135. BURGOS IN ISABELA

                                                             BURGOS IN ISABELA
                                                      Dr. Troy Alexander Gozum Miano
                                                                                            18 May 2021

Most Filipinos are familiar with the name “Burgos”. We instantly refer to one of the three martyred Filipino Catholic priest, collectively known as the GomBurZa, who was executed by garrote on February 17, 1872 in Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park) by Spanish colonial authorities on charges of subversion brought about by the 1872 Cavite Mutiny.

The execution of José Apolonio Burgos y García, born on February 9, 1837, made him a martyr of the period before the Philippine Revolution. His name is immortalized by the naming of streets, barangays and even towns in our country. Seven municipalities are named after the martyred priest located in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Quezon, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte and Isabela.

One of the youngest municipality in the Province of Isabela is Burgos. The territory of the young town was once the abode and hunting grounds of the Kalingas. The indigenous people, originating in the Cordilleras, roamed around the plains of the Magat region in what are now the towns of Luna, Cabatuan, Aurora, San Manuel and Roxas. They hunted wild animals and harvested root crops.

Five Spanish and American period settlements from the mother-town of Gamu comprised what is now Burgos town. They are Cullalabo, Caliguian, San Roque, Dalig and Bacnor. Other barrios established after World War II are: Catabban, Raniag, San Bonifacio, San Miguel and Malasin.

After the Philippine-American War, civil government was established in Manila and in the countryside. The settlement of Cullalabo flourished and an Aglipayan Church was established with a small church made of light materials constructed. A bell dedicated to Saint Joseph the Patriarch was casted by the Hilario Sunico foundry in Calle Jaboneros, Manila and now hangs permanently atop the concrete belfry of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) in Barangay Cullalabo del Norte. The American period colonial bell has the following markings: 66 Ks / -cross- / SR. SAN JOSE PATRIARCHA. / CURA PARROCO REV. LONGIN SIXTO L. / I.F.I. DE CULLALABO, GAMU, ISABELA. / FUNDn DE H.S.

In the 1950s, local leaders of the big barrios of old Gamu particularly Cullalabo, Caliguian and Mabini lobbied to the leaders of the province for a separated town. It was during the incumbency of former governor and Isabela Lone District Representative, Melanio T. Singson, when he sponsored House Bill No. 5930 in the 6^th Congress.

The bill was passed by the House on April 4, 1967 while the Senate approved the measure on May 16, 1967. Republic Act No. 4877 was approved and signed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos on May 18, 1967. The Act stipulated that the barrios of Caliguian, Catabban, Cullalabo, Masigun East, Malasin, San Bonifacio, San Roque, San Miguel and Raniag in the Municipality of Gamu; and the barrios of Bacnor East, Bacnor West and Dalig in the Municipality of Aurora, Province of Isabela, are separated from said municipalities, and constituted into a distinct and independent municipality, to be known as the Municipality of Burgos, same province. The seat of government of the new municipality shall be in any place between barrios Caliguian and Cullalabo. Barrio Mabini, which was originally a part of the proposal, was excluded in the territory of the new town for it will greatly affect the mother town of Gamu in terms of population, land area and income.

The senatorial and local polls of November 14, 1967 resulted in the election of the first municipal officials of Burgos town. They were: Mayor Perfecto Ruiz Dela Cruz and Vice Mayor Liborio G. Garcia, Councilor Eduardo R. Camia, Councilor Guillermo Gatdula, Councilor Dionisio Palapuz, Councilor Santiago Abrogena, Councilor Luis Foronda and Councilor Leocadio Bulos.

The first seat of government was at the bodega of Mayor Perfecto Dela Cruz in Caliguian which was later transferred in a prefab edifice in what is now the lot of the Caliguian National High School. After three years, the towncenter was transferred in a donated lot in what is now Barangay San Antonino, with a land area of 2.7 hectares owned by Claro Asuncion Lorenzo and wife Marcelina Miguel Alabon-Lorenzo of old Cullalabo (now Cullalabo Norte). Furthermore, Mr. & Mrs. Lorenzo also donated the lot for a public market site. Others also gave their share, Mr. & Mrs. Vicente Manuel provided a hectare for a health center while Mr. & Mrs. Alejandro Mesa donated two hectares for a school lot and Mrs. Eusebia Vicente pitched in two hectares for a sports center.

Congressman Melanio T. Singson and the local leaders chose the name “Burgos” for Isabela’s 31^st town in honor of the intellectual, Fr. Jose A. Burgos, for the locals especially the youth to emulate the patriotism of this great Filipino priest who is one of the three martyrs of the Gomburza. Congressman Singson was inspired by Burgos since the former was also born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, the birthplace of the martyr.

On May 22, 1971, Mayor Perfecto Dela Cruz died in office and Vice Mayor Liborio Galapon Garcia assumed the mayorship until his election on November 8, 1971. After Martial Rule was lifted, Mayor Garcia was elected in the January 30, 1980 elections.

One of the aftermaths of the popular People Power revolt in February of 1986, was the appointment of new leaders. Local Government Minister Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. appointed Claro F. Aglibut as OIC-mayor. On January 11, 1988, Local Government Minister Luis T. Santos appointed Procopio C. Mangabo as town-head to oversee the first free elections of the new government.

Emerging triumphant in the January 18, 1988 local race was long-time serving mayor, Liborio G. Garcia. In the May 11, 1992 national and local elections, Vice Mayor Felixnaldo B. Alabon won as municipal mayor. Mayor Alabon was reelected twice in the May 8, 1995 and May 11, 1998 elections. On May 14, 2001, Burgos’ first lady local chief executive was Evelyn Agbayani Palaspas-Alabon, wife of three-term Mayor Felixnaldo Alabon. The May 10, 2004 elections resulted in the return of three-time mayor, Felixnaldo B. Alabon.

In the May 14, 2007 elections, former Vice Mayor Ruben A. Tegui was elected mayor and was reelected twice in the May 10, 2010 and May 13, 2013 elections. In the May 9, 2016 national and local elections, Liga ng mga Barangay President Kervin Francis G. Uy was elected mayor and was relected on his second term in the May 13, 2019 midterm elections.

The Municipality of Burgos, Isabela, with the official tagline “Burgos Kumilos”, has a population of 28,354 with 6,479 households in 2020. Found in Burgos are two rivers and four creeks, namely: Magat River and the Siffu River, Calatuban Creeks, Carappigan Creek, Dalayap Creeks and Bugnay Creek. Burgos is bounded by Roxas, Quirino and Gamu in the north; Gamu in the east; Aurora, Luna and Reina Mercedes in the south; and San Manuel in the west. The Municipality of Burgos continuous to be an agricultural haven and an important crossroad in the Mallig region connecting the booming town of Aurora and old Gamu town leading to the capital-city of Ilagan.