131. MAYORS OF CALBAYOG CITY, SAMAR

                                                MAYORS OF CALBAYOG CITY, SAMAR
                                                        Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano, LPT
                                                                        09 March 2021

The demise yesterday of Mayor Ronaldo “Onald” Porlares Aquino of Calbayog City, Samar at the age of 59, reminds me of two other local chief executive of this city who shared the same fate. On Palm Sunday, April 4, 1982, Mayor Pablo Balanquit Lucero (1934-1982), who was elected twice in 1971 and 1980, was shot dead while playing tennis at the Calbayog East Central School. On Labor Day, May 1, 2011, Mayor Reynaldo “Ining” S. Uy (1951-2011), who was elected in 1992, 1995, 1998 and 2010, was assassinated by a sniper at the plaza during the Hinabangan town fiesta, 130 kilometers away from the city.  And yesterday, Calbayog’s 12^th city mayor, who became mayor by succession in 2011 upon the death of Mayor Uy and elected trice in 2013, 2016 and 2019, died in an alleged encounter or ambush at Laboyao Bidge in Barangay Lonoy in this city while on his way to his son’s birthday celebration. These tragic incidents were labelled as politically motivated.

The three mayors reminded me of the political history of the city written by my late father, Narciso Ybañez Miano (1943-2003) who also served as city mayor of this first class city. The history can be read at retiredinsamar.wordpress.com and at the official website of the city. My father narrated: “...Just like any other municipality in the country, Calbayog had her own Chief executives during each of the aforementioned regimes up to the present.

Spanish Regime (1886-1898). During this time, the Chief Executive was called Capitan Municipal. These executive were Rufino Pido (1886-1887), Pedro Matudan (1888-1889), Pablo Camilon (1890-1891), Pablo Jaropojop (1892-1893), Antonio Tarrayo (1894-1895), Anacleto Rueda (1896-1897) and Catalino Jaropojop (1898-1899).

American Regime (1898-1946). The American Regime may be divided into three stages: when the Philippine government was a government of Americans assisted by Filipinos (1898-1916), when the government was run by Filipinos with American help under the Jones Law (1916-1935), and when the government was entirely in the hands of Filipinos with an American High Commissioner as an observer during the Commonwealth Period (1935-July 4, 1946). The top executives were called Presidentes Municipal. These chief executives were Anastacio Pido (1900), Rufino Pido (1901), Hugon Rosales (1902-1910), Ildefonso Rosales (1910-1913), Luciano Ortiz (1913-1916), Buenaventura Rosales (1916-1919), Senecio Mancol (1919-1922), Cesario Ortiz (1922-1925), Anastacio Pido (1925-1928), Buenaventura Rosales (1928-1931), Ireneo Ortiz (1931-1934), Tomas Gomez (1934-1937) and Donato Tubal (1937-1939).

Japanese Occupation (1942-1944). With the fall of the Philippines into the hands of the Japanese invaders during the Pacific War (World War II), the Commonwealth Government was transferred in exile in Washington D.C. from May 13, 1942 to October 3, 1994. The local chief executive was called Mayor. The municipal mayor was Pedro Pido (1941-1945).

Liberation Period (1944-1946). With the liberation of the country from the Japanese Occupation, the Municipal Mayors of Calbayog were Rizal Ortega (1945-1946) and Pedro Pido (1946-1949).

From Declaration of Independence to Pre-Martial Law Era (1946-1971). The Philippines was granted independence on July 4, 1946. And when Calbayog became a chartered city, comprising the Municipalities of Calbayog, Oquendo and Tinambacan, on July 15, 1948, the city mayors were Pedro Pido (1948-1953), Jose Roño (1954-1967) and Amado Ygrubay (1967-1971).

Martial Law Era up to EDSA Revolution (1972-1986). The City Mayors during this time were Pablo Lucero (1972-1982) and Ricardo Tan (1982-1986). 

Revolutionary Government (1986-1988). With the downfall of President Ferdinand Marcos as a result of the EDSA Revolution in February 1986, Corazon Aquino was installed as President of the Revolutionary Government. She revamped the officialdom and appointed officers-in-charge (OIC) In Calbayog City, Dr. Godofreda Dean (Apr. 16, 1986 Dec. 2, 1987) was appointed OIC City Mayor by then DLG Minister Aquilino Pimentel. When Dr. Dean filed her candidacy for the mayoralty position in the February 1988 local elections, President Aquino instructed then DLG Secretary to appoint Narciso Y. Miano as OIC City Mayor (Dec. 2, 1987 Jan. 6, 1988). From January 7, 1988 up to February 2, 1986, DLG Operations Officer Manuel Lagrimas was the OIC City Mayor by virtue of the appointment issued by DLG Secretary Luis Santos.

Post Aquino Administration (1988-2000). On February 3, 1988, Roberto S. Rosales assumed office as the newly elected City Mayor (1988-1992), the first mayor in Calbayog City to be elected under the 1987 Constitution. In the elections in May 1992, Dr. Reynaldo S. Uy was elected city mayor (1992-2001). By May 14, 2001 Mel Senen S. Sarmiento had won the election and assumed the post July 1, 2001...”

My Dad died on October 10, 2003 and never witnessed the end of the term of Mayor Sarmiento, the coming back of Mayor Ining Uy in 2010 and the assumption of his former boss, Vice Mayor Onald Aquino as mayor in 2011. Appointed by Local Government Secretary Luis T. Santos, Dad became mayor of Calbayog from December 2, 1987 up to January 6, 1988, one of the shortest to have served. Dad’s maternal great grandfather was Don Antonio Tarrayo who served as capitan municipal (precursor of mayor) from 1894 to 1895. Mayor Jose A. Roño (1954-1967) was also a relative from my Dad’s motherside in the Daguman lineage. Mayor Roño later became Minister of Local Government and Community Development (1973-1986) under President Ferdinand Marcos.

My Dad’s father, former Councilor (1916-1919) Felimon Miano y Capeding almost became the first mayor upon the chartering of the old towns of Calbayog, Oquendo and Tinambacan into a city on July 15, 1948 by virtue of Republic Act No.328 when the position of mayor was to be appointed by the President of the Philippines under Article II Section 7 of the law. However, Felimon’s death overtook his appointment. Felimon Miano was very influential during those times as he was a confidant of his cousin, Senate President Jose Avelino, and were the founding members of the Liberal Party in the Philippines together with future Presidents Manuel A. Roxas and Elpidio Quirino.

As per available records, at least 32 Calbayognons served the city including Vice Mayor Diego P. Rivera who assumed the mayorship today by virtue of succession. Calbayog, the city of waterfalls founded by the Jesuits, is witness to a number of killings in the past decades including three of its local chief executives. This, however, does not stop able leaders to seek the highest office of this 400 year old settlement and serve the common Calbayognons.