BERNARDO CARPIO'S BLOGS: April 2013

MAYOR EXASPERANZA SANCHEZ - BINGHAY

Mayor Exasperanza Sanchez – Binghay (who was married during the pre-war years to Judge Jose Alquiza Binghay, a native of Pinamungajan) had won and served for twelve years as mayor (1955-1967).

The priorities of the mayor were infrastructure development, health, sports, culture, arts, education, and professional development.

She had finished the construction of the new municipal building (which is now the existing old municipal building) started by Migallos. She developed the Cambuhawe Spring by building a swimming pool in the area. The Cambuhawe Spring was already an established picnic destination and the establishment of bathing facilities made it more appealing even to Cebu City residents. Patrons access the spring resort either by land or by traversing the Cambuhawe River from the “Taytayan sa Katsila” in Barangay Aliwanay.

In her second term as mayor in 1961, she built a community center which featured an art-deco stage (replacing the stage made of wood) and a tennis court. This is now called the Mayor Exasperanza S. Binghay Memorial Cultural & Sports Complex. Behind the said complex used to stand the oldest lighthouse in the town which was decommissioned and buried onsite after it was replaced by a new lighthouse in front of the old tennis court. Another lighthouse stands near the slaughterhouse beside the present plaza.

While the public market was already established since the time of Simeon Paulin, a public market facility was constructed during Exasperanza’s term. That facility burned down at the turn of the millennium in January 1, 2000.

Roads were constructed including the road going to Lamesa which was originally planned to connect to Talamban, Cebu City. The old Spanish bridge, “Taytayan sa Katsila” that connected Pondol & Aliwanay which had been damaged by a typhoon was reconstructed and modernized.

Balamban also procured its first Fire Truck. The Balamban Fire Station used to stand at the site of the building built by the Plan International Inc. as its office which was turned over later to the municipal government. It was converted as the Sangguniang Bayan Office in the 90’s. Adjacent to it was the Balamban Puericulture Center built in 1961 which is now the Balamban Rural Health Center I.

The public means of transportation was only the parada or tartanilla but most people would just walk not only to save money but because of the fact that the surroundings at that time was still very fresh with many trees around making cool breezes of the air alluring to walkers. Yet, there were a few elites who owned cars like Dr. Maning Climaco & Dr. Lopez who owned Fords; Cosme Calvo, a Buick; Mrs. Auring Intengan (sister of the late Mayor Dominador Sanchez) & Judge Jose Binghay, Chryslers; and later Mayor Exasperanza Sanchez – Binghay, a McArthur jeep.

It was during one of those frequent nightly surprise visits of Mayor Exasperanza Sanchez – Binghay at the police headquarter at around 8:00 p.m. on March 17, 1957 that she was herself been surprised by the residents of Sunog who were carrying the wounded reporter of the Philippine Herald, Nestor Mata, with the news that President Ramon Magsaysay was dead. President Ramon Magsaysay died on a plane crash at Mt. Manunggal in Sunog (now Magsaysay) at around 1:40 in the early dawn. Immediately, she announced the tragic incident. Military rescuers arrived at the crash site the following day, March 18. The body of President Magsaysay was identified by his brother through his wristwatch and later confirmed by dental records. It was determined that at the time of the crash, Magsaysay had been inside his special cabin, located just behind the cockpit. His death was an accident of international prominence, and positioned Balamban on the global map, with its place in Philippine history secure, albeit a tragic one.

Later that year national and local elections were held. Pres. Carlos P. Garcia won as president while the reelectionist Mayor Exasperanza Sanchez – Binghay also won as mayor.

Politics from the time of Garcia until the time of Marcos was on a brink of darkness. But in Balamban the problem faced by the mayor was not the political but the physical darkness. The mayor installed a lot of Petromax kerosene (paraffin) pressure lanterns which she used for her street-lighting project.

The brand name Petromax itself in the minds of the Cebuanos became synonymous to kerosene (paraffin) pressure lantern which was derived from “petroleum” and “Max Graetz” (the name of its main inventor). The design was such a success that itisstill being used to this day in Balamban especially by fishermen and farmers.

As a nation, the Philippines with its 7,101 islands, 2,800 of which are populated, experienced its first taste of electrification in 1890. Three lamps were installed along a main thoroughfare in the City of Manila. Electric lines were first installed in 1895.

With the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 2717 or the Electrification Administration Act, Exasperanza was able to implement the first government initiated electrification project in Balamban.

It was in 1965-66 that the electrification of Balamban was finally implemented. It was financed by a loan from the Electrification Administration in the amount of P170,000.00. The project electrified houses in Barangay Abucayan to Barangay Baliwagan. Under the original load survey, the property of Dr. Aniano Dumdum, a political ally of Rizalina Migallos, was not included. Exasperanza later requested the then Project Engineer of the Electrification Administration to extend the transmission lines to the said property of Dumdum. This was granted. The Project Engineer was Engr. Donato Karamihan, a native of Laguna, who in 1968 later married Virginia, the eldest daughter of Exasperanza.

Upon the death of Mayor Exasperanza Sanchez – Binghay in January 11, 1967, Socrates Gonzalez, her vice-mayor, assumed the office of the mayor and Felix Calvo the office of the vice-mayor.

MAYOR SOCRATES GONZALEZ 1967-1986

During the regime of President Marcos, Mayor Socrates Gonzalez assumed the office of the mayor in 1967 with the death of Exasperanza.

Community development programs of the national leadership were translated into various projects. Thus, farm-to-market roads, barrio halls and community reading centers sprouted all over the country.

In 1967another local elections were held. Judge Jose Binghay Sr., the widower of Exasperanza encouraged his son Alex to run for mayor against Socrates. Alex Binghay filed his candidacy for mayor which he would later withdraw right before Election Day. Socrates subsequently won a fresh term along with Felix Calvo as his Vice Mayor. Alex at 27 years old would later run and win as vice mayor with Socrates winning as mayor in the succeeding election in 1969 under the Kilusan ng Bagong Lipunan (KBL) Party of Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos who also won a reelection over Cebuano Sergio Osmena Jr.

It was during Socrates’ incumbency that the first reclamation project was completed near the existing public market building. This is where the new Municipal Building currently stands. This reclamation project was to be an extension of the existing public market where various commercial establishments and a transport terminal were to be situated. Due to the shortage of Local government funds, the reclamation was done with community involvement such that locals were paid for every bag of filling materials they can transport to the area. The project lingered for several years until a private contractor was hired for its full implementation.

This has become home to the Balamban Foodmart, owned by the Pilapil family, which has become a prominent landmark in Balamban.

While employment opportunities were scarce in Balamban, many local residents sought livelihood opportunities in the neighboring Toledo City with the expansion of the Atlas Mines. This has helped bolster the market activities of the town and has prompted the expansion of the existing public market.

Agriculture and trading remained to be the main source of livelihood of most families.

Presidential Proclamation 1081

During the time of Mayor Gonzalez, a lot of barangays were created within the municipality. At this time the head of the barangay was already called as barangay kapitan. The last created barangay in Balamban prior to the declaration of Martial Law in 1972 by Marcos was Baliwagan.

The Presidential Proclamation 1081 was announced on September 21, 1972 declaring martial law that placed the entire country under military rule. This has brought pressing problems in Balamban’s economic development. Employment opportunities have become scarcer yet while its population had steadily increased. Migrations to other countries like Saudi Arabia and US were common. This was aggravated by the entry of the communist insurgency in the mountain barangays.

Business went on as usual, and the local leadership carried on in a stable socio-economic and political environment under the aegis of Mayor Socrates Gonzalez and Vice Mayor Alex Sanchez-Binghay. It was a civilian leadership that blended appropriately with the Marcos military regime.

Movement for United Studentry (MUST)

It may be said that Balamban thrived under the Gonzalez-Binghay governance. Godofredo Roperos, a renowned columnist and journalist, as regional head of the Department of Public Information (DPI) for Central Visayas that also included the provinces of Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, made an initiative in forming the Movement for United Studentry (MUST) in the towns and an initiative for the youth to initiate various civic projects. The student leader of the movement in Balamban was a youth from Barangay Pitogo, scion of the prominent middle class Bendebel family, whose head was known to be a successful land-owning farmer and trader. Young Edmund Bendebel did well as a student leader. When President Marcos was driven out of the country and martial rule was ended, Edmund was drawn into politics, and later became the town’s vice mayor in 2001.

There was relative peace and order in the town during the years of military control, although inhabitants of the upland barangays had frequently sent word to the town’s authorities, and to the Department of Public Information, that left-leaning elements were roaming the mountains, talking about the social injustice the poor suffered from due to the elitist government. The Department of Public Information through Godofredo Roperos utilized the MUST to hold information seminars about government programs, and initiate the projects to combat poverty in the countryside.

Masagana 99 and Masaganang Maisan

It was during these years that the Masagana 99 and Masaganang Maisan were launched in Balamban, as well as in other municipalities of the province. The Marcos administration released tremendous amounts of public funds to insure the programs’ success. Rural banks throughout the country were made outlets for loans to the farmers participating in the twin programs, aimed at making the towns not only self-sufficient in food, but also producers of surpluses to enable the nation to export its agricultural products.

Selda

On top of this, the Department of Agriculture initiated another program to help the marginal fishermen to increase their production. A program called the selda was initiated for the fishermen who could organize a cooperative cell of five or so members. They were extended the privilege of getting a loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines which was enough to cover the purchase of a pumpboat and fishing net as well as initial capital to go on a fishing venture together as a working “cell.” The project was a success to some, but a failure to many. The mechanics of the program did not take into consideration the habits and individualistic attitude of the average cell member.

A New Generation of Writers

While the years that followed the imposition of martial law in the country rocked other towns and provinces, particularly those near Manila and other urban centers in the more remote towns and barangays, life went on serenely as usual in Balamban.

Following the lead of their elders, a new generation of writers arose. Foremost among them, of course, were the dramatists: Josefina A. Patiño (Mga Tudlo sa Panahon); Paterno Acabodillo (Rosa Villa); Lorenza Inumerables (Hulagway sa Inahan); Romualdo M. Jubay (Mga Landong sa Gugma); Ernesto Inumerables (Ulohan sa Tulo ka Magsoon); Andres Lopez (Ako ang Makasasala); Hilario Delator (Sala nga dili Mapasaylo); Amando Inumerables (Nabuning Kagahapon); Nicasia Silva (Anak nga Masupilon); Felix Tiguelo (Sa Palad Ko); Goddy Ricafort Ypon (Kinabuhi, Kasakit ug Kalipay); Basilio Natural (Pagbuot sa Palad); Virgilio Pormento (Unahan sa Langit); Virgilio Cabañero (Langit sa Impyerno); and Desiderio Dumdum (Luyo sa Kahayag).

Other writers continued to write poetry and fiction in both English and the vernacular. Typical of these were Simeon Dumdum, Sr. (“Sursum Corda,” Focus, 1977); Romualdo Jubay (“Obras Tikas”) and Felix Baliguat (“Episode on All Souls’ Day”), Philippines Free Press, who all wrote in English.

There were more vernacular writers who had their works published in Visayan language magazines, such as: Saniderio Batomalaque (“Ang Tigmo sa Suba nga Limasan,” Bisaya, 1981); Virgilio Cabañero (“Mgan Anak sa Bukid,” Bisaya, 1973); Manuel Gilamon (“Kadtong Pahiyom ni Paciencia,” Bisaya, 1976); Hilario Delator (“Mag-uuma”, Bag-ong Suga, 1977); Javier Tapulado (“Magbasol Ka ra Unya,” Bisaya, 1986).

In July 1972, the writers of Balamban published another monthly magazine in Cebuano, Sidlakan, which was founded by Romulus Gerali Cabahug. This time, although it was only mimeographed like the defunct Kabugason, its circulation was wider, its readership including people from Asturias, Tuburan, and Toledo City. It featured Judge Jose Narvios, a Balamban native, who was later awarded as Outstanding City Judge in the country by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines on April 10, 1981.

Unfortunately, Sidlakan was also short-lived, like its predecessor, Kabugason. The magazine came out with three issues and was suspended when martial law was declared on September 21, 1972. It did not resume publication even when martial law was already lifted.

The Expansion of the Catholic Church

Deeply religious, the people of Balamban soon became too numerous for one parish to attend to. Hence, a new parish had to be established.

This new parish, created by the late Julio Cardinal Rosales on October 11, 1966, is situated in the barangay of Buanoy, some five kilometres away from the poblacion. This new parish comprised the barangays of Gaas, Cansomoroy, Cantibas, Duangan, and Arpili in Balamban, and Mainguit, a barangay of Toledo City. Its patron saint is San Vicente Ferrer and its annual fiesta falls on April 25.

The religious fervor of the Balamban residents is evident in the active church organizations, such as: the Adoracion Nocturna Filipina, Apostolado dela Oracion, Legion of Mary, Children of Mary, Apostoles ni Cristo, Catholic Women’s League, Confraternity of Lourdes, Charismatic Renewal Movement, Knights of Columbus, Cofradia del Carmen, the Balamban Young Torch, and the Balamban Parish Choir.

The Balamban Young Torch which was founded by Fr. Socrates Saldua and the Balamban Parish Choir which was organized by Fr. Vicente Tan are unique for these associations have tried to encourage the out-of-school youth to join other sectors of the community comprising their membership.

The Balamban Young Torch, for instance, sponsors a yearly Sinulog festival, while the choir regularly participates in choral festivals, and church activities, and has even presented a successful concert.

Other Religions

Because of the atmosphere of religious tolerance in the town, other religions have been established here, to add to those which were founded before World War II.

One of these new faiths is the Baptist Church, which was established in 1959 by an American missionary, the Rev. Andrew Nelson, in Barangay Aliwanay. Rev. Nelson was not only a man of God; he was also a linguist who tried to compile a Visayan dictionary.

Another new religion is the Jehovah’s Witnesses or Saksi ni Jehovah, whose center of worship is in Barangay Pondol which was formerly in Barangay Baliwagan.

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Philippine Independent Catholic Church (also known as Aglipays or Filipinistas), The Church in Balamban, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), the Evangelical Free Church, Pentecostal, Equi Frili Brium Iglesiarum (Moncadistas), New Life Christian Assembly, Born-Again Christians and Iglesia ni Cristo have also gathered followers in Balamban.

In addition to the different religious groups, there are also religious cults existing in Balamban like Dios Amahan, Kristohanon, the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA).

Education and Culture during the Marcos Years

More schoolhouses were built by both the government and the private sector during the 20-year term of President Ferdinand Marcos. Many of these buildings followed the plans designed for the Marcos Pre-Fab (prefabricated) and Bagong Lipunan Buildings.

During the 1970’s, almost all pupils and students in Cebu would sing the provincial hymn “Sugbu” after the Philippine National Anthem in Tagalog version although at that time there were already three versions of it in Cebuano. Yet, in Balamban, after the Balamban Hymn was composed by the late Mrs. Perizade Cabarrubias, the Balamban Hymn was also sung after the provincial hymn in every school flag ceremony.

In 1979, a crying need of the town was answered with the establishment of the Buanoy Barangay High School during the administration of District Supervisor Marciano Dumugho. The new school had for its mother unit the Naga Provincial High School. This was a big boon to the town, especially to poor parents who could not afford to send their children to study in the high schools in the poblacion. This high school eventually became a national high school in January, 1984, through the efforts of Assemblyman Julian B. Yballe, a former director of Private Schools. The conversion of the erstwhile barangay high school into a national institution proved to work to its advantage, as it could now employ better teachers, and augment its facilities, buildings, and equipment.

Cultural Activities

The Lubas sa Dagang Binisaya or LUDABI, Balamban chapter, which was organized by Romulus Gerali Cabahug on February 2, 1974, launched a weekly singing contest in which Visayan songs were sung to encourage the people to love and preserve their native tongue.

A year later, in 1975, the LUDABI (Core of the Visayan Pen) organized a poetry writing contest for amateur writers. The winning poets were: Manuel Gilamon, “Ang Tigulang,” first prize; Javier Tapulado, “Kamot nga Lapokon,” second prize; and Virgilio Cabañero, “Binilanggo,” third prize.

Another important contest was a one-act play tilt, in connection with the fiesta celebration. The winners were: Roel Ponce Cabañero, who was a well-known radio talent, “Nahigmata sa Kamatuoran”, first prize; Lirabel Piliotas Cabahug, “Ang Krus”, second prize, and Eulalio Piliotas Jr., “Pagtikad sa Nasudnon nga Tingusbawan,” third prize.

Some Balamban writers won prizes in literary contests sponsored by vernacular magazines and the writers’ association Lubas sa Dagang Binisaya during this period. Some of the awardees were: Simeon Dumdum, Sr., “Ay, Kinabuhi,” third prize, short story writing, Lamdag magazine; Exequiel Cañares “Tinay,” third prize, three act play, 1964.

Balamban has also produced composers and singers. Two of the most famous are songwriter Marcelo Rojas and singer Sonny Laremas. The latter had a flourishing career as a singer in Manila, while the former, though based in Balamban, succeeded in having songs recorded by Manila recording companies and sung by a well-known singer, Didith Reyes.

Other famous singers are Cesar Angcos, also known as Leo, whose songs have been recorded by Manila-based recording companies and Novo Bono Jr., Tawag ng Tanghalan Grand Champion in 1967.

Even though democracy had been hampered but like any communist country, of which it seemed to become, Philippines had still experienced limited freedom. One of the said freedoms was the freedom to play a fair fight in sports. A native of Balamban, Mauricio Delfin Buhia, had copped the second place in the Philippine Lawn Tennis Association Games in 1981. Another popular basketball player whose mother was a native of Balamban was Alfredo Pilapil Almario, a member of the RP Youth Team which won the 7th Asian Youth Basketball Championship against the Korean Youth Team in Manila on October 3-4, 1982.

MAYOR VICENTA DUMDUM 1986-1988

When President Corazon Aquino ascended the presidency after the EDSA Revolution of 1986, it was Vicenta Dumdum who was appointed as the Officer-In-Charge (OIC) Mayor. She was considered as an interim chief executive prior to the local elections of 1987 under the new 1987 Constitution.

MAYOR ALEX S. BINGHAY 1988-1998, 2001-2010

Alex Binghay became Balamban’s Vice Mayor after the 1969 local elections. As an aftermath of the EDSA Revolution of 1986, Mayor Socrates Gonzalez and Binghay were replaced by Officers-In-Charge. However, in the subsequent 1988 local elections, Binghay won a comeback bid this time for the Mayoral position.

His incumbency as chief executive went uninterrupted till 1998 due to term limits imposed by the 1987 Constitution. After his unsuccessful bid for Congress in the 1998 elections, he ran again for mayor in the 2001 elections and won over the incumbent Mayor Marcelo Pilapil.

After finishing another three terms as mayor, he ran for a seat in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in 2010 representing the 3rd district of Cebu and won.

Local Communist Insurgency

During the early years of his first term as mayor (1988-1992), Balamban, as in the rest of the Philippines were in the middle of an insurgency problem with the resurgence of the New People’s Army. The Philippine Constabulary (PC/INP), the forerunner of the Philippine National Police was on constant patrol in the mountain areas of Cebu surveilling and encountering NPA rebels. The mountains of Barangay Gaas, Magsaysay (Sunog), Duangan and Cansomoroy were constant areas of armed encounters. The old Balamban Fire Station Building was a constant temporary storage of body bags of victims of the numerous armed encounters.

The utilization of para-military groups such as the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGUs) and various other militia groups abated the further prolifieration of NPA encampments. This was coupled with the PNP’s information and community outreach programs to counter the rebels’ endoctrination and recruitment of the mountain settlers to their cause.

Towards the end of 2000, the communist insurgency problem has significantly decreased especially with the opening of the Cebu Transcentral Highway in 1994.

Transcentral Highway

During the incumbency of Governor Emilio Osmena, a major road project was planned out which aims to shorten travel time from Cebu City to the Western Cebu. This was also to be utilized as an alternative road to the deteriorating Naga-Uling Road that stretches from the Municipality of Naga to the City of Toledo.

This was to be called the Cebu Transcentral Highway. This would stretch from Busay Hills of Cebu City, passing through various mountain barangays of the city and to enter Balamban through Barangay Gaas, extending to Magsaysay, Duangan, Cansomoroy, Prenza and then the Provincial Highway that cuts through the center of Balamban.

When it officially opened in 2001, travel time from Cebu City was shortened by almost half. Distance from Cebu City was shortened to 49 Km when it used to be 74 km using the Naga-Uling road.

This new access road brought Balamban closer to Cebu City. This meant easier access to goods and services and even opened up markets for farmlands in the mountain areas. Products like vegetables, decorative plants and even livestock have found an easier route to access markets in both western Cebu and the Cebu Metropolis.

As an added benefit, the highway also hastened interbarangay accessibility of inland mountain barangays of both Balamban and Cebu City. Years prior, barangays along this highway were only accessible mostly by foot through rivers and mountain trails.

Currently, the Cebu Transcentral Highway is the main roadway utilized by the majority of commuters to go to and from Cebu City.

Municipal Telephone System

In the 1980’s, Balamban never had a single telephone line. Communications were mainly done via the Short Wave Radio utilized by the military and up to some extent, private companies.

The first telephone line installed was by PLDT in 1989 and was operated as a Public Calling Office. This was a wireless terminal set-up where its communications tower was erected right beside the old Municipal Building. This came at a time when the telecommunications industry in the Philippines was liberalized by virtue of the Executive Order 109 signed by President Fidel Ramos.

Since then, a local telephone exchange carrier, Telecommunications Management Service, Inc. (TMSI) operated in Balamban to further install telephone sets straight to private homes and offices. This was followed by Isla Communications (ISLACOM) which was awarded a national telecommunications franchise by Congress with Cebu as its main service area. Cellular Phone communications were also enhanced with the addition of ISLACOM. Previously, cellular communications were dominated by PILTEL, a subsidiary of PLDT.

Entry of Shipbuilding Industry

In 1993, Balamban was identified as a potential area to cater to both light and heavy industries. The Aboitiz Land and Company, prior to their entry onto the Philippine Stock Exchange, responded by putting up the West Cebu Industrial Park (WCIP) in 1992 in Barangay Buanoy and Arpili. The WCIP is a 202 hectare industrial estate development that caters to heavy and light industries. This has prompted the entry of the K & A Metal Industries, a ship breaking company from Japan and the Ferry Brooke Marine (FBM) Industries, a shipbuilding company.

Balamban used to derive a large part of its income from light industries or cottage industries that employed very few workers (about five to ten), consisting of: garment-weaving, weaving of hats, mats, and the like, coconut shingle weaving, wood, bamboo, and coco midrib crafts, blacksmithing, hollow-blocks making, rice and corn milling, and ceramics or pottery. With the start of the 21st century, however, some of these light industries, such as garments making, died out.

This has come at a time when the Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation (ACMDC) of Toledo City was on the brink of closure. This posed unemployment problems in Balamban as the ACMDC was the region’s biggest employer. What triggered the acceleration of the entry of various companies was the accreditation of the WCIP as a Philippine Export Zone (PEZ) which granted tax incentives and tax holidays to pioneering firms. K&A was soon followed by FB Marine and Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (THI), both shipbuilding companies. THI is a sister company of K & A Metal Industries. To date, the WCIP is home to 10 companies employing close to 16,000 workers.

THI’s first ship was inaugurated by the then First Lady Amelita Ramos in 1997. Since then, all Philippine Presidents have, at least once during their tenure, witnessed the delivery of at least one ship. The most recent of which was by President Benigno Aguino III in 2010 with the delivery of Tenshu Maru, a 180,000 DWT bulk carrier. With that the Philippines has become the fourth largest shipbuilding nation in the world.

Infrastructure and Electrification

With the help of the Provincial Infrastructure Task Force, various road openings were undertaken to provide easier access to previously unreachable barangays. In addition, to the benefits of accessibility, electrical lines can be properly laid out to provide electricity to households.

The Municipal Electrification Project was hastened with a Tri-partite Memorandum of Agreement signed by the LGU, Province of Cebu and the Cebu Electric Cooperative III. This came into fruition in the realization of the parties’ strengths and weaknesses. The LGU through its barangays, have the strength of manpower to install and up to some extent transport electrical poles from the poblacion to their respective barangays. The Province of Cebu has electrical poles ready for disposal to various areas. Lastly, CEBECO III has the technical expertise to power up these poles through their transmission lines. In addition, the LGU waived their right to demand payment for real property taxes for the real estate where the electrical poles are erected.

This partnership by the three entities became successful that by 2008, all barangays in Balamban have since been electrified.

As a result of this electrification, in 2009, the entire length of the Cebu Transcentral Highway on the side of Balamban was installed with street lights. This was made possible though a funding from the National electrification Administration. The existing telecommunications poles of Globe Telecom were utilized as lamp posts thereby reducing the total cost. The budget attributed for the purchase and installation of lampposts were used to purchase more lamps. This enabled the coverage to extend from Barangay Prenza all the way to Sitio Enahd of Barangay Gaas.

Culture, Arts and Sports

In 2006, Balamban hosted the Provincial Cultural and Sports Festival, an annual province wide activity pitting Cebu municipalities’ respective delegations in various sports and cultural competitions. The recommendation for Balamban to be the host was prompted by the presence of Recaredo G. Borgonia, Schools Division Superintendent of the Province of Cebu and Senen P. Paulin of the evaluation committee of DepEd Cebu Province. Both Borgonia and Paulin are native Balambanganons.

This was timely as Balamban had just completed the construction of its sports oval and renovation of the old Mayor Exasperanza Binghay Sports Complex (“tenisan” as it was commonly called). The “tenisan” and the sports oval became part of the New Mayor Exasperanza Binghay Sports and Cultural Complex. The time capsule was laid in 2005 at the southeast side of the said oval.

The Balamban delegation to the said event figured prominently in various competitions especially in the field of Track and Field and Dance Sports categories.

Balamban’s hosting proved to be a success that it was again the host in the following year.

In the town CLUP of 1991, it was duly noted that basketball was the most popular sport in the municipality, followed by volleyball, lawn tennis, softball and baseball.

Some 18 sports venues are scattered throughout the town, consisting mostly of basketball courts. In addition, there are at least two tennis courts, a park-cum-playground, a cockpit, a swimming pool, and a baseball field. There are also two resorts: one in Gaas and another in Pondol.

Among the different barangays, it is Buanoy which has the biggest number of sports facilities: it has a covered court which can be used for programs and other activities aside from sports, two basketball courts, and a tennis court. The other barangays with basketball courts are Arpili, Abucayan, Pondol, Baliwagan, Cantuod, Nangka, and the Balamban Central School. Baliwagan also has a tennis court.

The Buanoy National High School during the time of Paulin as Head Teacher and as Principal was always on Top Five of the said festivals held in Cebu City bringing the name of not only the school but the entire municipality.

Borgonia’s tenure in the DepEd was marked with the addition of a number of teacher items to serve in a number of school buildings that were built. Computer & internet facilities had been installed in a number of schools with the help of Cebu Provincial Capitol and Big Foot, a private multinational company.

Establishment of New Educational Institutions

In the vicinity of the Municipal Hall can be found most of the government buildings as well as educational institutions, and the newly-renovated Church of St. Francis of Assisi.

Balamban has also started to attract more and more schools. Right now, the biggest is the University of San Jose-Recoletos, a branch of the main school in the capital. It is situated in a well-planned, attractively-landscaped campus in Barangay Arpili.

Definitely older than the USJ-R branch is the Balamban satellite school of the Cebu Normal University. It was opened in 2005, offering degrees in education. In 2009, Bachelor of Science in Tourism was added.

CNU-Balamban was initially assigned a building in Barangay Lamesa by the town officials. But the location, in one of the more remote interior barangays of the town, proved to be disadvantageous. For one thing, the site is too far from the poblacion. For another, the roads leading to the interior are not well-maintained. And although the buildings, courtesy of Tsuneishi, look very modern and clean, the ambiance does not lend itself well to a developing college. So the school had to transfer to Quail Hollow Resort, now known as the Alice Mountain Resort, after the owner. Incidentally, the owner herself enrolled in one of the degree programs. Still, the location proved to be unfavorable; so after a few years, CNU-Balamban transferred again. Now the school is located in the Balamban Central School, right in the town proper. But eventually it will be transferred to its final location which will be in Nangka after the on-going construction will be through.

It is not only the students from Balamban who are enrolled in these educational institutions. Now the two university satellite schools are accepting students coming from the neighboring towns of Asturias, Toledo, and even Tuburan and Pinamungajan.

Aside from these branches offering college degree programs, pre-school, elementary, and secondary level educational institutions have also been established in the town lately. One is the Araneta Learning Center run by Ms. Ria Araneta. This school has leased the residence of the late Mayor Socrates Y. Gonzalez.

Interestingly, the residence was bought in 1980 by Mayor Gonzalez from James Berley, a descendent of John Harstein an American who married a Balambanganon and subsequently settled and built the house. This explains the structure’s American Colonial Architectural design.

A newcomer on the scene is the Little Angels Montessori School owned by the Siao family. A leading Balamban resident, Ms. Mary Paulin, has been hired as the school principal.

One advantage of having these educational institutions located in Balamban comes from the employment opportunities that are extended to professionals who are natives of the municipality. Many of the CNU education and liberal arts graduates, for example, have been hired by the school as teachers or administrative personnel.

Leisure and Recreation

Balamban officials have likewise been responsible for creating a reclamation area along the shorelines of barangay Sta. Cruz-Sto. Niño. With the additional land area, it can be expected that more commercial and industrial establishments will soon be located there – another opportunity to increase the income-generating capacity of the town.

With urbanization, however, also comes an ugly aspect: the presence of slums or squatter colonies. Right now, the LGU officials speak merely of two squatter clusters: those on the shorelines of Sitio Polo in Barangay Baliwagan and Sitio Cagay in Barangay Aliwanay. The problem seems to be manageable still.

Also in that year Gaas and Magsaysay had built an alliance through the initiation of a private organization called GAMA to realize its goal of making the two barangays, with the inclusion of Cansomoroy later, an eco-tourism zone which after meticulous assessments had been approved by the end of the year. Since then a lot of establishments centered on attracting tourists had sprouted along the Cebu Trans-Central Hi-way like the zip lines, cafes, resto-bars, resorts and the like.

Paghandum ni Magsaysay

The establishment of private eco-tourism oriented institutions along the Transcentral Highway was in part due to the attention that the annual commemoration of the death of President Ramon Magsaysay whose plane (Mt. Pinatubo) crashed in Mt. Manungal in Barangay Magsaysay in 1957. Uniquely, this infamous date has become the date of the barangay’s fiesta. Trekkers and mountaineers would pitch their tents in the clearing of Mt. Manungal and come up with makeshift shindigs also participated on by the locals.

The University of San Jose Recoletos of Cebu City was one of the institutions who constantly conducted outreach programs in the barangay. Fr. Lito Cabarles of USJR, along with Binghay became instrumental in the recognition of the site for its historical significance and also responsible for the erection of a monument in the crash site and that of President Magsaysay.

Over the years, Binghay kept this yearly tradition that he was able to invite private sponsors for the yearly activity. An access road was opened and comfort facilities were constructed through grants from national agencies. Commendably, Marcelo Pilapil, Binghay’s successor for a term continued these efforts.

In 2006, the organizing of the yearly commemoration was institutionalized and various sports and cultural activities were incorporated. Climbathons, Painting Contests and Mountain Bike Competitions (started in 2005) aside from a concert in the evening, has highlighted the event since. It was then that the event was called “Paghandum ni Magsaysay Annual Adventure Trek”. The event gathers between 1000 to 2000 visitors and it has spawned day trekkers year round.

150th Anniversary of the St. Francis of Assisi Parish

In 2005, the St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Balamban’s first parish, celebrated its 150th year of presence in the town. An ambitious church renovation project went underway with a projected budget of P10,000,000.00. This was to be sourced out from private donors and institutions. Although this was not reached, the church was nevertheless renovated, albeit, short of its original plans.

It was during this time that the origin of the name “Balamban” was researched and was found to be coming from the word “Balang-balang”. The term refers to the manner by which the Spaniards were carried by the locals cross rivers to reach the main settlement.

There was a move to come up with a local festival called “Balang-balang Festival”. However, after the church renovation, the project lost its momentum and was never revived. However, some schools in Balamban still practice the choreography of “Balang-balang” in some of their activities.

New Municipal Building

In 2009, the New Municipal Building, situated behind the old municipal building, was inaugurated during the fiesta celebrations of that year. The old municipal building was home to the local government for more than half a century and despite several extensions and renovations, it proved to be inadequate for a growing municipality.

It is worthwhile to note that the construction of the new facility was undertaken almost entirely by administration (utilizing organic technical personnel of the local government bureaucracy). As a result, the local government was able to fund the construction almost entirely from locally generated funds and savings from the years past.

MARCELO PILAPIL 1998-2001

The ascension of “Dr. Ike” to the highest post of Balamban ushered a change of leadership in the town. For 10 years, Alex Binghay held the reins of the municipality but due to constitutional term limits, he was not allowed to run a further 4th term as chief executive.

It was during the leadership of Dr. Ike that Balamban had experienced a revival in the field of culture and arts.

In the year 1998, the centennial anniversary of Philippine Independence from Spain was celebrated in Balamban with vigor and festive activities like reenactments of the lives of Philippine national heroes as seen in every float paraded on the streets. Dr. Ike had chosen to act as Andres Bonifacio, the Supremo of the Katipunan, with Sister Jo de los Reyes of St. Francis Academy (SFA) as Tandang Sora, and a government dentist as Gregoria de Jesus on the same float. In other floats, the martyrdom of the Gom-Bur-Za and the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal among others were reenacted.

Buanoy National High School had been known for winning a lot of entries in the “Sinulog Sa Kabataan” and in the “Sinulog Grand Mardi Gras” for the past years since the time when Paulin was the then Head Teacher and then Principal. It had been a successive 1st Prize winner, until such time it was considered a Hall of Famer. Evening Opportunity Class under the choreography of Juniel Gomez is another contender in the Sinulog Competitions which once twice beaten Buanoy National High School in a local Sinulog Competitions particularly in Cantuod and Abucayan in 1999; though, it did not win in the Cebu Sinulog Grand Mardi Gras in 2000 but out of more than 200 participants in the the Sinulog-Based Category it ranked number 10.

Balamban was also known to excel in theater arts at that time. Saint Francis Academy had created a theater guild and invited schools in their audience hall to watch the live performances of their thespians. But it was the Evening Opportunity Class that had excelled in that art. The said school that was managed then by Neilsor Ray Gonzalez had created a theater guild known as the Thespian Circle with Bernardo B. Montilla as its Adviser. After a lot of trainings and workshops when the thespians had already been ripened to participate in competitions, the said school participated in different dramatic competitions by which it won 2nd Prize for its originally-written entry entitled “Jefrox” in the Plan International Inc. “Bata, Apil Na!” Anti-drug One-Act Play Competitions in 1998; 2nd Prize for its originally-written entry entitled “Ang Pagbitay Sa Gomburza” in the DepEd Cebu Province Division Reenactment of Philippine Historical Events One-Act Play Competition held at Kai Gym, Liloan, Cebu in November 1999; 1st Prize for its originally-written entry entitled “Bidlisiw Sa Paglaum” in the Cebu Provincial Capitol’s Drug-Awareness One-Act Play Competition held at the Cebu Capitol Social Hall on December 10, 2000 which also won the said school the following awards: Best One-Act Play, Best Script, Best Writer, and Best Director; and many more.

Public Market in Ashes

It was in the morning of New Year’s Day of the year 2000 that the Balamban Public Market burned down. A General Alarm was sounded by the Bureau of Fire Protection by noontime which called on all neighboring fire departments of neighboring towns and cities to mobilize their firefighting resources to Balamban. It took almost the entire day to extinguish the fire that gutted the facility. Even until the evening, while the fire has been extinguished, sounds of muffled bursts could be heard from within the damaged public market.

Due to the extensive damage of the facility was deemed beyond repair so stall holders were relocated along the streets specifically in Simeon Paulin and Dominador Sanchez streets. The local government prioritized the construction of a new Balamban Public Market Building. But due to the shortage of funds and the diversity of proposals for its reconstruction, the reconstruction failed to take off during the administration of Pilapil. It was further made complicated by the fact that his term was up for reelection the following year. It was a common occurrence that local government projects, especially the ones which are unplanned, get stalled with a forthcoming election as local government officials tend to align along political lines. Balamban was no exception to this predicament.

The reconstruction was eventually started and completed after the 2001 elections with Alex Binghay at the helm. He won over Marcelo and remained the chief executive until 2010, getting reelected in the local elections of 2004 and 2007.

The reconstruction was aided by the Kambara Group of companies, the holding company of Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Balamban’s largest employer); and financed through a loan secured from the Philippine National Bank. The main building of the New Balamban Public Market Complex was later inaugurated as the Kambara Building in grateful recognition of the philanthropic donation by the company.

ACE STEFAN V. BINGHAY 2010 TO THE PRESENT

The elections of 2010 ushered in an opening of a new chapter in the leadership of Balamban. For most of the last 20 or so years, the mantle of leadership has been placed on the shoulders of the Martial Law generation, meaning leaders then were of age in 1972 until the lifting of Martial rule in 1981. Ace Stefan Binghay, born in 1973, ascended the chief executive position from his father, Alex Binghay.

The younger Binghay represented a succeeding generation of Balambanganons who barely have any memory of how Balamban was during the incumbency of President Ferdinand Marcos. Although coming from the lineage of the Sanchez political family, Binghay took office at a time when political rivalries of old have become a distant memory.

Sports and Cultural Activities

Upon taking office, Binghay embarked on a campaign to promote youth sports activities with “Lingaw-lingaw sa Ting-Init”. This was aimed at reviving the Filipino traditional summer games that the youth of old used to play during summer. Games such as “tubig-kabor”, bato-lata, siatong, etc. were conducted precisely to reintroduce the benefits of outdoor games in the aspect of physical development and social skills of the youth. This was in light of the prevalence of the youth to stay in their respective homes or internet shops playing computer games and accessing social networking sites in the internet.

“Semana Santa sa Balamban”, a Lenten exhibit has been organized. The exhibit features the “Pasos”, a display of religious images portraying persons and events in the Passion of Christ. These same images are used during the Good Friday procession.

“Pasko sa Balamban” became a staple activity in the Mayor Exasperanza Binghay Sports Oval every December. Various cultural competitions were held the whole year and would culminate either in the annual town fiesta in honor of St. Francis of Assisi or during the “Pasko” activity in December.

Infrastructure Development

Continuing the thrust of his father, Ace Binghay embarked on a massive infrastructure investment. Apart from the heavy equipment accumulated during the time of his predecessor, he procured additional equipment to fast tract road opening and road maintenance projects especially the access roads to the hinterlands. He also vigorously worked on the reopening of the Lamesa Sanitary Landfill to cater to industrial and household waste of the municipality by acquiring the necessary accreditation from the DENR.

Health Services

Recognizing the need to address the healthcare problems in the hinterlands, Ace Binghay inaugurated the Rural Health Unit 3 (RHU-3) based in Barangay Luca. This aimed at making healthcare accessible to the mountain barangays and alleviating that burden from the existing rural health units (RHU-1 in the town proper and RHU 2 in Barangay Buanoy).

A birthing station was also opened in Barangay Buanoy offering free birthing services to local residents. This was apart from two private birthing facilities and the birthing services that the Balamban District Hospital was offering.

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