A Communion of Augustinian Saints

The Parish of Saint Augustine, Baliwag, Bulacan held the 1st Baliuag Augustinian Exhibit on May 6-13, 2017 at the Parish Hall of Saint Augustine Church. The exhibit showcased the images of Augustinian saints and blessed owned by devout families in Baliwag, Bulacan. The exhibit is one of the highlights of Pistang Bayan 2017.

San Alipio de Tagaste: Obispo, Discipulo y Companero de San Agustin. Pamilya Rodriguez.

San Juan Stone de Canterbury: Presbitero y Martir ng Pamilya Navoa

Beata Cristiana de San Croce: Virgen ng Pamilya Mercado-Santos

Beata Elena Valentini Cavalcanti de Udine: Viuda y Religiosa ng mga Pamilya Manalili at Simbulan 

Apostol San Pablo, Apostol de los Gentiles. Pamilya De Leon-Garcia.

San Antonio Abad: Fundador del Movimiento Eremitico ng Pamliya Ignacio

San Ambrosio de Milan: Obispo, Doctor de la Santa Iglesia, Teologo y Orador ng mga Pamilya Laya at Canoza 

San Alonso de Orozco: Musico y Escritor Mistico ng Pamilya Hernandez-Manuel

San Ezequiel Moreno y Diaz: Recoleto, Obispo de Pinara y Pasto ng Pamilya Peralta-Santos

Beata Julia de la Rena de Certaldo: Reclusa Virgen ng Pamilya Cruz

Santa Magdalena de Nagasaki, Recoleto, Virgen y Martir, Patrona de la Orden de los Agustinos Recoletos ng Pamilya Espiritu

Santa Clara de la Cruz de Montefalco: Virgen, Monja y Abadesa ng Pamilya Rodriguez-Tengco

Santa Rita de Casia: Abogada de Imposibles ng Pamilya Faustino

San Juan Gonzales de Sahagun: Confesor, Predicador, Presbitero y Ermitaño ng Pamilya Clarin

Nuestra Señora de la Regla: Patrona Personal de San Agustin ng Pamilya De Leon

Santo Tomas de Villanueva: Confesor, Arzobispo de Valencia, Padre de los Pobres ng Parokya ni San Agustin sa Pangangasiwa ng Pamilya Cunanan-Cruz

San Nicolas de Tolentino: Confesor, Presbitero, Mistico, Patron de las Almas del Purgatorio ng Pamilya Silvestre-Cortez

San Guillermo el Grande: Monje, Ermitaño de Maleval ng mga Pamilya Cabingao at De Guzman 

San Fulgencio de Ruspe: Obispo y Abad de Africa del Norte ng mga Pamilya Buñing at Cruz 

San Maximo de Gafsa: Monje y Martir ng mga Pamilya Villangca-Marcos at Santos

San Bonifacio de Gafsa: Diacono y Martir ng Pamilya Fernando-Ramos

San Liberato de Gafsa: Abad y Martir ng Pamilya Flores-Yabut

San Posidio de Calama: Obispo, Discipulo y Biografo de San Agustin ng Pamilya Juaiting

Nuestra Señora de la Salud ng mga Pamilya Taruc, Gutierrez at Ignacio

Ang Pagninilay sa Santisima Trinidad ng Pamilya Rodriguez-Tengco

Ang Pagpapakita ng Virgen ng Parokya ni San Agustin at Pamilya Rodriguez-Tengco.

Santo Niño de Cebu ng Pamilya Ortiz-Clarin

Baliwag, Bulacan, Two Hundred Years Ago

A screenshot page of Aragon's work, Estados de la Población de Filipinas.   

In 1817-1818, Don Yldefonzo de Aragon, a Spanish colonel, traveled around the Philippines to look into and write about the conditions of the Philippine cities, towns and villages.

Among others, he traveled around Bulacan, interviewed local officials and residents and took as much notes as he can. His descriptions of Baliuag, and the rest of Bulacan appeared in his books: Estados de la Población de Filipinas Correspondiente a el Ano de 1818 and Descripción Geográfica y Topográfica de la Ysla de Luzon O Nueva Castilla con las Particulares de las Diez y Seis Provincias O Partidos que Comprehende. Both books were published in 1819.

According to Aragon, in 1818, about four-fifth of Baliuag’s population settled on the right side of the Baliuag River, and the remaining one-fifth lived on the left side. The town generally had plain terrain covered with trees. Relative to its surrounding towns, Baliuag is a little more than a quarter of a legua towards Pampanga, some three leguas to Candava and San Luis, one legua to Candava swamps and two-and-a-half to Apalit. A legua was a historical measure of length equivalent to 5,572.7 meters. Relative to other Bulacan towns, Baliuag is roughly a legua to San Rafael and a quarter of a legua to the Hacienda de Buenavista. Baliuag is one legua to Quingoa (now Plaridel), three-fourth of a legua to Pandi, two leguas to Bigaa via the farm lands.

The inhabitants of Baliuag were mostly farmers. They cultivated indigo, sugar cane, rice and corn. Other economic activities include weaving fabrics, spinning cottons, extracting sesame oil, milling sugar, weaving hats and other menial works.

In Baliuag, like most towns along Quingoa river, indigo is cultivated with success. Bulacan accumulated about 400 to 500 quintals of indigo paste annually, much of which came from Baliuag. That was equivalent to four thousand pots of indigo mud. Indigo was used for the dyeing blankets and other textiles.

In Bongas (now part of Bustos), a barrio of Baliuag, there were many quarries of dry stones of better quality than those of Meycauayan. Some dry stones were, although soft, still superior than those of Guadalupe.

While most of the inhabitants of Baliuag were farmers, the town ironically, lacked land resources for its farming people. As a consequence, Baliuag farmers occupied and farmed the vast fertile lands between Baliuag and Pinac de Candava, which belonged to the Province of Pampanga. This was especially so since there was no clear delineation of boundaries between the two provinces. Aragon also noted that there were lands between Baliuag and Pampanga where the people who do not recognize the law and do not submit to authorities take refuge.

Baliuag farmers cultivated the lands between their hometown and Candava Swamps in Pampanga.

Throwback: Baliwag, Bulacan in 1850

Baliuag, Bulacan, circa 1945, photograph by John Tewell. 

In 1850, Frs. Manuel Buzeta and Felipe Bravo, both Augustinian Missionaries, published a detailed geographical dictionary entitled Diccionario Geográfico, Estadístico, Histórico de las Islas Filipinas. This encyclopedic work gathered together all available information relative to the physical, political, religious and socio-economic geography of the Philippines, its significant islands, provinces, cities, towns, missions, visitas and barrios as of 1850. Entries were presented alphabetically.

Diccionario Geográfico described Baliuag as town in the Province of Bulacan on the island of Luzon. Situated on a shady plain on the banks of the mighty Baliuag river, the town had a pleasant and healthy climate. It was bounded by the towns of San Luis and Candava of the Province of Pampanga to the north; by the towns of San Isidro, Calumpit and Apalit, Pampanga to the west; by the towns of Pandi, Quingua (now Plaridel) and San Isidro (now Pulilan) to the south; by the towns of Angat and San Rafael to the east. 

A Beautiful Town 

According to the Diccionario, Baliuag, Bulacan was founded in 1732. Back then, it had about 3,503 houses distributed along its wide and leveled streets. The town had a jail and a primary school which were maintained by the community. A large number of children attended the school. The town also had a beautifully built parish church under the patronage of Saint Augustine and which was served by an Augustinian priest. The parish was under the Archdiocese of Manila.

The town had a large square, one of the largest in the province. The square was where the weekly market days were held. These market days drew in a considerable crowd and products from the countryside. The square was also the terminus of avenues which lead to different directions towards the neighboring towns. 

Besides the church and the tribunal, there were a number of well-constructed luxurious houses made of stone owned by mestizos. They had magnificent gardens, tree-lined walkways, and orchards planted with fruit trees. They presented very pleasant and picturesque views.

Livelihood

Baliuag, Bulacan had a large farming population but with a limited land resources. Many farmers had to leave and cultivate lands of nearby towns like Candava. Baliuagenyos produced indigo and sugarcane, and extracted sesame oil. Local artisans made hats and cigarettes packs, spun cotton and wove clothes. Locally produced dyes gave excellent color to locally produced fabrics. These fabrics were well known in Manila for its equality and fineness of threads and for richness of colors.

Northeast of the Baliuag was an estate owned by the brothers of San Juan de Dios. Known as Hacienda de Buenavista, these lands were generally flat and fertilized by Baliwag river. It supplied Baliuag with rice, corn, sugarcane, indigo, sesame, all kinds of legumes, farinaceous roots, lots of fruits and several medicinal plants.

Baliuag's commerce extended not only to other towns of Bulacan, but also to those of the Pampanga and Manila. Mails arrived in Baliuag weekly. The town had a population of 21,017 souls and paid 2,137 in taxes.

Baliwag Polytechnic College Installs 506 Graduates

Senator Joel Villanueva shares his trials and triumphs to inspire the BTECH graduates to dream big. 

Baliwag Polytechnic College (BTECH) held its 8th Commencement Exercises last April 18, 2017 at Baliwag Star Arena, Pagala, Baliwag, Bulacan. BTECH installed 506 graduates in a solemn investiture witnessed by Baliwag Municipal Officials, the BTECH community, and hundreds of proud parents, relatives and well-wishers of the new graduates. Hon. Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, Senator of the Republic of the Philippines, is this year’s Commencement Speaker.

The harvest is great! This year’s yield include 271 graduates of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) programs and 235 graduates of Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) programs. There were: 16 graduates of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, 61 of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) major in Financial Management, 62 of BSBA major in Marketing Management, 44 of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, 12 of Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, 18 of Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, 18 of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management, 27 of Bachelor of Elementary Education and 13 of Bachelor in Secondary Education major in English.

TESDA programs finishers include: 33 graduates of Computer and Electronics Technology, 101 of Hotel and Restaurant Services, 44 of Information Technology, 24 of Multimedia Arts and Animation and 33 of Office Management and Technology.

Dr. Emiterio L. Tiburcio, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research, presented the candidates for graduation. Atty. Robert John I. Donesa, BTECH President, conferred the respective degrees and titles.

Hon. Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva inspired the graduates to be the best version of themselves by sharing his personal success stories and experiences. He fondly shared the memories of his student years at the University of Santo Tomas where he was a basketball star despite his not-so-tall height. And during his stint as a Member of the House of Representatives, he was the youngest lawmaker. And as a TESDA Chief, he was an achiever. The graduates were truly inspired and proud to have him as their Commencement Speaker.

Mayor Ferdie V. Estrella sent his congratulatory message through the Municipal Administrator, Mr. Eric V. Tagle. He was in Manila to welcome his new son. Also present were CHED Region III Supervisor, Dr. Efren Abulencia and Municipality of Baliwag, Bulacan Councilor Igg. Joel Pascual.

Leading this batch is Mr. Christian R. Calderon, BSBA major in Financial Management, Magna Cum Laude. He delivered the words of gratitude in behalf of his batchmates. He profusely thanked the parents, friends, classmates and instructors for the love, support, camaraderie and guidance that led to their successful graduation of their respective programs.

The ceremonies ended at 8:00 P.M. with the singing of Tanghal ng Ilaw, BTECH’s college hymn.