BIASONG

Biasong is an upland barangay that is located northwest of Balamban. It has a total land area of 1,294 hectares. It is bounded by Nangka, Cantuod, Singsing, Hingatmonan, Liki, and the Municipality of Asturias.

It was politically subdivided into twelve (12) sitios, namely: Biasong Proper (San Agustin/Laray), Nazareno, Labagan, Lower Biasong, Pulang Kimba, Mamikpikon, Granada, Mabugnaw, Camanaol, Ibo, Libe, & Liputon (Mayana). It basically depended on its agriculture as a main source of income and livelihood.

NAME-ORIGIN OF THE BARANGAY

Biasong was named after the small-flowered papeda, Citrus macroptera var. micrantha.¹

The small-flowered papeda could attain a height of 7.5 to 9 meters, with comparatively small but sharp spines; leaves 9 to 12 centimeters long, 27 to 40 millimeters broad, broadly elliptical to ovate, crenate, rather thin; base rounded or broadly acute; apex acutely blunt pointed; petioles 35 to 60 millimeters long, broadly winged, up to 40 millimeters wide; wing area sometimes exceeding leaf area; flowers small, 12 to 13 millimeters in diameter, white, with a trace of purple on the outside, 2 to 5, in axillary or terminal cymes; petals 4; stamens free, equal, 15 to 17; ovary obovoid, locules 6 to 8; style slender; distinct; fruit 5 to 7 centimeters long, 3 to 4 centimeters in transverse diameter, averaging 26 grams in weight, obovate to oblong-obovate, somewhat compressed towards base; apex blunt pointed; surface fairly smooth or with transverse corrugations, lemon yellow; skin comparatively thick; pulp rather juicy, grayish, acid; aroma similar to that of samuyao; juice cells short and blunt to long, slender and pointed, sometimes containing a minute greenish nucleus; seeds many, flat, pointed, more or less reticulate. It stands out from all other species of the subgenus Papeda because of its very small 4-merous flowers, only 1.2-1.3 cm diam. when open.²

The small-flowered papeda, which is endemic to Mindanao, is sparingly cultivated in the southern Philippine Islands (Cebu, Bohol, Negros, and Mindanao), where it is called biasong. Wester stated that the fruit of this species is used as a hair wash but is not eaten and is of no economic importance.

The small-flowered papeda is often mistaken with the small-fruited papeda, Citrus micrantha var. microcarpa, which is locally known as “samuyao”. The small-fruited papeda has the smallest fruit and the smallest flowers of any true citrus fruit tree known but has more segments in the fruit (seven to nine) than Citrus micrantha (six to eight), although the fruits of the latter are much larger, 5 to 7 by 3 to 4 cm, instead of 1.5 to 2 cm, as in the variety microcarpa.

The small-fruited papeda, endemic in Cebu and Bohol, is a shrubby tree, 4.5 meters tall, with slender branches and small, weak spines; leaves 55 to 80 millimeters long, 20 to 25 millimeters broad, thin, of distinct fragrance; flowers 2 to 7, small, 5 to 9 millimeters in diameter, white, with trace of purple on the outside; fruit 15 to 20 millimeters in diameter, roundish in outline; base sometimes nippled; apex an irregular, wrinkly cavity; surface corrugate, greenish lemon yellow; oil cells usually sunken; skin very thin; pulp fairly juicy, acid, bitter with distinct aroma; juice cells very minute, blunt, containing a small greenish nucleus; seeds small, flattened, sometimes beaked. Its fruits are not eaten but were used by goldsmiths to clean gold objects. They also enter into native medicines. The crushed fruits are used by the women of Cebu for cleansing the hair and are added to coconut oil to give it fragrance when applied to the hair as a shampoo or conditioner.³ Literary verses in Cebuano would carry romantic tones like 'her hair smelled of samuyao scent'. The tree bears within five years from planting and produces fruits during the entire year, but more abundantly during the rainy season.⁴ Although this specie is very rare, yet there is one growing at the backyard of Gaas National High School at Gaas, Balamban, Cebu and the teachers used to extract juice from its fruits to make a sweet lemonade or lime. In Bohol, samuyao is famed the same way as biasong.

Papedas, in general, belong to the oldest and most primitive known citrus types and according to recent studies have contributed their genes to many well-known citrus fruits, most notably the various kinds of limes. Citrus micrantha, the Small-flowered papeda or Biasong, is one of the parents of the common lime (Key lime), Citrus aurantiifolia. The species of the subgenus Papeda have been shown to possess decidedly simpler flowers than the species of the genus Citrus. The Papedas C. micrantha, celebica, macroptera and hystrix have small flowers, 1.2 to 1.7 (rarely 2) cm in diameter. The discovery of a primitive character in the papedas serves to emphasize how very different they are from the true oranges of the genus Citrus.     

Some papedas yield fragrant aromatic oil, which can be used in perfumery. Malays, Melanesians and Polynesians have used papeda juice as a hair wash and added it to coconut oil for fragrance. Goldsmiths have used papedas to clean gold objects. Papeda fruits are used in native medicines and Ichang papeda Citrus cavaleriei is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Many papedas occur only in the wild, but the Small-flowered papeda Citrus micrantha is cultivated in the Philippines. The two hybrids of the Ichang papeda, Yuzu and the Ichang lemon are cultivated in China, Japan and many countries of the Far-East. The leaves and rind of the Kaffir lime a.k.a. Mauritius papeda Citrus hystrix have many food uses and the plant is cultivated in most citrus growing regions around the world.⁴

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CITRONS IN WORLD CIVILIZATIONS

Citrons were grown in Mesopotamia as early as 4000 B.C. Most citrus types originated in the large areas of temperate climate around the Himalayas or in Southeast Asia. The first written mention of citrus fruit is found in Sanskrit literature around 800 B.C. The cultivation of citrus fruit presumably began in China around 500 B.C. The first citrus brought to Europe was the citron, which came with the army of Alexander the Great in 325 B.C. from Persia. The citron was first used as a perfume and an insecticide and was later found to be edible when properly prepared. The Romans imported oranges and lemons from their provinces as expensive luxuries for their banquets. The plants they grew in Rome survived but bore few fruit. There are recognizable images of citrus fruit on the murals in Pompeii, which was destroyed by a volcano in 79 A.D.

After the Romans citriculture in Europe fell into oblivion for centuries. It is a common mistake repeated in a lot of citrus literature that the first citrus fruit were brought to Europe by the crusaders returning from Jerusalem in the 11th and 12th centuries. It was the Arab conquerors who brought many cultural novelties, citrus among them, to southern Europe with their Holy War as early as the late 8th century. After they conquered southern Spain around 711 A.D., the Khalifs of Cordoba started building the then biggest mosque in the world, the Mezquita of Cordoba in what they called Al-Andaluz. The building was completed in 987 when the famous Patio de los naranjos, the courtyard of oranges also took its final form. The Caliphs of Cordoba were very fond of sour orange trees and ordered them to be planted in the most prominent public spaces of the most important towns. This was the type that later became the Standard sour orange or Seville orange. Lemon and lime soon followed and after the conquest of Sicily we know that all three fruits were grown on the island in the year 1002 A.D. The crusaders did bring citrus fruit to the northern side of the Mediterranean. They re-introduced the citron and also brought the lemon and a type of sour orange that we now know as the bittersweet orange. This is the type that first reached America and the royal courts of Europe. The great voyages of discovery not only enlarged our view of the world but also introduced us to a type of sweeter orange in the early 1500's. But it was not until 1635 that the Portuguese planted a new type of citrus fruit they had found in China. It was the first citrus type that could be eaten fresh, the kind that we today know as the sweet orange, which for more than two centuries was called the Portugal orange.

On his second voyage Columbus introduced the first citrus fruits, the bittersweet orange and lemon among them, to America on November 22, 1493 on the Island of Hispaniola. First citrus plants were planted in the continental America on the coast of present-day Mexico on July 12, 1518. Citrus fruit spread to Florida in 1565, South Carolina in 1577, Arizona in 1707 and to California in 1769. It was in Florida and later in Paraguay where the bittersweet orange soon escaped from orchards and became naturalized still growing wild in many areas.

The last of the common citrus fruits to arrive in Europe and the U.S. was the mandarin as late as the beginning of the 19th century. Since then it has become one of the most popular citrus fruits and a source of continuous development and breeding. The research centre of the French Institute for Agricultural Research on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean has more than 240 different kinds of mandarin trees.⁵

From this knowledge, it could be concluded that in the past places with citrons, which include the papedas in general and the small-flowered papeda known locally as biasong in particular, were sought after by merchants and explorers. Thus from this perspective, it could be said that Biasong as a barangay that was once rich in small-flowered papedas was once an important destination of foreign travelers in ancient times.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BARANGAY

The barangay was established long before the Spaniards. During the Spanish period it was made into a Spanish camp and finally into a barrio. The last known cabeza of the barrio was Geronimo Cuyos.

During the American period the head of the barrio was called teniente del barrio. The local people could recall some of them but could no longer trace the years. They were as follows: 

1.    Narciso Dacuyan

2.    Juan Cudis

3.    Benito Cuyos

4.    Pedro Herbito

5.    Teodoro Cudis

6.    Roberto Jayme

7.    Casimiro Cuyos

After World War II, teniente del barrio was changed into capitan del barrio. Before a capitan del barrio was installed Francisco Goc-ong was appointed as Officer-In-Charge.

The last known capitan del barrio was Paulino Rosario.

During the time of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos from 1965 until 1986, Henry Yray was installed for 21 years as barangay kapitan based on R.A. 3590 and P.D. 431 which fully established the barrio charter and the establishment of the barangay. After the snap election in 1986, Luceno Senarlo was appointed as Officer-In-Charge. In 1987 Henry Yray ran again as barangay captain and won. In 1994, Henry Yray ran for Sangguniang Bayan and won. The first barangay councilor, Pascual Piloto became the new barangay captain by succession.  In 1997, Pascual Piloto ran as barangay captain against Edgardo Yray the son of Henry Yray and won over the other. From then on, he won for three terms. In 2010, the 27-year old descendant of Teodoro & Juan Cudis, Paciano Cudis, ran as barangay captain against Carmelita Piloto, the wife of Pascual Piloto, and won over the other.

SOURCES OF INCOME OF THE BARANGAY

Basically 70% of the local population is farmers. The remaining 30% are either working white-collared or blue-collared jobs.

Aside from agriculture, the barangay has also gained income from the sand & gravel activities of private companies like GEO Transport Inc., Balamban Construction Ltd. Corp., F/D Enterprises, and of some sole proprietors.

Currently, the barangay is expecting to gain additional income from the B & A Poultry Farm which has been newly established within the barangay.

Scenic Spots & Historical Landmarks

Most of the scenic spots are the mountain views of lustrous green rice fields, hills, cliffs, caves & mountains that surround the barangay including the bodies of water like the pools, springs, rivers, & lakes. Among these are, namely: Pangpang Orang, Magdagu-ok Cave & Underground Creek, Puting Bato Cliff, Lake Biasong, and others. Most of the chapels also are very scenic to be viewed like the Chapel of Nazareno in sitio Nazareno, the Chapel of Sagrada Familia in sitio Pulang Kimba, and many more. While some of the local historical landmarks are the Gabaldon Building now used by the Buanoy National High School – Biasong Extension which was used as a Spanish camp during the Spanish Period and as a Japanese camp during the Japanese Period and the cached basin which is now converted into a drinking well but was used to be a legendary and an historic spot since it was the spot of the then jungle where a giant small-flowered papeda said to grow and guarded by a hamadryad & a Cyclops and it was also the favorite bathing place of the Japanese Kempetai who used to get fruits from the said papeda for shampoo, soap, and perfume.¹