A case study in the Historical and Political Background of Barangay 77 Banez Vill.

By Dela Rosa, Louis Kent R. BAPoS AP-22

I. Introduction

As a basic political unit, the barangay serves as the primary planning and
implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects, and activities in the
community, and as a forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed,
crystallized, and considered, and where disputes may be amicably settled.

A barangay may be created, divided, merged, abolished, or its boundary substantially

altered, by law or by an ordinance of the Sangguniang panlalawigan or panlungsod, subject to
approval by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite to be conducted by the COMELEC in
the local government unit or units directly affected within such period as may be determined
by the law or ordinance creating the said barangay.

The question of the case is how Barangay 77 was formed and the political actions
responsible for its development.

The significance of the study is to:

1. Analysis of Barangay 77 is to discern its development from its creation to its present
2. Emphasize the role and purpose of Barangay 77 to the community and its
constituents;
3. Build a sense of importance to the roles of the Barangay in the community;
4. The conduct of the case study would be a reference to future political science students
as historical literature on specific Barangays is limited.

The subject directed to this case study is uniquely selected is that there is no record of
any study about analyzing the origin of the said Barangay in the selected locality and it will
serve also as a reminder for the barangay as to its importance in its role and identity.
Focusing on the political background of the barangay and its origin, this paper aims to give
insights and information as to how the barangay was acknowledged as a member of the local
government unit in the city and what ordinance and law were made that led up to its current
development.
 II. Review of Related Literature

Book I “General Provision” of the Local Government Code of the Philippines (1991)
States that a barangay may be created, divided, merged, abolished, or its boundary
substantially altered, by law or by an ordinance of the Sangguniang panlalawigan or
panlungsod, subject to approval by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite to be conducted
by the COMELEC in the local government unit or units directly affected within such period
as may be determined by the law or ordinance creating said barangay. In the case of the
creation of barangays by the Sangguniang panlalawigan, the recommendation of the
Sangguniang bayan concerned shall be necessary.
Book I “General Provision” of the Local Government Code of the Philippines (1991)
State also that the barangay has certain requirements for it to be created, merged, abolished,
or its boundaries substantially altered. (a) A barangay may be created out of a contiguous
territory that has a population of at least two thousand (2,000) inhabitants as certified by the
National Statistics Office. (b) The territorial jurisdiction of the new barangay shall be
properly identified by metes and bounds or by more or less permanent natural boundaries.
The territory need not be contiguous if it comprises two (2) or more islands.

Ordinance on the Creation of Barangay 77

Due to the lack of physical evidence and records as to the ordinance in the creation of
the barangay the credibility of such a community to be a barangay is questionable, However
the community of Banez Vill. was still a recognized community that is capable of having a
stable and functioning local government. the community itself has met the requirements in
the local government code in establishing a barangay and acknowledging it as members of
the LGU's in Tacloban city, Leyte as seen in its current condition in terms of governance and
its features

Brief history of Barangay Bañez Ville

Barangay 77 or mostly known as Banez Ville is one of the 138 Barangay in the City
of Tacloban, Province of Leyte. It is adjacent to Barangay 78 Marasbaras and Barangay 63.
As of 2018, the population of the area in the number of households and families ranges to
7,77
 According to Filby, W. et al., (1981) That the origin of the name Bañez can be traced
back to the early 1094s as this was one of the prestigious and famous names in Spain which is
mainly passed down from one head of the family to the next head of the family. The name
was first found in Castile, well-known during the Christian kingdom of medieval Spain thus
indicating its connection to the Philippines.
“I s t h e L a s t n a m e B a n e z C o m m o n ? ” (n.d) indicates that surname Bañez has
its highest incidence in the Philippines as the last name is most widely held in, it is primarily
found in National Capital Region, where 16 percent are found in the Eastern Visayas
especially in Tacloban City, Leyte.
Nowadays, Bañez Ville is just a name of the barangay and a progressing one wherein
it houses 988 households and has a stable community with 2-3 different religions being
practice in the area.

III. Findings
This study used descriptive research as its methodology as the goal of the researcher
is to provide information as to how the barangay acquire its political name and function as an
LGU. The researcher procured and presented the data literature and certain provision from
the local government code that presents the relation between the barangay's duties and
responsibilities to its designation and political name as well as provides basic data's that
shows the barangays historical background and its features. Based on the collected data, the
researchers found out the barangay is a legitimate LGU and it has met its qualifications as
one of the findings indicates that in the Local government code of the Philippines Book III
Local Government Unit;
Section 7: Creation and Conversion - As a general rule, the creation of a local
government unit or its conversion from one level to another level shall be based on variable
indicators of viability and projected capacity to provide services, to wit:
a. Income. – It must be sufficient, based on acceptable standards, to provide for all
essential government facilities and services and special functions commensurate
with the size of its population, as expected of the local government unit
concerned;
b. Population. – It shall be determined as the total number of inhabitants within the
territorial jurisdiction of the local government unit concerned; and
c. Land Area. – It must be contiguous unless it comprises two (2) or more islands or
is separated by a local government unit independent of the others; properly
 identified by metes and bounds with technical descriptions; and sufficient to
provide for such basic services and facilities to meet the requirements of its
populace.
As the researcher progress in its investigation, the next finding points-out the last
updated data regarding the barangay 77 Banez Vill. and this was provided by the barangay
officials themselves. The following are the data regarding the barangay and its features.

Features of Barangay Bañez Ville

 It is one of the 138 barangays in the City of Tacloban, Province of Leyte. It is
situated at approximately 11.2163, 125.0040 on the island, with elevation
coordinates, estimate at 5.0 meters or 16.4 feet above mean sea level.
 The total land area of 200 meters or 40,000 sq. meter
 Barangay 77 Bañez Ville is also classified as an Urban barangay that has 5 puroks
 The means of transportation in the barangay is pedicab, tricycle, and motorcycle
 There is also a school in the barangay namely the Grace Baptist Church and Dr.
AP Bañez Memorial School.
 The population as of the year 2018 is 7077, with 988 households recorded in
barangay.

Local Government Code of the Philippines

The researcher also procured a section on the local government code as for the
naming of the barangay and its requirements to attain or execute them. This section does not
just require the consultation of the Philippine Historical Commission (PHC) but also it is
finalized and published in public through a public ordinance
Section 13 - Naming of local government units and public places, streets, and
structures. The Sanggunian of highly urbanized cities and of component cities whose charters
prohibit their voters from voting for provincial elective officials, hereinafter referred to in this
Code as independent component cities, may in consultation with the Philippine Historical
Commission, change the name of the following within its territorial jurisdiction:
a. City barangays, upon the recommendation of the Sangguniang barangay
concerned;
b. City roads, avenues, boulevards, thoroughfares, and bridges;
 c. Public elementary, secondary, and vocational or technical schools, community
colleges, and non-chartered colleges;
d. City hospitals, health centers, and other health facilities; and
e. Any other public place or building owned by the city government.
The last finding that the researcher has obtained is another section in the local
government code that indicates that upon the establishment of the barangay, its political
members and political relation is also established. Under the local government code, the
following section is provided and enacted
Section 387 Chief Officials and Offices. (a) There shall be in each barangay a punong
barangay, seven (7) sangguniang barangay members, the sangguniang kabataan chairman, a
barangay secretary, and a barangay treasurer. (b) There shall also be in every barangay a
lupong tagapamayapa. The Sangguniang barangay may form community brigades and create
such other positions or offices as may be deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of the
barangay government per the needs of public service, subject to the budgetary limitations on
personal services prescribed under Title Five, Book II of this Code.

IV. Discussion

Recalling on the objective of the paper, there has been no record or related literature
as to the origin of the barangay and it was imperative to conduct the study to supplement the
prior knowledge of the public as to the history of its community and put a starting point for
developing more literature for the barangay itself. The criteria for the creation of a local
government unit involves the income, population, and land area as given by its name, As
observed in Section 7 of the Local Government Code that it is a small government as such
income from the population from a family to multiple households are inspected and evaluated
so as the land as the classification of the LGU depends in its evaluation however such
evaluation process also includes physical features of the barangay as cited in the RRL second
Paragraph stating that a barangay must consist of two thousand inhabitants and its territory
must be identified and neutral and given that this is a small government unit responsible not
only for establishing peace and order but also regulate the socio-economic standard of the
barangay.
The features Barangay 77 Banez Vill. has qualified its requirements as observed in the
findings of the barangay and indicating its landmass and position on the city of Tacloban as
well as its statistical survey in the year 2018 that the barangay has a total population of 7,077
people or 988 households. The establishment of its barangay council and members and their
exercise of power to name the barangay officially is also a shred of clear and present
evidence to justify the creation of the barangay. As indicated in SECTION 387 of the Local
Government Code, the barangay must consist of Punong Barangay and seven Sangguniang
members starting from the barangay chairman through the barangay treasurer, etc. and upon
establishing these members of the LGU or Barangay, their duty also is implemented and
executed which to maintain peace and smooth cooperation from the main government and
sustain its socio-economic and political relation from other barangay leading to their ability,
through the consultation of the PHC, enables them to give the barangay its name which is
Banez Vill.
Which is under the Local Government Code, Section 13 namely Naming of local
government units and public places, streets, and structure gave the name of the barangay and
not just its name but also some establishment is also named after this name and it is from the
effort of the Sangguniang members and the barangay making the name not just a brand of the
barangay but also a significant one given by the history of this name and its origin and this
was also consulted by the PHC given that today's contemporary time the name is still known
and acknowledge.

V. Conclusion

The study on the historical and political background of Barangay 77 was challenging
on the part of the limited related literature associated with the subject matter. As a researcher,
we rely on primary data, it is recommended that we need more studies related to such work to
further assist future researchers. Also, to consider for future studies focusing on the
assessment of a better political system in the barangay council as well as the improvement
and implementation of a better security system and law for the barangay.
The Local Government Code of the Philippines is the basis and the reference for the
law and regulation as well as the manner of creation of every LGU and in the case of the
creation of Barangay 77. Every section in the Local Government Code supports and justified
its creation as shown in the data's in the finding and as for the name of the barangay, under
Section 13 of the Local Government Code, has been indicated and has justified the name and
established its historical significance with the community. Although these claims may be
factual by law, the requirement of the presentation ordinance of its proclamation and
publication is presented, however, due to the limitation of the lack of literature study on the
barangay and presentation of the ordinance as it was lost and/or destroyed due to unforeseen
circumstances as well as the limitation of movement to gather data was also present due to
the given condition of the pandemic nevertheless the evidence that concluded the creation of
the barangay is still acknowledge and is clear beyond doubts.

Reference
Book I “General Provision” of the Local Government Code of the Philippines (1991).
Retrieve fromhttps://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1991/ra_7160_1991.html
Book III “Local Government Unit” of the Local Government Code of the Philippines (1991).
Retrieve from https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1991/ra_7160_1991.html
Filby, W. et al., (1981) Banez History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms. Retrieve From

https://www.houseofnames.com/banez-family-crest
“Is the Last name Banez Common?” (N.D) Retrieve from
https://forebears.io/surnames/bañez