WRITESHOP 1

Historical Background of the

Barangay
History of the Barangay
 How can we
understand our present
or glimpse our future if
we cannot understand
our past?

 How can we know who

we are if we don’t know
who we were?
History of the Barangay

Who were the

What was first people to
its first settle in the
When and name? barangay?
how was the
barangay
established? Who were the
first leaders of
the barangay?
Writing the History of your
Community (adapted from a document of the same title from the Historic
Preservation Division of Georgia’s State Historic Preservation Office)

Background of the Barangay

1. Background: Write a brief history of the area before the
community was created.
2. Origins of the early settlers: Were they part of group
migration or did they arrive individually?
3. The lure: How were the original settlers drawn to the
area?
4. Reason for the creation of the barangay: was the
community created because of geographical or
transportation advantages?
5. Name of origin: Give the origin of the initial name of the
community and any subsequent ones. When was the
current name first used?
Writing the History of your
Community
Creation of the Community
1. Date of Settlement/Creation: actual or
approximate
2. Community Residents: Who were involved in
the community’s settlement and growth, and where
were their houses and their business located?
3. Population: Include a sample of the historical
population statistics of the community to show its
growth and to compare it across other barangays in
the same municipality.
Writing the History of your
Community
 Economic History
 1. Agriculture: Was the local economy based
upon crops? If so, which ones? Be specific.
 2. Industry: What industries were there? When
were they established? Are they in existence? If
not, why not?
 3. Business: What were the major local
businesses? What kind were they? Where were
they located? Do any of them still exist?
Writing the History of your
Community
 Cultural/Social Activities
What institutions were established to provide for the
enhancement of the community’s well-being:
 1. Churches
 2. Schools
 3. Hospital/Health centers/facilities
 4. Organizations (membership groups, e.g.
women’s)
 5. Others
Writing the History of your
Community
 Firsts
Many community histories have been greatly enhanced
by the addition of specific information about the initial
occurrence of certain events in the community.
Examples are:
 1. Electricity
 2. Street Paving
 3. Telephone
 4. School-building
 5. Health center
Example 1:
History of Brgy. Ranao-Ranao, Ligao
City, Albay
Barangay Ranao-Ranao was once a sitio of Barangay Cavasi in 1920.
According to local historians, Agripino Abo, Sr. former Tinyente del Barrio
called for a pulong and requested the separation of Sitio Ranao-Ranao from
Cavasi because of its growing population.
According to an existing profile of the City, the community was established
in 1940. The name “Ranao-Ranao” came from the word “ranaw” meaning a
small lake found in the community. The barangay fiesta started when an
image of the Immaculate Concepcion was donated to the barangay.
In 1986, Cavasi National High School was established in Ranao-Ranao.
Attorney Salvador Princesa who donated the land made a condition that the
school be named after his late father Don Deogracio Princesa.
In 1991, he donated again the adjoining lot where Cavasi Elementary
School was constructed. The deed of donation stipulated that the school be
named after his late wife “Christina Princesa”. The elementary school was
established thru the efforts of Gregorio Peninoy, then Barangay Captain.
Successive super typhoons savaged the barangay in 2006 which caused
flooding for the first time and destroyed crops and homes.
Time Line
 This is a listing of the most
important events that happened
in the community and had a big
impact on its residents.

 Creating a timeline is a good

exercise to let the younger
generation get a glimpse of what
was the way of life and activities
in the past. The youth would also
be able to know where the
barangay got its name, the
hardships and challenges of the
past inhabitants of the community,
etc.
How do we make a timeline?

 Begin with asking who are the first inhabitants of the

barangay, when did they first settle in the area, which
families were the first to establish settlement in the
area, etc. Also ask what was the old name of the
barangay and other details.

 If there is a wide gap in the information, it might be

good to identify key events that transpired like martial
law, changes in national leadership, calamities, etc.

 Arrange the data in chronological order. Discuss each

event while completing the timeline to cross check the
accuracy of the information.
 TIME LINE, BRGY KAYAPA
1946 Opening of the first Kayapa Proper Elementary School
1959 Kayapa Elementary School was built in KP East
1960 Benguet Consolidated Inc. opened up a logging concession
1962 BCI logging operations
1964 BCI logging operations
1966 BCI logging operations
1968 BCI logging operations, start of application of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture,
Tungro outbreak, animal pestilence (black leg)
1970 BCI logging operations, KP road opening (bulldozer for easier logging operations access)
1972 BCI logging operations, introduction of HYV rice, Martial law was declared, loggin ban
was imposed
1976 BCI loggin operations resumed, introduction of vegetable gardening, chicken pestilence,
outbreak of Eltor/diarrhea, typhoon Didang-KP Road clsed as a result
1978 Road to KP opened
1980 Health worker was assigned to KP (a midwife), construction of KP clinic, introduction of
Day Care Center, typhoon Aring, flashloods and destruction of cultivated fields
1982 Outbreak of Typhoid Fever, occurrence of earthquake, Malaria outbreak
1984 Introduction of citrus production
1986 Change of administration/people power
1990 Introduction of rice mill in the area
Example 5:
Timeline of Brgy. Kayapa
Based on the Timeline of Brgy Kayapa, logging
concessions operated in the barangay for a long time. As a
result, the forests in the barangay were denuded and it was
observed that the area became hotter than before because
of the extensive logging operations. When the community
first used pesticides and fertilizers there was also an
occurrence of outbreaks of pestilence and illness.
Inhabitants told that this was not the case before and rice
production previously was bountiful. Illnesses that residents
in the barangay are most especially vulnerable at include
typhoid fever and malaria. Calamities such as earthquakes
and typhoons have devastated the barangay before.