The History of Alangalang, Leyte

Alangalang, officially the Municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. And

according to the 2015 census Alangalang got a population of 55,235 people.

On the way to carigara there is a steel bridge spanning the Mainit River. There was
time when only footpaths existed and when the river was to wide for a leap and too
narrow to wade, the traveler were undecided what to do. And the name ‘Alangalang’
started that came from the word “alang-alang” which means “indecision”.

The old town of Alangalang was founded 1n 1748. Alangalang with dulag was made a
‘cabicera’ of nine towns with Fr. Mateo Sanchez as superior. In 1600 the town
suffered from the moros raids. A punitive Force from Cebu under Capitan Francisco
de Pedraza was sent to suppress lawlessness; a hurricane swept the whole town and
floods became frequent. Alang alang was in a site located across the steel bridge at
Binongto-an called Bukid Height and settlement headed by Francisco Antonis one of
a leader. Antonis were known for eaten the liver of moro bandit that caught up
during the raid. The objective of Moro raid was the Golden church bell, during this
attack the gold bell take to the hills and had to drop in the Bangka River to save it
from the invades and up to now the bell never been seen nor recovered.

Toward the end of 18th century, the settlement in Bukid grew so large that Fr. Jose
Olmo, the parish priest transferred the town across the Mainit River where the
provincial Nursery is found at present.

The Government that time were Governadorcillo, Teniente Mayor, Teniente Segundo,
Cabeza de Barangay or Guinhaopan, Delgado de Rentas and cuadrilleros, among the
lay leaders were Eulogio Barrantes, Santo Pabilona, Eulogio Daroles and Esteban
Pedero.
And in the 19th century the town ha d six rural schools and the road to Palo were
opened. The townis well known for its abacca, copra, seeds, cocoa, tobacco and rice.

A big flood leveled the town in 1883. And in the same year, the Governadorcillo
moved townto its present site, in 1892 Alangalang was in the thick of fight. Leocardio
Pabilona overthrew the spanish rule in the townand became the Jefe or capitan with
a new set of Guinhaopan. And when the Americans occupied the town upon orders
from Pabilona, the inhabitants evacuated the place and the Americans angered and
set the town on fire. After that hardships life which finally made the tiwn folks yield
to American authorities and the town’s growth was steady. But on December 16,
1942, japanese planes bombed the town Alangalang again become one bulwarks of
the resistance movement. With Filemon Pabilona and Elias Macina as leaders. And in
1944 to 1945, the Filipino forces of the 4th 9th, 92nd infantry Division of the
Philippine commonwealth army took in the town in Alangalang, Leyte and liberatiion,
a regional high school was opened. And now Alangalang has 54 Barangays and
continues to lead in agriculture and also in the business infrastructure.

sources: http://wikimapia.org/2385172/Alangalang-Leyte
http://mapio.net/pic/p-57993979/

https://www.tripmondo.com/philippines/eastern-visayas/province-of-leyte/alangalang /

https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Alangalang,_Leyte