THE OFFICIAL LOGO & SEAL OF BARANGAY CABAGDALAN

The official barangay logo & seal was created by Bernardo B. Montilla, the Teacher-In-Charge of Cabagdalan National High School, from April 3-7, 2011 under the request of Hon. Raul A. Guadalquiver, the barangay's first councilor who deemed it necessary as ordered by the DILG. The logo was presented by its creator at the special barangay session done on April 16, 2011 at the Cabagdalan Barangay Hall, Cabagdalan, Balamban, Cebu. It was unanimously approved by Hon. Miriam N. Balogbog, the barangay captain, and by all barangay officials & constituents present.

The said logo & seal has the following graphic symbols:

1. Red Ouroboros. A red or golden dragon is often associated in the local legend of the merchant fairy queen. It is said that this dragon guarded the golden ship, the golden cacao fruits, the golden gate, and all the gold of the enchanted island-city of the fairies. The said dragon is depicted in the logo as a Red Ouroboros and serves as the outermost layer. The Ouroboros or Uroborus is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. The Ouroboros often represents self-reflexivity or cyclicality, especially in the sense of something constantly re-creating itself, the eternal return, and other things perceived as cycles that begin anew as soon as they end. It can also represent the idea of primordial unity related to something existing in or persisting before any beginning with such force or qualities it cannot be extinguished.

The earliest known representation of the Ouroboros is contained in the Egyptian Book of the Netherworld.

In the Book of the Dead, which was still current in the Graeco-Roman period, the self-begetting sun god Atum is said to have ascended from chaos-waters with the appearance of a snake, the animal renewing itself every morning, and the deceased wishes to turn into the shape of the snake Sato ("son of the earth"), the embodiment of Atum.

In the Pyramid of Unas, dated between 2375 BC and 2345 BC, hieroglyphs on the west (i.e., sunset) wall gable of the Sarcophagus chamber can be read:

A serpent is entwined by a serpent, the male serpent is bitten by the female serpent, and the female serpent is bitten by the male serpent. Heaven is enchanted, earth is enchanted, and the male behind mankind is enchanted.

The Ouroboros has been said to have a meaning of infinity or wholeness.

The symbolic meaning of the Ouroboros is replete with concepts such as:

The eating of its own tail declares the statement “The end is the beginning.”  It reminds us of the eternal nature of energy which cannot be destroyed, only transformed.

The Ouroboros makes its appearance in several cultural myths.  Quickie symbolism of the Ouroboros in cultural myth:

Ø  Egyptian: Symbolic of the sun – it’s rising and setting signifying the cycle of the day

Ø  Gnostic: Oneness of all life, the constant process of re-recreation and the unity behind all duality

Ø  Roman: Eternity, time and associated with Janus the god of the new year

Ø  Greece: Death and rebirth as illustrated in the Orphic creation myth – another reference to the cosmic egg symbolism

Ø  African: Here it is known as the “rainbow serpent” or Aido Hwedo and is an emblem of sustaining life, protection and creation

The overwhelming message the Ouroboros provides is “all is one” – the concept of connection and the totality of all.  Other thoughts that come to mind with the Ouroboros include:

Ø Beginnings, endings, and all that’s in-betwixt

Ø Life, death and what we do with ourselves in between

Ø Reintegration, disintegration and the phases each of these processes undergoes

Here, aside from the symbolic connotations of the Ouroboros as the infinite universe, eternity, unity behind all duality, it is depicted as the outermost circle to emphasize that generally the way of life of the people of Cabagdalan is centered on commerce.

2. Water Droplet with a Triton. In classical mythology, Triton is the messenger of the big sea. He is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and Amphitrite, goddess of the sea, whose herald he is. He is usually represented as a merman, having the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish, "sea-hued", according to Ovid "his shoulders barnacled with sea-shells". Like his father, Poseidon, he carried a trident. However, Triton's special attribute was a twisted conch shell, on which he blew like a trumpet to calm or raise the waves. Its sound was so terrible, that when loudly blown, it put the giants to flight, who imagined it to be the roar of a dark wild beast. According to Hesiod's Theogony, Triton dwelt with his parents in a golden palace in the depths of the sea. Homer places his seat in the waters off Aegae (Aigai), which means literally in Greek as “a place of goats”. Considering that this belief might really originated in Cebu and Cabagdalan in particular, Aegae (Aigai) might be misconception of the Cebuano word “agay (agai)” which means “a drip of water”.

Triton was the father of Pallas and foster parent to the goddess Athena. Pallas was killed by Athena during a fight between the two goddesses. Triton is also sometimes cited as the father of Scylla by Lamia. Triton can sometimes be multiplied into a host of Tritones, daimones of the sea.

Over time, Triton's name and image to be associated with a class of mermiade-like creatures, the Tritons (Τρίτωνες), which could be male or female, and usually formed the escort of marine divinities. Tritons were a race of sea gods and goddesses born from Triton. Triton lived with his parents, Poseidon and Amphitrite, who was also known as Celaeno, in a golden palace on the bottom of the sea. According to Homer it was called Aegae (Aigai). Unlike their ancestor Poseidon who is always fully anthropomorphic in ancient art (this has only changed in modern popular culture), Tritons' lower half is that of a fish, while the top half is presented in a human figure. This is debated often because their appearance is described differently throughout history. Ordinary Tritons were described in detail by the traveler Pausanias (ix. 21):

"The Tritons have the following appearance. On their heads they grow hair like that of marsh frogs not only in color, but also in the impossibility of separating one hair from another. The rest of their body is rough with fine scales just as is the shark. Under their ears they have gills and a man's nose; but the mouth is broader and the teeth are those of a beast. Their eyes seem to me blue, and they have hands, fingers, and nails like the shells of the murex. Under the breast and belly is a tail like a dolphin's instead of feet."

    

They are often compared to other Merman/Mermaid like beings, such as Merrows, Selkies, and Sirens. They are also thought of as the aquatic versions of Satyrs. Another description of Tritons is that of the Centaur-Tritons, also known as Ichthyocentaurs who are depicted with two horse's feet in place of where their arms would be.

When Pausanias visited the city of Triteia in the second century CE, he was told that the name of the city was derived from an eponymous Triteia, a daughter of Triton, and that it claimed to have been founded by her son (with Ares), one among several mythic heroes named Melanippus ("Black Horse").

Tritons were the trumpeters of the sea, using trumpets made out of a great shell, mostly known as a conch. They would blow this shell throughout the sea to calm the waves, or stir them up, all at the command of Poseidon.

In the logo, the Triton is facing the East. It implies that the place is globally located in the Far East, and particularly located in the northeastern part of the Municipality of Balamban. Furthermore, it is depicted with a pompadour discus as its tail instead of a dolphin’s tail. A pompadour discus which could also live in saltwater is considered as the most beautiful freshwater fish. It is called alibangbang in Cebuano but most often than not it is called balamban in the past until the latter part of the American occupation in Cebu especially in the Municipality of Balamban. More probably, the said municipality really got its name from the said fish. Putting the said fish as tail of the Triton imposes that Cabagdalan is located in the said municipality. While the Triton who is holding a paddle & a Pacific trumpet conch suggests that the place is in the Pacific and the people aside from farming is also living in freshwater fishing. It also suggests that amidst the danger of sudden river floods, the people still maintains CALMNESS.

Moreover this Triton is put inside a water droplet. The water droplet as already mentioned above suggests that the barangay is surrounded by bodies of freshwater. The outer layer of the water droplet is pine green in color which implies that the outskirts of these bodies of freshwater are lustrous forests. The second layer is yellow green which implies that farming is the prominent occupation of the local people. The third layer is a shade of watery blue which implies that the place is surrounded by rivers as mentioned earlier. In totality the water droplet which is also a raindrop or dew in a poetic angle symbolizes SERENDIPITY.

 

3. Abstracts of a Water Spring. There are six (6) abstracts of a water spring in the logo. Together with the water droplet that also represents Tu’tu’ in particular & Camansilis in general, these represent the seven sitios of the barangay. The Abstracts of a Water Spring symbolizes not only the rich sources of water springs in the area but also of HOPe, ABUNDANCE, & life.  

4. Gold Numbers “1956”.  It indicates the fiscal year in which Cabagdalan was established as a barangay. It is in gold font for that year was part of the golden years of the Republic of the Philippines after World War II. It was during the regime of President Ramon Magsaysay when cultural & economic developments were soaring high. President Ramon Magsaysay is very important in the history of Balamban since he died of a plane crash at Mt. Manunggal (originally named Mt. Pinatubo), in Barangay Sunog (more popular as Magsaysay). Likewise, it was also the golden year of Cabagdalan for aside from becoming a barangay, economically it grew due to its coconut plantation. Coconut products & by-products were highly in demand globally at that time. 

5. Green Coconut Fruit with Protruding Leaves. It is the very core of the logo. It indicates that the basic economy of the barangay is prominently depending & hoping on the growing coconut industry. It is also a symbolism of  SPRING & HOPE.

6. The Zulfikar (Dhu'l-Fakar) Sword. According to the Islamic tradition, the sword called Zulfikar belonged to Ali, the first Caliph after the death of Muhammad. It is one of the oldest Islamic symbols which according to Shiites its existence goes back to Adam, who carried it out of Eden down to Earth. According to Southeast Asian history Ali married the great grandmother of Hara Amihan, the daughter of Sultan Adil of Sulu, who was also known as Leila Men-chi-nei (Laylah Manjanay) & Putri Gunung Ledang. Hara Amihan (who was christened as Queen Juana in Cebu) was the wife of Sultan Muhammad Bulkeiah. Sultan Muhammad Bulkeiah was popularly known in Brunei as Nakhoda Ragam (“Singing Captain), as Sharif Muhammad Kabungsuwan in Mindanao, but more popularly known with his Madjapahit imperial title Hari Habagat or Reyat Umabong (mispelled by Antonio Pigafetta in Italian as “Raia Humabon” believing that it was a title & a name). Reyat was an Arabic word for wind or monsoon which was later used as an Arabic title for the Muslim Madjapahit ruler. Umabong is equivalent to Habagat which is a name assigned for the southwesterly monsoon. Likewise Amihan is northeasterly monsoon. This is associated with the ancient Southeast Asian belief that the rulers of Southeast Asia as a whole both possessed the pearls of the two monsoon winds. Sultan Bulkeiah used the sword in fighting Ferdinand Magellan in Malacca. When Rajah Pula, the younger brother of Hara Amihan, assumed the title of a caliph or kali the sword was given to him as defender of Islam. Kali Pula (misconceived as Cilapulapu by Antonio Pigafetta) used it in fighting Ferdinand Magellan at Matan Island, between Java & Borneo (not in Mactan Island). After the burial of Ferdinand Magellan, Hara Amihan took back the sword as its safe-keeper. After the death of her husband at sea, Hara Amihan went back to Cebu (believed to be the original biblical Ophir, the island of gold visited by King Solomon of Israel). Based on oral tradition, Hara Amihan retreated to the mountains of Balamban. As Putri Gunung Ledang she was believed to be a guardian fairy of the paradise and as a guardian, she must return the sacred sword to its origin, at the Garden of Eden, so that no one could possess it and used it for evil.

But in the logo, it is used to symbolize not only the bravery & courage of the people of Cabagdalan and the heroism of the Cebuano in general. Rather it is used to signify the matters of thought and mind as it rule the unseen realm of the air. It represents challenges or difficulties as an opportunity. It represents a window into the realm of intangibles.

On the surface, it could represent: the mind, perception, observation, & self-image (ego). But on deeper meaning it could include: control, clarity, decisive, analytical, forthright, intelligence, assurance, confidence, and uncertainty. Yet on a more positive perspective, it could represent solidarity & unity or straight & narrow since it is a double-edged sword it can cut any negativity.

Moreover, the Zulfikar is not only a sword. It could also be used like a still scissor used in cutting a cloth straightly. Or it could be used as a scythe to cut grass or branch of a tree. It is a perfect combination with the coconut in a literal sense. But it is really chosen here for it is associated in the local legends about the fairy which symbolically represents the belief of the people & the importance of the place. Furthermore, it emphasizes the Arab Islamic contact with Balamban in the ancient times.

7. Yellow Lotus. It is generally associated with the existing living local fairytale. According to legend it is always worn by the fairy. But aside from the legend, it also serves as a measure of how clean & fresh are the waters of the rivers of Cabagdalan. In most Oriental religions, it also symbolizes beauty and prosperity. It is also connected to resurrection or reincarnation because of the way its seeds can lie dormant for centuries and then grow into a plant in the right conditions. The ancient Egyptians believed that the world arose from a lotus that grew from the belly of Nu.   In the East, the lotus symbolizes spiritual enlightenment, fertility, and sexuality.  But above all, it represents peace. This is the very reason why it is put between the Zulfikar Sword and the Coconut Fruit with Protruding Leaves.

8. Fiery Nautilus. This is locally known as “lagang”. Although it is really a marine animal and not really related to freshwaters of Cabagdalan, it is included in the logo basically because of its spiral form. First, it could represent the universe, the sun, the earth, the mountains, and the lands that human beings lived in. The nautilus is an ancient symbol of the spiral of human lives. As long as they have had stick and charcoal, they have been trying to reproduce the many, and ever growing, chambers of this illusive denizen of the deep. As the nautilus grows it continually builds new chambers to its shell and closes off the previous chambers. This represents that although a person takes who was with him through life, he can never go back. It is a symbol of continuous growth.

9. Golden Bull. A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species Bos taurus (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the female of the species, the cow, the bull has long been an important symbol in many cultures, and plays a significant role in both beef and dairy farming, and in a variety of other cultural activities. The bull is somewhat unique in the world of symbolism in that he is both a solar and a lunar creature. His male fertility, his fiery temperament, and his role as father of the herd make him the masculine sun-god in many cults. Just as the lion is the king and terror of the beasts of the forest, the bull is the king of the farm and the personification of brute strength and power. It is also a popular symbol of life and resurrection. Cattles especially bulls are common domesticated animals that anybody can see in Cabagdalan. But it is also another animal that is associated in the legend of the local fairy. Accordingly, when the golden ball is whipped, it causes storms & floods. There is also another legend that tells that the fairy when very angry because of man’s abuse to the natural environment, she transformed into a wild cow ready to backfire. But afterwards, she would walk over the wrecked area. And wherever she walked a new plant sprout, a new flower bloomed. The horn of the bull or a cow itself is a figurative depiction of crossing rivers. The golden bull itself could symbolize Nature itself.

10. A pair of ripe mangos, talisay branch with fruits & leaves, and camachile branch with fruits & leaves. Mango is the Philippine national & Cebu provincial fruit. It is often compared to the shape of a face of a beautiful woman. But most especially to her sweetness. Mango trees are also commonly seen in Cabagdalan. Talisay tree (Terminalia catappa L.) is also called the "Indian almond", "tropical almond" or "sea almond". It is a deciduous shady tree often grown in the Philippines for ornamental purposes. Talisay also is a name of one of the sitios of Cabagdalan. Camachile or sweet tamarind is a common thorny tropical American tree having terminal racemes of yellow flowers followed by sickle-shaped or circinate edible pods and yielding good timber and a yellow dye and mucilaginous gum. In Cebuano it is called “kamansilis”. Camansilis is also a name of one of the sitios of Cabagdalan. All of the trees mentioned are all associated with the giant Mangaw and the ogre Jorge. They were both guardians of the enchanted forests. Along with them were the two silver ravens, a dozen of golden doves & swans, and a band of elves.

11.  Golden ship. The ship is an emblem of joy, happiness and adventure. Coincidentally, the Greeks & Romans believed that the first inventor of ship was the goddess Athena (Minerva) who was also equated to Sophia (Wisdom) which was also another name assigned to the fairy. It usually points to some notable quest at sea, by which the first bearer became famous, but in more ancient bearings the emblem may have simply been derived from a long-standing seafaring tradition. Since the Pre-Hispanic until the Spanish eras, Butuan, Iloilo, & Cebu were already known as shipbuilding capital of the Philippines. Before Balamban is named as the shipbuilding capital of the Philippines and of Asia, the people of Cebu especially in Balamban already believed that it was a haven of white, black, red, & golden ships. Almost everybody believed that Mahanginhangin in Cabagdalan is a harbor for the ships of Maria Tang-an. While Tu’tu’ is her city of cacaos. So before the shipbuilding industries in Buanoy & Arpili appeared in the picture, the enchanted ships of Cabagdalan had already registered in the people’s minds. A golden ship with sails similar to the Malayan balanghais & Arabian ships during Pre-hispanic era, Spanish & British galleons during the Philippines-Mexico galleon trade, and to the American ships during American occupation is selected in the logo to represent the golden times of trade & commerce through sailing. It also represents the present ship industry in Balamban which has given employment to many including the skilled workers coming from Cabagdalan.

12. White Monkey, Treasure Box, Gold Bars, Kraken, & Cacao Fruits. All of these are associated in the local legends. A white monkey is said to be the queen of the apes & monkeys in Cabagdalan but actually a metamorphosis of the fairy at noon. An ape is called “amu” while a monkey is “onggoy” in Cebuano. There is also a place in Cabagdalan which is called Ongoy-ongoyan. It was called as such for there was a time when one monkey or more probably ape was casted away by its group. In order to survive, it stayed beside the most difficult rough & rocky road towards Cabagdalan begging for foods from passers-by. The treasure box is also associated with the Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita’s treasure box that was grabbed by the native kraken. In legends atop Tu’tu’ was a vast cacao plantation guarded by the apes & monkeys. Cacao fruits were considered by ancient Aztecs as fruits of life stolen by Quetzalcoatl from heaven.

13. A pair of Pegasus. A Pegasus is also mentioned in the local legends. But horses in general were very abundant in Balamban until the early part of the 1980’s. In fact at that time, a tartanilla or more popularly known within Balamban as prada or parada was the prominent land transportation within the town and its lower barangays. Horse-riding was also the only easiest means of transportation to the mountains, especially from Balamban to Liloan and vice-versa or from Balamban to Danao and vice-versa. Pegasus is one of the best known fantastical creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine horse, usually white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. Greco-Roman poets write about his ascent to heaven after his birth and his obeisance to Zeus, king of the gods, who instructed him to bring lightning and thunder from Olympus. The symbolism of Pegasus varies with time. Symbol of wisdom and especially of fame from the Middle Ages until the Renaissance, he became one symbol of the poetry and the creator of sources in which the poets come to draw inspiration, particularly in the 19th century. The poet Hesiod connects the name Pegasus with the word for "spring, well", pēgē: "the pegai of Okeanos, where he was born". According to legend, everywhere the winged horse struck his hoof to the earth, an inspiring spring burst forth. One of these springs was upon the Muses' Mount Helicon, the Hippocrene ("horse spring"), opened, Antoninus Liberalis suggested, at the behest of Poseidon to prevent the mountain swelling with rapture at the song of the Muses; another was at Troezen. Hesiod relates how Pegasus was peacefully drinking from a spring when the hero Bellerophon captured him. Hesiod also says Pegasus carried thunderbolts for Zeus. In local legends, Pegasus is called a “binto” which means “a winged horse that causes a spring to burst forth”. It is depicted as a white horse with wings, blue eyes that emit lights as in a flashlight, and a horn on its forehead. But in the logo, the horn is omitted to separate the Pegasus from the concept of a unicorn which is also present in the legend. Moreover, according to local belief all the gold in Cebu is in the form of a Pegasus for he is the gold of the fairy personified. There is even a saying in local legend that, “Wherever the Pegasus goes, so also the gold of the fairy.” It is conceived as a guardian of gold or treasures. But it is also conceived as the horse of Saint Michael the Archangel who according to local beliefs used to roam at midnight at the Combado River to drink from its natural wells then afterwards either return to heaven or to Cabagdalan. In the legend it is also associated with the black winged centaur called “kwi”, a white unicorn, or a black stallion. But all of them have a common ability of swiftness. In the logo, a pair of Pegasus is depicted not to impose that there are two of them in the legends but to give a visual balance.

14. A pair of Pseudorasbora parva. It is more commonly known in English as stone moroko or topmouth gudgeon. But in Balamban it is called “tughud”. Perhaps it is named so because it often lives in surface standing & running waters with knee deep which is “taga-tuhud” in Cebuano. This fish is common in East Asia. It was introduced in Europe in 1961 and because it is fast growing in terms of population it is already considered as pest that kills all the organisms in the rivers. At present, this fish is still abundant in Cabagdalan and a good source of food. In the logo only a pair of it is illustrated just to emphasize visual balance. It is also chosen to be there to emphasize that the bodies of freshwater in Cabagdalan is still fresh and abundant with freshwater fishes.

15. Tympanotonus fuscatus. It is locally known as “bagdal”. It is rough specie of Potamididae or the horn snail. In the fast it grew abundantly in the local rivers. But recently it is seldom to be found due to constant fishing. The name of the barangay derived its name from it. In the logo, there are six smaller and one bigger Tympanotonus fuscatus illustrated. It represents the seven sitios that comprised the barangay. The biggest one represents Cabagdalan Proper where the seat of the barangay located.

16.  Siva-Buddhist Tara in a Golden Scale. The Siva-Buddhist Tara represents not only the dwelling fairy of the place, but also of the early contacts between Oriental traders coming from the areas between China & India, and of the golden Buddha images & gold bars allegedly left by Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita within the legendary areas. In Vajrayana Buddhism, Tara or Arya Tara is a female Buddha. She is the “mother of liberation”. She symbolizes enlightenment, compassion, long life, healing, serenity, transmutation of anger, power, wealth, & prosperity. In the logo, Maria Tang-an, as she is more popularly known in the place, personifies Cabagdalan itself. The place is like a virgin mother that nurtures nature in itself. It constantly weighs itself for balance in the ecological chain of the cosmic universe.
    
17. A Pair of Celtic Circles of Three Horses. Celtic symbols are often associated with the protection of the natural environment. Here the Celtic Horses are used to denote the natural cycles of life that need to be maintained in balance. It also represents the historical significance of Cabagdalan as a shortcut trail used by Cebuanos, in ancient times until the Japanese occupation, in going to and fro Liloan, Danao, Asturias, Tuburan, & Cebu City by horses. It also serves as a reminder that once Cabagdalan is associated with the "Golden Triangle" and the local proverb that says, "The gold bullion moves wherever the magical horse goes." It is a symbolism of eCONOMIC PROGRESS and eCOLOGICAL BALANCE. 

In totality the logo is the cosmos of balance reflected in the cornea of an eye which is watchful and observant. It is said that the eye is the window of the human soul. What the eye sees is reflected in the cornea. Here the tearful eye is looking on the possibility of agricultural progress & advancement through logistics, socio-cultural development, ecological balance, trade & commerce, industry, tourism, spiritual enlightenment, and the core values focused on wisdom, love, hope, inspiration, liberation, compassion, life, healing, serenity, serendipity, peace, calmness, prosperity, perpetuity, solidarity, unity, strength, wealth & power, leadership, goods & services, equality, justice, and balance.