Research Update: Foundation Dates for "The Pueblos of Panay"

Editor’s note: Dr. Paul A. Dumol’s research update last July 30, titled “The Pueblos of Panay: Examining Their foundation Dates,” has been very fruitful in terms of findings, so there are three groups of content currently up on the CRC website.

The video for the webcast event, captured with the help of the UA&P Department of Information Science and Technology team, can be viewed at https://crc.uap.asia/2020/08/16/panaypueblosvideo20200730/; a discussion, written by the research team, about the findings of their study so far can be read at https://crc.uap.asia/2020/08/17/pueblosdiscussion200817/ ; and finally, the page you’re on right now contains a list of Foundation Dates for “The Pueblos of Panay.”

During the webcast Dr. Dumol said that their team would make their findings on the foundation dates of the Pueblos of Panay available to the public, so that the public can provide feedback for the research. While webpages that would allow for the public to directly comment on the material are still currently in development, CRC is making the list availabe here in its original form.

In the meantime, the public is welcome to send feedback through the CRC’s Communication Officer for Research, Mr. Remi de Leon, at [email protected]. Please use the term “Pueblos of Panay Foundation Dates” in the subject line. Please watch this space for further announcements about the editable website.

When sending feedback, please identify yourself first and your institutional affiliation if any. Let us know how to address you (Dr., Prof., Atty., etc.). If you want to be contacted at a different email address than the one you used, please make sure to indicate so in your email. It would also be a good idea to leave a cellphone number at which you can be reached. • | RE de Leon || CRC.

THE PUEBLOS OF PANAY

by Paul Dumol, PhD, Grace Concepcion, PhD, and E.J. Ofilada

The following list of the towns founded in Panay during the Spanish period of Philippine history is a work in progress. This means we do not guarantee the accuracy of the notes in the entries corresponding to the towns, while at the same time we invite the reader to contribute missing or helpful data or to correct errors.

The focus in this list (for now) is the foundation date of the pueblo. Immediately after the name of the town are “proposed dates” for the foundation of the town, usually two, one coming from the list of pueblos from Rene Javellana’s La Casa de Dios which in its turn usually comes from the Catholic Directory, marked “CD” in our list, and the other coming from Elviro Jorde’s Catálogo bio bibliográfico de los religiosos agustinos de la provincia del Santisimo Nombre de Jesús de las Islas Filipinas desde su fundación hasta nuestros días, marked “J” in our list. (Please note that Jorde is sometimes identified as Perez: Perez is his mother’s family name, which he writes after his family name following Spanish practice.) Sometimes two dates are given from La Casa de Dios: the first is the date when the pueblo was first a visita and the second when the visita became a pueblo.

Immediately after the proposed dates come data from sources relevant to the foundation of the pueblo. As of the moment, these sources are principally Jorde’s biographical notes on missionaries in his Catálogo and Juan Fernández’s Monografías de los pueblos de la isla de Pan-ay. There are also occasional references to Isacio Rodriguez’s multi-volume Historia de la provincia agustiniana del Smo. nombre de Jesus de Filipinas, identified in our notes by the volume and page numbers and Juan de Medina’s Historia de los sucesos de la Orden de N. Gran P. S. Agustín de estas Islas Filipinas. English translations are available of Fernandez’s and Medina’s works. These references are sometimes interspersed with our comments, which we put in italics.

After these notes comes our judgment concerning the foundation date of the pueblo, described variously as “certain,” “likely,” “acceptable,” etc. The judgments as to foundation dates are, of course, tentative and based on the stage of our research. The following generalizations may be made at the moment. Through the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, “foundation” meant the foundation of an independent parish which was organized at the same time as a municipality with its own native gobernador. In the nineteenth century, towns appear which were founded by the colonial government in Manila and which only subsequently become visitas or parishes. In such cases, we have counted the foundation of the town from the time of its foundation by the colonial government. The reason for this is the ultimate interest behind this project: the formation of civic communities. Our assumption is that the civil foundation of a town meant the beginning of civic life in that community, even if it was not yet an independent parish. It isn’t clear yet, but it seems that there were visitas founded by missionaries before the nineteenth century that became towns (with a gobernador) even before becoming independent parishes. In such a case, the foundation of the visita (which was probably marked by the construction of a visita chapel) would count as the foundation of the town. This is something for verification.

Beside the name of the pueblo are sometimes other names in parentheses. These are other names by which the pueblo is also referred to in the sources. Note that sometimes these alternative names are in fact visitas that over time were absorbed into the pueblo. Certain pueblos are identified as “iglesia matriz”: this means that the pueblo was the source of the missionaries who ministered to visitas. We have identified only the early Iglesias matrices.

A few pueblos are listed with their names in parentheses. These are pueblos which eventually became part of another pueblo. henceforth we wish to include the vicissitudes of a pueblo’s history: its first appearance as a visita, its subsequent disappearance as a pueblo being absorbed by another pueblo, its reappearance as a pueblo, as often as these have occurred.

Some pueblos do not have any data following the proposed dates. These are pueblos which do not appear in the sources we have consulted thus far. We have limited ourselves for the moment to sources on Augustinians; the pueblos that do not have data on our list were under other religious orders or directly under the diocese. We will eventually gather data on them.

After our judgment on the foundation date of the early pueblos come remarks regarding whether or not a particular pueblo appears in two lists of pueblos: one that is dated 1626 and another dated 1714. If an early pueblo does not appear in these lists, the reason why is something for further research. There are two other lists that we cite occasionally, both made by Rodriguez: they are his comments on two documents that refer to but do not identify Augustinian convents. The documents give a figure for existing convents; Rodriguez fills out which convents these were. The two documents are early—one dated 1588 and the other 1594

Dumangas (Araut, Halaud), Iloilo

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1569 (CD); 1569, 1572 (LCD); 1575 (J)

Jorde:

RADA (V.^e Martín de). Misión 1 (1565). Prior durante la ausencia del V.^eP. Herrera, Provincial en 1572 y Definidor en 1575, después de fundar los conventos de Otón y de Dumangas, pasó á China en 12 de Junio del mismo año
ALVA (V.^e Juan de) Misión 2 (1569). Fundada por él la iglesia de Dumangas,se le nombró en 1572 primer Prior del convento de Manila y Definidor

Fernandez: “In June 1565 Mateo del Sanz arrived at this town. The Dumangasanons welcomed him very well, sold him rice, and promised him their friendship. In 1566 Luis de la Haya went also to Dumangas [sic], and confirmed the friendship that its inhabitants had agreed on with the Camp Master. In 1566 and 1567 Fr. Martin de Rada went preaching by the watersheds of Halauod. in 1569 Fr. Juan de Alva was appointed Minister of the town.” (156)

Rodriguez: 1569: Alva founds Dumangas (vol. 1, page 149).

CERTAIN: 1569

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Dumangas: convento con un sacerdote; 500 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Dumangas…visitas: Hapitan; Anilao; Talanguis; tributos: 1.000.”

Tomás de Ortiz, Decreto 2^o reducing the number of visitas (circa November 18, 1717): “El Partido o Ministerio de Dumangas tendrá dos Visitas, que serán Pandán [?], y Pototan …”

Oton, Iloilo

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1569 (CD); 1570 (J)

Jorde:

RADA (V.^e Martín de). Misión 1 (1565). Prior durante la ausencia del V.^eP. Herrera, Provincial en 1572 y Definidor en 1575, después de fundar los conventos de Otón y de Dumangas, pasó á China en 12 de Junio del mismo año
MANRIQUE (Fr. Francisco). Misión 6 (1575). Luego que llegó á estas Islas, relevó al V.^e Rada en el ministerio de Otón en 11 de Septiembre de 1575

Fernandez: “On May 3, 1572, the town became the Chapter House of the Augustinian Order and they valued it so much. Thrice, all the Ministries of the Island were abandoned, but that of Oton was always an exception.” (126) Fernandez takes issue with the claims that “Oton was the first town of Panay where the Good News was spread” (the earliest reports do not mention Oton) and that “Fr. Rada erected the convent in this town in 1570.” (Rada’s letters do not mention Oton until 1575).

LIKELY: 1570

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Otón: convento con dos religiosos; 1000 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Octong…visitas: Inguang; Taytay; tributos: 1.300.” Tomás de Ortiz, Decreto 2^o reducing the number of visitas (circa November 18, 1717): “El Ministerio o Partido de Ottón tendrá dos Visitas, que serán Alimodian, y Guimarás …”

Tigbauan, Iloilo

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1575 (J); 1578 (CD)

Jorde:

MONTOYA (Fr. Luis). Misión 9 (1578) …despuésde haber administrado el pueblo de Tigbauan en 1580…
CASTRO (Fr. Alonso de). Misión 8 (1577). Impuesto á la perfección en los idiomas tagalo y bisaya,ejercío la cura de almas… en Tigbauan el 1581. Till 1587.

Fernandez: “This town was the Visita of Oton until 1578, when it was declared an independent Ministry. Nevertheless, this continued without its own minister, annexed to its matrix until 1580 because of the inalterable order that forced the Superiors to abandon all the Visayan Doctrinas. In 1580, Father Luis de Montoya was its Minister. The Ministry continued in this town until the middle of 1593, when it was given to the Bishopric…” (128)

Medina: “Adelantóse más el P. Provincial, y puso religiosos en la isla de Panay. Acuérdese el lector de la descripción que de ella hicimos y hallará en el penúltimo lugar al convento de Tigbauan; pues ahí puso religiosos de asiento” (129) Resident religious [religiosos de asiento] were established here during the term of Fr. Agustin de Alburquerque (1578-81).

Rodriguez: Vol. 9, note 48 cites a reference to Tigbauan in the Libro de Gobierno de la Provincia [Actas originales del capítulo provincia de 1575], but “creemos que fue solo jurídicamente o literariamente, porque nada vuelve a decirse hasta el capítulo del 22.4.1581: ‘In conventu nostro de Tigbaua praefficimus in Priorem Reverendum Patrem fratrem Ildephonsum de Castro et recipitur de novo conventus hic’; estas palabras, nos afirmamos en nuestra opinion, significarían que la primera aceptación fue meramente nominal. A partir del 1581 dicha casa aparece siempre en la lista de provisiones de conventos y priores.” And Fray Alonso de Castro? In volume 18 of his monumental work, Rodriguez mentions “un definitorio particular [Tondo, 11.6.1580] designó Prior para Tigbauan en la persona del P. Luis (roto) [de Montoya?]” (vol. 18, note 1778). This looks like a silent correction of the omission of the earlier volume, and yet the chapter meeting of 1581 does say “recipitur de novo conventus hic.” Perhaps Montoya never exercised his ministry.

CERTAIN: 1581

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Tibaguan [Tigbauan]: un convento con dos religiosos, ordinariamente; 1.000 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Tigbauan…visitas: Langao; Hagua; tributos: 1.400.” Tomás de Ortiz, Decreto 2^o reducing the number of visitas (circa November 18, 1717): “El Ministerio de Tigbauan tendrá dos Visitas, que serán Catmando, y Rumbang …”

Pan-ay, Capiz

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1580 (CD); 1581 (J)

Jorde:

CAMACHO (Fr. Agustín). “Religiosos, de quienes se ignora la fecha de su llegada a Manila, desde el 1565 al 1600.”Fué ministro compañero en Panay el 1581. (62)
SIGÜENZA (Fr. Miguel de). Misión 10 (1581; Jorde mistakenly puts 1583) …ministro del pueblo de Antique el 1581, de Panay el 1582 [till 1584] y 1591…

Fernandez: From the last months of 1569 until mid-April of 1571, this town was the residence of adelantado Legazpi…

LIKELY: 1581

Fernandez: The Visitas of Pan-ay were: Bolocaue, Aranguel, Cagayuman, Sibara, Capis, Ibisan, Dibingding or Mandruga, all of which became parishes, except one.

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Panay: con varias visitas con dos sacerdotes; 1000 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Panay…visitas: San Nicolás de Mactán; San Agustín de Mayón; San Lorenzo de Dimindin; S. Joseph de Kurasan; San Joseph de Aranguen: tributos: 930.” Tomás de Ortiz, Decreto 2^oreducing the number of visitas (circa November 18, 1717): “El Partido o Ministerio de Panay tendrá una Visita, que será Bagón…”

Arevalo, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1581 (CD)

Jorde:

RAMÍREZ (Fr. Francisco). Misión 10 (1581). …Compañero del ministro de Arévalo en 1584, regentó después la cura de almas en Otón el 1585, en Jaro el 1587y en Cagayán el 1588. (23)
MENDOZA (V.^e Mateo). “Religiosos profesos del convento de S. Pablo de Manila desde el 1576 al 1600.” A nuestro objeto bástanos saber que, al emitir sus votos en Manila, le mandaron los Superiores á Méjico para recibir las órdenes sagradas, por no haber Obispo aún en Filipinas, y que poco tiempo después (1580) era ministro de Malolos, pasando á Arévalo (1584), S. Pablo de los Montes (1586), y Porac en (1594).

Fernandez: “It was founded in 1581 by Governor General Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa in memory of his hometown in the province of Avila. By his order, the Provincial Authorities and Proveedores, who at that time had been residing in Ogtong, moved to the new Villa…” (123)

CERTAIN: 1581

Rodriguez:

Vol. 15: “Informe del Obispo de Filipinas, Fr. Domingo de Salazar, OP., sobre el censo de las Islas Filipinas en los años 1587-1588.” “La villa de Arévalo.—La villa de arévalo está asentada en la ysla de otón con beynte bezinos enomenderos y otros treynta soldados, aloxados con ellos, con rregimiento y alcaldes hordinarios y un alcalde mayor. Ay en las yslas comarcanas a esta población beynte y dos mill tributarios, de los quales tiene su magestad tres mill e los dies y nueve mill en dies y ocho, encomendores; ay yglesia e vicario, y un monesterio con dos agustinos, y otras quatro casas de la mesma horden fuera de la villa; en algunas encomiendas, que en todas cinco, ay diez saçerdotes; son nesçesarios otros tres o quatro…” (page 360).

Vol. 18: [Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626]: “En otón, en la villa de arévalo, tienen cassa con una estancia de ganado mayor, con un saçerdote y un hermano.”

Antique (Hamtic), Antique

Iglesia matriz

Proposed date: 1581 (CD, J)

Jorde:

SIGÜENZA (Fr. Miguel de). Misión 10 (1581; Jorde mistakenly puts 1583) …ministro del pueblo de Antique el 1581, de Panay el 1582 [till 1584] y 1591…

Medina: “Puso el P. Provincial religiosos en Hantíc contracosta de Panay: fué muy buen pueblo, y de aquí fué Prior el santo mártir Meló; ya muy acabado, porque le hemos dejado y vuelto á tomar.” (138) This was during the term of Fr. Andrés de Aguirre (1581-84).

ACCEPTABLE: 1581 but Rodriguez does not count it among the four houses of Augustinians mentioned by Bishop Salazar in his report of 1587-1588. He does count it among the six monasteries mentioned by Francisco de Ortega in his report of 1594 (Rodriguez, vol. 16, pp. 53-54, “Relación del P. Francisco de Ortega, OSA., sobre los progresos que estaban haciendo los agustinos en la conversion de los indigenas de Filipinas… [Madrid 1594]”).

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Antique: tiene seis visitas; convento con un sacerdote y a veces, dos; 1000 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Hantique…visitas: Aslomán; Sibalon; Bugason; tributos: 1000.” Tomás de Ortiz, Decreto 2^o reducing the number of visitas (circa November 18, 1717): “El Ministerio o Partido de Hantic tendrá tres Visitas, que serán Aslomán, Sibalon y Bugason…”

Jaro (Salog), Iloilo

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1575 (J); 1587 (CD)

Jorde:

RAMÍREZ (Fr. Francisco). Misión 15 (1593) …regentó después la cura de almas en Jaro el 1587…

Fernandez: “Until 1584 it was the Visita of Ogtong. In this year they gave [it] its own Minister, but annexed to the town of Arevalo. In 1587 they made it an independent parish, but, on October 7 of the same year the Augustinians gave the order to abandon all the Ministries in the Visayas… the Friars came back in 1590 at the request of Gov. Gen. Gomez Perez Dasmariñas…” (140) Note that Fernandez says that Jaro had its own minister in 1584 while a visita. We take this to mean that, while the pueblo had its own church (probably of bamboo), the priest assigned to it had no convento in which to live.

CERTAIN: 1590

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Xaro [Jaro]: convento con un sacerdote o dos; 1000 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Xaro [Jaro]…visitas: Catmón; Abay; tributos: 1.900.”

Ajuy, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1851 (CD, J)

Jorde:

SAHAGÚN (Fr. Juan de). Misión 22 (1610). …ministro bisaya de Jaro y Ajui por los años de 1618… This contradicts the proposed date.

Fernandez: “The Augustinians founded it in 1590 under the invocation of San Nicolas de Tolentino and ceded it to the Diocese. However, the disturbances and displeasure between the beneficiaries of the town and the neighboring friars were so many and so frequent, that for the sake of avoiding them, the Order proposed to administer it again, giving the Doctrina of Ibahay to the Diocese in exchange for it. Since in some histories and in catalogues and records they have committed pitiful mistakes on the date of the exchange and the town for which Ajuy was exchanged, we believe it convenient to correct these errors showing that the exchange for the said town was in 1617.” (160)

San Antonio, Chronicas (1738): “After very painstaking efforts, at the time when this book is in press I receive information about the curacies of the seculars of Zebù, in the following form… in the island of Panày, in the city of Arébalo, Ahúy, Aclàng, Banga, Ybahày, and Culási.” [Blair & Robertson, Vol. 28, p. 162].

Delgado, Historia general (1751-54): Chapter II: Of the ministries of souls that pertain to the clerics in these Filipinas Islands. “In the island of Panay, the curacy of Aclán, Banga, Ibajay, Culasi, Ajui, and that of the town of Arévalo…” [Blair & Robertson, Vol. 28, p. 164].

CERTAIN: 1590 following Fernandez

Rodriguez:

Vol. 18, page 397: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626. Referring to the Jesuits, Arce says, “En axui está un beneficiado que administra mill tributos…”

Ajuy appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

Kalibo (Aclan), Aklan

Proposed date: 1581 (CD)

Jorde:

IBARRA (Fr. Andrés). Misión 10 (1581; Jorde mistakenly puts 1583) Destinado en 1581 á la conquista espiritual de Aclán (Panay), consagróse con ardiente celo á la conversión de aquellos naturales, encaminando á este santo fin todos sus esfuerzos hasta lograr la sumisión y obediencia de aquel pueblo salvaje.Por renuncia que hizo el P. Fr. Andrés Arce [did Jorde mean “Ibarra”] del Subpriorato de Manila [1584], regresó á este convento…
ARCE (El V.^e Sr. D. Fr. Pedro de). Misión 10 (1581)Dedicado en los primeros años de su ministerio á la reducción de los naturales de Ibahay y Aclán, pasó después á regentar el pueblo de Panay (1587)… The impression Ibarra’s and Arce’s entries gives is that their time in Aclan was spent resettling the Aklanons in the pueblo of Aclan.
PINTO DE SALAS (Fr. Fernando). Misión 15 (1593). Conventual de Aclán el 1593y ministro de Lubao en la Pampanga el 1596… (45) It seems Aclan was functioning as a pueblo by this time.

If we regard Ibarra and Arce’s mission work as the foundation of the pueblo of Aclan, then the latter could be dated to 1581. It is not clear, however, when Aclan started functioning as a pueblo, that is, when the initial work of resettling had become stable.

Rodriguez: Francisco de Ortega counts Aclan among 6 Augustinian monasteries in 1594 (Vol. 16, “Relacion del P. Francisco de Ortega, OSA., sobre los progresos que estaban hiciendo los agustinos en la conversion de los indigenas de Filipinas…” [Madrid 1594]), confirming our inference that it must have been functioning as a regular pueblo by Pinto de Salas’s time.

ACLAN AS FUNCTIONING PUEBLO: AFTER 1584 AND BEFORE 1593.

Pototan, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1599 (CD, J); 1872(LCD)

Jorde:

RIVERA (Fr. Luis). Misión 18 (1598).Fué ministro de Pototan el 1599 y uno de los religiosos que más trabajaron por la urbanización y adelanto de la agricultura en el mencionado pueblo. (53)

Medina: “Puso Religioso en Pototan, cuyo pueblo se acabó, y aquel que era ya pequeño, se juntó arriba de Suagui á otro de Baong, de modo que se hizo allí Iglesia.” (161) This occurred during the second term of Fr. Diego de Alvarez (1593-96).

Fernandez: “It was founded in 1593 and was immediately given its own Minister. In 1603 it was annexed to Dumangas, yet it continued to have its own priest until 1605.” (152)

CERTAIN: 1593 or earlier

Pototan was a visita of Dumangas in 1717. It is also mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Passi, Iloilo

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1584 (CD); 1590 (J); 1872(LCD)

Jorde:

AGREDA (Fr. Juan de). Misión 15 (1593) Misionero de los Tinguianes en 1593, primer ministrode Passi el 1594 y de Panay y Aclán en 1596. Falleció el 1652. (44)

CERTAIN: 1594, but Fernandez claims “Passi was founded in 1584 and its Patron Saint is San Guillermo.” (154) 1584 is probably a typographical error.

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Passi: convento con dos sacerdotes; 1000 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Passi…visitas: Guayahon; Lupa; Cabonga; tributos: 925.” Tomás de Ortiz, the Provincial, reduced its visitas to one in 1717.

Passi is also mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Dumalag, Capiz

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1590 (CD); 1596 (J)

Jorde:

ATIENZA (Fr. Lucas). “Religiosos, de quienes se ignora la fecha de su llegada a Manila, desde el 1600 al 1700.” Fué ministro de Ibahay el 1608, de Dumalag el 1614…

Rodriguez (Vol. 18, note 1800): Dumalag, according to Jorde, was founded as an independent pueblo in 1595. The first Prior was Sebastián Méndez in 1596.

Fernandez: “It was founded in 1590, and it passed to the Diocese until 1614 when it returned to its founders.” (172)

Medina: “El partido de Dumalag le debe nuestra eligion á la solicitud de N. P. Baraona; porque lo recabó del Sr. D. Juan de Silva, y esto no siendo Provincial, sino mero Prior.” (219)

Fernandez seems mistaken about its founding, but not about its passing to the Diocese, which must have occurred around the turn of the century. He would be correct as well about its return to the Augustinians.

CERTAIN: 1596 on the basis of the first appointment of a Prior.

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Dumalag: convento con dos sacerdotes; 800 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Dumalag…visitas: Gapason; Malinao; Maajen; tributos: 350.” Tomás de Ortiz, the Provincial, reduced its visitas to one (1717)

Ibajay (Potol), Aklan

Proposed date: 1596 (CD)

Jorde:

ARCE (El V.^e Sr. D. Fr. Pedro de). Misión 10 (1581)Dedicado en los primeros años de su ministerio á la reducción de los naturales de Ibahay y Aclán, pasó después á regentar el pueblo de Panay (1587)… Arce seems to have spent time from 1583 settling the inhabitants of this area. Ibajay became a pueblo at a later date.
PERNÍA (Fr. Gabriel de). Misión 14 (1590). …ministro infatigable de los pueblos de Bantayán (1593), de Potól (1596), de Passí (1597), de Sibucao (1600)y de S. Nicolás el 1607.

Medina: “Pusiéronse Religiosos en Potol, que es la primera punta de la isla de Panay que se descubre viniendo de Manila.” (162) This was during the second term of Fr. Diego de Alvarez (1593-96).

Fernandez: “Its name before was Potol… Owing to the raids of the Moro pirates the authorities transferred it two leagues to the interior. In 1596 the Augustinian capitulars declared it ‘capital,’ as name given at that time to the mother churches of big Visitas…” (176)

ACCEPTABLE: 1596

Rodriguez:

Vol. 18, page 397: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626. He reports on the Jesuits: “En Ibahai está un beneficiado que administra seisçientos tributos…”

(Sibucao, Iloilo)

Jorde:

MORALES (V.^e Hernando). Misión 18 (1598) Fué además ministro de Sibucao en 1611, (donde destruyó con sus propias manos el ídolo llamado Banog) y de Laglag hasta el 1618, en que se hizo cargo de S. Nicolás de Cebú, pasando después á Dumalag. Murió santamente en este último pueblo el año 1647.(55-56) A footnote in Jorde says Sibucao was subsequently absorbed by Laglag. In 1717 it was still a visita of Dueñas.

Medina: “Pusieron también religiosos en este Capítulo en Sibucao… Pareció después á los Padres que lo acertaban, y retirándole la tierra adentro medio día de camino, en un pueblo llamado Laglag…” (162) Medina does not specify when, but seems to imply this happened within Fr. Alvarez’s term; hence, the date below.

LIKELY: circa 1593-96

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Dumalao: convento con dos sacerdotes; más de 800 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Dumarao…visitas: Duyoc; Matubang; tributos: 287½.” Tomás de Ortiz, the Provincial, reduced its visitas to one (1717).

Batan, Aklan

Iglesia matriz

Proposed date: 1601 (CD)

Jorde: BARAONA (V.^e Fr. Alonso). Misión 21 (1606). …Ministro aventajado de Dumangas el 1608, de Batan el 1609, de Jaro el 1610, de Aclán el 1613, de Passi el 1614…

Rodriguez says Batan was “accepted” by the Province in the chapter celebrated in Manila April 4, 1602.

CERTAIN: 1602

Rodriguez:

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Batán…visitas: Mabolo; Dumarao; Sapa; Actan e Ibajay; Damayas; Mahanlud; Sapián; Talaua; Dagdagan; Tabón; Camansi; Damarán; Mandong; tributos: 933.” Tomás de Ortiz, Decreto 2^o reducing the number of visitas (circa November 18, 1717): “El Partido, o Ministerio de Batán tendrá una Visita, que será Sapián …”

Dueñas (Laglag), Iloilo

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1590 (LCD); 1605 (CD); 1608 (J)

Jorde:

CASTILLO (Fr. Pedro del). Misión 18 (1598).Ministro de Pototan el 1609, de Batan en 1613 y de Laglag el 1607… (56)
PEÑA (Fr. Lucas de). “Religiosos, de quienes se ignora la fecha de su llegada a Manila, desde el 1600 al 1700.”Fué ministro peritísimo en el idioma bisaya, y ejerció la cura de almas en los pueblos de Halaud (1600), Jaro (1602), Aclán (1604), Laglag (1607)…

Fernandez: “This town was founded in 1590 with the name of ‘Sumandig”… It is uncertain who were the assigned curates there until they changed it in 1599 to ‘Sibucao’… In 1603 it was annexed to Dumangas. In 1605 it was independent again. In 1608 they changed its name to Laglag…” (153)

Rodriguez does not include Dueñas among the 6 monasteries mentioned by Francisco de Ortega in 1594 (Vol. 16, “Relacion del P. Francisco de Ortega, OSA., sobre los progresos que estaban hiciendo los agustinos en la conversion de los indigenas de Filipinas… [Madrid 1594]).” This favors Jorde’s date which must, however, be corrected to 1607, given the priestly assignments he reports.

LIKELY: 1607

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Laglag: un convento con un sacerdote; 700 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Laglag…visitas: Lambunao; Sumandig; Sibucao; tributos: 780.” Tomás de Ortiz, the Provincial, reduced its visitas to one in 1717.

Mambusao, Capiz

Iglesia matriz

Proposed date: 1606 (CD)

Jorde:

PORRAS (Fr. Francisco). Fué conventual de Mambusao el 1607, ministro de Antique el 1617 y de Passi el 1620.Murió el año de 1621. (79)

Fernandez: “It was founded in 1590, but annexed to Batang until February 15, 1606, when Don Pedro Bravo de Acuña, on the day before going on his expeditions to Moluccas, and at the request of Bishop Agurto, wrote to the Provincial of the Augustinians asking him to assign a minister in this town, which was complied with in 1607.” (180)

CERTAIN: 1607

Rodriguez:

Vol. 1: Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Mambusao: convento con un religioso sacerdote; más de 1000 tributos.”

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Mambúsao…visitas: Tunga; Jaguaya; Hamindag; Sigma; tributos: 930.”

Dingle (Baong), Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1608 (J); 1886(CD)

Jorde:

CASTILLO (Fr. Pedro del). Misión 20 (1604).Conventual de Pototan el 1605 y ministro de Baong (Dingle) el 1611 y 1633, de Jaro el 1614, de Laglag el 1617
OSEGUERA (Fr. Diego). “Religiosos, de quienes se ignora la fecha de su llegada a Manila, desde el 1600 al 1700.” Estudiante-Corista el 1607, ministro de Mambusao el 1611 y de Baong (Dingle) el 1614.
ALVARADO (Fr. Francisco). “Religiosos, de quienes se ignora la fecha de su llegada a Manila, desde el 1600 al 1700.” Era Vicario de Halaud el 1614, y ministro de Baong (Dingle) el 1617, de Jaro el 1620 y de Batan el (1626). These appointments eliminate the later date.

Rodriguez (Vol. 18, note 1789): “Se le cita por primera vez en los Libros de Gobierno de la Provincia en el capítulo provincial [Manila, 26.4.1608], pero como Vicariato y bajo la jurisdicción inmediata del Provincial, a quien se le facultó para proveerle de Prior cuando pudiere.” It seems the first Prior was Castillo. (See above.)

LIKELY: 1611

Rodriguez (vol. 1): Pedro de Arce, “Memorial para los señores del Real Consejo de Indias, de los Religiosos que ay en mi Opispado de Cebú,” Manila, July 1626: “pueblo de Baón: convento con un sacerdote; 500 tributos.”

Dingle is also mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Guimbal, Iloilo

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1575 (J); 1590 (CD)

Jorde:

NICOLÁS (Fr. Martín de S.) Misión 20 (1604) …Siendo Vicario de Guimbal el 1617, tuvo ocasión de probar su arrojo, celo y amor á los naturales, acompañando al Capitán Lázaro de Torres, quien con una buena armada salió en persecución de los moros mindanaos, que con el mayor descaro infestaban aquellas costas, robando y secuestrando á sus pacíficos moradores.

Rodriguez does not count it among the six monasteries mentioned by Francisco de Ortega in his report of 1594 (Vol. 16, “Relacion del P. Francisco de Ortega, OSA., sobre los progresos que estaban hiciendo los agustinos en la conversion de los indigenas de Filipinas… [Madrid 1594]).” It does not figure as well in Pedro de Arce’s list of pueblos of 1626.

Fernandez: “It was first the Visita of Oton, then of Tigbauan until 1580 when it was declared an independent Doctrina; nevertheless, it was annexed to the mother church until 1618 and administered by the Diocese. In 1626 the Augustinians took it back in the exchange made, giving the clergy the task of administering the town of Ajuy. In 1630 the Augustinians wanted to give it up to the Diocese, but it was not accepted. In 1656 it was annexed to Tigbauan and three years after they separated. In 1667 its jurisdiction was extended until Bugason, but it declined so much the reasons for this were unknown, so it was annexed again to Tigbauan, yet it did not prosper. In 1703 Miagao was made its visita and it did work well.” (131)

CERTAIN: after 1594, before 1618

Rodriguez:

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Guimbal…visitas: Miagao; Igbarás; Calagbao; tributos: 1.400.” Tomás de Ortiz, Decreto 2^o reducing the number of visitas (circa November 18, 1717): “El Ministerio o Partido de Guimbal tendrá dos Visitas, que serán Miagao, y Ibarás …”

Dumarao (Barbaran), Capiz

Iglesia matriz

Proposed date: 1581 (CD, J)

Jorde:

YAÑEZ Y MORALES (Fr. Juan). Misión 25 (1618). Ministro de Baong (Dingle) el 1618, de Barbarán el 1620, de Batan el 1621 y de Dumangas y Dumalag el 1624.
MARTÍNEZ (Fr. Diego). Misión 26 (1622). …ministro de Barbarán el 1626…
VILLANUEVA (V.^e Tomás de). Misión 24 (1617). …Destinado á Bisayas, demostró bien á las claras cuan digno era de llevar el nombre y apellido del gran limosnero agustiniano; porque a pesar de haber ejercido la cura de almas en los pueblos de Carcar (1627),Baong (1632), Tigbauan (1633-1635), Jaro (1636), Barbarán (1638-1641,1659-1662)…
GUTIÉRREZ (Fr. José). Misión 31 (1645). …Ejerció la cura de almas en el pueblo de S. Nicolás de Cebú, juntamente con el oficio de predicador del convento del Sto. Niño (1650),pasando después de ministro á los pueblos de Guimbál (1651), Passi (1656), Panay (1659), Mambúsao (1662), Otón (1665), Batan (1668), Dumarao (1671)y Tambobong el 1675.

Rodriguez does not count Dumarao (Barbaran) among the four houses of Augustinians mentioned by Bishop Salazar in his report of 1587-1588 (Vol. 15), “Informe del Obispo de Filipinas, Fr. Domingo de Salazar, OP., sobre el censo de las Islas Filipinas en los años 1587-1588.” nor among the six monasteries mentioned by Francisco de Ortega in his report of 1594 (Vol. 16, “Relacion del P. Francisco de Ortega, OSA., sobre los progresos que estaban hiciendo los agustinos en la conversion de los indigenas de Filipinas… [Madrid 1594]).”

Fernandez: “The founders gave it up to the Diocese, and in 1617 they wanted to take it again, but they did not follow the agreements. In 1619 they agreed to exchange it for Aclan…” (171)

Based on Pedro de Arce’s memorial below, the exchange deal never happened or the Augustinians re-claimed Dumarao by 1626 or earlier.

LIKELY: first quarter of the seventeenth century.

Barbaza (Nalupa, Nalupa Nuevo), Antique

Proposed dates: 1596 (CD); 1789 (J)

Jorde:

IZARRA (Fr. Plácido). Misión 88 (1853). …administró en Bisayas los pueblos de Barotac Viejo y Nalupa en 1857 y 1859 respectivamente.

Fernandez: “Barbaza is the very old Nalupa that was founded in 1596, remaining forthwith as a dependency of Ibahay, of Hamtic, of Guimbal and Bugason, according to different times, until 1625, when it was administered by the Diocese. On May 18, 1849 General Claveria wrote officially the Provincial of the Augustinians asking him to assign a parish priest in the town.” (196)

LIKELY: 1625, following Fernandez

San Pedro, Antique

Proposed dates: 1674 (J); 1744 (CD)

Jorde:

ENRÍQUEZ (Fr. Cristóbal). Misión 24 (1617). Natural de Cáceres y ministro muy docto y observante de los pueblos de Dumalag en 1620 y de S. Pedro (Antique) el 1627.

Fernandez: “Founded in 1744 it was annexed to Hamtic and then to San Jose until 1834 when it was declared an independent parish.”

How are we to understand Fernandez given Jorde’s report of a priest assigned to San Pedro in 1627? It seems it was abandoned after 1627 and subsequently revived in 1744. Also, where does Jorde’s date of 1674 come from?

CERTAIN: first third of the seventeenth century. San Pedro does not appear in the list of towns with their proper feasts in the Sacred Penitentiary of 1736 (Rome). See Rodriguez, vol. 9, pp. 484, 488, and 490.

San Joaquin (Suaraga), Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1687, parish 1692 (LCD); 1790 (J); 1801 (CD)

Jorde:

ALFARAZ (Fr. Felipe). Misión 65 (1788). …Fué párroco de Lambunao (1790), S. Joaquín (1794) y Guimbal (1801)… (355)

Fernandez: “In 1687 the town was given its own Minister, who stayed there for one year only… it became a Visita until 1692 when it became again a parish, having Miagao as its dependency.” (135)

CERTAIN: 1692

(Aranguel, Capiz)

Jorde:

CALLEJA (Fr. José). Misión 50 (1739). …Regentó el pueblo de Aranguel (Capiz) desde el 1744 al 1748…(273)

Fernandez: “Aranguel was founded in 1704. Its curates were dependent on those of Pan-ay until 1720 when they became independent. It made very little progress because of the Moro raids. The town became so depopulated that in 1714 the population went down to 400 residents. On May 11, 1737 the Augustinians thought of exchanging it for any town, but nothing came of this. In 1750 it was annexed to Panay.” (164)

This pueblo was absorbed by Pilar and subsequently formed part of President Roxas.

POSSIBLE: 1704

Roxas (Capiz), Capiz

Iglesia matriz

Proposed dates: 1701 (CD); 1707 (J)

Jorde:

MÁRTIRES (Fr. Francisco de los). “Religiosos, de quienes se ignora la fecha de su llegada a Manila, desde 1700 á 1800.” Era ministro de Cápiz el 1700, y desde este año no vuelve á figurar su nombre en los libros de gobierno de esta Provincia. (381)

Fernandez: “This town was founded in 1693, but its Ministers were dependent on those of Pan-ay until 1707 when they were declared free from that dependency.” (166)

It seems Mártires was assigned to Capiz while it was a visita of Pan-ay.

CERTAIN: 1707

Rodriguez:

Vol. 2: Sebastián de Foronda, “Estado de los pueblos de la Isla de Panay en 1714”: “Capiz…visitas: San Nicolás del pueblo de Igbisan; tributos: 500.” Tomás de Ortiz, Decreto 2^o reducing the number of visitas (circa November 18, 1717): “El Ministerio, o Partido de Cápiz tendrá una Visita, que será Yguisan …”

Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1810 (CD, J)

Jorde:

PEAGUDA (Fr. Ramón). Misión 77 (1827). Vió la primera luz en Quíntela (Orense) el 1808, y emitió sus votos en el colegio de Valladolid en 1827. Pasó á Filipinas en Noviembre de este mismo año, y aquí ejerció la cura de almas en Barotac Nuevo el 1833 y en Pototan desde el 1863 hasta poco antes de su muerte.

Fernandez: “Barotac Nuevo was founded in 1710 as a civil town. Its Visitas were Banate, Anilao, and Barotac Viejo. As a parish it dates from the year 1810. However, the Augustinians did not place a Minister of the Order there until 1833.” (157) Curious how a “civil town” would have visitas.

LIKELY: 1710 after Fernandez. This is an earlier foundation date than Barotac Viejo, but the latter, as Fernandez informs us, is older as a visita.

Bugasong, Antique

Proposed dates: 1700 (J); 1750 (CD)

Jorde: SUÁREZ (Fr. Miguel). “Religiosos, de quienes se ignora la fecha de su llegada a Manila, desde el 1600 al 1700.” …ministro bisaya y tagalo en Batan (1605), Masbate (1607), Ibahay (1611), Aclán (1614), Panay (1617), Batangas (1621, 1633), Tanauan (1623), Tambobong (1626), Taal (1629), Bugason, en Bisayas (1630)… (186)

Fernandez: “Although the Augustinians preached the word of God in this town since 1596, they did not give its civil and ecclesiastical independence until almost the middle of the 18^th century. (192)

Rodriguez (Vol. 9, note 52): “Admitido por convento-parroquia, y por consiguiente como pueblo, en el capítulo provincial [Manila, 12.4.1731].”

CERTAIN: 1731

Bugasong was a visita of Hamtik in 1717. It also appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

San Jose de Buenavista, Antique

Proposed dates: 1725 (J); 1733 (CD)

Jorde:

BOLÍVAR (Fr. Juan). Misión 50 (1739). …Enviado por la obediencia á la isla de Panay, é impuesto á la perfección en la lengua hiligaina, administró los pueblos de Batan (1742), Opón (1744), José (Antique) (1746)…

Fernandez: “It was founded in 1733 with the name of Tubigon, which means watery, etc. It was annexed to Hamtic until 1793 when the authorities separated it retaining the old name. In 1796 it was already given the name which it now bears, with Saint Joseph as its patron saint.” (188)

San Jose de Buenavista does not appear in the list of towns with their proper feasts in the Sacred Penitentiary of 1736 (Rome). See Rodriguez, vol. 9, pp. 484, 488, and 490.

LIKELY: 1733

Miag-ao, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1578, 1717/ 1731 Parish (LCD); 1692 (J); 1716 (CD)

Jorde:

CAMPORREDONDO (Fr. Fernando). Misión 46 (1718) …en Filipinas, administró los pueblos de Batan (1722), Arévalo (1726),Boljoón (1728), S. Nicolás (1731), Miagao (1734), Laglag (1737), Dumangas (1740) y Tigbauan (1750)…

Fernandez: Miagao was the Visita of Oton until 1580, of Tigbauan until 1592, of Suaraga until 1703, and of Guimbal until 1731 when it was declared independent although it was not given a Minister until the Augustinian Capitular Congregation sent one in 1734.” (133)

Rodriguez (Vol. 9, note 51): “Constituido en pueblo y parroquia independientes el 15.5.1734.

CERTAIN: 1734

Miag-ao was a visita of Guimbal in 1717.

Cabatuan, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1720 (J); 1732 (CD)

Jorde:

CONCEPCIÓN (Fr. Domingo de la). Misión 46 (1718). …fué celebrado ministro en Laglag el 1720, en Carcar el 1722, en S. Nicolás el 1725,en Arévalo el 1728, en Otón el 1731, en Manbúsao el 1734, en Cabatuan el 1729, y en Miagao el 1740. (231) Jorde’s date of 1729 is probably a typographical error, since Jorde usually gives a series of dates in chronological sequence unless a missionary returned to a former parish. It should probably read 1739.

Rodriguez (Vol. 9, note 49): “Declarada parroquia independiente en el capítulo provincial de 15.5.1734.”

CERTAIN: 1734

Anilao, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1732 (J); 1734 (CD)

Jorde:

JUGO (Fr. Juan de). Misión 47 (1724). Fué ministro de Dumarao (1731), Anilao (1734)… (244)

Originally visita of Dumangas (1714)

Rodriguez (Vol. 9, note 50): “Pueblo independiente desde el 15.5.1734.”

Fernandez: “The town was founded in 1734 with St. Rita de Cascia as patron saint. In 1750 the authorities annexed it to Pototan, but in the following year they separated it again. In 1760 it was reduced to a Visita of Dumangas, and in two years’ time it was separated.” (157)

CERTAIN: 1734

Sibalom, Antique

Proposed dates: 1740 (J); 1745 (CD)

Jorde:

CELFA (Fr. José). Misión 50 (1739) …Fué presidente del ministerio de Sibalon y Bugason el 1740 y ministro de Batan el 1744, y murió el 1746.(270)

Fernandez: “It was founded in 1737 having Bugason for its Visita until 1745 when they made the latter a parish, and Sibalon remained as a barrio of Hamtic. In 1753 it became an independent parish.” (189)

CERTAIN: 1737

Leon (Camando), Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1730 (J); 1732 (CD); 1738 (LCD)

Jorde:

SOLAR (Fr. Andrés). Misión 50 (1739). …Ejerció la cura de almas en los ministerios de Camando (1742 y 1753)…(269)

Fernandez: “Leon was founded in 1738 under the invocation of St. Catherine, the martyr.” (137)

CERTAIN: 1738

Lambunao, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1740 (J); 1879 (CD)

Jorde:

TELLO (Fr. Francisco). “Religiosos no incluidos en las misiones anteriores desde 1700 á 1800.” …regía el ministerio de Boljoón (1744), y luego los de Lambunao y Batan en 1750, falleciendo en este último pueblo el 1751.(379-380)

Fernandez: “The Augustinians founded this town in 1743, but forming only one parish with Calinog; however, after three years Calinog was annexed to Passi, and Lambunao to Laglag which was its mother church… In 1879 Father Jose Lobo transferred it to where it is today, more wholesome than the former one.” (148)

Fernandez’s date for its annexation to Laglag (1746) conflicts with Tomás de Ortiz’s decree on visitas. Fernandez’s date of 1743 may be a typographical error for 1753, although the date itself is dubious; see Jorde and Fernandez himself below.

CERTAIN: 1740

Lambunao was originally a visita of Dueñas in 1717. It is also mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Calinog, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1740 (J); 1886(CD)

Jorde:

MAGARZO (Fr. Francisco). Misión 48 (1732) …En 1737 y 1755 regentó el pueblo de Dumarao, Argao en 1740,Panay en 1744, Otón el 1747, Passi en 1750, Lambunao con Calinog en 1753… (252)

Fernandez: “Calinog was a very old Visita of Passi with the name of Binocsocan; then they changed it with the name of Nalpa. In 1770 it had 300 tributes or 1,714 residents, and it was a mission. And later they called it Calinog, the name it now bears. It formed a parish with Lambunao in the years 1742, 1747, and 1753; then in 1765 it was annexed to its mother church Passi until 1770 when it was a mission and in 1796 they made it an independent parish.” (150)

The information Fernandez gives on Binocsocan as an early version of Calinog and the years when Calinog underwent its various changes of name do not quite square with information Jorde gives below:

MARÍN (Fr. Manuel). Misión 59 (1763) …Murió en Bugason (1772), de donde era ministro desde el 1769, y años antes lo fué de Binucsucan (1767). (324)
CARBAJAL (Fr. Matías). Misión 61 (1767) …Destinado á Bisayas, fué hecho cautivo de los moros, y, obtenida la libertad merced al pago de un crecido rescate, pasó á la Isla de Panay en la que regentó los ministerios de Binucsucan (1769), Lambunao (1771)…(331)

LIKELY: 1740

Calinog is also mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Sigma, Capiz

Proposed date: 1744 (CD)

Jorde:

VELASCO (Fr. Félix de). Misión 48 (1732) …Fué en Filipinas ministro de Sigma el 1744, de Aranguel el 1745, de Batan el 1747 y de Dumarao el 1748…(256)

Fernandez: “It was an old Visita of Mambusao, founded as a parish in 1744, and within a short time it was annexed to its mother church, until later times when it was separated again.” (181)

LIKELY: 1744

Sigma was a visita of Mambusao in 1714.

Banga, Aklan

Proposed date: 1745 (CD)

Fernandez mentions it as a recent town that had always belonged to the Diocese. He was unable to visit it to gather data because of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898. (181) It also appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

Igbaras, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1750 (J); 1767 (CD)

Jorde:

VALIS (Fr. José). Misión 54 (1752). …Fué ministro de Sibalon (1754), Antique (1756) é Igbarás (1759 y 1765)… (290)

Fernandez: “Igbaras was founded by Father Juan Aguado in 1752; before, it was the Visita of Guimbal, and its inhabitants were called Tinguies of Guimbal. In the past, they were negative to the faith and civilization. They did not allow any priest to approach them, until 1615 when they welcomed Fr. Juan de Medina who preached to them, converted some to the faith, and made a church for them.” (136)

THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE DATE: 1750. 1752 according to Fernandez.

Igbaras was originally a visita of Guimbal in 1717.

Janiuay (Matagub), Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1578 (J); 1752 (CD)

Jorde:

MOYA (V.E. Fr. Eugenio de). Misión 54 (1752). «A otro, afirma el P. Agustín Maria, que no hubiese sido de la constancia y abnegación del P. Moya, le hubiera sido imposible tan ardua y penosa empresa»; mas para el fundador de los pueblos de Matagub y Danao (Janinay), nada le fué difícil, antes al contrario erále grato en sumo grado sufrir y padecer por ganar almas para el cielo…(294) If Fr. Moya was indeed the founder of Matagub, that would eliminate the earlier date.

Fernandez: “It was the Visita of Dumangas… It was declared independent with the name of Matagup in 1752.” (147)

THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE DATE: 1752

Pandan, Antique

Proposed dates: 1798 (CD); 1850 (J)

Jorde:

CADEROT (Fr. Martín). Misión 98 (1872). …Fué párroco de Pandan (Antique) (1873), en donde falleció en 3 de Junio de 1873.

Fernandez: “The town’s name in older times was Bugang. Its inhabitants were the wildest and most refractory of the Island, outside Bacong and Sibalon. Its mountains served as hideouts for all the apostates and run-aways… And so the town was formed, but it continued being annexed to Ibahay. In 1752 it was declared again a town and it continued to be so until a few years later.” (199)

LIKELY: 1752

Alimodian, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1754 (LCD, J); 1755 (CD)

Jorde:

CAMPO (Fr. Vicente). Misión 54 (1752). …Destinado á Bisayas á los dos años de su arribo á Manila, se hizo cargo sucesivamente de los pueblos de Alimodían (1755), Laglag (1759), Igbaras (1769) y Guimbal (1770). (290-291)

Fernandez: “On October 31, 1720 the Intervening Congregation ordered that the town would be given a Minister with residence, but nothing came of this. In October 1754 authorities declared it again independent, appointing as Vicar Fr. Vicente Campos. But in civic matters General Don Manuel Arandia did not sign the decree of separation from Ogtong and designation of boundaries, until August 22, 1755.” (139)

CERTAIN: 1754

Alimodian was a visita of Oton in 1717. It also appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

Barotac Viejo, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1754 (CD, J)

Jorde:

MONTANER (Fr. Gregorio). Misión 74 (1821). …Leyó en Manila S. Teología hasta el 1830, en que se hizo cargo de la parroquia de Barotac, falleciendo en Maasin el 1857. (415)

Fernandez: “This town was founded in 1750; nevertheless, it was annexed a few times to Ajuy, some other times to Barotac Nuevo until 1830 when it was separated definitively. In 1788 the Moros raided it, and after demolishing everything and taking the residents who were unable to escape as prisoners, they threw the women and the children into the sea.” (158)

ACCEPTABLE: 1754

Barotac Viejo appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

Maasin, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1732 (CD); 1755 (J)

Jorde:

JIMÉNEZ (Fr. Francisco). Misión 50 (1739). …Ejerció la cura de almas en los pueblos de Argao (1744), Boljoón (1746, 1750 y 1756), S. Nicolás (1751), Maasin (1759)… (270)

Fernandez: “Maasin was founded in 1755 under the invocation of the Apparition of St. James the Great. Until 1732 it was the Visita of Jaro; in this year it became the Visita of Cabatuan for a period of twenty-four years.” (139) Rather, “eighteen years.”

LIKELIER: 1755

Santa Barbara, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1759 (J); 1760 (CD)

Jorde:

RUÍZ (Fr. Felipe). Misión 55 (1754). …Fué aventajado ministro en los pueblos de Opón (1760), Bárbara (1762), Dumarao (1765 y 1773), Lambunao (1769)…(301)

Fernandez: “Its name before was Catmon… In 1617 the Augustinians thought of transferring the Vicariate of Jaro to this town so as to facilitate the administration of the latter which was extensive. However, the order was not complied with and Catmon continued to be the Visita of Jaro until 1760, when it was declared an independent parish.” (146)

LIKELIER: 1760

Patnongon, Antique

Proposed date: 1761 (CD, J)

Jorde:

AMPEROSA (Fr. Francisco). 54 1752 …Destinado á las provincias de Bisayas, regentó los pueblos de Patnonḡon (1762)…(298)

Fernandez: “In 1761 the authorities made it an independent parish with the name of San Simon. In 1778 it ceased to be a town and it was converted into a Visita of Sibalon until the second third of the nineteenth century when they made it independent again.” (191)

CERTAIN: 1761

Laua-an, Antique

Proposed date: 1766 (CD)

Jorde:

GONZÁLEZ MÁXIMO (Fr. Francisco). Misión 57 (1759) …fué ministro de Lauán (1767), Laglag (1769), Bugason (1773) y Miagao desde el 1704 [sic] á 1809.Construyó la grandiosa iglesia de este último pueblo, y murió en el mismo el 9 de Enero de 1809. (310)

Fernandez: “It had only one minister when it was founded in 1766. Then the authorities annexed it again to its mother church Nalupa until December 11, 1895…” (196) Fernandez identifies the first minister as Fr. Francisco Maximo Perez, who would seem to be no other than Jorde’s Fray Francisco González Máximo.

CERTAIN: 1766

Culasi, Antique

Proposed dates: 1733 (J); 1773 (CD)

Jorde:

CRESPO (Fr. Romualdo). Misión 99 (1873) …Administró, en la provincia de Antique, los pueblos de Anini-y (1875), Valderrama (1877) y Barbaza (1879), rigiendo el de Culasi desde el 1894 hasta el presente.(582)

Fernandez: “Colasi is the old Bacong, Visita of Ibahay. The inhabitants obstinately resisted living in a town, but under the governorship of Don Manuel de Leon [1669-1677], they gave way partly to the efforts of the Ministers of the Gospel and agreed to live in villages, although their good intentions did not last long. An indio native of Batang named Nicolas Paralinog worked hard for this settlement… Augustinians founded Colasi in 1773 with St. Michael Archangel as its patron. Then they gave it up to the Diocese in 1793; before that, it did not have any permanent minister, although there were many missionaries who looked after their spiritual progress.” (198) According to Fernandez, Fr. Crespo was the only Augustinian parish priest of the town.

CERTAIN: 1773

Dao, Antique

Proposed dates: 1771 (CD); 1798 (J)

Jorde:

AGUSTÍN (Fr. José). Misión 68 (1795). …Impuesto en el idioma panayano, administró la cura de almas en Dao (Antique) el 1801, en S. José de Buenavista el 1807, en Igbarás el 1812 y en Maasin el 1818, y murió[page break] en dicho pueblo á los pocos meses de hacerse cargo de aquella parroquia. (364-365)

Fernandez: “It was founded on April 20, 1771, by order of the Intermediate Congregation of the Augustinians. It had only one Minister and they annexed it to its mother church Hamtic. In 1778 by the decree of General Jose M. de Aguilar it was declared an independent parish.” (185)

LIKELY: 1771. This looks like an example of a visita that functioned like a town even before becoming an independent parish.

Molo

Proposed date: 1795 (CD)

We do not know the basis for the date proposed by the Catholic Directory. At any rate, the roots of Molo are in the Chinese district that grew beside the fort at Iloilo, particularly from 1637 when Governor Corcuera ordered the Chinese merchants in the area to settle close to the fort.

Molo does not appear in the list of towns with their proper feasts in the Sacred Penitentiary of 1736 (Rome). See Rodriguez, vol. 9, pp. 484, 488, and 490. However, it does appear on the Murillo Velarde map.

TENTATIVE DATE: 1795

Malinao, Aklan

Proposed date: 1798 (CD)

Malinao appears in the Catholic Directory, but not in La Casa de Dios. It was a visita of Dumalag in 1717. Fernandez mentions it as a recent town that had always belonged to the Diocese. He was unable to visit it to gather data because of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898. (181)

Panit-an, Capiz

Proposed dates: 1692 (J); 1806 (CD)

Jorde:

GIGANTO (Fr. Bernardo). Misión 61 (1810) …Destinado á las provincias bisayas, regentó con gran celo las parroquias de Panitan (1813), Panay (1818)…

Fernandez: “As a civil town it was founded in 1800, and as a parish in 1806 with San Lorenzo, Levite and Martyr, as its patron saint.” (168)

LIKELY: 1800

Banate, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1804 (CD)

Jorde: VILLA (Fr. Bartolomé). Misión 81 (1836). …pasó á Bisayas, donde regentó las parroquias de Banate y Antique el 1843 y 1847 respectivamente.

ACCEPTABLE 1804, but almost 40 years separate the proposed date and the notice of Villa’s assignment.

Banate appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

Tubungan, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1810 (CD, J)

Jorde:

PUIG (Fr. Gerónimo). Misión 74 (1821) …se le destino á Bisayas,y fué párroco de Tubunḡan (1821), Camando (1831) y Guimbal (1833)

Fernandez: “Tubungan’s foundation dates back to 1810 and it has for its Patron, San Antonio Abad.” (137)

ACCEPTABLE: 1810

Tubungan appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

San Miguel, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1825 (CD, J); 1852 (LCD)

Jorde:

ÁLVAREZ (Fr. Alejandro). Misión 70 (1805). …luego administró sucesivamente las parroquias de S. Joaquín (1812), [page break] Camando (1817), Alimodían (1824) y S. Miguel (1838). (400-401)

Fernandez: “San Miguel was founded in 1825 as a civil town, and in 1873 as a parish by the decree of Gov. General Gamba issued in May of the same year.” (138)

CERTAIN: 1825

San Miguel appears in both the Murillo Velarde map and Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Ivisan, Capiz

Proposed dates: 1840 (CD); 1853 (J)

Fernandez: “It was the Visita of Pan-ay and later of Capiz. In 1833 it was declared a civil town, and on January 6, 1840 it was made a parish by General Landizabal’s decree.” (167)

CERTAIN: 1833

Ivisan was a visita of Capiz in 1714.

Makato, Aklan

Proposed date: 1798, 1834 (LCD); 1834 (CD)

Tapaz, Capiz

Proposed dates: 1802 (J); 1874 (CD)

Jorde:

APARICIO (Fr. José). Misión 98 (1872). …se le envió á la provincia de Cápiz, en la que estuvo al frente del curato de Tapás el 1874, de aquí pasó de párroco al pueblo de Dumarao el 1876…This jibes with the later date, but Buzeta already refers to Tapaz.

Fernandez: “Tapas was founded in 1835 with San Jeronimo as its patron saint, but it was annexed to its mother church for many years… In 1874 it was declared an independent parish without any difficulty.” (173). Who founded Tapaz? The Augustinians? Or the colonial government? Considering that this was in the nineteenth century, it may have been founded by the colonial government.

LIKELIER: 1835 after Fernandez and subject to verification as a government-founded town.

As stated above, Tapaz is mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Dao, Capiz

Proposed dates: 1771 (J); 1836 (CD)

Jorde:

PRAT (Fr. Pedro). Misión 108 (1885) … desempeñó el oficio de Vice-Director del Asilo de huérfanos de Mandaloya en 1893, quedando poco después de Director interino de dicho Asilo hasta el 1897. Este mismo año tomó posesión de la parroquia de Dao, en la provincia de Cápiz, continuando en dicho pueblo hasta el mes de Noviembre de 1898…(624)

Fernandez: “By the decree of General Pedro A. Salazar it was declared a parish on February 29, 1836 under the invocation of Santo Tomas de Villanueva.” (169)

CERTAIN: 1836

Iloilo, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1606 (J); 1841 (CD)

We do not know the basis for the dates given by Jorde and the Catholic Directory. Fernandez does not confirm them. At any rate, Iloilo is unique among other pueblos of the Philippines, not having its roots in a pueblo founded by missionaries, but in the Spanish fort that Pedro Bravo de Acuña ordered to be constructed in 1602.

Fernandez: Native huts of the shopkeepers in the vicinity of the Fort and fishermen’s stalls formed into what was later called Estanzuela. [116]

Estanzuela was the seed of Iloilo City. Note, however, that it does not figure in Pedro de Arce’s list of pueblos (1626) or in Sebastián de Foronda’s (1714).

LIKELIER: 1841

Loctugan, Capiz

Proposed dates: 1834 (J); 1848 (CD)

Jorde:

HERRERO (Fr. Santiago). Misión 66 (1789). …Fundó los pueblos de Loctugan é Ibisan, y murió en Cápiz en Febrero del año 1836.(359)

Fernandez: “Fray Santiago Losada founded Loctugan in 1834, but it remained annexed to Capiz, and on June 6, 1840 it was declared a parish by General Landizabal’s decree. Since the residents of the town did not comply with the required conditions of constructing public structures, the Decree was annulled, and Loctugan continued as a barrio of its mother parish. Eight years later, in 1848, the definitive decree was given, making it an independent parish with Santa Teresa de Jesus as patron.” (167)

CERTAIN: 1848

Tibiao, Antique

Proposed dates: 1839 (J); 1850 (CD)

Jorde:

ITURRIAGA (Fr. Julián). Misión 91 (1859). …En Mayo de 1863 se le destinó á la provincia de Antique, en 1864 interinó en Tibiao, se le introdujo en terna para la parroquia de Dueñas el 1867 y en Marzo de 1877 para la de S. Miguel, de donde pasó á Barotac Nuevo en el mes de Septiembre de 1878. (511)

Fernandez: “Tibiao was founded as a civil town on May 8, 1849 and made a parish by the decree of Bishop Jimeno on June 12, 1850. (197)

CERTAIN: 1849

Tibiao is mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Jagnaya, Capiz

Proposed date: 1850 (CD)

Jagnaya appears in the Catholic Directory, but not in La Casa de Dios. It was originally a visita of Mambusao in 1714.

Jamindan, Capiz

Proposed date: 1850 (CD)

Jamindan was originally a visita of Mambusao in 1714. Fernandez mentions it as a recent town that had always belonged to the Diocese. He was unable to visit it to gather data because of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898. (181) It also appears in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Madalag, Antique

Proposed date: 1852 (CD)

Madalag appears in the Catholic Directory, but not in La Casa de Dios. Fernandez mentions it as a recent town that had always belonged to the Diocese. He was unable to visit it to gather data because of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898. (181)

Zarraga, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1853 (CD, J)

Jorde:

GONZÁLEZ (Fr. Agustín). Misión 88 (1853). Después de ejercer la cura de almas en Zárraga (Iloilo) dos años (1857 á 1859), murió en Angat, estando de compañero, el día 29 de Agoto [sic] de 1860. (488)

Fernandez: “It was a Visita of Jaro with the name of Canipaan until it was declared a town in 1853… Zarraga was the origin of annoying differences and litigations between the Jesuits and the Augustinians… Since the Royal Audiencia passed judgment in 1696 against what the Jesuits wanted, the litigations on Canipaan ended…” (151)

CERTAIN: 1853

Leganes, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1858 (CD, J)

Jorde:

NAVES (Fr. Andrés). Misión 92 (1863) …párroco en Bisayas de los pueblos de Nalupa (1865), Dao de Antique (1868), Leganés (1870), Panitan (1872), León (1885) y Tigbauan (1893), Vicario Prior de Jaro (1879)

Fernandez: “This town was founded in 1858 with St. Vincent Ferrer as its patron, to whom there was a great devotion in the Island.” (150)

CERTAIN: 1858

Leganes appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

Nabas, Aklan

Proposed date: 1858 (CD)

Fernandez mentions it as a recent town that had always belonged to the Diocese. He was unable to visit it to gather data because of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898. (181)

Anini-y, Antique

Proposed dates: 1847 (J); 1861 (CD)

Jorde:

CRESPO (Fr. Romualdo). Misión 99 (1873) …Administró, en la provincia de Antique, los pueblos de Anini-y (1875), Valderrama (1877) y Barbaza (1879), rigiendo el de Culasi desde el 1894 hasta el presente.(582)

Fernandez: “The two mother churches of Asloman that in the beginning of the eighteenth century were transferred to a place near Naso Point gave birth to this town. Houses and a church were constructed for them, because there were some Cagayanons who lived there after their conversion, and for the Minister of Hamtic, who would go to Cagayan or would return from there. For a long time it continued to be annexed to Hamtic, and later to Dao until December 20, 1861…” (185)

CERTAIN: 1861

Anini-y is mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Pavia, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1858 (J); 1862 (CD)

Jorde:

MINAYO (Fr. Policarpo). Misión 86 (1849) …fué párroco de Calinog (1855), Pavía (1864) y Guimbal (1873 á 1893).

Fernandez: “This town was founded in 1862 with Santa Monica as patron saint…” (145)

CERTAIN: 1862

Pavia appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

San Remigio, Antique

Proposed dates: 1863 (J); 1899 (CD)

Jorde:

CARRANZA (Fr. Felipe). Misión 112 (1889). …fué primer párroco de los curatos de S. Remigio y Guisihan, ambos de nueva creación, el 1894 y 1896 respectivamente….(652)

Fernandez: “It was founded as a civil town on February 14, 1863 by Royal Decree, and in 1889 it became a parish.” (190)

CERTAIN: 1863

Valderrama, Antique

Proposed dates: 1865 (J); 1868 (CD)

Jorde:

CRESPO (Fr. Romualdo). Misión 99 (1873) …Administró, en la provincia de Antique, los pueblos de Anini-y (1875), Valderrama (1877) y Barbaza (1879), rigiendo el de Culasi desde el 1894 hasta el presente.(582)

Fernandez: “It was founded on May 22, 1865 as a civil town. According to the Decree of that date, it was composed of Cabrian, Tagmamali, and Manlacbho belonging to Bugason. It was elevated to a parish by the Royal Decree of March 5, 1868…” (192)

CERTAIN: 1865

Pilar, Capiz

Proposed dates: 1857 (J); 1865 (CD)

Jorde:

MUÑOZ (Fr. Faustino). Misión 94 (1868). …pasó á la provincia de Cápiz en 1869, y fué primer párrocode Pilar (1870), donde levantó un hermoso convento de tabla, falleciendo en dicho pueblo el 12 de Septiembre de 1875. (535)

Fernandez: “It was first the Visita of Pan-ay, later of Aranguel, then of Casanayan, and lastly of Pontevedra. On May 19, 1865 it was separated with the name of Pilar.” (176)

CERTAIN: 1865

Lezo, Antique

Proposed date: 1867 (CD)

La Paz, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1868 (LCD); 1870 (CD)

Jorde:

GONZÁLEZ (Fr. Cándido). Misión 95 (1868) …Administró en la provincia de Iloilo los pueblos de La Paz, cuyo convento construyó (1874), Barotac Viejo (1877), S, Joaquín (1886) y Alimodían (1888)….(539)

Fernandez: “It was founded in 1867, and it is situated in a less fertile plain.” (145)

ACCEPTABLE: 1868

Lemery, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1864 (J); 1878 (CD)

Jorde:

DÍAZ (Fr, Paulino). Misión 98 (1872). …Promovido al sacerdocio en 1873, se le destinó á estudiar el idioma panayano al pueblo de Miagao, siendo al poco tiempo, en 1874, nombrado cura párroco de Concepción y de aquí se trasladó al inmediato de Lemery. The reference to Lemery is ambiguous as to date, but that Lemery at this time was a pueblo is in no doubt.

Fernandez: “It was founded by the Royal Order of 1865 with the Santo Niño as its patron, although this did not take effect until 1869… Fr. Paulino Diaz, the first parish priest of Lemery, did not reside there, but in Sara, the barrio of the former until 1895.” (162) Fr. Diaz could not have been assigned to Lemery in 1869 as he was not yet a priest then.

CERTAIN: 1869

Cuartero, Capiz

Proposed dates: 1867 (J); 1872 (CD); 1879 (LCD)

Jorde:

PÉREZ (Fr. Lesmes). Misión 96 (1869).…le destinó la obediencia á Cápiz, en cuya provincia rigió sucesivamente los curatos de Cuartero (1873), Dumalag (1881) y Cápiz (1885 á 1898)…

Fernandez: “It was the Visita of Barbaran (Dumarao) with the names of Mapanag and Quinalboanan… In 1867 the residents requested that the town be independent from the mother church, but it was not granted. On November 30, 1872 it was granted to them to be a parish with San Antonio de Padua as patron saint, whom they had already as patron since olden times.” (170)

CERTAIN: 1872

Concepcion, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1872 (J); 1873 (CD)

Jorde:

DÍAZ (Fr, Paulino). Misión 98 (1872). ….Promovido al sacerdocio en 1873, se le destinó á estudiar el idioma panayano al pueblo de Miagao, siendo al poco tiempo, en 1874, nombrado cura párroco de Concepción y de aquí se trasladó al inmediato de Lemery.

Fernandez: “It was founded by the Royal Decree of February 22, 1872.” (159)

CERTAIN: 1872

Mina, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1870 (J); 1874 (CD)

Jorde:

LLÓRENTE (Fr. Agustín). Misión 99 (1873) Ha ejercido la cura de almas en los pueblos de Dueñas (1877), Leganés (1878), Mina (1885), Janiuay (1887), Pavía (1890) y Guimbal (1895).

Fernandez: “It was founded as a civil town in barrio Mantugani by the Order of Governor General La Torre in 1870. In 1872 it was made a parish, with the provision that if residents would not build a church, convent, municipal hall and schools, no parish priest would be given to them as had been stated in the General’s decree.” (151)

CERTAIN: 1872

Numancia, Aklan

Proposed date: 1874 (CD)

Fernandez mentions it as a recent town that had always belonged to the Diocese. He was unable to visit it to gather data because of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898. (181)

Sara, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1864 (J); 1895 (CD)

Jorde:

DÍAZ (Fr, Paulino). Misión 98 (1872). …en 1874, nombrado cura párroco de Concepción y de aquí se trasladó al inmediato de Lemery. «Como á unos doce kilómetros del pueblo de Lemery, existían unas cuantas chozas de caña y nipa, que los naturales llamaban el barrio de S. Juan, comprensión de dicho pueblo… Años después aquellas chozas de caña y nipa habían desaparecido, y en su lugar admírase hoy el pueblo de Sara, gallarda y hermosa población de más de dieciocho mil almas… (573)
PIEDRA (Fr. Aníbal). Misión 113 (1890). …se hizo cargo de la parroquia de Pilar (1893), rigiendo la de Cuartero de 1897 á 1898, de donde pasó poco después al distrito de la Concepción, como compañero del párroco de Sara, y, sublevadas las provincias bisayas, á Manila…(655) It is unclear if and when Fr. Diaz founded Sara, but the entry on him eliminates the earlier date.

Fernandez: “Sara was founded as a civil town in 1877, and as a parish in 1895. By relying on the points of issue most certainly we can affirm that the latter with regard to law was a parish since 1878, because the parish priest of Lemery established his residence in Sara on that date, although it was just the Visita of the former.” (162)

CERTAIN: 1877

Nueva Lucena, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1877 (CD)

Carles, Iloilo

Proposed date: 1862 (CD, J)

Jorde:

AGUIRRE (Fr. Francisco). Misión 101 (1876). …Fué el primer párrocodel pueblo de Carlés, en el distrito de Concepción, el año de 1878, y administró el de Dumarao de 1886 á 1889.

Fernandez: “Carles is the old Boalcaue, founded in 1581… It was often raided by Moro pirates, so that within a few years it was almost depopulated. The inhabitants who remained in their homes were subject to the civil and ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the town of Pan-ay. In 1704 the authorities made it a Visita of Aranguel, and it became a barrio of Pan-ay since 1750. It was part of the civil town of Casanayan in 1856, and it was annexed again to its mother church until 1865 when it was made an independent parish…” (164) But Jorde says the first parish priest was Fray Francisco Aguirre.

CERTAIN: 1878

Pontevedra, Capiz

Proposed dates: 1856 (J); 1879 (CD)

Jorde:

HERMIDA (Fr. Gregorio). Misión 98 (1872). …se le expidió mandato de[page break] vicario para el pueblo de Panay en 1873, y este mismo año se encargó de la parroquia de Ivisan, rigiendo después las de Pontevedra y Panay en 1874 y 1895.

Fernandez: “It was separated from its mother church Pan-ay by General Crespo’s decree in 1856… Pontevedra continued without a parish priest, and dependent on its mother church in ecclesiastical matters until 1877 when the authorities gave it a parish priest… on October 30, 1877 General Moriones sent an expedient to His Majesty requesting him to declare Pontevedra a parish. On May 21, 1878 the same General sent a royal grant to the Provincial of the Augustinians to make this town a parish; however, it was four years after Fr. Gregorio Hermida had been in the town.” (175)

CERTAIN: 1879

Ma-ayon, Capiz

Proposed dates: 1849 (CD); 1882 (J)

Jorde:

MINGO (Fr. Lesmes). Misión 115 (1891). …En Bisayas, fué párroco interino de Tapás (Cápiz) el 1894, coadjutor de Panitan en Septiembre del mismo año y primer curadel pueblo de Maayon desde Noviembre de 1894 hasta el 1896…

Fernandez: “It was first a Visita of Pan-ay, and later a barrio of Panitan. In 1882, it was made a town, and in 1894, a parish.” (169)

CERTAIN: 1882

Ma-ayon was a visita of Pan-ay in 1717. It also appears on the Murillo Velarde map.

Tangalan, Aklan

Proposed date: 1889 (CD)

Balasan, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1894 (LCD); 1895 (J); 1896 (CD)

Jorde:

RIVATE (Fr. Gregorio). Misión 109 (1886) …administró en Bisayas las parroquias de Pilar (1889), Dumarao (1891), Carlés (1892) y Balasan, de nueva creación (1896 al 1898)… (637) When Jorde describes Balasan as a new foundation in 1896, does he mean it was founded shortly before 1896 or that it was founded in 1896?

Fernandez: “This town, which was founded by the Royal Decree of July 10, 1895, has for its patroness Sta. Ana.” (163)

CERTAIN: 1895

Buruanga, Aklan

Proposed date: 1895 (CD)

Fernandez mentions it as a recent town that had always belonged to the Diocese. He was unable to visit it to gather data because of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898. (181) It is also mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

San Dionisio, Iloilo

Proposed dates: 1877 (J); 1895 (CD)

Jorde:

ROZA (Fr. Casto). Misión 117 (1892) …fué primer párrocode S. Dionisio del 1896 hasta el 15 de Agosto de 1898…

Fernandez: “The town was founded by the Royal Decree of 1895 with St. Vincent Ferrer as its patron.” (160)

CERTAIN: 1895

Guisuan, Antique

Proposed dates: 1849 (J); 1895 (CD);

Jorde:

CARRANZA (Fr. Felipe). Misión 112 (1889). …fué primer párroco de los curatos de S. Remigio y Guisihan, ambos de nueva creación, el 1894 y 1896 respectivamente….(652)

Fernandez: “It was founded by the Royal Decree of 1895, and so ordered for compliance by Governor General Polavieja on January 27, 1897.” (195)

CERTAIN: 1896

Guisuan is mentioned in Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario.

Sebaste, Antique

Proposed dates: 1886 (J); 1897 (CD)

Jorde:

CARRERA (Fr. Domingo). Misión 117 (1892) …fué coadjutor del párroco de Antique el 1896 y primer párrocode Sebaste de 1897 á 1898… (668)

Fernandez: “Sebaste is the Ipayos of the Visayas. In 1884 the document for speedy decision was executed declaring it a parish; however, the separation did not take effect. What the law prescribed had not been followed, not even social decorum. Thanks to the prudence of the Bishop, it was declared independent [sic] in civil and ecclesiastical matters. Its patron is San Blas.” (198)

CERTAIN: 1897

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