Philippine History: Ang Kasaysayan sang Victorias - Preface

Preface

After having lived away from this town that I also call my own, I came home to walk its streets, roam its busy corners, and rediscover its history. 

From the stories I was told, to the ones I asked and read about, and lately, to the detailed history written in 1953 by the Victorias public school teachers, and by one distinguished Victoriahanon, who made sure the generations that would come after his would be able to read it as he lived it, I thought of bringing their interesting stories all together and write them because, firstly, they have to be shared, and secondly, their stories have become ours, too.

I'm talking about my hometown, Victorias, in the southern Philippines, and thanks to the kind Victoriahanons who patiently answered my questions about their lives and their past, who walked with me as I explored the corners of this town to satisfy my curiosity, and who gave me mental images of what this town was like when photographs were not available about the past generations I wanted to know.

I am grateful to the Victorias public school teachers who, in 1953 and under the mayorship of Benito Montinola, Sr. (1950-1953, 1956-1959), recorded in written form the history, culture, traditions, even myths and legends of Victorias (hereinafter referred to as 'the 1953 compilation') in compliance with the 1951 executive order of then President Elpidio Quirino who instructed all cities and municipalities in the Philippines to do so in order to save what was left after the destruction of World War II. And thanks to Ms. Christine Mae Sarito, who painstakingly compiled the 90 pages of the works of these public school teachers into digital form, I was able to read and relive our past. 

These 100 teachers from various public schools in then municipality of Victorias, led by their district supervisor Mr. Hermogenes Hipolito, went around interviewing people, sat down together, and wrote these stories, legends, myths, and traditions of Victorias. Although I want to write all their names here as a tribute for their unforgettable deed for all of us, I am specially mentioning three, namely, Mrs. Juliana Delgado, Miss Manuela Delgado, and Miss Elsie Ledesma, whom I personally knew; they have long passed. These teachers should be given the honor and tribute for their contribution to the history and psyche of all Victoriahanons.🙏

But the biggest thanks we should all be giving to as Victoriahanons is to Señor Esteban Jalandoni for, not only writing down events and stories that were personal to him (hereinafter referred to as 'the Jalandoni memoirs') and that contributed to what we are today, but also for his service to our own that spanned his adult life. 

I also thank Mr. Modesto Sa-onoy, whose book "Negros Occidental History", a rich compilation of historical events that happened to the province, was a source of some details. I also thank the staff of the Negros Occidental Provincial Library and Mr. Roque Hofileña, Jr. of the Negros Occidental Historical Council.

After Sr. Esteban Jalandoni arrived in the old Victorias on July 31, 1901, originally from Iloilo and then Bacolod, he became an active member, lending his time, knowledge, and dedication to a new place he would call home until his last days. 

He was our town secretary in 1901 and eventually the treasurer, justice of peace, and our mayor from 1928 to 1930. He was a true Victoriahanon, a real 'public servant' during the time when that term carried integrity with it and deserved everyone's respect. Thanks to his family and descendants for preserving and sharing his memoirs with us, and to Mr. Dino Acuña who provided me photocopies of 21 selected pages of the Jalandoni memoirs, specifically, Pages 10 to 25 and 27 to 31. 

And thanks to the Victorias City Public Library for a copy of the supposedly compiled set of the said Memoirs.

Let me add that, with everything Señor Esteban Jalandoni had done for our town, he and Capitana Tutang (more story about her in Chapter IV below) are the only Victoriahanons who deserve to be up there on a monument at our public plaza and no one else.

I have laid in the following chapters the stories using the chronology of the 1953 compilation, highlighting the stories that interested me; their compiled stories ended in 1953. And now, I am retelling them along with my questions, ideas and arguments they caused me to infer because in written history, there are more stories hiding beneath those words than what they actually tell. And as I don't have the resources to dig deeper into our past, this is what I only came up with: Victorias's history in my style of storytelling.😄 And although I have made efforts to ensure that these stories are true based on the Jalandoni memoirs, the 1953 compilation, online information, and a few limited sources, I do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.😄

So, going back to our history, where do I start? Where else, but from the town plaza!😊 

Next: Chapter 1. El município de Victorias

Complete blog here: Ang Kasaysayan sang                                                    Victorias