Proem

Last Friday, November 17, 2006, the Municipality of Baclayon, Bohol celebrated its foundation day.

About two years ago this writer was invited by the Municipal Council of Baclayon to help them decide what day would be adopted as the foundation day of the municipality.

Two Aspects

During the Spanish era in the Philippines there were two aspects of the town. There was the religious aspect represented by the Parish and headed by the Parish priest and the civil aspect headed by the Gobernadorcillo (now Mayor). This was because during the Spanish era there was no separation between the Church and the State.

When the Americans came, they made it a matter of principle that there should be a separation of Church and State. Our present form of government followed the American principle. The civil aspect of the municipality is separate and distinct from the church.

Since the present Municipality of Baclayon is the continuation of the civil aspect of the Spanish era town, we must trace the establishment of the civil aspect of the town of Baclayon during the Spanish era. The Parish of Baclayon must trace its separate date of establishment.

Pre-Spanish era

Before the arrival of the Spaniards there was already a settlement in Baclayon, Bohol with a population estimated as 10,000 inhabitants. The Spaniards referred to it as a pueblo (town). It covers the area of the present day towns of Baclayon. Alburquerque, Tagbilaran, Corella, Sikatuna, and Balilihan. Bear in mind that it was not yet organized along the concept of a town according to Spanish or American procedures.

Arrival of the Spaniards

On 17 November 1596, two Jesuit Spanish priests named Father Gabriel Sanchez and Father Juan de Torres arrived in Baclayon, Bohol. Their Father Superior, Fr. Pedro Chirino sent them from Cebu at the request of the encomiendera Doña Catalina de Bolaños.

The encomiendera system established by Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi authorized the encomiendero to organized towns at designated or assigned places.

Some Christian couples met the Spanish priests. The priests were made to live at a house where the priests erected a cross at the yard. Later on, the local Christians erected a church-house.

The Organization

The two Spanish priests proselytized the people. They collected taxes, fed the catechumens every noon and appointed some alguacil (police or constable). There is no record about a gobernadorcillo or Mayor. In all likehood it was the priest themselves who acted as the gobernadorcillo because there were yet no male person literate in Spanish. Those who were literate in Spanish and helped the priest were females.

According to Spanish regulations, females were not qualified to become gobernadorcillos.

The Town of Baclayon

It is clear in the Spanish records that the two established a town along the Spanish concept. The priest did not have the authority to establish a parish or the religious aspect of the town. However, the encomiendera Doña Catalina de Bolaños delegated the priests to establish the civil aspect of the town. So we can see that the town of Baclayon was organized by the priests in the civil aspect only.

Bear in mind that nobody made a decree to create the town of Baclayon. It was just established or started by the Jesuit priests in their own volition.

So my recommended date for the foundation day of Baclayon was November 17, 2006 to coincide with the arrival of the Jesuit priests. This must be so because on the day of their arrival the priests immediately set into motion the organization of the town with the help of some Christian couples. From that day onward, the civil authority in the town existed continuously until the present.

The parish or religious aspect of the town of Baclayon was established very much later than the civil aspect of the town.

Since the present political administration of Baclayon is the continuation of the civil aspect of the Spanish town, it would be logical to reckon its foundation day to November 17, 1956.