Republic of the Philippines

SORSOGON STATE UNIVERSITY

School of Graduate Studies
Office of Advanced Education
4700 Sorsogon City

Assignment No. 2 FULO, INA ISABEL C.

Class No. 133 2020-2021 Midyear MaEd Filipino
Education 502: Philosophical, Sociological, and Psychological Foundations of
Education
Stephen Henry S. Totanes, Ph. D.
Associate Professor V

Rediscovering History, Heritage, and Identity in my Municipality:

BULUSAN
Bulusan, named as home of the
raging waters, is a 4th
class municipality in the province of
Sorsogon.
It is bordered by the towns of
Barcelona in the north and towns of
Casiguran, Juban, Irosin and Santa
Magdalena in the south. The islets of
San Bernardino, about 15 kilometres
(9.3 mi) off the coast, fall under the
jurisdiction of Bulusan.

HISTORY: Pre-Spanish period.

Long before the Spaniards arrived, the natives of Bulusan were living in scattered
settlements. Some lived in what used to be Inarado (now Licod or San Rafael),
others in Ilihan, some in Pinayagan, and still a
number lived in Capangihan — a place near
the Paghasaan and Bayugin Rivers. These
settlements are distant from the seacoast and
upland. The reason could be the presence of
Moro pirates who used to attack the town,
especially the coastal areas, robbing the
natives of their gold and whatever else came
to be lying around, and burning the houses
afterwards. Due to these Moro-related
disasters, it was a wise move to locate the settlements on higher ground. Recent
excavations yielded artifacts such as platters, jugs, plates, and vases made from
China and earthen burial jars in what used to be Inarado.
Spanish period: The town's foundation
Bulusan, like the rest of Sorsogon, was part of the province of Albay till
October 17, 1894. In Inarado, the fourth parroquia (parish) of the present Province
of Sorsogon, was established in 1630. After being merely a part
of Casiguran (established in 1600), Bulusan became an independent parish
following Bacon (established in 1617) and the parish of Sorsogon (established in
1628). It became a separate pueblo civil (town) in 1631. The new parish was then
placed under the tutelary of St. James, the Greater — the patron saint of Spain.
Fr. Miguel de Santa Ana became its first parish priest, exercising one-man authority
over ecclesiastical and civil functions. The people also selected the first executive
of the place, a gobernadorcillo.
PADRE DON JOACHIN
DE LOS SANTOS
He was a secular
priest assigned to
Bulusan as its cura
sometime around the
years 1757 through
1761.
He is credited by local
chroniclers for leading
the 1760 transfer of
the townsite or
poblacion from
upland Inarado to
where it is now--near
the coast and at the
Microfilm printout from AUST, original Libro de
mouth of Bulusan
Bautismos still in Bulusan.
River. Though Bulusan
as a parish was founded by the Franciscans, it was under the seculars for the
greater part of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Picture shows D. Joachin de los Santos' signature in a baptismal entry
from the year 1758. During this time, the parish extended to as far north as
Gubat and as far south as Matnog.
In 1760, the town was transferred from Inarado to its present site at the
mouth of Bulusan River. This was triggered by the need to trade with neighboring
settlements. The relocation was done through the efforts of Fr. Joaquin de los
Santos, the parish priest. Under the friar's guidance, the people chose
Bernardino Pasion as first head of the town. The natives started building a church
in the place where a new one now stands. This initial development formed the
nucleus of the present poblacion (town center).
The Bulusan parish then encompassed all lands that includes the vicinities
of Gubat, Matnog, Bulan, Barcelona and Santa Magdalena. Eventually, either
new parishes were born out of the Mother parish and became a town of its own
or these communities grew into separate towns of their own and, in turn,
established their own parishes.

HERITAGE: Stone watchtowers

Bulusan's watchtowers are believed to have been built around 1760, the
year that the town's poblacion was transferred to its present site. In 1799, as a
defense and warning measure against the Moro pirates, the principalias (leaders)
of the coastal towns of Albay convened in their respective town halls and drew
up plans for the building of lanchas cañoneras (armed ships). On April 20, 1799,
Bulusan's leaders decided to build two lanchas cañoneras to be commanded by
actual gobernadorcillo Don Juan Macsimiano and ex-gobernadorcillo Don Juan
Tomas.
The town of Bulusan built the most baluartes de piedra (stone
watchtowers). The town erected watchtowers, one each in Macabare, Tawog
and Layog (now a part of Barcelona).

Near the community of Dapdap, a bigger triangular muralla [fortification]

called Punta Diamante which encloses the church and rectory of the parish of St.
James the Greater was erected. Punta Diamante has five watchtowers with high,
thick walls, making it an ideal place for refuge during Moro attacks. Unlike the
other watchtowers which are cylindrical and have circular bases, the one facing
the sea is of a triangular plan, a smaller version of the main complex. The biggest
watchtower has an octagon shaped base (with eight sides) and tapers upward
in alternating tiers. This watchtower now serves as the church's bell tower, with the
old bells comparably intact.

“Mga Moog ng Bulusan”

Century-old Bell My friend & I

beside the
hanging on the church bell
Church’s Belfry
The picture below shows the aerial shot of the St. James the Greater Parish in
which the Punta Diamante encloses the church, shaped like a diamond.

St. James the Greater Belfry

These photos indicate the tip of the diamond, that reaches Brgy. Dapdap,
Bulusan where I am residing.

American period
Bulusan had its own share
of heroes in the revolution
against Spain. These same
individuals would later find
themselves in the war against
the Americans. Colonel
Emeterio Funes, a Buluseño, was
one of the foremost
revolutionary leaders in the
province. Coming home from a
military service under General
Miguel Malvar, he was aware of
the immediate plans of the
Americans to invade the rest of the country. Upon his arrival in Bulusan, he met
with the town's prominent figures, with the parish priest in attendance, in the
church rectory. Together, they drew up plans for a revolutionary movement in the
province. In 1900, Emeterio Funes was appointed colonel of the revolutionary
forces in Sorsogon by General Vito Belarmino of Albay.
IDENTITY
This is the limitless identity of Bulusan. These are my personal photos taken in
my hometown - from its beautiful bodies of water, landscapes, and the
biodiversity that sustains life.

References/Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulusan
https://www.facebook.com/historicpun
tadiamante