hISTORYA

EVOLUTION OF THE BARANGAYS OF CABATUAN Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 05 November 2020   O n March 5, 1912, the pioneering Ilocanos from Bacarra, Ilocos Norte started arriving in what is now the town center of Cabatuan particularly in what are now Barangays Del Pilar and San Andres. The locality was the hunting grounds of the indigenous Kalingas from nearby Cordillera. Cabatuan was the name used to refer to the locality because of the abundance of “bato” or stones in the area particularly along the great Magat River. Another version states that the place was known as “Ambatuan” by the native Kalingas, a term which also referred to the stones of the great river. However, in old maps and documents during the early part of the American Occupation, the name “Cabatuan” appears together with the name “Sili” which was enclosed in a parenthesis, revealing that the whole locality across the banks of the mighty Magat now encompassing Barangays Sili, Calabaza & Saranay in Aurora town, was on...

REVOLUTIONARY COLONEL MANUEL TOMINES Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 28 October 2020 The people of Naguilian, Isabela immortalized one of its controversial sons who rose to national prominence when he continued the struggle of the captured First Philippine Republic President, General Emilio Aguinaldo. Manuel Tomines y Lintao was commissioned as colonel by the remaining revolutionary leaders in Manila and assigned to the whole of Cagayan Valley. Since civil government was already established by the colonizing Americans on August 24, 1901, the Tomines Revolution was dubbed by the new colonizers as an insurrection. In my initial research and scribbling of the life of this great Isabeleño, I changed the perspective and used the term “revolutionary”. This morning, a historical marker was formally installed at the entrance of the newly constructed children’s park and playground in Barangay Magsaysay. This village, originally a part of the old pueblo of Gamu, was formerly known at the turn of the...

TATANG PAENG, THE 1 ST ELECTED MAYOR OF CABATUAN Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 24 October 2020 Tatang, as all his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren fondly called him, should have celebrated this day his hundred and one years on earth; however, thirteen years ago, he joined our Creator on July 24, 2007. Tatang was born as Rafael Maniego Gozum on October 24, 1919 at Grace Park, Kalookan, Rizal (now Caloocan City) to Leoncio Cortez Gozum (1885-1957) and Rosa Lobo Maniego (1883-1975). The sixth in a brood of eleven, he was baptized the following day at the historic San Roque Catholic Church, now the Caloocan Cathedral. A detailed genealogy of Tatang shows that Leoncio was the son of Mateo Gozum and Nicolasa Cortez (1850-1956) while Rosa Maniego was the daughter of Martina Lobo. Mateo Gozum, on the other hand, was the son of Pedro Gozum while Nicolasa Cortez was the daughter of Venancia Suñga. According to oral narrations, Rosa Maniego’s ancestor was Don Francisco Maniago of Me...

CAMPS & LT. ROSAURO DANAO TODA, JR. Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 01 October 2020       A monumental edifice was recently inaugurated in the Province of Isabela located within the Isabela Police Provincial Office at Baligatan in the capital-city of Ilagan. The monument, situated after the left side of the main road of the camp adjacent the Saint Ferdinand Catholic Chapel, was unveiled by no less than the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief PGen Camilo Pancratius Cascolan together with Governor Rodolfo T. Albano III and Vice Governor Faustino F. Dy III and other civilian and uniformed dignitaries. Everytime I read, hear and encounter the word “camp”, it reminds me of my dad, the late Mayor Narciso Ybanez Miano (1943-2002) of Calbayog City. He was incarcerated in a camp at the capital-town of Catbalogan, Samar after the declaration of Martial Law or Proclamation No. 1081. Together with his brother, Felimon Jr. and cousin Ricardo, a grandson of Senate President Jose D. ...

HTA LEGISLATIONS & EARTH DAY @ 50 Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 22 April 2020 Twenty-four years ago, on my first month working at the Philippine Senate, under the Office of Senator Heherson T. Alvarez, I joined the team tasked to prepare for the Earth Day 1996 celebrations. The couple-environmentalist Heherson and Cecile Guidote-Alvarez spearheaded the event in coordinated efforts with the City Government of Marikina headed by Mayor (1992-2001) Bayani F. Fernando, now Representative of the 1 st District. Together with foreign environmentalists, we graced the opening ceremony at the Heroes Hall in Malacañang led by President Fidel V. Ramos and the event culminated at the Marikina River Park, now a system of parks, trails, open spaces and recreation facilities along an 11 kilometer stretch of the  Marikina River  in Marikina City. From then on, I involved myself in the annual celebrations either joining the National Secretariat or having my own person...

MY JOURNEY WITH THE SENATOR FROM ISABELA Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 20 April 2020   In the middle of our regular class at the Ateneo Grade School, we were interrupted by the GLC (Grade Level Coordinator) who informed our class adviser that we have a new classmate, a transferee from the United States (US). I did not get his name right since it was a rare one. It was only the family name that remained in my thoughts. At home, I informed my parents that I have a new classmate and tried to utter the name which started with the letter “H” and ended with the surname “Alvarez”. My mom was amazed of the news and informed me that he might be the son of his former fellow activist in Santiago, Isabela by the name of “Heherson Alvarez”. I was informed later that my new classmate’s name is Hexilon and his sister is Herxila, both names derived from the root word “exile” since Heherson and wife PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) founder and Ramon Magsaysay award...

BOBBY ANASTACIO, AN A1 DOCTOR Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano 13 April 2020   This day was about to end when my mother, Lily Gozum-Miano who is in New York, U.S.A., sent me a message through Facebook (FB) Messenger informing me that our family cardiologist, Dr. Roberto V. Anastacio, joined our Creator last Friday, April 10. I have known Dr. Anastacio for over three decades now since the time I would chauffer my mom whenever she had an appointment with the great doctor at the Makati Medical Center (MMC) in Makati City. Three years ago, it was the other way around, Mom together with my wife, Jasmin, brought me to Dr. Anastacio in an ambulance to undergo an angiogram procedure because of a probable cardiovascular disease. During the numerous visits at the turn of the millennium, Dr. Anastacio would seek my presence towards the end of the check-up to indulge in an hour of exchanges of opinions and ideas on national issues. The doctor was a Marcos loyalist and wo...