Historical Development San Francisco, Southern Leyte The Municipality of San Francisco has its historical beginnings as a barangay of the Municipality of Liloan, a neighbouring northwestern town located thirteen (13) kilometres away. It derives its name from Saint Francis Javier. It has been told that in the early times, the inhabitants requested for the image of Saint Francis Javier but it so happened that the image of Saint Isidore that was sent. At present, the town remains to be called San Francisco though it venerates St. Isidore, the favourite saint of the farmers, as its Patron Saint. History recounts that the early people established a settlement in the place and called it “Canlili-ug”. Now it is called “Sabang”, situated at the south of the river and presently part of Barangay Ubos, San Francisco. “Canlili-ug” etymologically comes from the word “liog”or neck, which means that the depth of the water in the river reaches up to the neck of the person. Today however, due to the heavy siltation, the water is only knee-deep. Early settlers of the municipality were mostly from Bohol. The local dialect is heavily accentuated by Boholano influence. The increase of the early population drove communities to move upwards and towards the south to claim the lands thereby creating neighbouring settlements. Lands were slowly also being divided as the population increased. When the Spaniards came, the inhabitants were converted into the Roman Catholic religion. It was at this time the place came to be known as San Francisco. The people of San Francisco celebrate their annual town Fiesta during the month of May in honor of their Patron Saint. The Fiesta is revered as a day of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest during the year. The late President Elpidio Quirino formally created San Francisco into a municipality on November 1, 1949 under Executive Order No. 292 after a petition was drafted soliciting the settling up of a settlement with a separate municipal government. On May 14, 1951, the formal inauguration took place that steered San Francisco into a Municipality. Governor Mamerto Ribo and Congressman Francisco Pajao witnessed the momentous rare occasion. The Mystical Legend of Kapitan Iguel Miguel Tio was one of the pioneers in the Island of Panaon, Southern Leyte, and an immigrant from Camotes Island, Cebu. He settled with his family at the San Francisco, Southern Leyte and owned a vast area of lands he tilled and respected as the Teniente del Barrio during the Spanish period. Legend says that aside from having a charisma of leading a group of people, Kapitan Iguel also possessed extra ordinary skills and powers higher than an ordinary human being. The Battle of Kamorijon The village of San Francisco raised an alarm that about fifteen (15) to twenty (20) fierce-looking and fully armed with sharp-bladed kris “Muros” was sighted at Look, Tuno, San Francisco, Southern Leyte. Kapitan Iguel respond to a call from his village people and immediately meet the bandits in a fierce and deadly battle. The battle lasted for an hour and Kapitan Iguel emerged victorious by killing all the enemies. Encounter with the Third Kind Another story is about the missing boy somewhere in Cagpanga, Dakit, San Francisco, which is believed to be hidden by the “Di ingon nato” or fairies. Kapitan Iguel, after a series of “Buhat” or ceremonies to invite “spirits”, challenged the fairies responsible to return the body or to receive the consequence, dislocated from their Balite Tree houses or suffer a punishment. After a series of spiritual contracts, the boy returned to his family without a scratch. The Surigao Invasion Kapitan Iguel on his quest for spiritual battle decided to challenge the Great Giant in an Island somewhere in Surigao. In preparation for the expedition, he summoned a group of “comparsa” or local musical band, to accompany him to Surigao by boat. He asks the group to step on the “takong” and after a short spell, they already boarded a big boat. Upon reaching the island after days of travel, Kapitan Iguel instructed the “comparsa” to continue playing the music until he told them to stop. Great fight started using only a “espada” or an extraordinary sword. The “comparsa” marvelled at the scene since Kapitan Iguel easily dodges the giants’ swords of the enemy and encircled it in mid-air. The fight lasted for a couple of days without a break making the “comparsa” very tired and hungry but very happy upon seeing that the Giant was dead and Kapitan Iguel again emerged victorious. The Death of Kapitan Iguel Kapitan Iguel lived for a hundred years and his family was worried because he was still alive even if his body was not able to move, until a “tambalan” of the same degree appeared to him and offered a ceremony for his eternal rest. He was survived by his two sons, Pablo Tio, the former Mayor of Liloan and “Diging” Tio, the Samson of San Francisco and his daughter, Imelda.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 07:13:04 +0000