Sabiniano Gacias and Elias Cuadro
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BIKOL TEXT |
ENGLISH TRANSLATION |
The Coadjutors of irosin: 1913-1956
119 The
Coadjutors who were here assigned,
from the
start, I will thus count;
Fathers
Daniel Rivera, Praxidio Peρoso,
and the
third was Mariano Flores.
120
Sinforso Ubalde, Lorenzo Cecilia,
Teofisto
Gonzales, Pedro Rentoria;
Eugenio
Castillo, and Diego Versoza,
Father Jose
Florin, Ancelmo Borola.
121 Tomas
Avenido, Geminiano Reρola,
Emeterio
Raquem and Roque Marabella;
Amado
Camaya also,
Lucas de la
Paz and Ancelmo Oliva.
122
Father Rogaspe, nineteenth,
he left at
once, debased;
because of
the Pastors tirades,
money was
aplenty, yet he was left hungry.
123
Because of too much belt-tightening,
food was in
shortage,though money flowed;
everything
was measured, no one should have more,
for love of
wealth, sate not the thirst.
124 Last
in number, before he left,
Father
Imperial, a kindhearted priest;
He
reasonably left for he was ashamed,
of the
vices of Father Calinog.
125
Reverend George Balane was the name,
Coadjutor,
who too was aide;
to Father
Ofrasio in the ministry,
in the
works of the Church.
126 The
Coadjutor, too, did not stay for long,
in the town
to fulfill his mission;
for it was
said, the Pastorwas too cruel,
in their
wishes, they never agreed.
127 Then
the next Coadjutor was Imperial,
Reverend
George was his name;
he grew up
in Irosin, indeed he was her son,
obedient,
kind, a holy priest he was.
128
Twenty-two in all were the Coadjutors,
it was in
Gods mercy that nothing wrong occurred;
in things
that could be related,
against
their ministries or something else.
129 Thus,
all priest now,
Pastors and
Coadjutors, everyone;
Thirty-five
in all is their total,
And
seventy-five years was the age of the town.
The First Spanish Inhabitants in
Irosin
130 Then
the others that I could tell,
the
Spaniards who resided here;
I will thus
recite them one by one,
they who
lived here from ages past.
131
Antonio Romero, first Spaniard,
Francisco
Mendizabal, he was the second;
Don Jose
Martin who was a judge,
Don
Custodio Dauden, he was the fourth.
132
Diviano Gonzales who hailed from Mindanao,
he was
assigned here as judge of the town;
a
knowledgeable Spaniard, Don Manuel Igual,
Narciso
Alegre, the first wealthy man.
133
Baldomero Fuentes, a trader,
who in the
end, became a man of Alegre;
and then
Jose Bernabe,
and a few
other dependents.
134 All
of them were overtaken,
by the
Revolution which was against them;
they fled
to other towns,
some
returned but the others died.
135 In
those times, two stayed behind,
M.Michelena
whose tracks of land were vast;
he had a
wife, a Filipina,
and their
children are now grown-ups.
136 The
second was German de Ortube,
he had been
here for a long time now;
his wife
was a Filipina,
they had
three children and one was a girl.
137 They
were strangers then,
now they
are all residents;
Filipino
residents, they would prove it,
through
their care for this town.
138 This
was about the Spaniards,
now
permanently residing here with us;
and what
will follow, that it wouldnt be forgotten,
everyone,
that we may miss no one.
The First Chinese Inhabitants of
irosin
139 The
first Chinese when it was yet a sitio,
and until
it became a town;
his name
was Ingcong, already in his advanced years,
with
baptism, he became Jose Casals.
140 He
had a wife, a Filipina,
from
Casiguran,who was indeed pretty;
her name
was Titay and she was precious,
and Hispaρo
was here surname.
141 This
was the first wealthy Chinese,
his house
was concrete during those days;
in the
outskirts part,now San Agustin,
still
inside the town.
142
Second Chinese was Bundia,
as he was
called in his group;
when he was
baptized, he became,
no other
than Mariano Buendia.
143 He
was registered as one who became rich,
and he
accumulated more properties;
he had
abaca plantations and ricefields,
and he had
animal farms.
144 He
had carabaos, cows and horses,
which grew
more in number that year;
he was thus
compelled to marry,
to change
his status in life.
145 Her
name was Maria Bayoca,
who hailed
from the town of Tabaco;
later on,
however, they separated,
because of
vanities.
146 Third
Chinese, his name was Que Pangco,
whose
grandfather was Panga as he was thus called;
a trader
when he came here,
whose only
belonging was an underwear.
147 Time
passed by, he became very rich,
and he
received the baptism;
hence, his
name was changed,
as a new
Christian, he became Juan de Guzman.
148 After
his baptism, he was now known in the town,
since he
was rich and he had the means;
he now
decided to marry,
that
beautiful lady Duday Galapia.
149 Time
passed, he was now known as a rich man,
famous even
in the province of Albay;
however, he
was childless,
though he
had a number of adopted children.
150
Fourth in line, the Chinese Antonio,
whose
surname was Navarro;
he came
here already a Christian,
he was,
however, a bachelor.
151 His
conduct was very kind,
and his
fame was considered a hindrance;
after some
time, he married,
a lady,a
true Filipina.
152 The
name of his wife was Duday Encinares,
and their
union was pure to a fault;
proof of
this, today he is known,
Christian
Education,he would profess.
153 From
his children, down to his grandchildren,
their
behavior is clean and proper;
their
riches, they never hide,
and their
capital grows.
154 The
fifth was Alfonso Boncan,
a
knowledgeable Chinese, in a word;
for he was
in the province of Albay,
a clerk for
public officials.
155 He
left several estates,
for his
heirs who were given provisions;
because he
was a pious man,
he received
the duties of Hermano.
The First Public Offices
(Capitan, Teniente Mayor, Juez and
Cabezas de Barangay)
156 At
this junction, let me pause awhile,
for there
are things that give joy;
which when
examined will give man refuge,
they are
things that occurred in ages past.
157
During those times, the rank of Capitan,
was feared
by the whole town;
even the
last ranking official,
such as the
Cuadrillero.
158
Inside the house of a subject,
there, it
would be filled with respect;
in a word,
if one to think of it,
it would be
akin to Spains Royal Family.
159 The Capitan
was first,he was the chief,
the Teniente
Mayor, he was the second;
each of
them had subjects,
he who errs
would be doubly sanctioned.
160 The Juezes,
they constitute a number,
Juez
Mayor was first and
he was the chief;
Juez de
Ganodo, Juez de Justicia,
Juez de
Policia, and Sementara.
161 Cabezas
de Barangay, they had their districts,
to them,
people would pay their taxes;
in
revenues, they were classified,
the sixth
class would be a man of power.
162 If
you would be able to give five pesos,
against
everything, you wouldnt be obliged;
with no
forced labor along the streets,
a situation
akin to a former Capitan.
163 - The Alguacil
Mayor with the Alguaciles,
were the
managers and were free from taxes;
in the
Tribunal, they were known,
as keepers
of all documents.
164 The
Tribunal was his residence,
the
criminals would be entrusted to him;
great power
he held,
the Pandog,
he would prepare for the obstinate.
165 The
one who would act as the muscle of the town,
Teniente
de Cuadrillero, he
had the will;
he had
twelve subjects,
all of them
were armed Cuadrilleros.
166 The
insignia of said Teniente,
a Guingon
uniform with a sabre;
with a cape
that was so nice,
people were
awed by this thing.
167 And
then, too, those under him,
Guingon, too, was their uniform;
with a sword
in a scabbard,
a simple
cape which was feared by all.
168 Sargento
and Cabo they were important,
they were
obeyed by those under them;
their wishes were all followed,
for they
were considered as military men.
169 And
then, too, those officials in the barrio,
they would
exchange responsibilities among themselves;
those from
the town would be taken care of,
flattering
would be the attention given them.
The Sunday Tradition
170 Great
indeed were the responsibilities of the town,
when Sunday
would come;
time to go
to Mass, they would gather everyone,
and they
would go to the house of the Capitan.
171 When
the bells would toll, calling for the Mass,
the band of
music would arrive;
while the
gathering was still in progress,
they would
serenade in front of the house.
172 While
the Capitan was changing clothes,
the band of
music as well as those authorities;
in front of
the house they would await,
the Capitan
and Teniente would exchange pleasantries.
173 At
the last peal of the bells,
the Subalternos
would automatically form a queue;
with their
wives called Principals,
they would
form another group, apart from the rest.
174 Then,
an introduction would be played,
which when
observed was so enhancing;
then, as a
tradition, they would enter the church,
the Mass
would not commence without this.
175 The
benches inside the church,
would be
neatly and orderly arranged;
the Capitan
would be in front,
the Subalternos
would then follow.
176 Those
Cuadrilleros would be well-disciplined,
they would
be led by their Teniente;
they would
don their Guingon uniform,
quasi-Civil
Guards were their situation.
177
During the consecration of the Sacred Host,
the
National Anthem would at once be played;
this is one
sign of respect,
for the
Christian religion, love of out hearts.
178 Then,
when the mass is finished,
the Principales,
to the convent they wopuld proceed;
for a
conference, and cooperation would be noted,
the Pairsh
Priest would spend much.
179 Wine
and cigarettes would then be offered,
and they
would merry to the full;
the
musicians would simply await,
they would
depart with music, towards the Tribunal.
180 The
munsicians, they werent paid,
for they
were given privileges instead;
free from taxes,
they dont give on the fifteenth,
with no
forced labor, all of the time.
181 For a
short while, they would exchange words,
those Principales
inside the Tribunal;
they would
be led by the Capitan,
who would
sit on a big chair.
182 Then
he would declare a dismissal,
to each
ones home, including the musicians;
every
Sunday and feasts,
they would
do all these.