hISTORYA

The Councilor & PCL Isabela Federation Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 13 August 2019 In my four terms as Municipal Councilor of Cabatuan, Isabela, I was elected as officer of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Isabela Federation on every term. In 2008, aside from my position in the federation, I was also elected as Luzon Island Auditor and eventually became National Vice President for Luzon in 2010. For the term 2013-2016, I was appointed as National Chairman on the Committee on Drug and Rehabilitation. After I tendered my resignation in 2015 to accept a position in the Provincial Capitol of Isabela, my wife, Jasmin Cabang Lapuz-Miano was appointed by the Governor to fill-up the vacancy in the Sangguniang Bayan. She also inherited the position of federation secretary-general and after her election as Sangguniang Bayan Member, she was elected unopposed in the same position in the league. After the midterm elections this year, she assumed the position of federation p

SAMBALI OF CASIBARAG & LA JOTA ISABELA Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 05 August 2019 This morning the Isabela Tourism Office (ITO) including the Isabela Museum and Library (IML) hosted the regular Monday convocation. After the flag rites, the ITO-IML workforce made two dance performances and a song number as start off in the celebration of Buwan ng Wika. One of the dance presentations is the La Jota Isabela. In the compilation “SALA, Dances of Isabela Province” researched by Dr. Jane Nolasco Cariaga of the Philippine Normal University (PNU) Alicia, Isabela Campus, La Jota Isabela, also known as La Jota Isabelino, is a folk dance honoring the Province of Isabela and a lively version of the Spanish jota which was apparently danced in balls at elegant mansions.  This lowland Christian dance originated in Cauayan, performed originally by the e thnolinguistic group Ibanag and classified as social. Jota is a Spanish term probably derived from the old Spanish  sota  dance, fro

HISTORY MONTH & BUWAN NG WIKA Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 01 August 2019 Almost all Filipinos are aware that August is “Buwan ng Wika”; however, only a handful knows that August is also “History Month”. I have always loved history from the stories in the barangays to world history. Probably because my parents instilled it to me when I was growing up since both are social reformers and I was exposed to real life scenarios on events that molded the nation. I wrote the historical development of our beloved town Cabatuan, Isabela at the age of 16 and went on to scribble the history of the province of Isabela in 2001 and of other local government units (LGU) which includes: Cauayan City, Angadanan, Luna, Ramon, San Pablo and Tumauini all in the province of Isabela. For release are the LGUs of the City of Ilagan, Santiago City, Benito Soliven, Cordon and San Mariano also in the same province. Aside from the LGUs, I released over four dozen historical articles and a number o

RAMA X, PHIL-THAI Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 28 July 2019 Our mayor and mayora invited me and my wife to visit the land of the Siamese people or the land of the Thais. We journeyed together with some of the municipal and barangay heads including the family and friends of the first family of Cabatuan. Today is our third and last day in this kingdom in the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. While walking in the busy city center of Bangkok, I tried to recall the rich history of this nation which I read a long time ago when I was drafting the background of my coins and banknotes collection particularly the monetary unit - baht. At one time, I also encountered a drawing of a Siamese couple in one of the pages of the Boxer Codex circa 1590. I began browsing the net on the trade relations of our country, the Republic of the Philippines and the Kingdom of Thailand. The Wikipedia reveals that the Philippines established formal diplomatic relations with Thailand on June

ROXAS @ ROXAS Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 04 July 2019 The Municipality of Roxas in the fifth district of Isabel province celebrates its 71 st founding anniversary today, the fourth of July. Numerous activities were in stored in the four day activities and I was invited to grace the unveiling of the President Manuel A. Roxas monument at the Roxas Freedom Park this morning. Mayor Jonathan Jose “Dok Totep” C. Calderon spearheaded the rites together with the Sangguniang Bayan Members led by Vice Mayor Nick M. Sebastian, municipal employees, barangay officials, DepEd community, students and the general populace. The honored guests for the unveiling ceremony were: Architect Terry Gavino, niece of President Manuel A. Roxas; Gerry Roxas Foundation Program Consultant and former NFA Provincial Manager Elenita Ganelo and President Manuel A. Roxas Foundation Deputy Executive Director Marites Gonzaga. Mrs. Gonzaga delivered the message of former Senator Mar Roxas: “I am very hap

THE GOVERNORS OF ISABELA Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 1 July 2019 In order to facilitate the work of the missionaries in the evangelization of the Cagayan Valley and upon the recommendation of Governor-General (1850-1853) Antonio de Urbiztondo y Eguía, a royal decree was issued by Queen Isabella II of Spain on May 1, 1856 during the administration of Governor-General (1854-1856) Manuel Crespo y Cebrián which created the province of Isabela. The new alcaldia consisted of the towns of Cabagan, Tumauini, Ilagan, Gamu, Calanusian, Cauayan, Angadanan, Camarag, Carig including Catalangan and Palanan. The new province was named Isabela de Luzon in honor of Her Royal Highness Queen Isabella II of Spain. “De Luzon” was added to distinguish the new province from the other Isabela localities in Spanish East Indies. The old pueblo of Ilagan became the capital of the new province. Primary sources, particularly Dominican archives, lack detailed names of alcaldia mayores serving