When There is Water: A Study on the Early Beginnings of the

Waterworks System in Balingasag[1]

Introduction:

There is no place on earth that is not dependent with water.  It says the desert has none, yes, as far as we generally know, but still it has water; nevertheless, not only in much abundance. In some areas of the desert, in the oasis, there is water, as it has been there many centuries ago. The oasis provides drinking water, and in the olden times, it is a necessary stop route of caravans for re-supply of water for men and camels, alike.  Like fossils, rain or freshwater is trapped in the oases’ aquifers as groundwater and stored under the hot desert sands, ready to  be harnessed someday, if it has no natural tendencies to sprout freely out from the surface.[2]

Water is life, without it human life ceases, excluding of course, microorganism.

In other extreme parts of the world people are learning to live without much water everyday. Like perhaps the bushmen of Kalahari Desert[3] in South Africa, who seemingly would fall dead everyday for dehydration, but since they are smart and adoptable in the extreme hot environs, they could utilize almost everything from bulb or roots of crops as sources of water, or contend themselves with just a sip of few drops of early morning mist from the leaves of plants; and the day would be gone again without thinking of drinking much. By this, they do not trade for water as they have nothing to trade or exchange for; their ingenuity to use other things in substitute for water made them unique and extra-ordinary super survivors of time.

I remember a perfect example of trading something for water, and of course, this is not true and, therefore, fictitious, but mind you, situation like this may happen once in a million in one’s life, though exactly not similar, I guess so.

Maybe you remember, too, the movie “Sahara”[4] - a pint of water for guns, unbelievable, well, yes, it is only a movie. But there, you see how the German Afrika Korp traded their guns for water because the whole battalion had not swallowed a single gulp for several days. They surrendered to a handful of Allied defenders [in fact two soldiers were left, an American and a British Sergeant only; the rest of the squad all died in action defending their position]  at an old Arab in the midst of the sun-baked desert, so they may live for another day and be able to drink water. There at the old fort, water is plentiful and the Korp sat leisurely chatting and drinking. But all of them now were prisoners; they surrendered their guns for water.

What an unbelievable story, but sometime things in life could happen like that way, like in a movie.

Water is life I would say it again; but sadly some life ceases because of water also. Like on a land dispute, where often it ended in tragedy; it is all about water, the problem rouse for the water that flows in one’s land should irrigate his land first before it has to serve others, but others diverted it. A fight followed, it ended in manslaughter. This is how important water is sometimes to some poor sighted people, in this odd tale.

We all knew, one fourth of the world’s surface is land, while three fourths of it, and is water. I do not mean that three fourths of the world’s resource of water is fresh water, but what I am referring to is simply water i.e. either fresh, or seawater. However not all these waters are potable, a greater part of the world’s resource is seawater, and therefore salty, but technology makes it potable to a process called desalination.

Seawater undergoes on a process of treatment in desalination plant. In these complex processes of distillation, reverse osmosis, electro dialysis, and direct-freeze evaporation, seawater is carried into different reservoirs, passing through intricate system of pipelines in order to generate potable water. Any of these known methods is enough to achieve what is desired, a bacteria, or microorganism free water. If fresh surface water from rivers and lakes, contains larger presence of bacteria, or microorganisms; seawater certainly have all considerable quantities of pollutants from dissolved chemicals like fertilizers, pesticides, industrial waste and metals, and so on, because all sewer systems, rivers and estero canals end up their long journey towards the sea. What are more terrifying in the seas are neither the sharks nor other nameless predators. But what terrifies us is the fact that the oceans are the repositories of toxic and hazardous pollutants which are merely dumped into the oceans through sewers and rivers.

This unsystematic way of disposal is against any law and neither too it suits what nature prefers. Natural law implies that everyone must preserve nature; toxic or any hazardous waste or pollutants can endanger not only the sea’s eco-system [marine life, fish habitats, coral reefs, and sea vegetation], but worst of all, it can likewise kill people through food intake.

Even if seawater desalination is an ultra expensive project; nevertheless, it is a safer way to purify water from living microorganism and toxic pollutants. The sea has a limitless resource of water ready to be harnessed to potable water; however, only rich countries gamble their dollars in exchange of this essential commodity.[5]

If water would have a taste, I reckon the worlds’ preferable taste for it would ideally neither be cola nor chocolate, but something plain or natural, i.e. tasteless, odorless, and colorless, yet refreshing. In areas where seawater intrudes because of superfluous deep well diggings, freshwaters thereat though still drinkable is not good, as it may have a salty taste.

Although some freshwater springs are near the seashore, and usually engulfed with seawater in rising high and diminishes in ebb tide, still the spring provides and retains the freshness of its water. The water is never salty; we could only guess why? As ever, these springs are always located below or at the foot of mountains, and are oftentimes a few steps away from the seashore.

Nonetheless, for freshwater that has sulfuric contents like those on top of Mt. Pinatubo crater, such is generally not potable. If it would turn potable one day, it will take countless hundred of years more to neutralize all the elements. Thus, all places near volcanoes even those we termed as the sleepy ones or inactive, or in places near vents, it is expected that the waters within the vicinity would have a strong sulfuric concentrations.[6]

Sulfur in the open minefield of Indonesia is yellow, and its color is indeed always yellow; however, if sulfur would be viewed from a distance, it looks as brightest white.  

So, mistakenly there was a time in Philippine History when the dailies posted in their headlines that Mt. Apo in Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines has ice or snow on its peak. It is not true, sulfur though yellowish in color turns to white in a distance. The snowy top is not ice, but sulfur.[7]

Furthermore, another kind of water, if this is still water, which seldom freely flows out from the earth’s surface is soda. If only soda water would be accessible everywhere, more people maybe would patronize it than plain water because some stories say soda is medicinal, and good for flashing body’s inner waste.[8] However, perhaps such is maybe untrue, because there are no bottled soda waters, and only freshwater that are miscalled as mineral waters flooded every store even in small tianges?[9] Perhaps, it is not yet in the market because of its scarcity, or maybe BFAD has not given the final yes for the flood-

in, even if there are investors wishing to do such trade. Or maybe it is only in myth that makes soda medicinal, so why authorize, therefore, its sale.

Well, enough for this, we will shift to something more particular and specific, to a story of the waters in our place.

The Waters in our Place:

Before “distilled water shops” were opened in town, or before today’s water system or water district operates in the locality, how did we get our potable water? Surely, before these present comforts come, we are certain we did not buy our waters from anyone, for there were no bottled waters for sale before, nor there was a water district where we had to subscribe for water.

What has been asked is just a simple question; and I would not go far, but begin by telling the world that older people now, more so those who resided in the rural areas during their younger days, used to carry “sag-ob” to fetch water at a distant spring.[10] Usually, it is a routine work for children, as well as younger men during early mornings and in the late afternoons to fetch water that need not be broken, as it shall be needed the following morning, and through the whole day, for cooking, cleaning, and consumed wastefully by women in vanity and caprice.

The Sag-ob: 

The sag-ob or the bamboo pole has a diameter of about 12ӯ, or maybe a little less than that depending on the size and maturity of the bamboo when it was cut. Since the bamboo pole has inner dividers or separators between blocks, to accommodate the free flow of water from its spout down to the bottom, the separators are skillfully detached from the insides of bamboo pole. Thus, depending on the size [its length and diameter] of the pole, which a boy of 10 or 12 year old, can carry, he has to carry a load of approximately three galloons of water plus the weight of the pole. The sag-ob shall be carried on the shoulder like a bazooka, slightly tilted downwards, but caution must be exercised that it must not be titled more than the allowed angle, otherwise all the contents would spill.

How many times the boy would go to and fro from his home to the water source to fill a bigger jar or “tadyao” not the smaller one, the “banga”? It depends on the capacity of his sag-ob; if he has to fill a “tadyao” with a three-galloon bamboo pole, then he would make four round trips, because the “tadyao” accommodates twelve galloons of water. Of course, distance also counts, if the source is far on a rugged trail, certainly it requires a longer time to do the fetching.

Water Sources of the Poblacion:

What maybe was happening in other places near Balingasag was similarly happening too in Balingasag. Before the age of kerosene containers [commonly known as ga-as] and plastic pails, and later on plastic containers arrived, Balingasag had likewise popularly used the “sag-ob” to carry water from its sources.

Appropriately, an abundant source would have been used, or utilized before because of the vastness of the area of the “poblacion.” Let us admit that this is only a speculation on how big the poblacion was before; nevertheless, setting some margin of error, the area of the poblacion today is more or less similar to it was before. We ask why? The natural borders of the present poblacion today is likewise comparable to what it was yesterday; the presence of the two rivers from the north and on its opposite end that traverse diagonally the town from the east to the west. These rivers have not changed their courses, thus the area of the poblacion is not cut-short or interfered by the changes because there is none.[11]

This is to say, therefore, that the poblacion has not extended its borders beyond the two rivers. What the poblacion was in 19^th century is likely similar today with regards to its land area. Nevertheless, we shall accept the fact that it is extra populous today than it was in the 19^th century, or during the height of Spanish Rule in the Philippines, when they began to introduce some significant changes in commerce and trade, and not much in governance.[12]

If the spring of Kitagtag-Luguimit and the Balatukan Streams in today’s setting are the direct sources of potable water, as it had been before,   for sure, many would catch dysentery and water-born diseases. People in the present times make the rivers, streams, and springs nearby them dirty. The significant increase of population in the 20^th and 21^st centuries makes our immediate environment faulty; and people are the prime culprits of its messiness.

In the early times, a Jesuit Missionary and Explorer named Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez[13] during in his visit to Balingasag wrote to the Rector of the Ateneo de Manila[14] on 25 April 1889 and he says:

“Balingasag orography consists of Punta Gorda on the southwest, protruding well out into the sea, and causes at times powerful waves; its highest summit called Pinatabao.  . . .

The more noticeable rivers are: Balatukan, shallow, flowing southeast of the town; Balingasag, south-southeast, about six brazas wide and half a braza deep, potable at a certain distance from the town, springing down Balatukan mountain; Binitinan, normal depth, navigable in small boats, also potable; farther up the town is Kitagtag, debouching north-northwest, shallow, not navigable; and finally, the one called Musimusi, fresh and crystalline, southeast of the town.

The people drink the excellent waters of Lugimit stream, whose analysis I included in my letter of 1887. It is north-northeast of the town, about eight minutes away, two meters wide, and half a meter deep. The temperature read 27ºC in the shade, the atmospheric 31º. It also receives the sulfuric waters of a tributary close by.[15]” 

[Underscoring mine.]

Obviously, therefore, poblacion Balingasag earlier in 1887 or even before this year had two sources of water supply, which come from the north-northeast, the Luguimit, and the Balatukan Stream on the south-southeast area that pass along the town. According to Fr. Sanchez, the Luguimit Stream has excellent waters and people used to get their drinking water there. He further said that the Balatukan Stream is likewise potable; however, it is advisable to fetch it from certain point where it is still far from the poblacion yet. The area or areas referred to maybe, are likely the areas of Tulay Grande, a kilometer away from the poblacion. Even in the present time, it still has many springs; so, despite the main tributary, the Balatukan River; could not feed the Balatukan Stream, it never had ran dry, and it would not dry up due to these countless springs along the banks of the stream.

Another small stream up north from the poblacion that originates in Linggangao, which is near the town as well, is the Kitagtag. The Kitagtag Stream travels north-northwest towards the poblacion, and indeed is a little bigger than the Luguimit Stream today, but we have no idea how big it was during 1887 or 1889. Insofar as what is visible today, the Luguimit Stream from Barangay Cogon is the one joining with Kitagtag. So, maybe, the Kitagtag Stream in those days may have an old course that joined the Luguimit, as Fr. Sanchez last quoted paragraph implies that “the Luguimit Stream receives the sulfuric waters of a tributary close by.”

Insofar today, there is no stream that is near the Luguimit Stream, but only the Kitagtag Stream. If the priest reported that the tributary near Luguimit [so he must be referring to Kitagtag] delivers sulfuric waters to the latter; and what he had noted in his report or letter was referring to an insignificant amount of sulfuric content only, which is tolerable to the human system, even if ingested.[16]

[Why? The essay we would deal later on shall be on Water System in 1890 and we would try to explain it.]

Henceforth, let us accept the fact that before there were artesian wells; hand-driven water pumps; free-flowing deep wells; water districts, or waterworks system; everyone who was ahead of us lived in contentment and relay on the “sag-ob” to get their potable water in springs, or in dug wells [balon or atabay].

Likely, every early morning or late in the afternoon, all the small boys and young men would go to the nearby streams and springs to fetch water.

Had the people of poblacion Balingasag in the olden days preferred to drink the Luguimit waters rather than the Balatukan, they would have gone to the northern part of the poblacion, which is about eight [8] minutes away, wrote Fr. Sanchez. Perhaps, his points of references, maybe, were the convento or the iglesia, the focal points of the parishioners’ lives. It may have been easier for the townspeople to fetch at Luguimit Stream than the Balatukan, because the former is right along the old established highway or the usual route from Balingasag to the next bigger village, a barrio of Balingasag in those times, Lagonglong which is now a municipality.

Fetching water from Balatukan Stream would require much longer time, since one had to fetch it more than a kilometer away from the iglesia or convento. The nearest place to fetch safer or cleaner water would have been at the Kabungahan areas, where the Madroños’ presently live adjacent to the present central elementary school than at Tulay Grande, which is a bit farther off from the poblacion. Nevertheless, in the old days the Kabungahan area was perhaps already considered as remote place than it is now. So, probably people by preference may have chosen Luguimit than Balatukan [Kabungahan] for reasons of nearness.

However, for residents who had water wells or dug wells at their own backyards, or those who lived near their neighbor’s wells, maybe they preferred to have their waters at their neighbor’s well than went to either Luguimit, or Balatukan Streams.

Waters in Old Spanish Colonial Barrios of Balingasag:

Per available census report, Balingasag has a total population of about sixty-six thousand. Since birth rate is usually higher than death rate, let us say it is now some thousand more than sixty-six, or maybe let us approximately placed it at eighty thousand.

For purposes of discussion, perhaps it is appropriate to initially center our study on the three barrios of Balingasag that were created between 1848 and 1849 as reduction areas.[17] Or maybe, it might be proper to radiate the study not only on those barrios, but to other barrios of Balingasag along the coastline, or those situated in the vast flatlands. 

These barrios we are referring to are: Blanco, Claveria, and Cesar. We would not include the fourth barrio, which is Canal or Umagos in the present times that is located in Lagonglong, because it is not near Balingasag, though Lagonglong previously was part of Balingasag.[18]

a.) Blanco. It is still called Blanco today though evidently some barrios had changed their names. Blanco lies southeast of poblacion Balingasag and located at the foot of the Homestead and Tugastugason areas. The place is generally plain; they grow rice and the paddies are irrigated, other crops such as bananas, coconuts, and so on are likewise grown not only on the plains, but more so in its hinter parts. 

The barrio or the poblacion is arranged in blocks, where on its centermost part is the church, and near it, is the elementary school. Since, this is an old colonial barrio, the Spaniards had not forgotten to erect and consecrate a cemetery, which today is no longer a cemetery, but an area planted with bananas.

We do not know the reason why the cemetery was reverted to agriculture land again, instead of its former use. Be as it may, the fact remains that Blanco, as a barrio in the olden days had a cemetery.

Its sources of potable water before or even now, are the various springs along sitio Upper Musi-musi Stream, which is near Blanco proper. Upper Musi-musi Stream receives the waters of Sayoga through a creek at sitio Taas of Dumarait.

The Sayoga Area has sufficient water sources, and one recent discovery is the Kahulogan Waterfall.

In the highlands of Blanco, Kilit-ag creek crosses the old logging road which joins the provincial road at Homestead for Malagana. Kilit-ag Creek emanates from Suongan, below the Lambagohon areas. It drains its waters to the farmlands of Blanco, and in turn the excess waters debouch into the marshland in Barangay Baliwagan.

Aside from the many springs of Upper Musi-musi and the waters from Kilit-ag Creek, people relay too on dug wells [atabay] at the poblacion proper and some springs near the Pontakon areas located southeast of Blanco, which is a shortcut route to Baliwagan.

b.) Claveria. If it was a barrio during the Spanish colonial time, today Claveria is no longer a barrio, but a greater part of it now belongs to Barangay Rosario, and other small areas to Talusan. If Claveria is near to Rosario, it is likewise nearer to Barangay Talusan. Like Blanco, it had a cemetery; however it is no longer used, in fact, turned back into agricultural land.

The waters from the highlands of Bugang, and the small streams along the riverbanks on its way to Barangay Camuayan makes the Camuayan River, a prominent river in the East-Southeast areas of Balingasag. Some distance away from Camuayan River, and located to the East-Southeast as well, are river tributaries of the Camuayan namely: Panalakan, and Andalugong. From their respective sources they flowed slowly downwards not so much in great abundance, and at a confluence in Agosais River in the flatlands of Barangay Camuayan, they consolidate their waters and feed the Camuayan River. These three rivers during rainy season or in heavy rains that may last for a day or two, at the Agosais River the water’s current could be too frightening. It seems that they are more powerful and furious than the Camuayan River, which draws it water from Bagang, before even join the latter.[19]

The Camuayan River passes south of Barangay Rosario on its way to Barangay Talusan, but before it reaches there, it traverses first at sitio Camakawan, and heads to the Claveria areas.  Along the Balingasag-Camuayan Provincial Road, the Camuayan River passes on a spillway. In the Claveria areas, portion of its waters move to Mananum via natural irrigation canals; and it is here also where the waters of Manghang-ol Stream from Dansuli and Balagnan, and Kapinyahan Stream from the borders of Rosario and Biasong meet or join the Camuayan River.   They move together to Claveria, and meet the Agongongan River at the flatlands of Tangis.

North of Tangis, the Karapiche or Dumaga Creek flows downwards from Kibalos to Tangis, while the one at Cesar or the Cesar Creek coming from the springs at Sikyop below Caponponan and Lumbo near sititio Bawusan, and all the spillover waters from the mountains of Quezon and Calawag areas, are caught in a natural basin and drained to the Agongongan River. Likewise, from the areas of Biasong another river joins the Agongongan; it is the Pag-ilaran. All these rivers and or creeks form a confluence in Agongongan. The confluence receives the waters partly from the Camuayan, Manghang-ol, and Kapinyahan.

The entire waters journey to the different farmlands and the irrigation waste meet again at Mananum.

Another river from the Kibunlog whose waters come from the Balatukan River and Balagtingan Creek head to Mananum passing through Barangay San Isidro. Thus, including a portion of waters of Balatukan River, the waters from the highlands of Kibalos, and Biasong; Rosario; and Kibunlog-Cesar converge also with the waters of the Camuayan in Mananum; and they move southeast to Mingcapis to join the Musi-musi River near the borders of Blanco-Musi-musi.

The greater part of the waters of the Camuayan River however drains generally to Mingcapis via various small waterways upon entering the Claveria areas. At Mingcapis also, the waters from Mananum joins the former, before they debouch to the Musi-musi River later.  

Despite, the Agongongan River, or the confluence, and the waters from Kibunlog feeds the Musi-musi through Mananum, and Mingcapis, a portion of their waters however head to other waterways, the Waterfall River[20]. Moreover, it must be noted that when the Camuayan River crosses the spillway at Claveria, greater part of its water swerves left to the Mingcapis areas through natural established waterways. Vast areas of rice paddies and farmlands in Mingcapis are irrigated by the Camuayan; and while at Mingcapis, the Mananum joins in, and they exit towards to the Musi-musi River. 

During the calmness of the Balatukan River, one significant river system dictates or dominates the temperament of the waters in the East-Southeast. The Camuayan River plays that role. It influences the waters or streams below it. So when the Camuayan River acted turbulently, all the streams and creeks where parts of its waters are channeled act also wildly.

One of the main channel or river where the Camuayan joins or passes is the Musi-musi River. The Musi-musi River acts turbulently when its tributaries - the confluence in Agosais and the Camuayan River from Bagang are raging. When heavy rains or tornadoes hit the East-Southeast Mountains, the Camuayan River, as well as the Musi-musi River seemingly would act like possessed rivers. In fact, in 1993, a flashflood caused by excessive downpour made the Andalugong, Panalakan, Agosais, and Bagang Rivers together with the Kimang-ak to swell rapidly. Their floodwaters descended to the lowlands in great ferocity and the domino effect followed. The Camuayan River overflowed; and it behaved furiously as the raging floodwaters washed away crops, properties, few homes, and domesticated work animals. When the floodwaters subsided, closer to 20 people died as a result of the calamity; and these casualties lived near the riverbanks.  

With this tragedy, it is therefore an established fact, that aside from the Balatukan River, Camuayan River is a force to reckon with as it may too dictate the torrents of the Musi-musi River in the lowlands. The Musi-musi River debouches its waters at the mouth of the Manuyog River in the coastal areas near the Pryce Gas Plant at the borders of Binitinan and Baliwagan.

Going back to the waters old Claveria, this place has no problem with potable water, for where there are rivers; there would be countless springs along the riverbanks. Their abundance however could likewise be a great menace; as it may threaten life and loss of property if floods may come.

           c.) Cesar. This former Spanish colonial barrio was likewise reverted into merely a sitio of Barangay San Isidro today.

Similar to Claveria and Blanco, Cesar is located at the foot of the mountains. While Blanco is anchored at the foot of Tugastugason and Lambagahon highlands, Cesar rests on the base of the slopes of Mimpawikan-Quezon, and Calawag Mountains.

As can be recalled, this place was a reduction area during the early part of the evangelization of Balingasag.

A Spanish Jesuit Missionary noted his coming to that place where he stayed for 12 days beginning 21 July 1880. This is what he said in his letter to the Mission Superior. Fr. Juan Ricart, S.J. said:

“In the afternoon of the 21^st, a big crowd had come together on top of the hill to wait for me. Seeing me, they rang the bells we had lent them for their feast, the people welcoming me with demonstration of great joy. . . .

For 12 days and nights, the church was filled with people who, with hunger for God’s word, gathered around the missionary, as they hung on to his every word, their astounded eyes fixed on the crucifix held in his hand.”[21] 

Today, sitio Cesar occupies on similar area where it was in 1848 or in 1880. The poblacion proper lies near the hill, and within the area, an iglesia or a church even now stood.  

From where it was before, Barrio Cesar is the staging point to the upland barangays in the northern part like the barangays of Calawag, Quezon, Kibanban, and to the old time historical centerpiece of Misamis Oriental, the mountains of Lantad in the Balatukan Mountain Range.

Cesar even today is not too forested just like maybe in the past. Freshwater is available at the poblacion because there is a creek passing nearby and coming from the springs in Sikyop, below the Caponponan, and Lumbo areas. The spill-over from the highlands of Quezon or Mimpawikan and Calawag are caught by these natural basins below. Thus, the waters are channeled to flatlands. However, the Mimpawikan Stream channels most of its water not in Cesar, but at sitio Kibunlog through the Balagtingan areas.

The creeks of Kibunlog and Balagtingan drain their excess waters to an old waterway of the Balatukan River near Cesar. Farther in the Dal-as areas [the areas between San Isidro and Linggangao] various natural floodways or waterways are there, which are always dry during the non-rainy days; but they receive all the raging floodwaters of the Balatukan during typhoons, and channel them downwards towards the waiting rivers below like the Musi-musi and Waterfall Rivers. The floodwaters would either go into the waterways of Waterfall River, or through the course of the Musi-musi River via Mananum and Mingcapis Rivers.

[Before we proceed to other important places in the lowlands and study the course of their water supply, perhaps it is appropriate to know first the ferocity of the mighty Balatukan River.]

The Balatukan Mountain Range:

On the northeastern part of Misamis Oriental, beginning in the town of Balingasag up to Gingoog City, the towering Balatukan Mountain Range looms beautifully, yet deadly. It is beautiful because nature has outlined it artistically to attract every man’s eye more so for those who loved nature. On the other hand, it is deadly not only in the olden days being known as haven of headhunters said the old, old folks, but likewise it was a stronghold of the guerillas in the 1980’s and even today. In short, it was a battleground and should remain as a battleground between two opposing ideologies and army. 

[We would not touch on ideologies because we respect all their principles, and what we wish to tackle is simply our resource, water.]

The Balatukan River originates from the far away areas of the Balatukan Mountain Range in Caulo and Kawilihan. Adjacent to the Balatukan Range is the Pamalihi Range. Below Kawilihan is the Baligwagan. In Baligwagan areas, the Balatukan River travels almost a kilometer deep- below; the precipice is really that deep. A bit off the steep precipice is Kibuto, which is still part of Baligwagan. In the eastern side, the Kamaton and Anahaw Rivers feed the Balatukan. The Balatukan River travels smoothly downwards towards the west and not much longer, another river named Aloyan or Kinalangsahan, off Lantad debouches its waters to the Balatukan before the mighty Balatukan enters Lantad. This mighty river continues to roll downwards to the flatlands of old Kibanban and Ara-ay in Lower Kibanban.[22]

On the northern part away from the flatlands of Ara-ay, the Kamansi Mountain channels the Sumolao River towards the Balatukan. The Sumolao River joins the Balatukan River at old Kibanban again as the two rivers originates from one source originally. In the Anahaw areas, a great bulk of water from the Balatukan River swerves north or turns right and goes through the Kamansi Mountains passing along the other side of the Minlapones and Agoy-agoy Pass. It passes Sitio Kamansi areas, where the Bigis-bigis River originates that later joins too with the Sumolao, as it debouches its waters on the northern part of Kamansi.[23]

Pinabat-ao or the Bayotao Mountains is farther north from the Kamansi, and in these areas the Huyong-huyong Basin is located; and it debouches too its waters to the Sumolao River.  

While the Kamansi Mountain is accessible too in the Lagonglong areas from Barangay Banglay, the practical way to reach it is through the Ara-ay flatlands via the old logroads.[24]

From the northeast, the Dodiongan River gets its great water resource from a mountain of similar name; and it reinforces the strength or currents of the Balatukan in the Ara-ay flatlands. Thus, somewhere in this area,  a confluence of three rivers is formed. All the voluminous resource of water is channeled naturally to the alluvial plains of Balingasag. Those which turn left, or proceed southwest after passing Punta Liyang are the waters that would exit either in Musi-musi or Waterfall Rivers. But those that continues straight or head west passes through Barangay Napaliran, and split up towards the channels of Mandangoa and Mambayaan Rivers, debouching to the seas near Constancia Reef.[25]

The fury of the Balatukan River during heavy floods or in the days of typhoons seemingly is absolved because of the grandeur it offers during the dry season. In season of calmness, the Balatukan River is a consistent provider of valuable water to irrigate the farmlands in the north-northwest areas of Balingasag; the south-southeast is taken cared by the Camuayan and Sayoga Rivers. The steady normal flows of these rivers help resuscitate dying small springs. With the survival of countless springs, many cracking lips and thirsty mouths are quenched.

But in 1993, the floods brought forth by the excessive waters of the Balatukan was able to obliterate a settlement of the Higaonons in old Kibanban located near the riverbanks of the Balatukan River; between the highlands near Kiaboy and Sambaluna in the Kamansi Mountains and the areas of Batal in Lantad.[26]

Had the community not been able to take refuge in the higher grounds, the flashfloods would have claimed them all. Why there are floods on such intensity? The answer is easy to say, - for failing to safeguard nature due to indiscriminate cutting down of trees in the late 1960’s and the 1970’s during the log days, flood therefore is inevitable. The dense forest in the north-northeast, as well as the east-southeast were all log areas; and the logtrucks crisscrossed the dusty or muddy mountain roads of Ulot, Lingon-lingon, Kamansi, Anahaw, Mahayag, Maitum, Vito, Malasera, and the areas near the town of Claveria – Malagana, and so on.

Before the floods in 1993, a great typhoon Undang likewise occurred in 1971 prompting Vulcan Logging and Mining Corporation to transfer their operation somewhere in Northern Samar. In 1967, typhoon Ening had wiped out a greater part of sitios of Barangay Kibanban along the riverbanks. Barangay Kibanban was transferred from its former site at sitio Lantaka to Kiwali sometimes in 1980’s partly because of the floods; while others say it was due to the ongoing low intensity conflict between the warring forces. The AFP and NPA guerillas are on deadlock in these areas.  We perceived its solution would not be from the barrel of the guns, but on the negotiating tables.   

When flood occurs, it is always poblacion Balingasag that is threatened; despite an old river control in Lingangao had prevented the raging waters from directly heading to the poblacion.

In every flood, a story is always unfolded as deaths happen; nevertheless, lives of people have just been the same, not much concerned nor had shown signs of fear. They may have already taken the flood as a thing that happens, or they may accepted the fact this natural occurrence is always a part of the tireless and simple lives.[27]

The Waters in Other Places:

[At least we have a background of the waters that feed the places, which were mentioned earlier in the essay. We know a bit about the Balatukan that sometimes it is a menace, although generally it is still a blessings, the fact that it gives life to the farmlands, as well as the inhabitants.

We would go now to other places in the lowlands which are not so fortunate as Blanco, Claveria, and Poblacion Balingasag.

The following essay would help us understand how other barrios in the low laying lands managed to survive and been                 able to get their potable water needs.]

         

a.) Napaliran. In the book Jesuit Missionary Letters there is no trace of Napaliran being mentioned by earlier priests as Napaliran. Although by its topography, it can be compared as having laid-out[28] similarly with other old colonial barrios in Balingasag, and in other places like Iponan in Cagayan de Oro and Santa Ana in Tagoloan, the only clue or hint about Napaliran being referred to in early history of Balingasag was when the missionary priest reported that, “In the village of San Roque in Balingasg many escapees from Bukidnon are now residing there.”

[In the olden days, community of new Christians and indigenous people used to live in a reduction area for easier follow up of the missionaries, who would teach them simple prayers, and basic catechism. Reduction areas were created so they may reside there, and it would be easier for the priest to teach them rather than sought them in the dense forest in order to assemble and later teach them.

So, it is therefore normal that people who did not wish to learn the prayers and catechism, or who opposed to be ruled naturally would escape to give a little break of his monotonous life or plainly his lazy life. That is why escapees from Bukidnon settled in Napaliran, and the missionary reported such activity to the Mission Superior.]

Probably the name Napaliran only evolves later on, but previously the place was referred to by early missionaries as “San Roque”. So, let us use and tag this place as “San Roque”, whose feast is celebrated by Napaliran and Mambayaan today every 15 of August.

There is no difference of the soil of San Roque compared with its neighboring barangays today. It is sandy and rocky, and devoid even of sprouting springs. Maybe what is it today – sandy and rocky [like Upper Mandangoa up to the areas of Ga-as] could be similar to what it was before. We guess its only source of water comes from the Balatukan River, up in the frontiers of Punta Liyang; otherwise the residents of San Roque would have to go westward to another village along the coastal area just to fetch water.

The Macao area in nearby Mambayaan has sufficient spring s, and Oplot Spring in Manaol likewise can serve them.

The sag-ob was a familiar sight here, as people usually used to carry them if they fetched water.  

b.) Mambayaan. Parallel to Barangay Napaliran is another barangay whose patron saint is also San Roque. Barangay Mambayaan is an adjacent barangay of Napaliran to the west.

Obviously, Mambayaan is different from Napaliran; despite they both have San Roque as their patron saint. Mambayaan has sufficient water supply unlike its neighbor. In here, is the old spring near the ancestral home of the Gadrinab’s, which today is even not retired yet; it continues to supply water, and those who live nearby unceasingly patronized its cool waters.

Furthermore, to the northeast, is Macao Spring and it has an abundant resource of water. For people who are living nearby, including those who live in the Sigaoc areas, the waters from Macao Spring passes or debouches to Sigaoc; and it irrigates their farmlands before it drains off finally to the seas.

Unequivocally, the people too of Napaliran used to fetch waters in Macao Spring.

Despite, Mambayaan in the present times is one of the major floodway routes of the Balatukan River to the seas, the residents of sitios Camaman-an, and Botoc who lived near the course of river to its mouth, have not exploited practically much its use. Though, they use it somehow for their farmlands, on the one hand, they, however fear its ferocious waters during typhoons or floods. If they build wide open canals for irrigation, it might only trigger the raging floodwaters to go in directly to their place. So, they relayed on nearby small springs rather than make use of the waters of Balatukan through opening of canals.

c.) Mandangoa. Across the other side of the natural floodways of Balatukan River at Napaliran and Mambayaan, barrio Mandangoa is on the other bank of the river; its position or location is as dangerous as Napaliran and Mambayaan. Similar to its neighboring barangay Napaliran, Mandangoa is generally sandy and rocky more so those in the upmost part of the barrio [from lower Ga-as, the Vencer areas, and up to where the Balatukan swerves right passing the bridge or spillway].

One fearsome description of this place is that, it is the main waterways of the floodwaters of Balatukan River to the west.

The only difference of Mandangoa with Napaliran is that, the former still have springs, and dug wells, while the former has no natural springs nor dug wells, except those which had been dug deeper like artesian wells. Napaliran has nothing of that sort before, and the residents had to go some distant springs or streams in Mambayaan, or Manaol like at Oplot Spring for their potable water sources. And if they would not, so they must have to get it from the Balatukan River when it is calm and, therefore, can be considered as friendly. 

The old dug well in Mandangoa is located in the west, or today, within the properties of PACCU. However, it has no more waters.

Across the Balatukan River and heading to the south are the springs of Balete and Macao Gamay. These springs consistently supply water to the inhabitants in those areas.  

d.) Cogon. This is a barrio near Poblacion Balingasag to the north. The extensive plain across the present highways and going west from the north are rice paddies from sitio Man-iso up to the Point Cala-cala, and the areas along the waterways of the Kitagtag-Luguimit Streams in the Balingasag poblacion are likewise rice fields.

The rice fields in Cogon [Man-iso, Cala-cala, and Kabuahanan] are irrigated, but because of its vastness, some rice paddies are starved with water. The waters of the Balatukan at Liyang areas are channeled to the paddies and farmlands in natural unpaved and paved canals made by farmers, even before NIA [National Irrigation Administration] sets in to Balingasag.

[With the coming of NIA, concrete canals and laterals were made; allocating waters even up to the farthest fields is envisioned and maybe possible soon.]

Rice production in Balingasag even before, is on commercial scale, old varieties of rice known as Cremas, and Mimis were produced abundantly earlier. These inbreed varieties are good; however, the only drawback is that it takes more time to grow them, and they are prone to spoilage or easily would turn into “bahai” because their stems or stalks easily give way. If the stalks of bearing rice are submerged in the waters of the paddies for a long time, deterioration would be imminent. Rapidly the stalks would bend and the grains submerge in waters, and what next, once the grains are soaked, they deteriorate and have an unpleasant texture and taste when cooked.

So, the cremas and old mimis varieties are no longer used; and new varieties replaced them.

A new inbreed variety known colloquially as “Red 18” [white rice dominantly mixed or spotted with red rice – it is an inbreed variety that happens maybe due to cross-pollination of a certified variety known as “IR 18” [white rice] with some local inbreed variety. This Red 18 variety is exclusive grown in Balingasag and therefore not endemic elsewhere. However, by now this weird and high yielding variety too is bit by bit grown by neighboring rice fields in nearby towns.

From these areas, rice production water needs are addressed by the springs of Man-iso, Kabuahanan, Luguit, and the waters of the Balatukan [through irrigation canals]. The waters are channeled either in pave or unpaved canals to the vast rice field that extends up to the western part in sitio Cala-cala and Banu-ot.

Similarly too, these springs were used by people in the early days for the potable water needs; and even today, people still use it. [People in old days must have diligently used their “sag-ob” to and fro fetching water; and such still exists today, but not anymore with bamboo poles but by plastic containers.]

From these springs, the natural irrigation canals going to the Cala-cala up to the seashores are reinforced by their waters.

          e.) Binitinan and other barrios across Poblacion Balingasag to the South.

         

Binitinan. Binitinan’s water resource originates from a river named also as Binitinan; and its waters is potable, said the report of the Missionary Priest in 1889 in the earlier pages. The tributaries of the Binitinan River are the waters from the East-Southwest areas from Homestead areas in San Lorenzo and Cañamohon; the springs from Kagolkol and Sugong; and the Ayanan Stream in Mambasakan. 

Another sufficient resource of barrio Binitinan is the spring on the western part across the bridge near the Camarin areas. The place is called Lourdes because a grotto of the Virgin of Lourdes was constructed thereat sometime ago. Of course, the name Lourdes has been carried on referring to the bountiful water along the coastline of Barangay Binitinan. 

Across the highway and at the foot of Kihangad Hill, is the Mandikla Spring. Waters from this spring is utilized by people living nearby either for cleaning, laundry, and for drinking, too. Nothing bad happened to them, so in fairness to the Mandikla Spring, it is good as well, like the Lourdes Spring.

Aside from the Binitinan River, Lourdes, and Mandikla Springs, many dug wells are used by residents to augment their water needs. However, the waters of Lourdes is regarded as the primer source of potable water, in fact some residents of Pumat or I.S. Cruz in the Jasaan areas used to fetch their waters at Lourdes. Their beasts of burden carried their treasure loads, and in single file they formed, and indeed it is a sight of a long caravan along the lonely downhill trails.  

In a place called Mina, about a kilometer away from the Lourdes Spring, is the headwater of Binitinan River. There is a big spring across the Binitinan River and is called Ayanan. Kagolkol Spring is a tributary of the Binitinan River through the Ayanan, although its water is thinning when it joins the Ayanan. 

In the 1980’s, the waters of Lourdes Spring was pumped-out, stored to a reservoir and piped down towards the poblacion up to where the Pryze Gas occupies now. However, the secondary waterworks system did not last long, it turned out that the income was not enough to pay their spiraling power bills used in the pumping of water to the reservoir. It had not even reached the break even point. So, waterworks system was closed and the pipelines were left abandoned.

          Hermano. Before assaulting the Punta Gorda Mountains from the East, one would pass first Hermano. It is a coastal barangay and near to Binitinan; in fact, most of the people even today used to fetch their drinking water at the Lourdes Spring or at Mandikla Spring.

          At the Tipulo area fronting the hills before the elementary school, there is a big spring named also as Tipulo. A big reservoir was constructed nearby to pipe in supposedly potable water from the spring; however it did not materialize because of the high cost of maintenance.

          Along the national highway located at the side of the shore are two or three dug wells; nonetheless, their waters are not used for drinking but for laundry and bathing only.          

          Baliwagan. Baliwagan has its border to the east with barrio Blanco, and southwest with Binitinan. The Musi-musi River, a regular recipient of the waters of Camuayan, Sayoga, Balatukan, and most of the waters from the Agongongan confluence; flows parallel with barrio Baliwagan. The final journey of the Musi-musi River to the seas is at the mouth of Manuyog River, where the borders of Binitinan and Baliwagan in the coastal areas are fixed.

In the old days, people living along the riverbanks must have relayed for water wells dug near the Musi-musi River. However, those who lived in Upper Baliwagan, or living near or off the Blanco areas, had sufficient water resources from the countless springs nearby.

Those who lived in the Pontakon, or the areas east to where the Catholic Church is located could have fetched their waters from Blanco also, because there is a spring located south of the barangay, which drains its water into the direction of Baliwagan passing south of the barangay market across the marshland [nipa]; and further draining its waters to the Binitinan River. 

Moreover, despite sitio Bagaay is slightly elevated geographically than Baliwagan; still it has sufficient water resources, in fact there are three streams or creeks passing across it.

From the village of Upper Blanco, in an area known as San Lorenzo, the Sapong Creek originates there and flows into the direction of Bagaay. It travels south from Bagaay and drains at Binitinan River.

Another stream coming from the Homestead and Tugastugason areas is the Biruan that travels downward west and passes San Lorenzo; and crosses Upper Bagaay in Sugong areas. The Biruan stream in this area is known by the inhabitants as Sugong Stream. It flows further west into the direction of the Binitinan River feeding first the irrigation canals for the rice paddies along these areas.

Less than a kilometer away from Sugong in the direction to the south-southeast is the Kagolkol area. This area is slightly higher in elevation than Sugong and Bagaay, and it has many springs. It drains its waters to Binitinan River.

In the present times, the waters of Kagolkol supplies water to Bagaay passing on the western part of the barrio. The waterline in polyethylene supplies only the Baliwagan Public Market now. There are no public faucets, except those in Bagaay, where there are about eight faucets. 

The Kagolkol Spring has been developed into as a waterworks system by the Barangay Government sometime in the 1960’s yet.

Waterfall. The barrio’s name by itself is a misnomer. Firstly, it has a fantastic name, but sadly not even one fall or waterfall is there.

If the Musi-musi River runs parallel with barrio Baliwagan, Waterfall has a different story. The waters of Balatukan and majority of the waters from the mini-confluence of Tangis that run through Waterfall River traverses the barrio on its final journey towards the sea at the mouth of Manuyog.

In the present times the Waterfall River exits directly to Sabangan, however some of its water takes the old and longer exit route to Manuyog.

The oldest free flowing deep well is located at sitio Sabangan. Although the water source is now a barangay road, the big pipes that was pile driven thereat was braced with a T-pipe and brought to the east part a few meters away from the old national road. The main source was backfilled and compacted securely; it is now a barangay road that leads up to the Sabangan area. Nonetheless, its waters still flows from the T-pipe and serves the area till these days.

Another oldest free flowing deep well unit is at the area of the Regalado’s. It has served till now. All these deep wells were constructed in the 1950’s yet.

Talusan. It has all the waters it may need. The waters from Tangis or Agongongan confluence passes through the barrio via the Mananum River, while the Camuayan enters Talusan from the Claveria areas, and irrigate the farmlands and rice paddies. The abundance of waters passing along the waterways and from the riverbanks sustains and invigorates life to many small springs. Thus, the need for potable water in these areas is easily responded.

The rivers and streams that drained in the Musi-musi River pass along Talusan’s southern areas shortly, before they head to the Manuyog exits.

Early Waterworks System in Poblacion Balingasag:

The letter of Fr. Sanchez in 1889 did not categorically say, nor had it implied that the Luguimit Stream was piped in to poblacion Balingasag, so water could be available to the inhabitants. But it says,

“It is north-northeast of the town, about eight minutes away, two meters wide, and half a meter deep.”[29]

So, from its source located at the north-northeast of the poblacion, it is about eight-minute away, and to go there is naturally of course by trekking since one has to carry his “sag-ob”. Going there naturally is of course by trekking.

Maybe the good missionary priest may have miscalculated the distance of the spring [Luguimit Stream] from the poblacion. If the fetching of water would be done right at the source of the Luguimit, it must take a much longer time since the spring is more than a kilometer away from the poblacion, or from the church, if the latter is our point of reference, as it had been maybe before, and considered by Fr. Sanchez.

However, if work animals were used to carry a “tadyao” full of water on carts, probably it can be done in a much shorter time or maybe similarly with that time. Nonetheless, our point here is not to discredit what has been written, but to somehow be able to readily establish the fact that Luguimit Stream is indeed far from the poblacion.

While Fr. Sanchez, Jose Maria Clotet,[30] and the visiting Exploratory Team were in Balingasag, Fr. Sanchez had talked with Bro. Juan Costa, Coadjutor-Brother who was assigned to Balingasag.[31] Bro. Juan Costa told Fr. Sanchez that he would be piping drinking water from its source to the town from a spring in the north-northeast of Balingasag.

For this, in the ceramic shop built by Bro. Costa, where young boys of Balingasag were being taught of pottery, not only bricks and ordinary tiles were manufactured, but there were holy water fonts, balusters for azoteas and stairs, edges for fountains decorative tiles. To prepare for the upcoming watermains project, the shop fabricated water spouts and tubes for conducting water.

[The Ceramic Shop built by Brother Costa could still be seen today where it once stood. The shop is right a few meters away off the Luguimit Stream located in the properties of the Zaballero in sitio Luguimit, which previously was owned by Felipe or Epie Cabural, the able assistant of Bro. Costa, and who knew the trade well for he was taught by the latter. Approximately, the shop is something like 10 meters square; its four-corner walls may have been paved as can be seen in the ruins which are protruding and visible a few inches from the ground. The brick furnace occupying a third part of the entire structure is on northern part of floor area of the shop. This furnace was used to bake bricks in extremely hot temperature.]

Clearly, therefore, that as early as 1889, the Spanish colonizers in Balingasag represented by the priest had realized the need of the pueblo to have a decent and sanitary water system. The plan was initiated by the convento, and not by the principalia or by the Cabeza de Barangay, but certainly by the Parish Priest.

In this particular time, the first Jesuit Parish Priest of Balingasag, Fr. Gregorio Parache was reassigned already to Caraga, so his assistant Fr. Salvador Ferrer took his place. Early at that point, preparation for the waterworks project started, so, that is why Bro. Costa began to mass produce water spouts and tubes, which shall be used as pipelines. 

The source of the old Spanish water system was in Lingangao, where the Kitagtag Stream originates. It is also located from the north, northeast of Balingasag, not more than two kilometers away from the poblacion or should we say from the convento.

So, before the water system came to realize the usual strenuous style of shouldering the sag-ob, and marching along the dusty or muddy to and fro the Luguimit or Balatukan Streams in Kabungahan was uncut. It continued on perhaps even there was already a waterworks system because how would a crude system be able to serve everyone in the community although at this time, population was not too dense compared with today.

In other places outside Balingasag poblacion, similar situations existed i.e. they continued to fetch water at nearby springs and water wells with their sag-ob and banga; nevertheless, they would contend on whatever means they could get potable water, as it is harder even for the poblacion to have a sanitary and safe water source; and how much more for the villages in the hinterlands.

The Proyecto de la Traida de

las Aguas del Pueblo de Balingasag:

It is however unclear when the Water System project started. Probably it had started after Bro. Costa was able to produce enough water tubes made of clay to serve as pipelines considering the distance from the source to the poblacion.

Despite maybe of some existing problems the Northern Mission had, for which Misamis Oriental was a part; like on the infestation of locusts giving low yield in agricultural harvests; Moro raids in the village of Manticao in the western part of today’s Misamis Oriental; continuous threat of Moro intrusion in the Christian and pagan villages along the Upper Pulangi areas of Bukidnon; and so on; nonetheless, the water system project in Balingasag continued to push on unhampered perhaps. 

Relative to its construction, the following stages shall be observed or be done:

-      There would be an enclosed canal to carry the water and conduct it under ground from the spring to a length of 458 meters to the north-northeast and 210 east-northeast;

-      To install 180 meters of clay pipes following the same direction from where the enclosed canal ends;

-      Construction of a big cistern or reservoir;

-      Prolongation of the laying of pipelines – clay tubes on the same direction from the reservoir into the center of the poblacion, with three fountains in between 210, 180, and 152 meters points for greater public availability;

-      There would be a faucet at the last fountain on the spacious church plaza, ending at the priest’s house; and

-      There shall be about a total of 1,400 meters of water tubes.[32] [Underscoring mine.]

The work may have been fast because a year after Bro. Costa and Fr. Sanchez talked about the project, Fr. Juan Heras, S.J., the Local Mission Superior of the Balingasag Mission, whose base was in Tagoloan said in his letter dated 28 July 1890 posted at Tagoloan for the Mission Superior, and it says:

“I was in Balingasag the day before yesterday to see how things are. Everything is well advanced, only the fountain of the plaza by the sea remaining unfinished, since it had not been painted when the work was still new. Fr. Llord is there to supervise the ornamentation, as Your Reverence indicated.”[33]

As can be recalled, it said earlier that the water system plan included the installation of three fountains, with the last or third one at the church’s plaza.

The above quoted line clearly expresses that by July 1890, the fountains were all finished, except the one which they were working located at the plaza by the sea. Fr. Ramon Llord, S.J. the first Pastor of the Parish of Talisayan had taken charge of the ornamentation of the fountains in Balingasag.[34]

Since there are no documents available neither at the town hall or at the parish convent today to at least appraise us how the water system was constructed or where did it pass, or the pipe routes, we have only to relay from oral traditions and establish good guesses. The only evidence how the water system was laid out could be seen in “Appendix A”, a nice attachment from our sources, but it has never completely told us where the pipelines pass in going to the poblacion and ultimately to the park near the church by the sea.

So, for a good guess on where the water system started, let us consider the following points based on an old study, and recollection of the area and other information, which currently have been taken through an ocular visit of the Kitagtak Stream starting at its headwaters a few meters away from the old cistern to the northeast, just below the present Balingasag District Jail.

[Today, the Kitagtag Stream after so many years of continuous free flowing is still much alive. Many droughts had visited Balingasag, but the Kitagtag never dried up.

Easy access to it today, is from the National Highway in Upper Barangay 1 and at the junction of the highway and Paladias property, the old water works cistern is about 500 meters away to the northeast located in the properties of spouses Felipe Galdo and Pureza Buzon. Presently, the property is owned by their son Roberto.

How come the Galdo’s especially Roberto discovered the ruins of the old Spanish Water Works System?  In the 1960’s while we were in Intermediate Grades, our young adventurous gang used to go to that place to hunt, and each of us had a slingshot.

The younger brother of Roberto or Billy named Roland was our classmate, so that is why sometimes we were their welcome or unwelcome visitors at the ilaya or farm.

There is nothing which caught our attention, except that we observed that the place is really abundant with cool crystal water, and springs sprout from almost everywhere. The place is so serene, and we remember that we used to take always the Lingangao wide road and turn left on a trail along Maximo Galdo’s house to Roland’s watery ilaya.

As I have said earlier nothing significant caught our attention in those places, and it was not until in the 1970’s when Billy began to tell me that he wonders why there are plenty of bricks in the stream right at their property.

Momentarily the area where the old Spanish cistern was constructed or the stream passing along the properties of Billy Galdo has been developed into a mini-resort where there are swimming pools for adults as well as children.]

For this, questions would be certainly asked where the old Spanish pipelines passed. Could it be that the lines took the shortest route from the source going westward to the Paladias property and turned obliquely to the left or southeast and headed straight west from the present Lingangao Road passing at junction National Highway and 15^th September Street towards the poblacion?  Or had it used the way which we used to get into the place via Lingangao wide road and turning left at Maximo “Meno” Galdo’s properties?

Well, my good guess is that it passed somewhere in the properties of Maximo “Meno” Galdo and headed westward towards the poblacion. Why is there an assumption like this? It can be found in the plan when it says “an enclosed canal which will drain the water from the spring itself and conduct it under the ground: 458 meters to the north-northeast and 210 east-northeast.” [Underscoring mine.]

Perhaps, this is no longer a guess, because clearly it says “458 meters to the north-northeast and 210 east-northeast”, meaning that from the source at north-northeast the enclosed canal must have to travel to the east-northeast to point 210.

Obviously, therefore, the water lines traveled obliquely to the left going to point 210 to the east-northeast, thus it must have passed really somewhere in the  properties of Maximo “Meno” Galdo in Lingangao poblacion.

The Lingangao areas even during the 1890’s was already developed, in fact, one has to cross it first before entering the reduction area of Cesar, which then was a barrio in 1849 yet.

Henceforth, academically the pipeline must have been laid on that point rather than from the source directly westward to the areas of the present Upper Barangay I, where residential houses are plentiful today since there is no road there during the Spanish colonial times, unlike today where a wide national highway crosses it.[35] Thus, Upper Barangay I area and the national highway today during those particular times were places of overgrown thickets and densely forested by shrubs and trees.

Laying of Water Clay Pipes:

After the closed canal which carried the water from the spring itself to point 210 east-northeast, it says “180 meters of clay pipes following the same direction from where the enclosed canal ends.”

So, another 180 meters of pipes were connected to the end of the enclosed canal, and followed in a straight direction towards the poblacion Balingasag.[36] The pipe lines must have been now somewhere along Calle 15^th de Septiembre at the present Balingasag Central School, and its waters had to be deposited to a cistern, which is still visible today located near the road at the property of the Gorospe.[37]

A reservoir at that point would be necessary in order to create and maintain the proper pressure per square inch [psi] on its downward flow in course to the poblacion.

From the cistern, the waterlines or pipelines extended and laid into the direction of the center of the poblacion. We are not sure whether or not the pipelines went on straight, or had it swerved to the left upon entering the first block of the town; and headed along the main thoroughfare up to the frontage of today’s town hall? Or had it just went straight ahead along Calle 15 de Septiembre en route to the where the old church was located at the parade grounds of Sta. Rita’s College today or fronting the recent town hall?

The undersigned had asked most of the old people in town and they replied passively, unsure to where the old water system pipelines passed. Others even did not know, or perhaps they just have forgotten it due to old age or senility.

However for most people who loved the sports of volleyball [old volleyball with small ball and not the modern day volleyball that is played by a group of six], probably they remember that somewhere near the old volleyball court [in the present times where Balingasag Fire Station is located] fresh and clear waters sprung out from the ground whenever there was heavy rain a day or two before. When some curious people investigated where those waters came from, it was found out that there was a line of enclosed canal made of bricks passing beside Calle 15 de Septiembre and heading straight towards the west or directly to where St. Rita’s College of Balingasag occupies.[38]

Based on the discovery of this old enclosed canal or pipeline at the volleyball court area in the 1970’s, we could safely consider it as material evidence to assert the fact that the pipelines from Lingangao did not turn or swerve left through the main thoroughfare. But instead, it went straight along Calle 15 de Septiembre to where the old parish convent formerly was erected inside the premises of Sta. Rita School near the junction of Calle 15 de Septiembre and Ludeña Streets.

Of course, we know from the plan that three fountains were to be constructed, and in fact two were already finished and one had still to be undergoing ornamentation by Fr. Llord according to Fr. Heras in his report to the Mission Superior dated 28 July 1890.

For greater accessibility to the public, those fountains would have been built at strategic places. Henceforth, when the town market was first razed to the ground in 1971, an old nonfunctional fountain structure emerged or came into view when the store concealing the structure was burned.[39] 

As said by Fr. Heras, “… only the fountain of the plaza by the sea remaining unfinished, since it had not been painted when the work was still new”.

The third fountain was located at the church’s plaza by the sea; and the church that is referred too is not the present church, the one made of brick because its construction was not started yet. The old church was somewhere at the present site of Sta. Rita School parade grounds, and opposite to it, was the Parish Convent located perpendicularly with the intersection of Calle 15 de Septiembre and Ludeña.

With specific purpose to address the need of potable water, the constructions of the fountains were never therefore simply for ornamental. Although the waterworks system would serve the needs of the townspeople, it was however not a third level waterworks project. Meaning, the waterlines were not directly distributed to the households, hence the people had to go where the source or fountains were, and fetched water. Nevertheless, despite of its inadequacy, the project was the only one practicable water project in the whole islands. The Jesuits in their second coming to the Philippines in 1865 exclusively were assigned to Mindanao, and no other missionary groups were here except them. 

As can be remembered, the Manila Waterworks System was constructed only in 1879 by Governor General Domingo Moriones; potable water was piped into Intramuros.[40] With the successful development of the Balingasag Waterworks System in the Second District of Mindanao, it was looked upon as one significant achievement of the Jesuit Missions in Northern Mindanao; and other places in the district like Dapitan looked forward in doing similarly.

The project in Balingasag may have used approximately 1,400 installed pipes per plan; nonetheless, in actual work, such would either be hit or not.  After maybe the pipelines were hydro-tested and found workable, its formal blessings or inauguration followed.

Although our sources is not clear when the inauguration of the waterworks system took place, we are assured however that the  District Governor with his family, officials, and Spanish residents of Cagayan de Misamis came to Balingasag in August 1890, for the inauguration.

Fr. Ramon Llord’s letter to the Mission Superior posted in Talisayan dated 26 August 1890 says:

“I suppose Your Reverence would have information now about the celebration in connection with the inauguration of the water system the tireless Bro. Costa successfully installed to pipe water into the town.

. . . the entire Spanish community in the capital was present; including the governor’s whole family.”[41]

They would have come leisurely by sea on board a rented launch from Cagayan de Misamis; however, the sea was to too bad for sailing. Thus, they traveled overland on horses passing rivers, and hiked around Punta Gorda Mountains during high tide only to attend the celebration. 

With all the troubles of hiking, crossing rivers, resting or sleeping in hammocks, and acting extra-cautiously on whatever perils along the road more so at the Punta Gorda areas. They had to be extra-careful of the cascading waters from above them, from the precipice, because the weather was not good. So, they opted to travel overland instead on a launch or tender.

One consoling factor that made their journey to Balingasag somewhat distinct from the rest of the overland journeys before from Cagayan de Misamis  somewhere to the east is that perhaps in their previous travels despite they rode on horses, they still had to wade, or used bancas in traversing the wide Tagoloan River. But since a cable was already installed last year, crossings had been done through raft ferry carrying people to and fro the banks of the river.[42]

                  

The Governor had to be in Balingasag despite all the odds, for he had promised to come and his presence represented the colonial government being the highest Spanish Official in the district. Thus, he would have to harvest or share similar credit with the rest of the common people who labored to finish the project. Firstly, without the Missionary Priests, and without the expertise of Bro. Juan Costa and Francisco Riera, the project would have been not made.[43]

Going back to the waterworks project, apparently, it was made under the initiative of the missionaries; so it must be proper that the Spanish colonial government be represented as a matter of protocol, for the church and the state worked as one during those days.

Attractive arches were placed on main thoroughfares, probably one was exactly placed fronting the mooring place, and this road leads directly to where the church is. But since the Governor arrived not by boat, and precisely did not moor at the shores of the poblacion, nor somewhere near the poblacion, but traveled overland on an   agonizing horseback travel indeed. Maybe the townspeople was not able to anticipate that arches must be placed too on the main street at the southern end of the poblacion, for the Governor may come that way, either.

Of course, the arches were elaborately adorned; some were dedicated to the Governor and the provincial officials; to the priests – the Jesuits; and to Brother Juan Costa, whose hard work and genius completed successfully the piping in of the Kitagtag waters to the poblacion. The façade of the convento was decorated with shields and inscription of Spain, Jesuit Society and that of the former missionary group who took care of Balingasag, the Recollects.[44]

[In Jose Maria Clotet, S.J. letter to the Rector of the Ateneo de Manila dated 30 April 1889 posted in Tagoloan, he says:

“I soon reached Balingasag, one of the coastal towns of Misamis district. It cleanliness and well-planned streets, its houses in good condition, the culture and progress of its inhabitants caught my attention. The priest’s residence is placed at the entrance to the town, not far from the shore, and with an attractive garden on one side, and in front at a few paces away, the church. A bit antiquated, but spacious and in good condition. The altars are elegantly simple and in good taste, the main one made of camagon [a kind of ebony], with gold décor.[45]

Well, that was how Jose Maria Clotet described the priest’s residence and the church. On the other hand, Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez, S.J. in his letter to the Rector of the Ateneo de Manila dated 25 April 1889, says:

“The church, very wide, with good altars and even better ornaments . . .”[46]

He did not say anything in details to describe the church, what he said was a general description as seeing the church so wide and with good altars.

However, in Fr. Jose Canudas, S.J. letter to Fr. Alejandro Naval, S.J. dated 6 November 1878, he says:

“The church, although not bad, does not fit all those adornments. It has a cota [47]about nine or ten palmos (about 12 inches] tall, atop which is a rather well-constructed tabique pampango, the roof of nipa. The church has three beautiful altars, the main one especially precious, since it is entirely of camagon [a kind of ebano], its architectural style in good taste.”

“The priest’s house, fully of wood, is inclining, as an effect of a baguio.”[48]]

The three Jesuits, [2 priests – Sanchez and Canudas, and 1 scholasticate - Clotet] had similar observations about the church, and such remarks can be generalized that the church was “a bit antiquated, but spacious and in good condition” and “the church, very wide, with good altars”, and finally one priest said, “the church, although not bad, does not fit those adornments.”

All the three Jesuits had commented that the church was still that good, and having three beautiful altars made of camagon. What we wish to know is the statement that the church was made of bricks, but there was no such remark. Hence, we would accept it as a fact and not mere assumption that they were referring to an old church made of wood, and it was located “a few paces away in front of the priest house, which had an attractive garden on one side”, said Clotet.

Henceforth, we would further accept the fact that we are not referring to the present church which is made of bricks, but rather to an old wooden church the Recollects had  built, and described by Jose Maria Clotet that  was somewhere at the entrance of the town not far from the shore, and in front the priest’s house.

Had the early Balingasag Waterworks System being Sustained?

We are afraid, no early or contemporary local history work yet has discussed how long did the old Spanish Waterworks System was able to serve the town of Balingasag. What maybe is certain is the fact that the project had three fountains; and it had served fairly the inhabitants of their need for potable water.

Probably, with the use of sag-ob or small tadyao the fetchers would have to line up anywhere at the public faucets attached to the three fountains for the fill. Perhaps, the third fountain was a restricted area for fetching water because it was at a park by the sea. So, people would have their fills at the fountains or faucets near the premises of the market, or art the other foundation or faucet perpendicular to the old volleyball courts, where government buildings now stood.

Those who lived in the Poblacion proper, which was organized by early colonials into “ten (10) cabecerias, not counting the visitas and the villages joined to them,”[49] may have felt contentment in the meanwhile, for they would no longer be fetching water from the Luguimit Stream some eight-minute away, nor they would get it from the Balatukan Stream in the Kabungahan areas. But for those living near the springs, certainly they continued getting their potable water supply from those springs nearby them rather than going down to the poblacion for this purpose only.

Apparently, it follows also that the waterworks system in the poblacion had served well the builders during the construction of the brick church, with its brick walls still upright today, although the wooden altar [retablo], roofing, choir’s area in the second floor, and the twin bell towers structures were razed to the ground by fire in 1942.[50]

In December 1892, the construction of the brick church of Balingasag started. Brother Coadjutor Francisco Riera laid the foundations of 30 columns or posts.[51] Inasmuch as the edifice would be made of bricks, aside from the Brother Costa’s pottery shop at Luguimit, each barangay had a lime kiln and oven for brick production which were needed in the construction. 

The second fountain, which was near the old volleyball grounds, or a little bit off from today’s Fire Station, the one located in between the market area and plaza by the sea greatly assisted the construction project due to its proximity from the construction site.[52]

There has been no exact reason why the early waterworks system constructed by the Spaniards during their regime just ended. Without   much trace, the waterworks system ended during the early stage of American rule and nothing significant was ever written about it, except that local scholars noted in their works that there were series of heavy floods in 1916, 1924, and 1938, or even in the early beginning of the decade in the 20^th century. In all these occasions, the Balatukan River from the highlands of Lantad and the Balatukan Ranges brought forth the floods. The raging floodwaters almost entered the poblacion; but, fortunately however it swerved to the southeast and passed Barangay Lingangao. Had it gone directly through the Lingangao-Poblacion road, it might have been the end of everything of Poblacion Balingasag.

Since the springs of the Kitagtag Streams originate a little bit far below or off where the floodwaters of Balatukan usually passes to the floodways of Lingangao, possibility could not be remote that in one of the heavy floods, the sources of the waterworks system and its cisterns may have been damaged, as the floodwaters entered the realm of Kitagtag. Furthermore, the waterworks system may have been left unattended, or not repaired for good.

As a consequence, the third fountain located at the park by the sea was converted into a much bigger permanent structure by the Ladies Club [Mujeres]; a monument of Dr. Jose Rizal was placed facing eastwards towards the town.[53] Had the third fountain or the waterworks system in general had been operational, Presidente Celedonio Moreno Valmores[54] would have not favored its renovation or conversion into a monument.

By mere analogy, perhaps it is safe to say that at the early beginning of the first decade of the 20^th century, or before 1910, the old Spanish Waterworks System constructed by Coadjutor Brother Juan Costa, S.J., and Felipe Cabural, his assistant; was no longer operational because of the irreparable damage it had sustained during the series of heavy floods.

With its cessation, the usual ways of fetching and utilizing water again were used, like having it directly from dug wells, and nearby springs – Luguimit, Sandayong, Kitagtag, Baño, and Kabungahan.[55]

Could it be not that there was another water system or a waterline that carried potable water into town? If there was one, was it efficient and sufficient like the Kitagtag-Sandayong Stream?

The Luguimit Waterlines:

Even how efficient the records of the town hall had been preserved, still we would have harder time in retrieving them; and since there was war in 1941-1945, the records could either be inadvertently misplaced, tore, or burned. We face therefore a blank wall if we would anchor our research on those documents. Thus, it is better to relay on accounts based on credible persons, more or less; we can get something worthy; and such is one reliable basis in history called folklore. It is one area of historical studies that deals on with the recollections of the past preserved in oral tradition; old tales which have been passed from one generation to the next.[56]

We would therefore deal our study or discussion based on accounts and interviews with persons whom we knew as reliable and credible resource, and of course, through them if possible, we would try to extract material evidence available, if there is any to more or less prove the credibility of the tale.

Based on my personal experience during my boyhood days in my great and ceaseless town-roaming, and trailing not for glory along the Luguimit-Kitagtag Stream below the wooden bailey bridge on the northern part of the town, which in 1889 was partly made of concrete and bricks and designed too by Brother Costa;[57] but occurring rightly on the occasions of catching shrimps, a big pipeline about 12ӯ or twelve inches in diameter could be seen there. This big pipeline traversed the Kitagtag-Luguimit Stream; and went straight along the old national highway towards the poblacion.

Well, people living nearby the mini-confluence of Luguimit-Kitagtag Streams said, “Those pipelines started from the Luguimit Spring, where a concrete reservoir was precisely constructed on the area where there are series of springs below a big antipolo and caloot trees.” 

Moreover, the cistern at Luguimit area was a bit higher than the elevation of the poblacion, so the waters flow downwards through gravity and carried towards the lowlands without any other intervention such as the use of windmills, or any mechanical pumps for that matter. The pipelines ended up at the public market area, and seemingly its service outlet or faucet was the one located at the corner of the northern part of the market.[58]

As to when the waters from Luguimit was piped into the poblacion, our sources had not given us exact information with regards to date or year, but assumption was pinpointed out to have happened sometime in 1912 or earlier than that.[59]

Accepting their raw testimonies based maybe on what they heard from their parents, or what they  personally witnessed, or observed perhaps, it is proper to give weight on what they said, because certainly this is part of folklore, and we have to accept it but try to prove for its consistencies, if we can.  

Though we could not determine exactly when the pipes were laid, the fact remains clear that indeed there had been a waterline from Luguimit to the poblacion at the market area. Likewise, it has supported our doubt and thoughts that the old Spanish Waterworks System from Kitagtag-Sandayong was long gone before 1912 or the 1920’s, and that it was why a new waterline from another source was utilized.

The stoppage of waterworks may have prompted the townspeople to access potable water right from its source in Luguimit.  However, a testimony said that the Luguimit pipeline was directed to the market, and it had gone farther beyond at a place called “banga”.  This “banga” was formerly located at the site of the present waiting shed fronting the gazebo.[60]

Nevertheless, in the mid 1980’s after the market was razed to the ground completely by fire in October 1971, on the same site there rouse a water source, for the Department of Public Works and Highways drilled the area for the market’s potable water supply.  Instead of the traditional piston being rose high and plunged to the driver by people, a drilling mechanized machine was used.

Could it be not that the area, which DPWH drilled, was already a free flowing well that was erected or drilled after the Luguimit lines were no longer operational resulting from the damage it sustained during typhoon and heavy floods, was just drilled again? Could it be also that it was a new drilled free-flowing well?

Grasping in the dark for reliable information about the tenure of serviceability of the Luguimit waterlines, what we know is that late in the 1960’s; the pipelines were extracted from the grounds. To the people who lived along the Luguimit Stream where the waterlines passed near their houses, they observed that the pipes easily broke. Since they were buried underneath for so many years, naturally they easily broke; nonetheless, others said that had those pipes been made of galvanized iron, it would have outlived even for so many years. But those were made of cast iron without threaded couplings for joining the end-points, but only cast iron straps were used to secure the joints and applied with molten lead that served as welding rods in the present times. Cast iron pipes are so susceptible to breakage, and they could not withstand much pressure, and never so resistant to corrosion, as well.

Be as it may, for just even a short moment in time, the Luguimit Waterworks System still had contributed its minimal share in quenching the thirst of the people of the poblacion.  Although unfortunately we do not exactly know when such service had started and ceased, except from a conservative guess through estimates given by our sources placing such event to have happened in 1912 and ending sometimes in the 1960.

Let us end the Luguimit Waterworks to give some focus on the water resources of the nearby barrios.

Water Resources in Not Much Recent Time and those Happening in Recent Times:

Poblacion. As time went on, the demand of potable water had been great in the poblacion. Even before the waters of Kitagtag were piped into the poblacion, so with the Luguimit, dug water wells [atabay], a primitive invention of man; had existed in the Poblacion to augment the need for potable water, and this fact is similarly true not only in Balingasag, but to all civilization.

Although possessing today a dug well is no longer impressive or a status symbol as it was before, the same guiding principle still exists that owning one would be sharing it to others who do not have any water. Water has to be shared because it is life. 

In the poblacion, we could not present an inventory of dug wells, which are still serviceable, because mostly it is not owned publicly, but by families. If an inventory would indeed be made, we bet a few only exists today.

One of the oldest dug wells in town was owned by the Moreno Sisters at the back of their house, located fronting today’s skating rink or gazebo. The Moreno Sisters – Romana, Romualda, Ysidora, Martina, and Eustaquia offered their house to the Beatas de la Compania de Jesus while they were in Balingasag in 1901. The madres however was able to buy it from them later on.[61]

But this old Spanish house is already demolished, and the dug well has been not in used for a time already. It is dry and even backfilled.

The other dug well in the poblacion, and still use today, is owned by the couples Roque and Matilde Valmores. Like the dug well of the Moreno’s, its wall is cemented in all four even sides, a rectangle, and extends downwards to the bottom where the spring is. 

Old ancestral houses in the poblacion usually had their own dug wells. However, we do not know if they still have waters today. Even how good a well might be, tendency is not remote that it would run dry someday.  Climate change is the prime reason for its abrupt change; once a wetland but now a dry land, or previously abundant with waters, but nowadays only a tickling drops flow. People’s ingenuity comes in when free-flowing deep wells trickle, they begun to improvise by inserting plastic tube, to increase pressure thereby employing the principle of siphon. 

With the changes of time, artesian wells were introduced to Balngasag; however, the free-flowing deep wells had made a name for themselves in town, for areas where it is permissible and practicable. 

Among the oldest serviceable deep free-flowing deep wells, are located in Nabalian, and the Nabulod areas, where the waters of Luguimit and Kitagtag debouch to the seas on the northwestern part of the town. These two free-flowing deep wells were constructed in 1952, and are still serviceable today.[62]

Opposite to Nabalian and located farther southwest in old Lakandula Street in the Baybay areas, is a free-flowing deep well, which up to these days is still serviceable.  It is regarded as the oldest deep well in that area erected near the residence of the Ladera’s and likewise a few meters away from the Barangay Poblacion’s 6 kapilya.[63]

To the northeast of the poblacion, an old free-flowing deep well unit once stood at the lot of Madroño’s near the house of Judge Valdehueza in today’s Barangay Poblacion 4. It has long been gone and out of action, dried to the bone.[64]

Opposite Barangay Poblacion 4 is Barangay Poblacion 1 and the oldest free-flowing deep well in that area is located at the northwestern part of Balingasag Central School. It is just a stone thrown away from the big Spanish cistern along Calle 15 de Septiembre fronting a building donated by PAGCOR, across the street and near Gate No. 2.

In 1986, a big reservoir was constructed and elevated a few meters above the ground so water could be stored and deliver to the residents of Barangay 1 in a secondary level. At first the project was practicable, but in the long run, they incurred huge outstanding payable obligations with the local electric cooperative, for pumping in water from the deep well sources to the elevated reservoir.

The distribution through the use of the reservoir has long been suspended; however, the deep well, which is free-flowing, still serves today.

Still in Barangay 1, another old free-flowing deep well unit is located at Cailing Street near the former residence of the Oga’s. Like the one located at Calle 15 Septiembre near Central School, this water supply unit had a big storage of water. From being a free-flowing one, it is now converted into a well with hand-driven pump; nevertheless, it is still useful.

While in Barangay Poblacion 2, one of the oldest free-flowing wells is located in Calle 15 de Septiembre and Juvenile Street erected nearby in the corner of the residential lot of the Bumaat Family. It was constructed sometime in 1963 by the late Vicente Macas.[65] This free-flowing deep well now is converted into a hand pump driven well, because water could no longer freely flow outside, and it needs some pressure to enable the waters to come into the surface.

Another well is located in the property lines of the Mangubat and Barangan. Today it is already dry.

One notable free-flowing deep well unit is located at the old slaughterhouse near the Luguimit-Kitagtag Stream. Its water flows at a height approximately 6 feet high passing from a GI pipe of about 4 inches in diameter. However, today there is no water anymore, as it began to recede in the early 1970, and finally dried up some twenty-five years ago.

On the other hand, the one located between Juvenile and Malvar Streets near the house of the Vega in Barangay Poblacion 2 is much earlier than the waters at the Bumaat or the slaughterhouse area.  Firstly, it was a free-flowing deep well, and today a hand-drive pump has been mounted because its waters do not anymore freely flows. However, since it is still serviceable, people still use it. They say its waters taste good. 

Moreover, at the mid-section of the poblacion Balingasag occupying between the Barangay 4 and 6 is simply Barangay Poblacion 5, which is opposite to Barangay 2.

Southeast of Barangay 5 is the Balatukan Stream traveling southwest towards the seas.

The free-flowing deep wells here are not as old as those in Nabalian, Sikatuna Baybay, old slaughterhouse, or as old as the Bumaat well, but in a sense, the one located at Lakandula Street  in Barangay 5 fronting Ermun residence could be classified conservatively as an old free-flowing deep well in that area. It is located at the heartland of many houses, and continues to flow consistently.

In Other Barrios:

a. Baliwagan. In 1952, an artesian well was first erected before it was converted into a free-flowing deep well located on the northeast of the present elementary school site. It is the lone provider of potable water in the barangay; aside from a spring in Pontakon. This is an alternative source of drinking water for the whole area along those sides, even today it is still patronized by people living near the vicinity of the spring.[66]

The Kagolkol Spring had been developed in the 1960’s yet into a third level waterworks system by the Barangay Government. It has continued to serve well today, so long as the springs would not run dry, and if the reservoir would always be patched of leakages.

Despite, in the lowlands its waters are not as efficient and sufficient as it is in the Bagaay areas, still at least it has served its purpose for which it has been constructed even at a smaller area of the barangay, and the whole market area of Baliwagan.

The Kagolkol water supplies sitio Bagaay satisfactorily; its waterlines pass along the western part of Bagaay poblacion in its route in going to Baliwagan.

However, there are a few public faucets in Baliwagan of the Kagolkol waters, except for Bagaay proper, where there are about 10 or a dozen faucets on strategic places, where there are plenty of households. Below the faucets are concrete tubs used as catch receptacle for storing water.

The free-flowing deep well is still functioning today; nevertheless, its water is merely trickling, but it has not dried yet even in a draught. Perhaps, should this be re-drilled, it may serve efficiently again.

b. Talusan. Despite only the Musi-musi River separates Talusan from Baliwagan, it took another five years for the latter to have its first three deep water wells. Two are free-flowing wells, and one was an artesian well.[67]

The artesian well is no longer functional; in fact, it was extracted already from where it was erected near the Barangay Hall on the northern side. The first free-flowing well was drilled at the lot of the Alaba’s, a few meters away from the old national highway.

Though this free-flowing well is functional, only trickles of water come from the nozzle of the 2Ø pipe. 

The second free-flowing deep well, which still is much alive today, is located near the elementary school. By its design, we would not doubt the well was constructed in the 1950’s yet. There are no threaded couplings, and the nozzle where the water passes had been attached to the erected four diameter main pipe only by some resin called commonly as “baras”. The resin holds or attaches the nozzle firmly to the main pipe casing; and as if it was welded.

Located on the concrete flooring of this free-flowing deep well is an inscription when the construction work started and was finished. It says, “Started March 17, 1957 and completed March 27, 1957.”

Undeniably, it took only 10 days for them to complete the project, notwithstanding the fact that it certainly was made out of simple plumbing tools and machines in those times.  

c. Binitinan. They tried to pump the waters of Lourdes Spring uphill, and stored it into a reservoir; and piped it down towards the poblacion up to where the Prize Gas Company occupies today. Despite, it was a good start for them in the 1980’s; however, the secondary level waterworks system did not last long, its income was not enough to pay the spiraling cost of electric bills as consequence of pumping in the waters to the reservoir.

Without much ado, the Level II water system was abandoned; and they reverted again to the old ways of fetching their potable waters either from the Lourdes Spring and Mandikla Spring. The residents once more relayed on water wells for washing or bathing, and laundry.

Those living near the Mina areas, continued to relay on the Ayanan Springs for drinking, and everything for the household use, down to the farms.

On the other hand, however, a free-flowing deep well could be finished easily if the drilling screw or piston would not hit some solid bedrock underneath, otherwise, the drilling screw, or piston and the driven pipes would be withdrawn, and drilling shall commence again in a relocated site.

c. Napaliran. The first public force pump well ever built in the barrio was in 1952, and it was constructed on the property of Segundo Lig-ang. The portion of the lot where the well was erected may have been donated or just allowed by the owners to be used while the same is still functional. 

In 1987, according to the heirs, the artesian well had undergone repairs with the DPWH and it was expertly tended by them. It was functional again, but it did not last long. Shortly after its repair, the well became dry, therefore, nothing could be squeezed out from nothing; and it was abandoned.[68]

The second artesian well, which followed shortly after the first was operational, is located near the residence of Clemente Sabuero. Until these days, it continues to supply clear and refreshing waters, although in every thrust either going up or down, it creaks and shake, reminding us indeed for the need of maintenance.

For the residents at the foot of the hill called Agong, they must have dug water wells for potable water, or may have fetched their waters at Oplot Creek near the boundary of Napaliran and Manaol. Likewise, for those who was either not living  nearer the two wells at Napaliran poblacion, but nearer to the highways, they must have gone routinely to nearby Macao Springs, or at the springs in poblacion Mambayaan located in the properties of the Gadrinab, and Saraos.

Some good development occurred in the early 1980’s, the barrio people surveyed the Liyang areas, where the Balatukan River passes, for possibilities of piping the waters to the barangay. Since it was viable, polyethylene pipes were being laid from Liyang to the barrio.

Of course, it was a secondary level waterworks system.

d. San Juan & Linabo. Unknown to the inhabitants of the coastal areas, early in the 1970’s, Brangay San Juan or known as Lantik, and its neighboring barangay to the west, Linabo, had jointly built their own waterworks system. At sitio Kimang-ak part of Barangay Samay, they built their reservoir in a spring that bears the same name, and piped it down to the nearest barangay, which is San Juan some 5 kilometers away to the west. 

Since the two barangays are lower than Kimang-ak, the lines travel by force of gravity, thus, no electricity is needed to store the water into the reservoir inasmuch as it operates in similar principle.

The Kimang-ak - San Juan and Linabo waterlines pass through the areas of Sulo. Despite, in some respect it does not follow the contour of the road of Sulo [some portions are side-cuts along the mountain cliffs], the waterlines travel fairly downwards.

At Sulo areas, there is another source of good water, the Lagas-Kapitoka Spring; nonetheless, it is not harnessed to augment the Kimang-ak waterline because the later is sufficient for the two barangays. However in case the former lines would fail, San Juan has other alternative water sources; they have the Tuburan Sandayong and Kiagta Springs. Sandayong rolls down to Camuayan, while Kiagta exits to the Cabulig River through sitio Gumpot [part of San Juan].

Barangay Linabo would either have their waters from the alternative sources of San Juan, which is about 5 or 6 kilometers going up, or they may have their waters in Sayoga located towards the southwest, and about 2 kilometers away. Although it is just near, one would travel on an extreme road, on such a case indeed its nearness is equally compensated by the extremeness of the way.

Sometimes in 2001, Japan through JICA improved the San Juan-Linabo Kimang-ak Waterworks System. The old polyethylene lines were excavated, and new ones were placed. It did not cost much the two barangays since the assistance came into them in form of grants. Maybe the expenses incurred by the barangays were too minimal in comparison with what they received from the Japanese Government.

Momentarily, there are plans to turn this secondary level waterworks project into a third level category, or from the lines, it shall be distributed to the households. However, till today studies are still conducted, but in the areas of Kimang-ak and some parts of Sulo, third level servicing has been enjoyed by the inhabitants thereat. Their water supply lines go directly to their homes since the pressure is still that good, for reasons of nearness to Kimang-ak Spring.[69]

On the other hand, next to Barangay San Juan is Barangay Samay. It is the last barangay of Balingasag in the southeastern; in fact it is the boundary lines of the town of Claveria.

Since they could not piped-in the Kimang-ak Spring against the force of gravity, or back to the eastern part to where Samay is located, another water resource has been harnessed by them near sitio Iba and Malasera.

Similarly, the Samay waterworks is a second level system.

Maybe because of topography, most of the waters of Samay drench into the Cabulig River, we mean those located in the east-southeast parts of the barangay.                              

e. Mandangoa. Like in the old days, Upper Mandangoa [reckoned starting before reaching the Balatukan River Spillway Bridge up to Vencer is referred to as Upper Mandangoa] has no reliable water spring supply. In all respects, water always gives them a headache whether it in times of draught or during floods; water indeed is a problem to them.

Still part of the development in the 1990’s, or in the middle part of the decade, Mandangoa - Vencer residents successfully started their waterworks system project. They concertedly initiated the construction of a concrete reservoir near the kapilya, and not far from there, they erected deep water well. The reservoir stores the well’s water, which is distributed through polyethylene lines to the members. 

So far although the system uses electricity in storing water, still it functions efficiently, unlike those of Binitinan and Barangay 1.

f. San Isidro.  From Cesar in the 19^th century, it has been renamed as San Isidro in the present times.

Their waterworks system is a secondary level. From its sources at the Dumaga or Karapiche Spring in sitio Kibalos, there are two main lines. The old line serviced majority of the residents of Kibalos, while the second line or the lines, which was constructed or laid-out in 2001 was funded by the national government to bring in water to the lowland areas of San Isidro, including sitios Cesar and Mananum Gamay.

At the areas of the Miranda’s, a big reservoir was erected there that receives and stores all the waters from Dumaga or Karapiche, which originates from the hinters of Kibalos.

The waterworks system operates; nonetheless, it needs immediate rehabilitation since not all faucets are servicing well the people, except for a few faucets that have waters anytime of the day.

Going back to the 1950’s, the first two oldest artesian wells were constructed at the properties of the Magsalay. The other artesian well was constructed fronting the elementary school. This unit is still serviceable; however, it is converted into an easy accessible type hand pump instead of installing a thorough or genuine artesian well mechanism.

The Free-Flowing Deep Wells, Artesian Wells, and Shallow Wells:

We do not know exactly when the “free-flowing deep well technology” reaches Balingasag. But by good guess, maybe it had neither come when the First Waterworks System during the Spanish time piped in potable waters from Kitagtag to the poblacion, nor had it reached here when the Luguimit Waterlines in cast iron tubing or “pondido” was piped from its sources to the poblacion.

Probably, the technology reaches us here after the World War II, or during liberation time.

Insofar also as the old folks remember, the first plumber in Balingasag was Juan Salvane. Almost perhaps all old free-flowing deep wells in town were made by him; and his career took off actively after the world war. His gang includes a variety of all able-bodied men in town who loved to work plumbing, and part of this hardworking guys were Demosthenes Quina, Edecio Macas and his father, Vicente Macas (now deceased], who later had made his own gang.[70]

So, conservatively, let us assume that the first deep free-flowing wells or artesian wells were erected in the 1950’s in Balingasag town. Our resource told us that in Nabalian, or today’s Barangay Poblacion 3, the free-flowing deep well near Leo Acierto’s house is regarded in that place as the oldest well, which was constructed in 1952.

The one in Lakandula Street at the Baybay area near the Ladera’s house may have been also constructed in 1952, too. But its construction or erection followed only after the second free-flowing well at Nabalian, and the Nabulod areas were completed. Our informant said, there was even a comparison that the one in Nabalian has plentiful of water than at Lakandula.

Perhaps, the free-flowing technology may have been introduced to Balingasag, or if not directly introduced here, were learned by Balingasag’s first plumbers maybe through their internship with plumbing work groups in Cagayan de Misamis, or maybe in Cebu. They mastered the skill, and later brought it back to Balingasag either late in the 1940’s, or early in the 1950’s yet. Proof on this, is the authentic inscription on the flooring of the free-flowing deep well at Talusan, and of course, the testimonies of our resource.

Had the technology been transferred, or learned earlier, we bet, construction or erection of deep wells may have started probably even earlier, of course, with the assumption that all the materials to be used such as G.I. pipes were available on site.

While the poblacion had the luxury of having free-flowing wells, and artesian wells, the barrios contend themselves with hand driven pumps or forced pumps, and if feasible with free-flowing units. Thus, Napaliran had its artesian wells or forced pumps sometime in 1952, and similarly, Mambayaan, Mandangoa, San Isidro, Baliwagan, and Talusan, had theirs too near their respective schools, so, the children would have an easy access to potable water.

[Talusan has two free-flowing wells, and an artesian well in 1957; and Blanco with a lone unit of artesian well in 1962 (no longer functional now) at the intersections of Blanco-Musi-musi Barangay Road.]

[Old Puerto Musi-musi or Baliwagan has its free-flowing deep well in 1952 on the left side of the road after the Musi-musi Bridge, before reaching the elementary school, or near to the residence of former Teniente del Barrio.]

In the next forty years that followed, or since 1960’s, the free-flowing wells or artesian well fever was the forte of people who can afford to have one at their homes. Erection of free-flowing wells if feasible, or just an artesian well if free-flowing is not possible, were everywhere, and randomly made without any hesitation that such unit is near other existing well. Instead maybe of sharing one free-flowing well, or artesian well or forced pump with three or more houses or neighbors, what people did was to have their own rather than share or request a connection with the existing well owner.

[Maybe neighbors do not wish also to share their waters, or maybe there has been some sort of a race or competition among neighbors as to who is really who.]

As a consequence, free-flowing wells erected near other wells receded. Wells lost their efficiency to generate sufficient water. The owners must have not known that beneath the grounds, the waters had been indiscriminately abused, and its waters unnecessarily wasted. 

The presence of so many deep free-flowing wells hastens the early exhaustion of water resource underneath. Time would come, or maybe time has indeed come, for some of the deep wells have now run out dry, while others just flow in trickles. Trickling is a sign that sooner it would completely halt without much ado.

Since some free-flowing wells no longer freely flow anymore, peoples’ initiative had resulted to introduce some innovation. By ingenuity, others resorted to improvise by siphoning the well using plastic tubes or rubber host to generate pressure; and the water flows out from the nozzle again.

Well, the most practical way is by installing a forced pump or hand pump. However, there would be problems or complication sometimes because most deep wells are dug more than 30 feet, or up to 120 feet underneath. The deeper is the well, the stronger is the pressure required to pump out the water. So, pumping water out from the source would be strenuous since the pump would be too stiff or hard to manipulate. 

The plumber may lessen the inner tube in length by cutting it off to minimize the pressure of suction, but what if the water table is quite deep; and certainly the problem would still be there.   Nonetheless, through ingenuity and with certified skills in that kind of trade, plumbers could be able to remedy problems.

Let only the owners hope, it would not cost them much.

Energization of the Poblacion:

With the birth of the second Electric Cooperative in Misamis Oriental or MORESCO II in 1978; Balingasag so with the other towns in Eastern Misamis Oriental begun to experience some economic growth.[71] The energization of towns mark the start of a better economic growth as small entrepreneurs as well as large scale manufacturing or production businesses pour in capital to establish their plants, or companies.

The operation of MORESCO II in Balingasag particularly ended the dimness of the long nights because when the Local Government Electric System was the provider or franchisee of electricity in town, they usually had the power lights off at 12:00 midnight. By 12:01 AM, the town would be black as a pit when there would be no moon or stars in the heavens, or when the weather is not that fair. Nevertheless, night men still roam in the dimness and deepness of the night, and when they went home and had their supper without even a flicker of light, they could eat with much contentment without leaving any leftover, for the food still went straight to their mouths, anyway.

With electricity permanently available and sufficient, people began to buy electric water pumps, so Goulds and Pedrollo boosted their sales in newly energized areas.  Even submersible pumps are no longer strange in the households and farms because some people bought this kind of pump to install it in their deep dug wells.

The Advent of the Water District:

The demand for potable water in the poblacion is great more so that most of the early free-flowing deep wells no longer sufficiently supply water. Free-flowing wells were mounted with hand driven forced pumps just only to induce water to come out from the surface; and who would not care to take steps to rehabilitate their sources of water more so that 2/3 of the total population of Balingasag live in the poblacion.

While local government busily were erecting new free-flowing deep well units and shallow well pumps [up to 30 feet deep] in strategic areas of the poblacion where it is most needed, subdivision or clusters of new constructed houses sprouted in the new growth areas of the town.

In other words, the demand for potable water is great as more people from the rural areas migrated to the town, a trend that is usually happening not only here, but elsewhere either. If the town by accident runs dry of drinking water, perhaps it will die, or its economy will surely go down. But mind you, although this would not happen overnight, nor in the next coming decade, or two, at least preparations or contingency plans must be resorted to. We are however apprehensive that if in the next 100 years the problem on water would not be studied consistently, probably significant changes may come, and the need for water shall be too pressing tomorrow than it has been today.

Surely water would become an ultimate demand of time, next to food than power or illumination.

Fortunately, the think-tanks of the local government had thought of establishing an appropriate agency to look into the water needs of the town. The Balingasag Water District was organized in February 2001. It is organized in the precept as a regular Government Owned or Controlled Corporation [GOCC] with independent and separate charter, but still accountable to government being a public trust.

It began to serve the communities nearer at its source at Upper Musi-musi. So, along the main water routes towards Poblacion Balingasag, the Musi-musi area, Dumarait, and Blanco were served first, and it rolled along the national highway in going to the urban area. Those who wish to avail on its services were served as work progresses en route to the poblacion. The six barangays of the poblacion was covered completely in due time as people came to rush for subscriptions, despite it takes more pesos to become a member of the cooperative; nevertheless, people did not mind it as it is a necessity.[72]

After about five years of operation the Water District had, the first bottled water business, which is privately owned took off. It has a business trade name of Champ and uses its own deep well sources in Barangay 1 in bottling commercial waters that they are selling not only in Balingasag, but province-wide either, as well as in the three cities of Misamis Oriental [Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog and El Salvador]; and the nearby province of Bukidnon.[73]

Maybe commercial water is a flourishing business; in 2011 bottled water named Drizzle came into business. Drizzle however uses the waterlines of the Water District, and so as safe as the first commercial bottle company, it produces bottled water using similar modern technology involving extreme, or tedious process of filtration and reverse osmosis. Their products likewise flood the above-mentioned cities and the province of Misamis Oriental, as well as in Bukidnon.[74]

[No one has thought that Balingasag water could be commercially sold to the markets except our smart entrepreneurs.]

The Water District continued to expand their service areas, and today they have reached as far as the foot of Punta Gorda Mountains in Barangay Hermano to the Southwest; to Barangay Napaliran in the northeast; Barangay Mandangoa, Cogon, and Lingangao, as well as San Isidro in the northeast, Talusan in the eastern part, and Waterfall in the west.

However, Barangay Mambayaan is left untouched because the residents have sufficient water sources in free-flowing deep wells and shallow wells units. In case Barangay Mambayaan shall be served by the Water District without first providing an independent line or a separate reservoir for Barangay Napaliran alone, then perhaps all the waters in the mainlines shall go directly to Mambayaan, because it is much lower than Napaliran.[75] 

Summing up the Events:

We are about to end this essay, and mind you, we would not establish some conclusion because the undersigned fears that he might just give you the wrong ending.

What he wishes to say is to summarize the Early Beginnings of Waterworks System in Balingasag into clearer cuts.

The evolution of the waterworks system here is seemingly similar and typical with the development of other places’ waterworks system. From the crude beginnings or method of the shoulder manned sag-ob, to the bulky banga and tadyao that necessarily had to be carried by animal drawn-cart; or construct dug wells or [atabay] to have an easier access of water in their homes when practicable, the waterworks system of Balingasag evolves first from this old traditional ways of fetching and accessing water.

The town was too fortunate enough that barely 18 years after Manila started its own waterworks system, Balingasag Waterworks System had likewise started in 1889 during the Spanish time yet.

With the expertise of Brother Juan Costa, S.J., aided by his able assistant, Felipe Cabural, they were able to construct the Balingasag Waterworks System in 1889 and finished it in August 1890. Potable water for the first time in the history of Balingasag, or maybe even in Mindanao was practically piped into the poblacion, a development which had been look upon by other places as a major undertaking of the Balingasagnon. In fact, the town of Dapitan in Zamboanga under Fr. Antonio Obach requested the Jesuit Mission Superior, Fr. Pablo Pastells to assign Brother Juan Costa, S.J. in Dapitan for the construction of a reservoir, or a waterworks system in a source called Linao.

Moreover, it took much later for Brother Juan Costa, S.J. to go to Dapitan, not because he did not like the place. But, he was extremely occupied supervising the construction of the brick-church of Balingasag together with Brother Francisco Reira, who was an expert Carpenter in 1892.[76]

While Reira was expert in carpentry works, Costa was also a skillful potter, in fact, he had a ceramic shop at Luguimit that produced all the clay pipes, faucets, tiles, culverts and so on for the waterworks project [the ruins of the ceramic shop is located at the residential lots of the Zaballero near the stream in Luguimit].

The Proyecto de la Traida de Las Aguas Del Pueblo de Balingasag Distrito de Misamis [Mindanao] was inaugurated in August 1890 by the District Politico Military Governor of Misamis, who resided in Cagayan de Misamis.

The District Governor was Felix Huertas.[77]

Along with the construction of the waterworks system, three fountains were strategically placed in the poblacion; one was erected at the plaza by the sea.

The Waterworks System of Balingasag with its sources in Lingangao did not last long; maybe heavy flooding by the Balatukan in the early decades of 1900 caused the irreparable damage.

In 1901, another waterworks system was initiated by the townspeople and constructed, the Luguimit line from a stream of similar in Cogon was piped into the poblacion.[78] It served the market area, unlike the Lingangao pipeline wherein in the strictest sense it was considered as the first waterworks system in town.

The Luguimit line served its purpose well, but it did not last long as well, the Cast Iron line is certainly unlike with the long-lasting Galvanized Iron pipes. Cast iron lines easily corrode when laid underneath the grounds, and sadly a tree felt on the uncovered or exposed pipeline, thus cutting the line into halves.

From then on, it was not repaired; however, a new technology was either introduced in Balingasag, or learned by her sons outside from Balingasag. Free-flowing deep wells and artesian wells were erected in Balingasag; the response for potable water was addressed by this new technology. Perhaps, it may be a reason why the Luguimit waterline was not repaired since the free-flowing deep wells started to bloom in Balingasag poblacion.

As days went on, and with the onset of a permanent and reliable power supply, the Balingasag Water District was established in 2001. The sources of water is the Musi-musi Stream, where the Sayoga, Camakawan, Dumarait, and Taas waters unceremoniously join the latter, and feeding abundantly the small but many springs of Musi-musi Stream.

How did the waters of Musi-musi Stream harness to become the primary source of potable water in town? Unlike the Kimang-ak-San Juan and Linabo Waterworks System, where gravity plays a vital role in carrying water to the service areas, the waters of Musi-musi Spring has to be pumped into a huge reservoir on a highland. The big reservoir is located at the left side of the Lambagohon Uphill Barangay Road. Not far from the reservoir, one could be able to see an overlooking view of the rice fields of Dumarait, Mingcapis, Talusan, and Mananum. All these fields are consistently fed and irrigated by the Camuayan, Balatukan, and Agongongan confluence.

Despite, pumping in water through the use of electricity is the only possible and practicable way to bring in the waters into the reservoir, and distributed later to the different gate valve control points; there are no other remedies but to deal on this expensive way of accessing water from the spring source below. It is indeed an expensive way, but nothing could be done to silent the pitching sound of the electric pumps, otherwise the pumping of water would stop, and there would be no more water in the reservoir, for the demand is great. The pumps have to work 24 hours a day and they should work alternately, giving other unit to cool down before it will start again work in top wincing groan.  

Perhaps water business could really be that good, like electricity, so it never had struck the people by surprise why in 2006; the first bottled commercial water was opened in town. In 2010, another mineral water bottling shop started its business in Balingasag; it is the second bottled water shop, aside from the one located near the national highway. Undoubtedly, water trading is profitable, as there are now three companies in town dealing in the business of water.[79]

Hence, it had not taken so long for the Balingasag Water District to expand its operations, or services to be able to cover all the low-laying barangays.[80] Such boom, if it is it, generally is attributed for the fact that business has been doing good, or the Water District had resorted on applying for commercial loans with banks and LWUA for capital build-up through longer loan amortization, thus enabling them to start its expansion. Practically, it has been able to serve all the low-laying barangays, except only for Mambayaan.

Expansion work is still an ongoing activity process. The process of servicing efficiently all the barangays would be a tedious task, but they had started it now. While they are unable yet to serve the community efficiently, enforcement of laws regarding restriction of erection or construction of deep and shallow wells shall not be strictly enforced.

Others believed and of course their foresights were wrong that having plenty of subscribers, would lessen the minimum fixed rate of payment of the first ten cubic meters of consumption considering that many shall be involved in the payments of the outstanding loans. Nonetheless, the fixed minimum rate has not gone down nor had it been increased during the first ten years of its operations. It is so interesting that payment has remained as big as it was in 2001. 

One laughable anecdote of Balingasag’s Waterworks System says that “while the lowlands are starting to dig the grounds to lay on their waterlines, the highland barangays were already excavating their old waterlines, and had been busily replacing their pipes with newer polyethylene lines.”[81] 

In short, therefore, the highlanders of Balingasag were the first beneficiaries of the concept of waterworks system. Despite, their installed waterworks system were not constructed in a modern day technology, but just a long-line of pipes snaking along the terrain, the concept of bringing in water from its source to the community was at least started. 

Without question, nature has abundantly provided them with waters; and despite they lived far and away from urban civilization, and countless feet higher above the sea levels, Mother Nature has given them a special place to live, where there are always waters inasmuch as their homes are apparently nearer to the great blue skies.

O0O

Contributed by:

Rex R. Valmores

Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Philippines

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NOTES

[1] Balingasag is an old Spanish colonial town dating back probably in 1749. Its old name is Gunpot and it was first formally mentioned in the decree of encomienda made by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi when he opportioned the lands and natives of the villages of Gunpot [or Gompot], Tagoloan, and Cagayan to Don Juan Griego, a Spanish encomiendero on January 25, 1571. The thesis that it was already a town in 1749 is found in the works of Padre Felipe Redondo y Sendiño, Breve Reseña de lo que fue y de lo que es la Diocesis de Cebu en las isla Fiipina, Manila, 1886. On the subject – Gunpot being granted as an encomienda, see Blair and Robertson, The Philippines Islands, Vol. 34, pp. 304-310.

Gunpot or Gompot, or better known today as Balingasag, is located on the coastal area of Misamis Oriental, and about 45 kilometers east of Cagayan de Oro City along the Maharlika Highway towards Butuan City. It is a fourth class municipality with thirty barangays.  Moreover, it occupies the second biggest area next to the town of Claveria, having a total land area of 18,235.26 hectares, and of course, not all is alienable and disposal, but are timberlands and declared as forest natural park – Balatukan Mountain Range Natural Park. Agriculture is the usual main livelihood of the people; however, the opening of marine aquaculture area has brought new developments to the town in terms of fishery resources.  

The Balatukan Mountain Range towers over Balingasag, This mountain range like the Balingasag town is rich in history not only during the time of the Spanish Missionaries, but as well as in the present times, which we would say not much in the recent times, when a place in the Mountain Range, the Lantad Area had declared its belligerence in the 1980’s against government. With the blessings of Providence, the conflict or insurgency in the area has been neutralized, or should we say minimized in view of the series of sustainable development introduced in agriculture, and in social and health needs of the mountains. Hopefully, this desirable atmosphere would lift the town to desirable development.   [Annotation mine] 

[2] From the Nile Valley to Libya, or to where the Libyan Desert is located, there are five (5) major inhabited oases not only in our times, but some centuries ago; they are the Oases of Bahariya, Farafra, Dakhla, Kharga, and Siwa among the numerous oases in the deserts. Water is so abundant because aside from water coming from natural springs, they used new technology by drilling wells deeper to the grounds, with a depth of about three-quarters of a mile or even deeper. In Dakhla, the biggest of the oases community, their reservoir overflowed during a sandstorm, it flooded the Libyan or the Sahara Desert, and no one thought of it to happen in the “Libyan Desert.” Microsoft Student 2008, Redmond; WA. Microsoft.

[3] The Kalahari is found in South Africa; others prominent deserts in the world are the Gobi Desert in China [Asia]; Arabian and Iranian Desert in the Middle East; Sahara in Northern Africa; Great Victoria and Great Sandy Deserts in Australia; Patagonia in Argentina; and Southwestern Deserts in North America. Microsoft Student 2008.

[4] It is a movie depicting how water could alter the course of a battle. Based on historical accounts, the script writer wrote that Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and crack troops the Afrika Korp launched the major assault against the Allied Forces in North Africa in November 1941. Tobruk an important seaport in Libya fronting the Mediterranean defended by the Australians was overran. The war moved east towards Egypt; but the Allied Forces defended AlgHeila in Libya too; nonetheless, it failed. The German Panzers and the Afrika Korp now pushed inward; the limped British Army so with the rest of the Allies stubbornly defended El Alamien that was also on the verge of collapse. Fictitiously, the writer on a well-founded assumption said that a battalion of the Afrika Korp was ordered to flank the defenders of El Alamien to assure their final victory against the Allies. The German battalion moved southeast in the vast desert to execute the maneuvers, and realized later on that they ran out of water. So, they wondered across the vast southeast Sahara with Bedouin Arab guides in search of water wells in the oasis. They had gone to all those known wells, but unfortunately they were all dried up; and the last old well would dictate the fate of the battalion whether they die of thirst or not, because for several days they have no water. In an old mosque, or a fort where a bunch of multinational composite team of Canadian, British, American, Australia, French and a Sudanese, and with two enemy captives;  a German pilot and an Italian Infantryman, had holed in that fort for several days. The old fort has water in its well, though it was only a trickling drop, it was able to supply them enough. The German Army arrived and stormed the fort, but the Allies held their positions firmly; and the Germans retreated for sustaining many casualties. There was a negotiation, and the Allies crazily proposed that the Germans shall trade their guns for water. Really, the Allies were courting a fight because they made it appear that they had abundant water at the wells. They had this ploy because they wanted that the flank unit of the Afrika Korp would be delayed for sometime and be engaged with them in order to give the men at El Alamien and Tobruk time to regroup and prepare for the German offensive. The story ended with the surrender of the Germans troops at the old Arab Fort to an army of just two surviving Allied soldiers; they surrendered and traded their guns for water. Not much longer, two British long-range mobile patrol came to the fort and they saw how the two weary soldiers tried to manage guarding more or less no longer a compliment size of a battalion because many died, in surrender. See, unbelievable, really it is just a movie.  

[5]  The desalination plant in Bessie, Oklahoma, employs a reverse-osmosis process; in the Bahamas as well as the Virgin Islands, they prefer the distillation process; however, in Mansfield, Texas, USA, they uniquely have been using electro-dialysis, which unfortunately the processes mentioned above could not be scientifically and technically discussed by the undersigned being innocent of these processes. __ See Microsoft Encarta 2009.

[6] A TV Episode in “Matang Lawin by Kim Atienza” August 2011, Channel K. 

[7] Fr. MA Bernad, SJ, “The Great Islands, Study on Exploration and Evangelization of Mindanao, Ateneo de Manila University Press 2004.

[8] I know a place near us, which abounds of soda water. It is in Catarman, Camiguin in a rural barangay named Mainit. Soda water tastes seemingly sour.

[9] Sari-sari store or joking called by others as “sira-sira store” being open now then closed later for lack of revolving capital.

[10] The “sag-ob” or bamboo pole is approximately as tall as the height of a twelve-year old boy, or much longer than him.

[11]  On the northern part of the town is Kitagtag-Luguimit River and separated only by more or less twelve blocks of streets, and going to the opposite direction is the Balatukan Creek. These are the two small bodies of water that run parallel with the poblacion. [Annotation mine].

[12] In 1843 during the reign of Governor General Narciso Claveria, a regular passenger ship route was established from Manila to Spain. Blair & Robertson Vol. XVII.

[13]  Francisco de Paula Sanchez was born in Flix, Tarragona, Spain on 12 January 1849, entered the Jesuit Society in 1865, and arrived the Philippines in 1872. He taught at the Ateneo Municipal for six years and became a close friend of Jose Rizal.  In 1878, he went back to Spain for completion of theological studies and for his ordination to priesthood. He returned to the Philippines in 1881 as priest and taught at the Ateneo. While Rizal was exiled in Dapitan in 1892, Fr. Sanchez was purposely assigned in Dapitan to win Rizal back to the Christian Faith as had left it for Freemasonry. However, Fr. Sanchez failed and he continued his mission assignments at Caraga – Taganaan and Tandag, until the revolution caught him there. He was a trained scientist and had joined exploratory trips in Mindanao in 1887 and 1889. Fr. Sanchez died in Manila on 21 July 1928. __ See Fr. Miguel A. Bernad, S.J. Rizal, and Spain: An Essay in Biographical Context (Manila, 1986). See also Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, Archives of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus and University of the Philippines – CIDS National Historical Institute, UP Press, Philippines, Vol. IV. 

[14] If the Jesuit Mission Superior [Phil. Mission] who stays at the Ateneo is on visitations to the different missionary areas in the archipelago, all reports shall be submitted to the Rector of the Ateneo, who holds the next highest position of the Jesuit hierarchy in the Philippines. That is why Fr. Sanchez reported partly his scientific and exploratory reports to the Rector. Together with Fr. Sanchez in his scientific and exploratory trip to Northern Mindanao Mission was Jose Maria Clotet, scholasticate or seminarian in 1889 yet, who later was ordained as priest before he went back to the Philippines in 1897 to join the Jesuit Weather Observatory in Manila. 

[15] Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, p. 345. [Underscoring mine].

[16] From Barangay Cogon at the present area near Laling’s Pools & Resort, Luguimit Stream originates, and travels from the north-northeast to the poblacion passing along the land or properties of the family of Pabualan, Sergio Tan, Sr., Bobby Poblete, Zaballero [Samuel, Romeo, and Juan], Henrietta M. Romualdo, Alfeche, Roa, Antonio Tabigue (d), Tata Co, Loloy Roa, Rolando Sicat (d), Velez and Reambonanza. It joins the Kitagtag Stream at Sta. Cruz Bridge in Barangay Poblacion 1, and the two streams from this mini-confluence travel westwards or downwards to Barangay Poblacion 2 and 3, and finally debouch to the seas. [Annotation mine.]

[17] Reduction Areas were designed by the Spanish Colonial Government purposely to gather all the newly baptized or unbaptized Indios in one place so the missionary priests could have an easy accessed on them rather than sought them in the hinterlands for Christian instructions such as prayers and attendance to religious functions. The four barrios of Balingasag namely Blano, Cezar, Claveria, and Canal were created during the time of Governor General and Captain General Narciso Claveria, and the District Governor of Misamis, Senior Villanueva. ___ See Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J., Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, p. 238.

[18] What had been written in page 135 in a book “The History of Balingasag”, copyright in 1968 has significant error. It says and the undersigned would just paraphrase: That during the time of Ramon Ludeña or fondly called as “Ramoning”, a three-term Mayor of Balingasag from 1928-1937, it was written by the authors of said History Book that Ramon Ludeña recovered from the Province of Bukidnon the so-called “rancherias” or ranches, such as Rosario, Napaliran, San Isidro, and Blanco now barrios of Balingasag.”

This is a significant mistake on this, barrio “Cesar” which turned later on as San Isidro, and Claveria for Rosario; and Blanco, are parts of the four barrios that were created by Governor General Narciso Claveria as barrios of Balingasag in 1848. The other one was “Canal” or today’s barrio of Umagos in Lagonglong. Napaliran was formerly referred to as San Roque in 1895 by Fr. Francisco Chorro, S.J. in one of his letter to the Mission Superior.

There is no apparent reason why all these barrios had been made as parts of Bukidnon since these were all “rancherias” or reduction areas of the Recollects in Balingasag. Reduction area is a name given to place where indigenous people baptized or not, or those prepared to be baptized later are house in so called “reduction areas” in order to be taught of catechism, prayers, and all things about proper behavior, norms, or in short an area where the natives are to be educated.”

The Bukidnon area which was part of the 2^nd District was evangelized by the Recollect Fathers sometime in 1849, and the farthest they reached was Bugcaon (today’s Aglayan area), and such place could not even be classified as a “visita” in view of scarcity of priest.

In 1859 when the Jesuits returned to the Philippines, their exclusive mission area assignment was Mindanao, and they took Northern Mindanao or the 2^nd District from the Recollects. Balingasag Mission was the first mission base taken by the Jesuits in Misamis Oriental from the Recollects in 1877, aside from El Salvador in the western part of Misamis. The early evangelization of Eastern Misamis Oriental started in Balingasag and radiated up to Linugos [Magsaysay] in the northeast, to Tagoloan in west, and farther southwest to Bukidnon. The Bukidnon area was evangelized again by the Jesuits in early 1889. A letter from Fr. Juan Heras dated 14 January 1889 to the Mission Superior in Manila reported the following and he says, “With no untoward incidents I returned the day before yesterday from my excursion to upper Pulangi. Fr. Barrado stayed behind to visit them at greater length, and to baptize the people… While Fr. Barrado was busy with this task, I reached the confluence of the Malupali and Pulangi Rivers.” (Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, p 293). 

Obviously, therefore, we see no reason why the barrios of Balingasag that were created by a decree in 1848 could be part of Bukidnon, when Bukidnon in fact was later on consistently evangelized by the Mission of Balingasag, and Tagoloan.

The merging of municipalities during the American Regime could not be a reason either. In fact during the merging of municipalities, Jasaan and Salay were merged to Balingasag, thus, there could be no valid reasons, except by fallacy, why the barrios of Balingasag would be given off for Bukidnon. Even Tecala (Claveria) was under the political jurisdiction of Balingasag. Marriages solemnized by Fr. Jaime Valles, S.J. in Panawpawan, Claveria were reported and registered at the Office of the Municipal Treasurer/ex-Officio Civil Registrar, Balingasag. Thus, Jasaan was separated with Balngasag on 1 September 1948, when it was created into a municipality. 

[19] Data about the Agongongan, Agosais, and other water sources in the south-southeast are taken from rare personal interview with Mr. Eduardo Regalado, Supervisor, Road Maintenance, and Equipment Pool of LGU-Balingasag, Mis. Or. on 27 August 2011.

[20]  It is appropriate to say that the Agongongan confluence in the flatlands of Tangis is one tributary of the Waterfall River. Likewise, the waters from Kibunlog-Cesar are likewise tributaries to it, and when the Balatukan River is raging, it overflows and there would be flooding. In times when the Balatukan has no sufficient water, it can not feed anymore the Waterfall River; so, the latter draws its water from countless springs in the Talusan areas [Upper Tulay Grande, Dal-as], and of course, from the Agongongan confluence.

[21] Fr. Juan Ricart was born in Vich, Spain on 30 September 1838, entered the Society of Jesus on 28 September 1861. He arrived in the Philippines in 1865, but left five years later to finish his theological studies and for priestly ordination in Spain. After his ordination, he returned to the Philippines and was assigned in Balingasag in 1879, where he had his missions at Barrio Cezar, for one. Three years later, he was named as the Superior of the Philippine Jesuit Mission. In the next six years, he was the Provincial Superior of the Jesuit Province of Aragon. His second term as Provincial was in 1893. He died in Barcelona, Spain on 12 November 1916. Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao.

[22] As told by Tolemio Hilogon, Barangay Kagawad of Banglay and Telio Daaca, a farmer in Lantad in an interview conducted by the undersigned in July 2011. Mr. Hilogon resides in Kamanse in the Balatukan Mountain Range, and a local tribal leader, as well while the latter is a recreational spear fisherman in the big rivers of the Balatukan Range.

[23]  Information derived from interview with Mr. Alejandre T. Wahiman, a farmer from the Kamansi Mountains on November 14, 2011.

[24]  In sitio Kamansi, the indigenous community of Higaonon lives. The old abandoned logroads which connects the Kamansi from the flatlands was constructed in the late 1960’s by Oca Logging, and Vulcan Logging and Mining Exploration Company in the early 1970’s. If only a strong bridge would be constructed across the confluence, Kamansi could not be much isolated than it is today.

[25] At Punta Liyang the floodwaters that turn left or those that are heading southwest will pass along the eastern side of the town going southwest, and will finally exit at Manuyog River taking the courses or waterways either from the Musi-musi or Waterfall rivers. The floodwaters that directly head west from Punta Liyang to the sea take the shortest course passing from Napaliran towards Mambayaan and Mandangoa natural flood waterways. [Annotation mine.]

[26] The Old Barangay site of Kibanban was transferred from its former site, and moved to the other side of the Kawali area. A school, chapel, and houses now are in this area. The steep cliffs at the northern part of Kawali is the mountain of Mindungao, part of Mt. Obulan of Lagonglong, while on the southern part are the mountains of Nabuongan and Suoton across the Balatukan River. [Annotation mine.]

[27] NIA or National Irrigation System in the recent times has built an irrigation dam in the Kawali area. A dam has been built across the Balatukan River until to the mountainside of the Nabuongan Mountains of Quezon in Balingasag. Opposite the Nabuongan Mountain across the Balatukan River is the Mindung-gao Mountains. However the dam wall has not reached the Mindung-gao Mountains, thus leaving the Balatukan River to free flow along those side to its exit either directly to Mambayaan or Mandangoa areas. [Annotaion mine].

[28] Like the usual lay-out of old colonial places, the four cardinal directions was observed. Thus, streets were cut evenly into blocks and houses were arranged in blocks, and next to where the church stood, the tribunal or government building would be erected; not far from where the church and the government building or tribunal were erected, a school would be erected, as well. 

[29] Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, p. 345.

[30]  Jose Maria Clotet was born in Manresa, Barcelona, Spain on 19 April 1864, entered the Jesuits on 11 January 1881, and came to the Philippines in 1887. He taught at the Ateneo Municipal and Normal School all in Manila for six consecutive years, after that he returned to Spain for theological studies and his priestly ordination. In 1897 he was back to the Philippines, and assigned at the Jesuit Weather Observatory in Manila, where the Revolution caught him. When peace and political stability was restored, he continued teaching at the Normal School, which was called in 1901 as Colegio de San Javier. But the latter was closed because government discontinued its subsidy. The Jesuits was entrusted a seminary-college in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Fr. Clotet taught there, and in 1915 he was back in Manila, and was assigned again at the Ateneo de Manila [no longer Ateneo Municipal, its subsidy from government was cut, so the necessity of a new name followed]. In 1923 he returned to Spain, and died in Sarria, Barcelona on 25 January 1924. Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao.

[31]  Aside from Fr. Sanchez and Jose Maria Clotet, a Theologian, two other explorers namely Francisco Nebot and Jose de Quadras, the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Mountains and Agrege in Botanical Studies were members of the Exploratory Party. For Coadjutor Brother Juan Costa, he was born in Brera, Barcelona, Spain on 11 March 1845, entered the Jesuits on 19 October 1867 as Coadjutor Brother. He arrived to the Philippines in 1875, and worked in northern and northeastern Mindanao Missions, and at the Ateneo Municipal in Manila. During the Philippine Revolution, he was recalled to Manila and went back to Spain; however, in 1900 he was back and assigned to Dapitan Mission. He was an expert potter, or in some technical and trade works. In 18 November 1920, he died in Dapitan. __ Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao. p. 273.

[32] Ibid., 345.

[33] Ibid., 424.

[34] Appointment as Pastor, See Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, p. 289, and regarding fountain ornamentation, similar reference p. 424.

[35] Iligan-Butuan National Highway which Hanil Development Corporation [Korean Company] constructed in the late 1970 passes along Upper Barangay I today. [Annotation mine.]

[36] From Lingangao the old waterlines travel on the right side of the present Lingangao-Poblacion Road.[Annotation mine.]

[37] Information supplied by Messrs. Aristarco Cagalawan and William Zaballero from an interview on 2 September 2011 regarding the former presence of a reservoir at the Gorospe property near the road along Balingasag Central School. The reservoir was made of bricks as can be found in its ruins. [Annotation mine.]

[38] Adong Matias was the leasee of that volleyball ground in late 1960’s. [Annotation mine.]

[39] Probably this was the first of the three fountains that were constructed per the Waterworks System Project plan. It was at the back of Bedad Salvacion Jailo’s store which was burned during the fire at the public market in 1971. According to Edecio V. Macas, a prominent Plumber in town he said, “the second fountatin was parallel to the leaking enclosed canal at the volleyball court, and the fountain may have been constructed near at the present Telegraph Office next to the Senior Citizen’s Building.” It has sense because from Bedad’s Jailo Store, and this point [Senior Citizen’s Office] to the old Sta. Rita Monument, more or less are in straight or in perpendicular line from east to west.  This area [volleyball area, Senior Citizen’s Office, and so on] was once an open public place, a plaza in fact, but not anymore today because of the unsystematic construction of government buildings thereat. Formerly this area was also a softball field, despite a portion thereof was used for volleyball. [Information about the second foundation taken from personal interview with Mr. Edecio V. Macas, son of Plumber Vicente Macas, who like his father is a Plumber, too, on August 28, 2011. [Annotation mine.]

[40] Blair & Robertson, Vol. 17 pp.285-289.

[41] Fr. JS Arcilla, Jesuit Missionary Letters, p. 429.

[42]  Ibid., p. 400. The raft ferry system at the Tagoloan River continued to operate even after the liberation time – World War II. Not much longer, a concrete bridge reinforced by arches was constructed half-way in length of the entire length of the river across. The remaining half was made of bailey bridge on single lane, and in one furious flooding in the 1960’s the entire section of the bailey bridge was washed out by the fury of the Tagoloan River, from the Kimankil Mountains in Bukidnon, and whose sources originate also where the Pulangi River has it source, too. Today, the Tagoloan Bridge in Tagoloan town in Misamis Oriental is revered as one of the longest bridge in Mindanao. It is now a four-lane bridge [traffic flow in one direction on each bridge] because of the completion of an additional concrete bridge. [Annotation mine.] 

[43] Every able bodied resident in Balingasag may have worked in the waterworks project without any fee, because of corvee labor or polo was still operational. Before Joaquin Jovellar became the Governor General of the Philippines, corvee labor was set for forty days a year. However, in 1883 Jovellar reduced it from forty to fifteen days only. It was also Jovellar who abolished the payment of tributes, however he instituted the tax on cedula personal, which significantly the Katipuneros in the Cry of Pugad Lawin vehemently protested by tearing their cedulas. 

[44] Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao particularly on Fr. Ramon Llord’s letter to the Mission Superior dated 26 August 1890.

[45] Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, p. 348.

[46]  Ibid., 343.

[47]  A thin wall, the lower half of lime and cement, the upper half of meshed slats of bamboo, the whole thing whitewashed as needed. __ See Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, p. 222.

[48] Ibid., 220.

[49] Each town had any number of barangay headships (in Spanish, “cabecerias”), each from five to 100 families, but having no jurisdiction of its own. The quoted statement is from Fr. Jose Canudas, S.J. letter to Fr. Alejandro Naval, S.J. dated 6 November 1878. __ See Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao. p. 219.

[50] The guerillas under the command of their Officer Cullado decided to burn the church because Captain Okomora with three or four soldiers sought refuge at the bell tower after engaging shortly with the guerillas early that morning. The burning happened on 16 September 1942. What a decision? Anyway, this happened during the war and there might have been no initiatives to establish resolute negotiations with the enemies, except settle it with the barrel of the guns. 

[51] Bro. Francsco Riera, S.J. was born in Manresa, Barcelona, Spain on 20 January 1844. He entered the Jesuits as Coadjutor Brother, and came to the Philippines in 1865. His entire missionary career was devoted at the Ateneo Municipal in Manila, except for the years 1892 to 1893, where he was assigned to Balngasag [directing or supervising the construction of the brick-church]. He returned to Spain in 1922, and died thereat on 2 January 1929. In the Jesuit Philippine Province, he was one of the longest-staying Spanish Jesuits in the Philippines. __ See Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindnao, p. 516-517.

[52] The construction of the brick-church started during the term of Fr. Salvador Ferrer, S.J. who assumed as Parish Priest of Sta. Rita Balingasag in lieu of Fr. Gregorio Parache, S.J. The latter [Parache] was assigned to Caraga District. Actually, Fr. Juan B. Heras, S.J. arrived on 31 October 1888 in Misamis Oriental from Caraga on a long boat from Butuan to assume the post at the Mission of Balingasag as Local Mission Superior replacing of Fr. Parache, whose assignment would be at the Caraga. Fr. Parache and Heras were all Local Mission Superiors and they were reshuffled by the Mission Superior. By the time the church was finished and inaugurated in 1895, Fr. Francisco Chorro was the parish priest. He had even suspended temporarily the construction of the church at the time when the main would be installed. Others said, he suspended the work because he opposed the main door to be placed at the west side of the church. Maybe what they said is partly correct, but perhaps too they did not know that neither the church [sanctorum] nor government had sufficient funds [Funds for Attraction of the Pagans] to finance big time construction projects more so that it had been busy in allocating funds to new open colonial towns, where regular teachers (catechists) [male and female] had to be hired to teach children basic catechism, simply prayers including to read and write.  Balingasag probable at this time did not have sufficient sanctorum funds [church funds that exclusively are intended for the celebration of Holy Week, Christmas and annual Patronal Feast], to finance the construction. Although, colonial law permitted its use, it must be first formally requested and approved by the District Governor. On the other hand, Fr. Salvador Ferrer, S.J. died on 9 April 1895 in Manila, he was unable to witness the gaiety of the inauguration during the feast day of St. James. During the blessing, Fr. Juan Heras, S.J. stationed at the residence of Tagoloan, was the Local Mission Superior of Balingasag. There were only three Jesuit residences in this far side of eastern Misamis (Oriental) i.e. the residence of Tagoloan, Balingasag, and Talisayan.  [Talisayan was solemnized into a parish on December 25, 1888, with Fr. Ramon Llord, S.J. as Parish Priest. Kinogitan and Gingoog were its visitas; henceforth, that clearly included Balingoan (Palma de Sipaca) and Medina.] Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letter from Mindanao. 

[53] There was a controversy regarding the ownership of the plaza by the sea, where the old fountain was erected. The townspeople spearheaded by the Club Mujeres wished to renovate the non-operational fountain into a larger structure as a monument of Dr. Jose Rizal. Fr. Simeon Sambola, a Spanish Jesuit, and the Parish Priest of Balingasag claimed that such could not be done because the property belonged to the church, and not owned by the Local Government. On the Local Government’s points of views, and represented by Presidente Celedonio Moreno Valmores, he remarked and questioned that the priest unjustly claimed it and was not fair, for that specific parcel of land was indeed a public plaza, therefore, a public property and in fact, it was called even as a plaza by the sea. Nevertheless, the controversy continued unresolved; henceforth, public opinions sprouted out that had the place only been used to other purpose other than the monument of Dr. Rizal, there would not have been a problem as to who owned it. Perhaps, the priest would have not insisted on claiming ownership nor protest its use.  In short, the issue was some sort of a political question, because the priest was Spanish, and Rizal, a patriot was a Filipino; and anyone knows who the latter was for the Spaniards.

Not long thereafter the issue was resolved, and rightfully the plaza belonged to the Local Government; the Judiciary or Juez de Paz interceded and rendered decision. Finally, the Rizal monument was unveiled; however, the battle royal did not end there, a few days later, Presidente Celedonio M. Valmores was suspended from his office. Could it be that frailocracy had still that deep-rooted influence over among the higher officials in the province even during the American Regime? It was just some decent remark from the thinking public. __ See Garcilaso Fernandez Vega, Historical Glimpses of Balingasag.

[54] Celedonio M. Valmores was the son of Felicio Valmores [son of Datu Mamerto Manuel and Bai Tomasa of Gumpot or Balingasag, and whose grandfather was Datu Mateo Manuel] and Leonisa or Leoncia Moreno. He married Dominga Racines Babiera of Cagayan, and in 1907-1910 [Garcilaso F. Vega, Glimpses of Balingasag] became the Presidente or town mayor of Balingasag. If the controversy of the plaza’s ownerships occurred between Fr. Sambola and Presidente Valmores, it may have happened in 1910 because it was the year when Celedonio Valmores term ended per the Historical Glimpses of Balingasag. [If the author of the Glimpses is correct in pinpointing the leading parties to that controversy, then the inauguration of the Rizal monument would have not happened on December 30, 1920 since the assignment of Fr. Sambola in Balingasag was in 1910-1912 only. (Maricel V. Cero, History of the Parish of Sta. Rita of Balingasag)].

Among Celedonio M. Valmores’ children was Maria B. Valmores, who begot her natural son, Briccio Valmores, and who happened fortunately as the beloved father of the undersigned. My father’s grandfather was born in 1845 and died in February 1922, before even his grandson was born on 24 October 1922. [Annotation mine].

[55] One of the oldest water wells in town and operational even until the late 1960’s is located in the old big house of the Moreno’s fronting the park’ skating rink. [Annotation mine].

The RVM congregation or known formerly as the Beatas de la Compania de Jesus owns it now. They bought it from the Moreno’s in 1901. The first batches of beatas to arrive Balingasag were Sma. Marciana de Leon, Dominga de Jesus, Andrea Alba, Leonarda Rivera, and a certain Sma. Lopez. __ Garcilaso F. Vega, Historical Glimpses of Balingasag.

[56] Dr. E.P. Patanne, (Columnist, Business World, ISYU and Foreign Publication), Historic Manila Commemorative Lectures 1993-1996, “Old Tondo and the Lakandula Revolt of 1574”, p. 7.

[57] Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez in his letter to the Rector of the Ateneo de Manila says, “I had the joy of visiting the bridge Bro. Costa himself had planned and constructed as a shortcut over a small river close to the town. It is solid, attractive, and made of bricks.” __ See Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, p. 345.

[58] Information about the Luguimit pipeline going to the market area derived from interview with Aristarco Cagalawan and William Zaballero on 26 August 2011. Other informants about the existence of such pipelines are Sergio Tan, Sr., Eric Galaring, and Loloy Tapal, all residents of Balingasag near the Luguimit-Kitagtag mini-confluence.

[59] In one of my casual talk with Lincoln Z. Valmores, he said that his father, the late Teotimo Valmores, [a prominent farmer of Luguimit Area,] told him and the rest of his brothers that the Luguimit Stream was piped in [cast iron waterpipes] into the poblacion market area sometimes in 1912. The lines were functional until the early 1960’s because the big antipolo tree near the sources fell, and it damaged the pipelines. As a boy of around 7 years old, he remembers to be fetching water directly from the damaged cast iron pipe, and they needed to cross the quicksand area or “huyong-huyong” before reaching the source nearby.

[60] Information taken from an interview with Rodolfo P. Paladias, Barangay 1, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental on 9 September 2011. 

[61] GF Vega, Historical Glimpses of Balingasag.

[62] Interview with Rito Embate, Barangay 6 on 12 September 2011. Mr. Embate is a skilled worker; in fact he had gone to KSA on one occasion. He said, the one fronting near the Acierto residence is the oldest dating back to 1952. More or less the second oldest free-flowing deep well here is some months later than the one at Acierto.  [Annotation mine.]

[63] This free-flowing deep well was constructed later after the Nabalian second unit flowing wells was operational. It may have been still constructed in 1952, said Anastacio Babiera, Jr. of Barangay 6, who was born in 1952 at said place.  [Annotation mine.]

[64]  Honorable Marcelo Valdehueza was one prominent Municipal Judge in the 1950’s to the 1960’s in Balingasag. Presumably, he was the first judge of Balingasag to assume the title as Justice of the Peace inasmuch as during the Spanish colonial times and even in the early beginnings of the American Regime, judges were called as “Juez de Paz”. [Annotation mine.]

[65] The undersigned was still in Grade School when this free-flowing well was constructed near our house. Thus, the year is known personally by me.

[66]  Information provided by Mr. Celso Ipanag of Barangay Baliwagan, through an interview on 18 September 2011. [Annotation mine].

[67]  Information provided by Mr. Miguel Lagumbay of Barangay Talusan on 18 September 2011. [Annotation mine.]

[68] Information taken from the inscription or marking of the force pump’s main concrete structure. [Annotation mine.]

[69] Information supplied by Ms. Helenita Añaviso, Barangay San Juan Health Worker, and current First Lady. Her husband is the Punong Barangay of San Juan. Interview conducted on 16 September 2011 at the Office of the Local Civil Registrar, Balingasag. [Annotation mine].

[70] He was a native of Valencia, Bohol who migrated to Balingasag in the late 1920’s. He married Ramona Valledor and  although he had not formally studied plumbing, his children believed that he knew the trade by experience, as he may have been exposed on plumbing works during his younger days while he was hopping to and fro Bohol and Cebu, looking for work. Aside from being a plumber, he knew building construction too; in fact, the ancestral house of the Mercado’s now owned by Rudy R. Mercado in Barangay 4 was constructed by him, to mention a few.  Moreover, Juan Salvane’s second son named Pablito married the daughter of Vicente Macas. So with the union of Pablito and Luzonia Macas, the Salvane-Macas kinship by affinity was strengthened by the marriage bonds of their children, although later Vicente Macas had organized his own gang of plumbers. [Information derived from an Interview with Mr. Alejo V. Salvane, Sr., youngest son of Juan Salvane, on 2 November 2011 in Lagonglong, Mis. Or.]

[71] MORESCO II had its first office at the PHIVIDEC Industrial State Office in Sta. Cruz, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. However, not much longer and still in 1978, they transferred their office in Balingasag at the ground floor of Ramon G. Valmores house in Barangay Poblacion 1. Balingasag was their administrative and operations base until 1980, since they permanently established the cooperative’s office at Medina, Misamis Oriental. [Sources: Interview with E. Galamiton of MORESCO II on August 17, 2011.]

[72]  While the lowlands were busily installing their first waterworks lines in the 20^th century, the Barangays of San Juan and Linabo started on excavating their old polyethylene lines because JICA had given them minimal but significant Grants and Aids for the rehabilitation of their Waterworks System [Kimang-ak] which they developed in the 1970’s yet. [Information supplied by Ms. Helenita Añavisa, Municipal Health Worker, Barangay San Juan during an interview conducted by the undersigned with her.]

[73] Owned by Mr. & Mrs. Ricky G. Capistrano, with business address at Barangay Poblacion 1 fronting the national highway. The company is managed by their son, Ryan A. Capistrano. [Annotation mine.]

[74] Owned by Mr. & Mrs. Richard Ociones, with business address at Barangay Poblacion 5, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. [Annotation mine.]

[75] One clear observation of former Barangay Captain of Mambayaan, Felipe Pabillore during our talk on 20 August 2011 in Baybay, Mambayaan. [Annotation mine.] 

[76] Fr. Chambo said, “Finally, Brother Costa arrived on 25 April 1893, and he immediately erected a big shed. An oven was built for baking tiles, culverts, tubes, etc., everything needed for this project.” __ See Fr. JS Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, p. 575-576.

[77] G.F. Vega, Historical Glimpses of Balingasag, an e-book.

[78] An inscription of the cemented reservoir indicated that the Luguimit cistern was constructed in 1901. Data provided by Mr. Epifanio Pabualan Recente, one of the heirs of Pabualan estate where the source of the Luguimit Stream originates. [Annotation mine.]

[79] While bottled waters undergo the strict process of filtration, and so on in order to get rid of impurities and microorganisms, still the risk is never eliminated for bottled water to be 100% free of contamination. Bisphenol A (BPA) from polycarbonate plastic containers may contaminate bottled drinking water due to direct exposure to sunlight, heat, and high temperatures, regular wear and tear of the plastic, and re-use of containers. Babies are more prone to its harmful effects than grown-ups. It says, it affects their brain development, affects immunity, and causes hyperactivity and aggression, impairs learning and affects many other development functions. [See Edginton, A and L. Ritter, 2008. Predicting Plasma Concentrations of Bisphenol A in Young Children Following Typical Feeding Schedules using a Physiologically-based Toxicokinetic Model. Environmental Health Perspective doi:10.1289/ehp.0800073. National Toxicology Program, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2008 September.)  NTP-CEHR Monograph on the Potential Human Reproductive and Developmental Effects of Bisphenol A.]

[80] The Balingasag Water District being a franchisee of the waters of the municipality by virtue of an exclusive privilege granted by the Local Legislature to develop sources of waters and provide sufficient resource for the domestic use of the community. Consequently, individual or group of individuals are barred from erecting or constructing free-flowing deep wells, shallows wells, and so on, without the express will or consent from the Water District. Likewise, individual or group of individuals not juridical created by law to form and recognized  as such as a legitimate business or company are restricted to operate or distribute waters, as they would go in contrary to the charter for which the Balingasag Water District has been created for. The Municipal Mayor exercises administrative supervision and control over the Water District, and has the power to appoint Board of Directors to the latter office representing Local Government and of course, its subscribers in general.  [Annotation mine.]

[81] As told by Mr. Alex Patalinghug during our casual talk in one Saturday morning in August 2011, while we were on our way to Barangay Lingangao. 

  

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