed in the absence of a strong government.

The place was partly rehabilitated by the PCAU and the Philippine War Damage Commission. A private Chinese capitalist from Lucena by the name of Lu Kang constructed a private road from Danlagan to San Antonio crossing Danlagan Batis and Batis Maligaya for logging ang lumbering purposes. This road greatly helped the people. It has made the transportation of goods and people easy.




Compiled by:
Miss Libertad P. Malia for Danlagan Reserva
Miss Desia Rowy for Danlagan Central
Miss Adela Argosino for Danlagan Batis
Mrs. Angelina M.Regala for Danlagan Cabayao

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