Conjecture:
How Christianity Started in the Native Settlement
of
Gompot or Balingasag?
The Thesis about
Padre Isko:
Existing writings from local scholars all
had in unison a thesis denoting that the evangelization of Gompot or Balingasag
may have been done by a certain Padre Isko whom they referred to as Fr. Francis
Xavier, SJ [now a saint].[i]
A paper in 1968 says that a certain
missionary priest in black robe appeared one day in the native settlement of
Gompot, he stayed with them, evangelized them; and even built a church of light
materials in the native settlement. His name was simply Padre Isko, however
after sometime, he left away without any trace, but his teachings had been
embraced by the people. It says the natives were converted to Christianity.
In a much recent time in 2001, a similar
theory resurfaced again, so the 1968 thesis was brought to life. All these writings
in 1968 and 2011, treated such story as likely true. Hence, the story may go
from one mouth to the other and without any dissenting opinion, it would end up
as true or the one that really happened.
Nevertheless, in fairness to their thesis
presentations - a legend since there are no evidences to prove its veracity,
but who cares for evidence if the idea has been supplanted in one’s mind
already. Legend or not, when such fallacy is accepted, it would take root; and
this had been proven in the art of black propaganda – a statement though
without any proof or fallacy if repeatedly said it would become one day as a
statement of truth.
So perhaps let us have a little probe on
that to achieve likely the significant answer. As such, we would try to study
Balingasag’s early beginnings, its history and likewise the history of this big
island Mindanao and other important nearby places.
A Trace on the
Evangelization of Mindanao:
Earlier Related
Events:
Despite, Ferdinand Magellan was the first
European to come to the Philippines or Archipelago de San Lazaro, as he called
it, when he entered the territorial waters and sighted the islands of Zamal or
Ibabao (Samar), we could not give the credit to him as the evangelizer of
Mindanao because he died in the island of Opon (Mactan City in Cebu,
Philippines) during the battle.[ii]
It was only a remnant of seafaring men, battered by war which Magellan had fought
and lost, who reached Mindanao on board two galleons on their return trip to
Spain. The two galleons anchored at Butuan River for repairs and provisions.
Could it be possible that the evangelization
or catechism, or baptism of the natives in Mindanao, or whatever they did to
bring the name of God may have been done by Magellan’s crew that landed in
Butuan?
The answer is obviously leaning towards the
negative, because the retreating Spaniards did not stay longer there, after the
provisioning and refitting they sailed via the westward route through the
Strait of Malacca then to the Indian Ocean for Spain.
The Spaniards - Magellan’s crew might have
seriously talked of salvation, resurrection, hell, heaven and of Jesus Christ
to the natives during their short stays. But insofar as formal catechism, they
may have not gone far to that because the chronicles of Pigafetta did not have
such story. Had there been that would have been mentioned precisely in
Pigafetta’s diary because such an event like mass baptism was a significant
event. Indeed, it was one of the reasons why they sailed to uncharted seas to
spread the gospels, aside from economic reasons in the guise of exploration.
Four decades later after Magellan
discovered the Philippines, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi reached the Philippines on
March 11, 1565. He visited first Limasawa Island to retrace the entry point of
Magellan’s voyage with a guide from the island of Cabalian. From there, he sailed to Butuan since the latter
was likewise written in Magellan’s galleon’s log as one of the places the weary
crew of 1521 expedition anchored for refitting and provisions. However instead
of anchoring in Butuan, they were blown off course while in the seas of
Camiguin and landed in Bool or Bohol.
So Legazpi did not reach Butuan earlier,
but may have visited it later.
When
did evangelization started in Mindanao? It is somehow fitting to know it so we
could at least plot its course of dispersion or growth.
Sarangani’s Early
Evangelization:
In 1538, the Spice Islands or Moluccas was
a colony already or under the Portuguese. The island was a haven of spices, so
Portuguese ships navigated and flew this westward course to Europe via the
India Ocean and then through Cape of Good Hope; and finally to Portugal after
coasting the Atlantic, laden with the priceless cargo of spice.
Occurring in similar mentioned year, an
ill-fated Portuguese ship sailed for Macassar from Terrenate in the Moluccas.
In command of this ship was Capitan Francisco de Castro; however his
experiences did not save them from being blown off-course. Instead of going to
Macassar, it navigated off course and landed in the southern coast of Mindanao
in the areas of the present day Sarangani.[iii]
Whether it was an act of nature or deliberately done by the Ship’s Captain, to
be able to reconnoiter the place, Portugal had a rightful act to do it because
it was within their sphere of influence.
The world was divided between Portugal and
Spain, and that an imaginary demarcation line started at about 483 km/300 miles
west of the Azores. In this case, the Philippines belonged to Portugal because
it lies within the territorial partition as declared by Pope Alexander the
Great in the Treaty of Tordeseillas. Although, the treaty was smeared with
controversy, Spain continued the position of the Philippines.
Francisco de Castro stayed in Sarangani for
quite some time, the natives proved friendly to them so they grabbed the
opportunity to begin the evangelization. The usual way to allure people to get
closer to them was to give gifts. Many came nearer because of the gift, or maybe
just out of curiosity to see these white men. Eventually, they attended
catechism and submitted themselves to baptism, their chieftain or leaders
demonstrated the example, so why won’t they.
Of course, everyone followed.
But de Castro had to sail back to
Terrenate. He brought some of the sons of the converted Chieftains to Terrenate
so they may study, nevertheless; no one from de Castro’s men remained not even
the voyage chaplain volunteered to be left in Sarangani to administer or
continue what had been started off.
Thus, the early mustard seed of
Christianity planted in this part of Southern Mindanao did not die in order to
live. It failed to regenerate, or sprout to produce new Christians in
Sarangani. The new professed religion died naturally when De Castro’s ship
sailed back to Terrenate, the capital of the Moluccan Islands.
The new converts returned to their old
pagan ways of worship – animism or simply assimilated with Islam.
Had someone volunteered to be left behind
and just waited for another shipment of men and missionaries to come, there
would have been another story for the evangelization of Mindanao. Had only someone volunteered to remain to
minister the natives of their new accepted faith, we just could not tell,
Mindanao maybe would have been under the Portuguese and the conquering
Spaniards in 1565 under Legaspi would have been amazed to know that
Christianity had taken root already in the South.
But could it be that the coming of de
Castro in Sarangani was never planned by the Portuguese, or made as a hoax to
reconnoiter the place for reasons that Portugal had legal claim on it the fact
that the Treaty of Tordeseillas had provided it.
On the other hand, Arab missionaries
reached Southern Mindanao in the 14th century yet, much ahead than Magellan, de
Castro or Legaspi. These Arab
missionaries had established Islam in the South, in fact the oldest place of
worship, is at Indangan, Tawi-tawi – the Mosque of Sheikh Karimul Makhdum. This holy place was declared as a National Shrine
during the 14th Congress of the Philippines.
The
Serious Work of the Evangelization of Mindanao:
Closer to sixty years after the Sarangani
Portuguese saga, a much serious work of mission happened in Butuan in 1596.
Butuan
Mission.
Two Jesuit missionaries Fr. Valerio de
Ledesma, SJ and Fr. Manuel Martinez, SJ arrived Manila from Spain via Mexico.
They were dispatched by their Superiors to Cebu for their Butuan assignments.[iv]
They arrived in Butuan in November 1596 in response to the request of Spanish
community for priests. At the mid-part of 1597, they must have been faring well
because a bigger church was constructed since the native communities living
along the banks of Agusan River were converted. There was a bigger number of
Christians already. Although the church was made of light materials, it was not
able to lessen the enthusiasm of the faithful from actively participating
during the inauguration or blessing of the church in September 1597. One clear
thing, the Jesuits were successful in their evangelization works in Butuan.[v]
By 1600 the first two Jesuit missionaries
in Mindanao left Butuan. Fr. Ledesma was assigned to Bohol while Fr. Martinez
to Leyte and another Jesuit arrived, Fr. Cristobal Ximenez to take their place.
However, not long thereafter, the Butuan Mission in 1614 was turn-over by
Jesuits to the Diocese of Cebu. Hence, diocesan or secular priests were
assigned in Butuan vice the Jesuits.[vi]
Tandag
Mission.
Located at the eastern side of Mindanao and
fronting the Pacific Ocean, lies the area of Caraga, or the present day
Surigao. In 1609, Tandag was occupied by the Spaniards permanently and later on,
a fort was constructed in the settlement.
At first the natives were submissive to the
colonizers, despite maybe their hearts were heavy and downtrodden why were they
being ruled by strangers because they used to live as freemen and never like
this. Not long thereafter, in 1613, a
rebellion ignited and broke out all over Caraga; and it led the Spanish
Officials to conclude that solution to the unrest can never be solved alone by
their might, but to something else which the missionaries can do to pacify the
rebellion. Although maybe late, but since it was the right thing to do, they
requested Bishop Pedro de Arce of Cebu who replaced Bishop Pedro de Agurto, an
Augustinian Friar, the first Bishop of Cebu, who did not arrive until several
years later, despite he was long appointed to the post in 1595 yet by Pope
Clement VIII.
Bishop Arce sent eight (8) Recollect
priests to Caraga in 1622 and they were Fr. Miguel de Santa Maria, the group’s
Superior; Agustin de San Pedro; Francisco de la Madre de Dios; Jacinto de San
Fulgencio; Jacinto de Jesus Maria; Juan de la Madre de Dios; Juan de San
Nicolas; and Nicolas de la Madre de Dios.[vii]
The Local Father Superior, Fr. Miguel de
Santa Maria remained in Tandag, while Fr. Juan de la Madre de Dios moved
northwards to the settlement of Guigaquit, but unfortunately he died there.
However, he was able to convert a multitude of natives including their
Chieftain named Inuk.
Moreover, the two priests journeyed to
Butuan and even penetrated a settlement some 100 km. away south of Butuan,
called “Linao”. Probably, this town was along the banks of Agusan River, thus
“Linao” for its name.
Division
of Mindanao:
In 1624, Governor General Fernando Tello
issued an edict which divided Mindanao between the Recollects and Jesuits. The
imaginary division started from the north at Punta Sulawan in today's El
Salvador and stretched down to the south in straight line up to Cape San
Agustin in today's town of Governor Generoso in Davao Oriental. From this
reference, all lands to the west was under the missionary charge of the Jesuits
while those which faced east to the Recollects.[viii]
By such edict on division, the Jesuits were recalled to evangelize Mindanao.
But even before the division of Mindanao, the
western part of Mindanao - the Zamboanga Peninsula was already evangelized by
the Jesuits. Early evangelization of the area was remarkably done by Fr. Pablo
Acuna, SJ, and a Chaplain during the Spanish campaign against the Moros wherein
in his free time preached the Gospel in the area. In 1606, the mission of
Dapitan was established and another Jesuit Fr. Pedro Gutierrez (1593-1651)
consolidated the initiatives of Fr. Acuna.[ix]
The Founding
of Himologan - Cagayan Mission:
It was in Butuan when the Recollects knew
that there had been a prosperous settlement southwest from them and known as
Himologan with its Chieftain named Salangsang. So, the two Recollects Fr. Juan
de San Nicolas and Fr. Francisco de la Madre de Dios sailed from Butuan to
Himologan [Cagayan de Misamis later] to evangelize the settlement.
With the assistance of Salangsang’s
grandmother who lived in Butuan, a letter or some sort of an introduction or
commendation letter was made by the latter and hand carried by the priests for
the Chieftain. They anchored in Camiguin first preparatory of their entry to
Himologan. Upon reaching Himologan, the Chieftain welcome them formally like
those due to envoys.[x]
The native settlement of Cagayan was still
upriver in a place called Huloga. The
missionaries were not permitted to live near the settlement but down river at
the vicinities where the present cathedral stood.[xi] Not much thereafter, the native inhabitants
of Huloga followed to where the priests lived.
The priests must have lived exemplary lives in industry, humility and
grace, so the natives assimilated with them.
It is likewise appropriate to live in
communities for mutual support and protection.
Recollect priests, Juan de San Nicolas and
Francisco de la Madre de Dios held San Agustin Parish – Cagayan parish from
1622 until the next Prior arrived to Cagayan from Tandag. Fr. Agustin de San
Pedro, OAR became the Prior in 1626.[xii]
His assignment in Cagayan proved to be a longer one, from 1626 to 1642, because
he was only relieved in 1642. However,
he was briefly assigned in Butuan in 1638-1641 before he returned to
Cagayan.
Aside from being a priest, Fr. San Pedro
was a student in architecture, gunnery, and military tactics at the University
of Salamanca in Spain. His assignment here was significantly highlighted with
series of Moro raids in the settlement. He however successfully led the defense
of Cagayan against the forces of the Maguindanaos and Maranaos under Cachil
Corralat of Cotabato.
Intricate defense system along the banks of
the Lambago (Cagayan) River were erected making the invaders vulnerable of
accurate counter-attacks by the defenders. The mission settlement located south
of the present site of San Agustin Cathedral, some areas of present day
Barangay Carmen and along Rizal Street were fortified. Thus, Cachil Corralat was enraged upon
knowing the military preparation of the young priest who was just assigned in
Cagayan.[xiii]
Fr.
San Pedro waged a military campaign against the invaders - Peril of the Seas at
their homeland. They entered Lanao and reached the lake through the mountain
passes of Iponan River Valley, Opol and Talakag areas. He reached their homeland earlier before
conquistador Captain General Sebastian Hurtado Corcuera reached Lanao in 1638.[xiv]
For a time, it ended the raids by the Peril
of the Seas to the Christian communities in the coastline not until 1749 when
depredations started again.
Based from an inventory of the parish
register or padron [the Jesuits
called it in the 19th century] in 1650, the parish of Cagayan had total
parishioners of about 2,800 souls that included the people of Hiponan or
Iponan, Tagoloan, and Gompot.[xv]
The farthest among these mentioned visitas is Gompot or Balingasag while the
closest is Hiponan which is located just across the Lambago River and about
more than just seven kilometers away from Cagayan today; and going west.
El Padre Capitan – Agustin San Pedro must
have commanded a formidable force of men in his campaign to the homelands of
the Muslim sometime before 1638. It was
never explained how he organized to raise an army, but really he was good in
organizing. He may have organized an army not only composed of Christian
converts, but as well as native pagans.
The cause was noble, so regardless of creed, the forces joined against
one common enemy.
We would note that the parish register in
1650 disclosed that there were only 2,800 souls for all the visitas and we wonder if the visitas were already there at the time
of El Padre Capitan’s campaign to Lanao before 1638 (the year when Corcuera’s
successful campaign in the moroland).
After Fr. San Pedro, there was Fr. Nicolas
de la Madre de Dios. In 1659, Fr.
Nicolas de la Madre de Dios was able to subdue rebellion in Cagayan led by a
shaman named Salud together with her son surrendered to him. [xvi]
We would not be able to enumerate
chronologically the priests and their period of assignments/works here,
nevertheless; we wish to notate that they were in Cagayan de Misamis and these
priests were: Fr. Juan de la Concepcion, in 1722, who founded the mission of
Malitbog; Fr. Fernando de San Miguel in 1726 Mission of Pinagoloan or Tagoloan
for which he built a church and convent; Fr. Juan de los Dolores, 1793; Fr.
Bartolome de Sta. Ana, 1825; Fr. Simon
Loscos, 1845; Fr. Ramon Zueco, 1861 to 1889; Fr. Mateo Bernad Pascual de San
Miguel, 1876 penetrated Bukidnon as far as Bugcaon and Linabu; and Fr. Angel
Velaza, 1895 until 1898 when the Recollect mission in Cagayan de Misamis ended.
Early
Visitas of the Recollects:
In 1650, Gonpot together with Hiponan and
Tagoloan were visitas of the
Recollects of Cagayan. It took them more than twenty years later to evangelize
those places. A “visita” was a term given to administrative centers, including the
sitio and municipality, without a resident priest, and was merely visited for
priestly ministries.[xvii]
The earliest reference of Gonpot or
Balingasag as well as Cagayan and Tagoloan was on January 25, 1571 yet when
these places were declared by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi as encomienda in favor of Juan Griego.[xviii] It was declared as an encomienda despite these places in 1571 were unpacified or not
evangelized by the missionaries yet or occupied by the colonial government.
Declaring or granting of an encomienda was a privilege given to a
loyal subject of the King for extraordinary services to the Majesty. However
during the time of Francisco de Sande, the third Captain General and Governor
General of the Philippines on April 25, 1575 to April 1580, after he replaced
Guido Labezaras, the second Captain General/Governor General who died in the
Philippines, encomiendas granted to
unpacified territories were revoked. Places which had been evangelized and
tended by the missionaries were recognized as places of encomienda.
It
was 79 years later when Hiponan, Tagoloan and Gonpot were evangelized or
pacified. Could Juan Griego still be the
encomiendero in 1650 or someone else had taken his place?
Based from an inventory of the parish
register or [padron, the Jesuits called
it in the 19th century] in 1650, the parish of Cagayan had total
parishioners of about 2,800 souls that included the people of Hiponan or Iponan,
Tagoloan, and Gompot.[xix]
The farthest among these mentioned visitas is Gompot or Balingasag while the
closest is Hiponan which is located just across the Lambago River and about
less than seven kilometers away from Cagayan today; and going west.
The easiest and practical way to reach the
visitas along the coastline by then was by a long boat from Cagayan. Travel by
road to Gonpot or Gompot was not possible those days because there were no
roads yet, but only trails; and of course, the Tagoloan River further hinders
travel going east inasmuch as there was neither a ferry boat nor a bridge
across the big river that originates from the hinterlands of Malaybalay in
Bukidnon.
So, certainly it would be very hard for
priests in Cagayan to visit frequently the visitas,
the most maybe is that the priest would be at the visita for at least once a year to let the faithful fulfill their
annual obligations – Easter duties as Christians to have their confessions and
receive Holy Communion. This visitation happens not exclusively during Lenten
season, but anytime or any month of the year when the missionary priest has
time.
There was no reference of a settlement
called Jasaan or what its name was in 1650. Could it be possible that Jasaan
was just a part of Tagoloan or Gompot?
In 1722 it is said that Fr. Juan de la
Concepcion founded the mission of Malitbog. [xx]
We know Malitbog, of course even today, it
is accessed through Tagoloan via Sta. Ana, and we likewise believed that it was
accessed on similar route earlier before or during the 19th century. Somehow we
wish to believe that Tagoloan was the missionary base of Fr. Juan de la
Concepcion since it was a visita in
1650 yet and it had built a church and convent in 1726 when Fr. Fernando de San
Miguel handled the mission of Pinagoian or Tagoloan.
The
Birth of Jasaan as a New Parish:
As said beforehand, there was no mentioned
of Jasaan in 1650 or when Tagoloan and Gompot became visitas of Cagayan. Probably, Jasaan was a just a part of Tagoloan
because the old Jasaan was at first in the areas of Barangay Aplaya, before it
became a parish in 1830.
Old Jasaan in Aplaya or in Cabituogan area
was just a couple of leagues or leaguas
away from Tagoloan. Presently the Aplaya
and Cabituogan area is only about not more than 15 kilometers away from
Tagoloan. Due to its nearness to Tagoloan,
perhaps it may explain why that it was just a part of Tagoloan when the latter
was a visita of the Recollects in
Cagayan in 1650.
Despite of the anonymity of Jasaan in 1650,
it became later as a parish in 1830 and we have some reservations why not Tagoloan
was made as such. Tagoloan in 1726 had
built a church and convent while Fr. Fernando de San Miguel handled it. Somehow
it was a missionary base of priests to the Malitbog mission and of the
Recollect ventures to Bukidnon via the Tagoloan River area.
Clearing
some Points of Ambiguity:
With the establishment of a big church and
convent in 1726 in Tagoloan and permanent assignment of a priest in the person
of Fr. Fernando de San Miguel, we opt to
believe that it was an important visita
ever founded by the Recollects in the eastern side of Cagayan. The assignment of permanent priest alone to
an area implies that Tagoloan was already a parish in that year. But such is
only our assumption that she was a parish, but a factual presentation below may
tell us that she was not.
From the manuscripts which Fr. Florencio P.
Salvador, Jr. SSJV, STL of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro uncovered from the
National Archives in Manila, “Ereccion de Pueblo: Misamis (1808-1838), leg.
120-No. 7, it says that the principales
[ruling officials] of Tagoloan, Jasaan, Balingasag and Bagacay [referring to
Kinoguitan as in Sto. Niño de Bagacay] asked or petitioned Fr. Miguel de Jesus,
the Recollect Father Provincial; that they earnestly desire that the visitas of Tagoloan, Jasaan, Balingasag
and Bagacay shall be separated or detached as visitas of the parish of Cagayan. They nominated Jasaan to become a
parish so that the spiritual needs of the faithful from the visitas in the remote eastern side of
Cagayan could be attended directly by the priest of the new parish.
The present set where they are visitas of Cagayan, the priest could
hardly visit them because of the wide ecclesiastic jurisdiction of Cagayan. The
priest in Cagayan could no longer attend the spiritual nourishment of the
people these visitas.
Furthermore, the petitioners viewed the
assignment of a priest to them shall warranty their safety against Moro raids
and it can assist them as well in the civil and political governance of their
places.
The letter - petition which was formulated
by the principalias in Bagacay was
referred by Fr. Miguel de Jesus to Don Jose de Santaromana, the Corregidor of
Misamis. It was dated on March 12, 1830, and three days later, Santaromana
informed the Father Provincial de Jesus that the letter was dispatched to the
Governor General Mariano Ricafort for appropriate action.
Since General Ricafort viewed the matter as
religious in nature and supposedly for the ecclesiastics, it was referred to
Fr. Santos Gomez Maraῆon, OSA the Bishop
of Cebu. Due to its urgency of nature and its necessity, Bishop Maraῆon approved the petition and decreed on
November 12, 1830 Jasaan as a new parish in the eastern side of Cagayan with
the titular name as the Parish of the Immaculate Concepcion.
The Recollect Father Provincial Miguel de
Jesus sent Fr. Jose Casals de la Santisima Trinidad to Jasaan as the first Parish
Priest or Administrator on May 22, 1831.
The
Transfer of Old Jasaan to Cabulig Areas:
The topography or location of today’s
Jasaan is not what she once occupied. Its early settlement was in Barangay
Aplaya. Due to overcrowding in Aplaya
and considering the need of sufficient potable water, old Jasaan was
transferred from Aplaya or Cabituogan areas to the present day Jasaan in Cabulig
Areas on November 23, 1866 through the initiative of Fr. Ramon Cabas del
Patrimonio. The relocation area was more
or less five kilometers from Aplaya or Cabituogan areas.[xxi]
On top the steep cliff or hill of Cabituogan
which fronted Macajalar Bay, an old church ruins exist. Although what is visible today is only the
ruins of the church’s perimeter footing of old hardened concrete more or less,
one could conceptualize how big the church was. The most preserved portion is
not far away from the church. The structure has a commanding view of the
Macajalar Bay, it is made of concrete thus perhaps it might be an observation
post.
From old Jasaan in Aplaya-Cabituogan area,
Balingasag is more or less some 20 kilometers away going east along the coastline.
So, the faithful in Balingasag may have a hard time going to church for mass or
services in old Jasaan because of the great distance, unless of course, the
church-goers used long boats which are propelled by sail. However, when the settlement was transferred in
1866 to the Cabulig areas or to where the present Jasaan is, the distance from
Balingasag to the latter was lessened to only about 16 kilometers. Maybe the
faithful of Balingasag were much disposed to go to the parish church because
right after the Punta Gorda Mountains is Jasaan and despite travel on land on
horses along the trail was possible, they apparently may have preferred to use
long boats because of the difficulty and risk of land travel via Punta Gorda.
The parish of Jasaan took charge in the
spiritual ministries of the visitas
under her – Tagoloan, Balingasag, Lagonglong, Binuangan, Bagacay and beyond.
From the research paper of Fr. Roniedon P.
Valmoria, SSJV, based on the Baptismal Records of Immaculada Concepcion Parish
of Jasaan, for which the former had accessed on it being the Parish Priest of a
nearby parish in Bobontugan, Jasaan, Recollect missionaries who visited the visitas of Sta. Rita de Balingasag, San
Juan de Lagonglong, San Jose de Binuangan [in 1844 Salay adopted St. Joseph as their
Patron Saint too],
and Sto. Niño de Bagacay [Kinoguitan] were Fr. Jose Casals de la Santisima Trinidad
visited Lagonglong in 1835 and 1836 intermittently as well as those who
followed after him like Fr. Manuel de Santa Rita in 1837, 1838 and 1839-May
1843; Fr. Vicente Dolores Estanislao de San Pascual in a shorter time in 1844
and in August 1844; the Parish Priest of Jasaan Fr. Gregorio Logronio del
Dulcessimo Nombre de Maria, visited in 1845 to June 1847; and Fr. Miguel de San
Crispin 1847 to September 1849.
On November 3, 1849, Balingasag was erected
as a parish with the titular name as Parroquia de Sto. Niῆo. The
first Augustinian Recollect Parish Priest was Fr. Estanislao Severo, OAR, who
was assigned in Balingasag from November 3, 1849 to May 1850.[xxii]
From then on, the visitas once under
the care of Jasaan like San Juan de Lagonglong, San Jose de Binuangan and Salay
and Sto. Niῆo de Bagacay were
missionary charges of Balingasag.
Tagoloan including Malitbog and the rancherias
along the lower Tagoloan River Valley were under the missionary charge of the
Recollects of Jasaan for pastoral reasons or due to their nearness to the
existing parish.
Who
then evangelized the visita of
Balingasag or that of Tagoloan and Hiponan:
We recall the Butuan Mission was founded by
the Jesuits in 1596 and at that time Mindanao was not divided yet by two
missionary groups.
The Recollects arrived in the Philippines
in 1602, and it was only in 1622 when the Bishop de Arce of Cebu deployed them
to Tandag following the military pacification of the place. The decree of division of Mindanao came later
in 1624 issued by Governor General Fernando Tello. But before the decree, the
Jesuits in Butuan left already in 1614 for new assignments in the Visayas and
had turnover the mission to the Bishop of Cebu.
The evangelization or founding of Cagayan
was in 1622 by the Recollects, Fr. Juan de San Nicolas and Francisco de la
Madre de Dios. Occurring also in 1622, Fr. Francisco de la Concepcion also a
Recollect founded the mission of Catarman in Camiguin.
So, there were two mission settlements in
1622 of the Recollects in Cagayan de Misamis area, one was in Cagayan and the
other in Catarman, Camiguin Island.
However, from the works of Fr. Rodolfo
Cabonce, SJ which was published later by Fr. Francisco Demetrio, SJ in
“Glimpses of Northern Mindanao, p. 428”, it says:
“The evangelization
of the present territory of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro began with the
arrival of the first missionaries, the Jesuits, in 1596. The Jesuits made their
initial explorations between Butuan, the seat of their first mission; and Cagayan
including Camiguin.” ---- Fr. Cabonce
quoted Fr. Licinio Ruiz, Sinopsis Historica de la Provincia de S. Nicolas de
Tolentino de las Islas Filipinas, de la Orden de los Agustinos Recollectos, Vol.
1, p. 168.
Furthermore, Fr.
Cabonce said, “Guinsiliban was founded by the Jesuits in 1599, and should be
the oldest town of Camiguin.”
[With the first three Jesuits to arrive in
the Philippines in 1581, six (6) were Franciscans, eighteen (18) Augustinians and
two (2) Dominicans. One of the two
Dominicans was the First Bishop of Manila, Domingo de Salazar. Of the three Jesuits, two were priests namely
Fr. Antonio Sedeño and Alonzo Sanchez; and one was a brother/coadjutor, Nicolas
Gallardo.[xxiii]]
If the Jesuits in 1596 made their initial
explorations between Butuan and Cagayan including Camiguin areas with their
mission base in Butuan, could it be possible that Gompot was evangelized by
them before the Recollects arrived Cagayan in 1622?
The first Jesuits in Butuan-Mindanao in
November 1596 were Fr. Valerio de Ledesma and Fr. Manuel Martinez. In 1600, another Jesuit took the place of Fr.
Manuel Martinez in Butuan, he was Fr. Cristobal Ximenez. Fr. Manuel Martinez assignment was in Leyte
while Fr. Valerio de Ledesma was long time ago assigned in Bohol.[xxiv]
In 1612, the Provincial Jesuit Superior,
Fr. Gregorio Lopez visited Butuan Mission and was delighted to find that despite it was
just a newly started mission, it was however a well-established mission among
the other mission stations the Jesuits had established ahead or earlier in
Luzon and Eastern Visayas.[xxv]
The Jesuit Butuan Mission was
re-established again in 1611 after the same was turn-over by them earlier to
the Bishop of Cebu. However by 1614, it
was closed and turn-over again to another group of missionaries for lack of
manpower.[xxvi]
If it was them who evangelized or founded
Camiguin particularly Guinsiliban in 1599, who were those Jesuits? Could he or they be like the one in Gompot who
came one day to the native settlement, preached and lived with them, but
disappeared one day?
We believe Fr. Cabonce and all the early
scholars were right to tell us that the Jesuits did the evangelization of
Guinsiliban in 1599, much ahead than the Recollects in 1622 in Catarman and
Cagayan, for they were only the lone missionary group that operated in
Mindanao. The Recollects arrived the Philippines in 1602, however, it was only
in 1622 when they were deployed for missions in Caraga.
However, it is only sad that what the
Jesuits may have started was not being sustained and there could be multitude
of reasons why they had not. Firstly was
the fact that they did not stay long in Mindanao and even turn-over the Butuan
Mission to the Bishop of Cebu in 1614, because they were transferred to the
islands of Visayas. Secondly, there was much depredation by the perils of the
sea to Christian settlements along the coastal areas and Guinsiliban was not
exempt to this.
Indeed, till today, one could see the testimony
and remnants of the past that this place was once being pillaged by the perils
of the seas. Along the coast of
Guinsiliban, there is an old fortification or embankment made by Christian
settlers against the raiders of the seas. This place is a reminder it was
tactically used as a stronghold by its gallant defenders, for them to mount
their lantakas or cannons and repulse the raiders until they die defending
their homes.
Personally, it seems unnecessary anymore to
know really who evangelized Gompot whether the Jesuits or Recollects, what is
certainly important is that it was evangelized.
If the Jesuits did the evangelization of
the Guinsiliban, an old town located along the Coast of Camiguin Island
fronting the mainland of Cagayan de Misamis or particularly Eastern Misamis
Oriental, then they could have evangelized as well the native settlements of the
adjacent coast. From Guinsiliban to the
nearest point of Eastern Misamis Oriental in Punta Silad in Kinoguitan, once
could see the rooftops of houses. It is
about an hour on a boat - roro type from the port of Balingoan. It is really
near as it was before.
Probably therefore the thesis some scholars
of Gompot or Balingasag hold that a certain Padre Isko evangelized Gompot could
be true. But before giving a wild guess for an answer to our question, firstly
we could not certainly answer it in black and white. Existing constraints could not lead us to
correct conclusion, but nearly correct conclusion perhaps. The events happening
on such period, may guide us to answer the question in mere probabilities.
Beginning 1622 the founding of Cagayan and
until when Iponan, Tagoloan and Gompot were mentioned as visitas by the Recollects in 1650, there were about three assignments
of different Recollect Priests in Cagayan.
The first was during its founding in 1622 with Fr. Juan de San Nicolas
and Fr. Francisco de la Madre de Dios; Fr. Agustin de San Pedro from 1626 to
1642, but he was shortly assigned in Butuan in 1638-1641; and Fr. Nicolas de la
Madre de Dios followed him.
Fr. Nicolas de la Madre de Dios was among
the eight Recollect priests together with Fr. San Pedro deployed by the Bishop
of Cebu in 1622 to Caraga.[xxvii]
Not much was talked about him, except for the shaman incident named Salud who
yielded to him in 1659.[xxviii]
As we remember, the two Recollect priests
in 1622 - Fr. Juan de San Nicolas and Fr. Francisco de la Madre de Dios, who
arrived Cagayan sailed off from Butuan. On their way to Himologan or Cagayan,
they anchored at Camiguin preparatory to their entry to Cagayan. As soon as they entered the coastal waters
after Punta Silad in Bagacay or Kinoguitan area, maybe they must have
experienced calmer seas than before reaching such point, it is so because on or
along Silad Point it is the closest channel between the mainland and Camiguin.
Thus, the seas must be rougher. Perhaps, they must have noticed too that upon
nearing the Macajalar Bay or when the outline of the Punta Gorda Mountain came
into clearer view, a settlement located along the coastal area, southwest of
the high mountain range called Balatukan Mountain could be visibly seen. This
was Gompot.
So after maybe sometime or as soon as they
were settled well, they have gone west to evangelize Hiponan, and perhaps they
may have journeyed east northeast towards Tagoloan until Gompot.
If either Fr. Juan de San Nicolas or Fr.
Fancisco dela Madre de Dios had laboriously trekked, rode on a horseback, or
took a longboat before 1626 to the settlements farther east, surely the priests
or anyone of them could have reached Gompot. But if they were unable to reach
farther northeast, then Gompot was still pagan in 1626.
If Fr. Agustin de San Pedro who stayed
continuously in Cagayan from 1626 to 1637 had journeyed east northeast to Gompot
during these mentioned years, the latter native settlement could have been
evangelized by him.
But if Hiponan, Tagoloan and Balingasag were
not evangelized earlier or before 1650, we believe it would be impossible for El
Padre de Capitan to wage a military campaign against the moros and reached their homelands in Lanao before 1638 in
retaliation of Cachil Corralat raids in the settlement of Cagayan because a campaign
needed considerable number of men or manpower more so that it was an offensive
one. Where would he find this number of
men, from the native settlement of Cagayan? Yes, but that would not be enough. Logically,
he could have it from newly created visitas.
The cause was worth dying for, it was a war
for survival and why would not a newly convert Christian or a pagan join the
military campaign? It was a war for the
survival of his family against plunder and slavery. The slave trade in the
south and in Batavia was flourishing.
Conclusion:
Going back to our premise whether or not
St. Francis Xavier, the Patron of the Missions indeed had reached Balingasag
and evangelized the native settlement of Gompot, the undersigned wishes to
notate that there are no known facts in history to support the thesis as true.
We recall the first seed of Christianity
reached Mindanao through Sarangani when the frigate or galleon of de Castro was
blown off-course from Terrenate bound supposedly to Macassar in the Celebes.
The year was 1538 and although St. Francis Xavier was already a Jesuit priest
at that time, having solemnly vowed at Montmarte together with St. Ignatius de
Loyola with six other company, he was still in Europe and came only to Asia
through India in 1542.
While it is true that he was able to reach
the island of Moluccas in the trading posts of Amboyna, Terrenate, and so on;
and even reached Japan in 1549, there are no evidences to support the claim
that he had been able to reach Mindanao while he was here in the Far East.
Despite in his canonization in 1623, assertion was made that he was in Mindanao
during his missionary endeavors, but the Bull of Cannonization proclaiming him
as a Saint did not indicate or affirm the thesis that he was in Mindanao.
Furthermore, if the Jesuits had evangelized
Guinsiliban in Camiguin in 1599, could it be possible that they were able to
reach Gompot as well. Traditions say
that long, long time ago, a priest
appeared one day in the native settlement of Gompot, preached and lived with
them for a while and vanished one day. That the priest whom they called as
Padre Isko was believed to be a Jesuit.
If Gompot or Balingasag was visited by the
Jesuits during the evangelization of Guinsiliban sometime in 1599, such Jesuit
Priest could never be Fr. Francis Xavier because he died off the coast of China
in Sancian in 1552 on his way to the Celestial Empire trying to bring the gospels
thereat.
In the founding of Guinsiliban by the
Jesuits in 1599, we wonder who the missionary was. In 1596, there were only two Jesuits in this
part of Mindanao particularly Butuan, Fr. Valerio de Ledesma and Fr. Manuel
Martinez. These two priests must have been extremely busy because on September
8, 1597, the new church in Butuan though made of light magerials was
inaugurated. Its inauguration implies that the two missionaries really labored
much so the native communities along the River Delta would become Christians.
In March 1600, Fr. Manuel Martinez was
relieved by Fr. Cristobal Ximenez. The
former was re-assigned to Leyte. Fr.
Valerio de Ledesma left the mission of Butuan for his assignment in Bohol much ahead
than Fr. Manuel Martinez.
Could it be possible that before Fr.
Ledesma reported to his new assignment in Bohol, he went first to Guinisiliban
to evangelize the place? Or would it be
not that while Fr. Ledesma and Fr. Martinez were together in Butuan, one of
them went to Guinisiliban to evangelize the place?
Really, it is hard to influence one’s
thoughts, but for our minds to move and think best, we have to make assertion
and supposition that could somehow guide us to think analytically.
On the other hand, if the Recollects were
the first to evangelize Gompot or Balingasag, then likely it was Fr. Agustin
San Pedro who did it. Unlike Fr. Juan de
San Nicolas and Fr. Fancisco dela Madre de Dios, his assignment in Cagayan was
a longer one compared with the first pioneering priests. Fr.
San Pedro was in Cagayan from 1626-1637.
Probably it was in between 1626 to 1637 when he was able to reach
Hiponan, Tagoloan and Gompot because he was assigned shortly in Butuan from
1638-41 before he returned to Cagayan. In
1642 Fr. Agustin de San Pedro was relieved as Prior of Cagayan and assigned in
Romblon. He died in the mission in Romblon in 1653.[xxix]
Fr. Nicolas de Madre de Dios replaced him.
By 1650, the Recollects notably mentioned
Hiponan, Tagoloan and Gompot as their visitas.
Could these visitas evangelized by
Fr. San Pedro solely, this, we do not know. But it is worthy to consider the
possibility because Fr. San Pedro before even General Corcuera entered the
moorland in 1638, Fr. San Pedro staged a military campaign against the moros
and reached their homelands up to lake. Such military campaign could not be
made possible with few people alone.
But if Fr. Agustin de San Pedro was not
able to evangelize these visitas
mentioned in 1650, therefore, it is certain that Fr. Nicolas dela Madre de
Dios, one of the eight priests who arrived in 1622 with Fr. San Pedro in
Tandag, Caraga did the evangelization of the three visitas where Gompot or Balingasag was the farthest one.
We would leave the question for the readers
to think and answer as to when Gompot was evangelized and who did it?
But whether it was done by the Jesuits or
Recollects that would not matter much who did it first. What is equally important
is that Balingasag was evangelized and turned into a parish in 1849 during the
time of the Recollects. Despite, it was not the staging point of the Recollects
mission to Bukidnon, but Jasaan, it however had gained prominence in 1877 when
the Jesuits took the missionary charge of Cagayan de Misamis from the
Recollects. Balingasag was the first
Jesuit Residence in the eastern part of Misamis wherein preparations for the
evangelization of the Bukidnon areas were studied and planned thereat. When
Tagoloan became a residence, preparations were done there.
It is noteworthy to remember that in 1876
Fr. Mateo Bernad Pascual de San Miguel, OAR penetrated Bukidnon as far as
Bugcaon and Linabo in today’s Malaybalay City thru the Tagoloan River Valley
route – Sta. Ana, Malitbog, Tankulan and Sumilao areas. The Jesuits followed the missionary endeavors
of their counterparts in the spread of gospels to Bukidnon. Sumilao and Linabo
were created as parishes.
They
did exploration too, in 1890, Fr. Eusebio Barrado, SJ reached Tamontaka Mission
in Cotabato from the Linabo Mission Malaybalay through the Pulangi River – Rio
Grande de Mindanao which debouches in Cotabato. The exploration was a venture
of two missionary bases that of Tamontaka with Fr. Jacinto Juanmarti and Fr.
Guillermo Bennazar, and with Fr. Juan Heras of Balingasag Mission.
Finally, this paper is presented not to
discredit the missionary endeavors of St. Francis Xavier while he was in the
Far East. This article has been written only to strengthen a significant event
in the history of Gompot or Balingasag.
Evangelization is an important episode of a
town’s history. It must be written at
least with tidbits of credibility. When we talk of credibility, we mean it can
be supported by historical facts. Although
we fail to answer categorically when the evangelization of Gompot took place
and who did it; and what are presented in this paper are based on mere
assumptions or theories, nevertheless; we believe we are just a few distance nearer
to the truth or reality because we could substantiate our answers with facts or
reasons based on written history.
ooo
Contributed by:
RexR.Valmores
102018
[i] Fr. Francis
Xavier, SJ [now a saint] was born in Portugal in the Castle of Xavier near
Sanguesa, in Navarre on 7 April 1506 and died on the Island of Sancian neqr the
coast of China on 2 December 1552. St. Ignatius de Loyola, Francis Xavier,
Favre, Lainez, Salmeron, Rodriguez, and Bobadilla offered themselves to God and
formed the Society of Jesus in the famous vow of Montmarte on 15 August 1534.
In 1542 Fr. Xavier arrived from Portugal for Goa, India and started his
ministry at the local hospital for 5 months. In October 1542, he left for Tamil
Nadu, Southern India and evangelized the natives of the pearl farms. He reached
Ceylon and was there for three years. By 1545, he was in Malacca and a year
later he started evangelizing, Moluccas: the trading posts of Amboyna,
Terrenate, and Baranura. He reached Japan in 1549 and studied the language,
after acquainted with it, started the evangelization in the cities of Kagoshima
and Meaco. He left Japan 8in 1552 and returned to Goa, India. From there, he
left again Goa for Malacca on April 1552 and this time bound for China. He was
off the coast of China, in the island of Sancian, where he died in a small hut
because sea travel aggravated much his sickness. He died without fulfilling his
dream to be able to reach and evangelize the Celestial Empire of Great China.
In 1623, a Bull of Cannonization was issued proclaiming Fr. Francis Xavier, SJ
as saint. __ See the Catholic Encyclopedia, Butler's Lives of the Saints,
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Church and L'OsservatoreRomano.
[ii] Antonio Pigafetta was the chronicler of the
Magellan’s expedition. He narrated that during the battle at Mactan, Magellan
was first struck by a poisoned arrow on his thigh, the unarmored or unprotected
part of the body. Outnumbered by the native warriors, they retreated and the
fatal blows were inflicted into him by thrusts of harden bamboo lances. Before
he finally expired, he looked back very concern if his men had all managed to
retreat on board. Pigafetta said, “We lost our leader, our light and guide.”
See Allan Villiers, an Article for the National Geographic. Posted in Encarta,
entitled “Following the Voyages of Magellan.”
[iii] Macassar is located in the southern end of the
Celebes Island. Near to it, to the west is the huge island of Borneo separated
by the Strait of Macassar, and to its southeast is the island of Flores the
only place in Indonesia, which is predominantly Catholics. (Annotation mine.)
[See map of Indonesia].
[iv] Fr. Miguel A.
Bernad, SJ. The Great Island, Studies in the Exploration and Evangelization of
Mindanao, pp. 47-48; 50.
[v] Fr. Valerio
Ledesma converted the datus of Butuan
namely Elian, Osol and Silongan to Christianity. __ See Greg Hontiveros, an
article in the Internet visited October 17, 2018, “The Ancient Trading Harbor
of Butuan.”
[vi] The Jesuits re-established their missions in Butuan
in 1611 because the natives revolted and they were notified to go back and
pacify the rebellion. As such Fr. Fabricio Sarsali, SJ a Sicilian came to
administer the mission and had been able to pacify the insurrection. __ See
Schreurs, Caraga Antigua, 112-113. The Jesuit who finally pacified the natives
and brought them back to live in villages was Fr. Fabricio Sarsali. However, in
1614, they turn-over Butuan to a new group of missionaries for lack of
manpower. __ See Fr. Horacio de la Costa, SJ, Jesuit in the Philippines, pp.
154, 165-166, 171 & 319.
[vii] Fr. Luis de Jesus, Historica General II, in Blair and
Robertson, Vol. XXI pp. 231-233.
[viii] Fr. Licinio
Ruiz, Sinopsis Historica de la Provincia de S. Nicolas de Tolentino de las
Islas Filipinas, de la Orden de los Agustino Recoletos, Vol. p. 175.
[ix] Fr. Jose Arcilla, SJ Jesuit Missionary Letters from
Mindanao, Vol. 4 The Dapitan-Balingasag Mission, 2000 UP-CIDS.
[x] Fr. Francis Madigan, SJ. Early History of Cagayan de
Oro in "Glimpses of Northern Mindanao" by Fr. Francisco Demetrio,SJ
pp.1-8.
[xi] Luis de Jesus; narrated in Historia General II and
likewise in Blair and Robertson XXI, pp. 231-233
[xii] He was born under the Last Name Rodriguez y Moreyro
and native of Braganza, Portugal. His parents were Miguel Rodriguez and Maria
Moreyro. He studied Philosophy and Theology with flying honors at the
University of Salamanca; and it was here where his interests in architecture,
gunnery, and military tactics were awakened. Indeed, he studied them. In 1619,
he entered the Recollect Order and pronounced his profession at age 23 years
old. In Mexico, he was ordained priest while en route to the Philippines. He
died in the mission in Romblon in 1653. __ See Francisco Sabada del Carmen,
Catalogo de Recolletos, 1906.
[xiii] Luis de Jesus’ accounts about Padre San Pedro __ op.
cit., Blair and Robertson, XXXI, pp. 235-236 and in Vol. XXXV pp. 59-61; and
94-97. Diego de Santa Theresa, Historia General de la Congregacion de España y
de la Indias (Vol. III, Barcelona: 1743), pp. 611-618.
[xiv] Ibid.
[xv] Fr. Licinio Ruiz, Sinopsis Historica, pp. 189-190.
[xvi] Fr. Rodolfo F. Cabonce, S.J., Brief History of the
Archdiocese, ed. Fr. Francisco Demetrio, SJ, Historical Glimpses of Northern
Mindanao, p. 492. ___ See Padre Licinio Ruiz, Sinopsis pp.189-190.
[xvii] ) Fr. JS Arcilla, SJ. Jesuit Missionary Letters from
Mindanao, Vol. IV, The Dapitan-Balingasag, Missions. UP CIDS, 2000.
[xviii] Blair and Robertson, Vol. 34 pp. 304-310.
[xix] Fr. Licinio Ruiz, Sinopsis Historica, pp. 189-190.
[xx] Fr. Florencio P. Salvador, Jr. SSJV, STL (Vicar
General). An article, “The Church of Jasaan: Its Foundation and Early History”
in Golden Jubilee, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, 1951-2001., Legacy Sales and
Printing Press, Cagayan de Oro City, 2001.
[xxi] Important
documents regarding the transfer of Jasaan from Cabituogan to Cabulig areas
[the present town site] can be accessed as the same are still available at the
National Archives “Ereccion de Pueblo Misamis 1859-1891, leg. 122-No.4. It was
the Parish Priest of Jasaan, Fr. Ramon Cabas del Patrocinio who initiated the
transfer. The article said, “Governor General Jose de la Gandara [his official
title supposedly should have been the “Politico-Military Governor” of the
Second District of Misamis (covering the areas from Dapitan to Magsaysay in the
present Misamis Oriental, the island of Camiguin, Bukidnon, Misamis (Misamis
Occidental) and Iligan-Lanao Norte areas] decreed the transfer of the pueblo of
Jasaan to sitio Cabulig. Such order was the execution of the decree of Governor
General Jose Laureano de Sanz y Posse dated 30 July 1866 [Term from July 13,
1866 to September 21, 1866]. __ See Fr.F.P. Salvador, SSJV. “The Church of
Jasaan: Its Founding and Early History. Henceforth, see Fr. JS Arcilla, SJ “Jesuit
Missionary Letter from Mindanao, Vol. IV for the 2nd Administrative District of
Mindanao and for Spanish Governor Generals in the Philippines, see Blair &
Robertson, Vol. XVII, pp. 285-312.
[xxii] DM Dongallo,
MJ Valmores & LC Diestro, History of
Balingasag.
[xxiii] Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., History of the
Filipinization of Religious Orders in the Philippines “Beginnings of the
Filipino Domicans, p. 62.
[xxiv] Fr. Miguel A.Bernad, The Great Island, Studies of
Evangelization and Exploration of Mindanao.
[xxv] Ibid.
[xxvi] Fr. Horacio de la Costa, S.J. Jesuits in the
Philippines, pp. 154i-165-166, 171 and 319.
[xxvii] Blair and Robertson, XXI, pp. 215-216.
[xxviii] Fr. Rodolfo
F. Cabonce, S.J., Brief History of the Archdiocese, ed. Fr. Francisco Demetrio,
SJ, Historical Glimpses of Northern Mindanao, p. 492. See Padre Licinio Ruiz,
Sinopsis pp.189-190.
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