ESTABLISHMENT OF BACLAYON AS A TOWN
(Erico Joseph T. Canete)
Note: This is a synopsis of the research made by this writer regarding the establishment of Baclayon as a town. The author is grateful to the genius and efforts of our historians Prof. Marianito Luspo, MAVE, Dr. Jess Tirol, PhD, and Fr. Ted Torralba, Ph.L/ ST.L, who scrutinized and finally gave a go signal to use this as a basis of Ordinance Number 13-2005, declaring every November 17 as Baclayon Foundation Day.
HISTORIAN COMBES claimed that around 12th centrury, a group of people called Dapitanes from Northern and Western Mindanao established a settlement in the strait between the island of Bohol and Panglao.
In 1563, two years prior to Legazpi’s arrival, the Dapitanes or Dapitan kingdom was attacked by the Ternateans from the Moluccas. Documento in Editos de Ultramar de Filipinas contains a document that in that attack, a bleeding Sikatuna was rescued by Datu Sigala, a chieftain of Loboc.
With the departure of the Dapitanes from the island, another settlement was formed six kilometers from old Dapitan kingdom.
Since this new settlement was a good walking distance from the old city, it came to be called “Baklayon”. This new settlement was ruled by Sikatuna or Katunao (he whose glance can melt anything). Technically, it was on the year 1563 that “Baklayon” was founded as a small village.
Five years after the blood compact between Sikatuna and Legazpi took place on March 25, 1565 in Hinawanan, Loay, the Philippines was divided into “Encomienda” and Bohol was first assigned to Diego de Frias on 1571.
According to the historian writer Luengo, the encomienda in Bohol was an effect of a Royal Decree passed by the King of Spain issued on November 17, 1570.
Encomienda in layman’s term is understood as a piece of land granted to the Spanish military in which they can own, till and enjoy the produce of the land. Part of the duties of the encomiendero prior to collecting tributes from their constituents is to Christianize them.
After the death of Diego de Frias, the encomienda was passed on to Pedro Gamboa. Since the latter was still minor, his mother Catalina de Bolanos assumed responsibility. Knowing her responsibility to Christianize their constituents, she requested Fr. Ramon Pratt, Vice Provincial of the Jesuits in the Philippines, for missionaries to come to Bohol. Fr. Pedro Chirino, head of the Jesuits’ Central Residence in Cebu, assigned two missionaries Fr. Gabriel Sanchez and Fr. Joseph Torres to Bohol.
Historian De la Costa confirmed the arrival of the two Jesuit missionaries on November 17, 1596 in Baklayon. In the words of the said author, “They (Sanchez and Torres) established themselves first at Baklayon where they spent some time in gaining the confidence of the people”.
November 17, 1596 is the date the encomienda system became functional in Bohol which started first in Baklayon and, in principle, the date where this town was established.
The Sanguniang Bayan of Baclayon then concurred to the findings of this research work. And by virtue of Ordinance Number 13-2005 which was finally approved on July 25, 2005, declared every November 17, as Baclayon Foundation Day.
Happy 428th foundation day celebration, Baclayon!
Padayon Baclayon!