Alimodian Barangay - Balabago

Balabago

Feast Day: December 9

Patron Saint: Our Lady of Immaculate Conception 

                According to hearsays, the place was formerly called Fernando Street of the town. In historical translation, the word Balabago means "ancient ritual grounds." 

                There is a legend about the origin of the name of the place titled "Love Triangle." Once upon a time, there was a lovely beautiful lady who is being courted by two handsome and brave men. The lady has no choice between the two but upon the persistence of the guy who courts her, she told the other guy that she is already committed to that man. To avoid bigger conflict, the two lovers decided to just flee the place. Unfortunately, the forsaken and abandoned man learned of their plan and gets in their way (balabagan) which caused to have a fierce battle between two men. Since both men are equally brave, strong, alert and fierce, no one won or lose in the battle. Due to their greed in love, a crime of passion was committed. They cut in half the body of the lady and bring it home. The rumor spread that the two men ate the body of the lady which was cut in half just like the cannibals or witch. Since then, the place was infamous for having witches that has a long pole blocking (balabag or naga balabag) the road at night which tarnish and gives a bad reputation of the place.  

                During World War II, at the time of the Philippine surrender to the Japanese, the guerillas in Iloilo under Colonel Macario Peralta Jr., ambushed the high ranking officials of the Japanese imperial army and were killed together with their soldiers in this place. The infamous encounter which is written and is a significant part of  Western Visayas history took place on May 7, 1942.  

                The first fiesta of the barangay was held on December 9, 2008 with Father Edgar Palmos officiating the first mass in the barangay. The barangay decided  to move the fiesta on the ninth of December  because December 8 is celebrated as the feast of Immaculate Conception and is official religious holiday in the Catholic Church. 

Alimodian Barangay - Baguingin - Lanot

Baguingin-Lanot 

Feast Day: February 3

Patron Saint: Saint Blaise 

               This place is a woodland with lots of huge timber. The name of the place, according to the elderly residents of the barangay was coined from two words. Baguingin, came from the word "nagalingin" or head ache. There is a creek in this place that came from nowhere or no pathway and it gives the people a head ache thinking of this. Lanot, came from the word "hanot hanot" that refers to struggles or perseverance. Due to the high elevation of the way going to this place, people have a hard time or struggling to reach this place or to cross the creek especially when they are carrying lots of objects.

                During the 1920s, the bridge of the barangay going to the town of Leon was constructed and the state of living of the people has improved. They were taught on how to plant sugarcane and a sugar mill was created in the barangay (the brown unrefined sugar with molasses flavor is called Muscovado Central). There is no road yet connecting the barangay to the town proper of Alimodian so the people under the leadership of Rafael Sta. Cruz built a chapel honoring their patron saint, Saint Blaise. The barangay fiesta is held every February 3. 
                 During the war, the residents evacuated from the barangay due to the cruelty of the Japanese. In February 1943, the Philippine soldiers attacked the Japanese and many were killed. In revenge, the Japanese killed several civilians in some barangays and some were brought to the city to be punished and imprisoned. Barangay Baguingin-Lanot became the dump site of dead civilians who were killed and massacred by the Japanese. 
                 The barangay connects the town  of Alimodian to the town of Leon (through Barangay Agboy) by a provincial road.

Alimodian Barangay - Bagumbayan Ilajas

                                       Bagumbayan-Ilajas

Feast Day: December 30

Patron Saint: Our Lady of Immaculate Conception

               In the early days, the place was a woodland which was inhabited by wild animals, thus it was called Sitio Ilahas of Poblacion or town proper of Alimodian with Ilahas means "wild". The sitio is frequently flooded due to its proximity to the river and the residents were also devastated by earthquakes so the people decided to transfer. In 1944, after a strong and widespread flooding some of the residents transferred to a higher place they called Bagong Bayan (new town). On the virtue of Presidential Decree 558, the two place became one and called "Bagumbayan-Ilahas."

                Before it became a barrio o barangay, the place was headed by Agustin Aligarbes. When there was a gradual increase in residents during the 1950s, the first Teniente del Barrio was Emilio Ambata. During the term of Teniente Sergio Aguirre (1960 - 1965) a chapel was built. During the incumbency of Barangay Captain Encarnacion Anas, a bigger chapel was built. Electricity reached the barangay during the incumbency of Captain Eustaquio Arellano. 

                  

Alimodian Barangay - Bagsakan

                                               Bagsakan

Feast Day: 2nd Saturday of January

Patron Saint: Little Child Jesus (main)

                      Our Lady of Salvation (lower Bagsakan)

          In 1940, Bagsakan is only a community or part of Barangay Tarug. Maximo Amelio and Alejandro Andea were the leaders of the sitio. It is in this place that pamaitan or place where the rituals of a witch doctor is prominently held or is widely practiced. During the war, the Japanese prohibited the people to go to this place and anyone caught violating it, they shoot them right away or capture them and punish them by pulling their teeth. 

          During the Japanese period, the place became the arsenal of the Japanese artillery and weapons. This is the drop off point of Japanese weapons. Thus, the name of the barangay Bagsakan "drop off point" came from.

          After the war, the rebel group Huk  occupied the place.  Trinidad Amelio bravely fought the Huks. The Huk entered and ransacked their house, lit a match and forcibly put it in her mouth however Trinidad shove aside the fire but still it set ablaze their house burning it down together with all their belongings.

           In 1970, another woman lead the sitio and successfully separates the sitio from Barangay Tarug and became an independent barangay. Teresita "Tayoy" Amelio became the first  Teniente del Barrio and her family also produced the first barangay college graduate from Bagsakan. 

            In 1978, Bagsakan barangay captain Teodoro Andeo was killed by the communist rebel group NPA (New People's Army). Rogelio Ternal was elected barangay captain in 1980 and facilitated the barangay's first fiesta under the warm and unwavering support of their patron saints, Little Child Jesus and the sitio or community of Bagsakan Ubos patron saint, Our Lady of Salvation.

 

Alimodian Barangay - Atabay

Atabay

Feast Day: April 5

Patron Saint: St. Vincent Ferrer

          During the 1900s, the family of a certain Bandelario and his two children, Solomon and Servando Andutan  who came from town proper created their own farm in this place through slash and burn agriculture because they don't have their own carabao or cattle of their own in those days. Some years later, there is an increase in number of settlement in the area so they elected their first Teniente del Barrio who happened to be Tomas Borja Andutan in 1912. Under his leadership, the barrio site was transferred in the middle of Alimodian and the town of Maasin in 1930. According to the old natives of the barangay, the barangay was formerly called "Baradlon"  and once only a sitio or a community of Barangay Cagay.

          The present name of the place came from the word "Tabay-tabay," a giant wood which is a meter in length and has a hole in the middle which the water flows. The water came from the overflowing spring which continues to flow. Until now, this is still the source of water of the residents from this barangay. 

          The barangay fiesta is being celebrated every April 5 in honor of St. Vincent Ferrer. The first fiesta took place during the incumbency of Captain Leocadio Andutan which Monsignor Carlos Crucero held the first mass in the barangay. The first fiesta queen of the barangay was Corazon Andutan. The barangay chapel was built in 1958.

Alimodian Barangay - Agsing

 Agsing

Feast Day: November 22

Patron Saint: Saint Cecilia

            According to the old native residents of this village, the barangay was established in 1942 under the leadership of Jose Ambong and Perfecto Tubale and their families, Angulo and Almarines family. The name of the place comes from a native bird called Tagsing which is bountiful in the area in those days. This bird has a sharp loud sound which can be heard from a distance.

          During World War II, the Japanese soldiers attacked the barangay. After the war in 1945, the barangay is slowly being established again. The captain or teniente del barrio and its officials purchased lands to make as a barrio site where people can build their homes and to build a small chapel. The image of Saint Cecilia was bought also by the officials of the barangay and since then, its fiesta is held every November 22.

          Under the leadership of Teniente del Barrio Perfecto Tubale, additional parcel of lands allocated as a barrio site was purchased on December 27, 1960 with the price of  P 150 pesos. Simon Tubale became the teniente del barrio or captain starting in 1969 until 1985 and under his leadership, a concrete chapel was permanently laid. Priscilla Ambong was elected as the barangay captain in 1986.

Municipality of Alimodian map

The map of the Municipality of Alimodian