Alimodian Barangay - Cabacanan Proper

Cabacanan Proper 

Feast Day: Second Saturday of April

Patron Saint: St. Vincent Ferrer

               Barrio Cabacanan was established in the 1960s by the people of Alimodian and Leon who are looking for farmlands. Long time ago, Barangay Dao, Umingan, Manasa, Lico, Cabacanan Rizal and Tabugukon were formerly part of Barangay Cabacanan Proper. They are called "seven cities"  as they are popularly called today. 

               The name Cabacanan came from the word Kabakahan or place with many cattle. There is a story of the elder people of this place that once during the Spanish occupation, there was a Spanish soldier who was asking the people who one by one were riding their cows the name of the place. Due to the difficulty of understanding and knowing the Spanish language, a man told him that there are lots of "kabakahan" (cattle) in this place. Since then, the barrio was called Cabacanan, with the spelling using the letter "C" since the Spanish language doesn't use the letter "K."

                Barangay Captain Norberto Calambro initiated the beautification of the barangay hall.   

Alimodian Barangay - Buhay

Buhay

Feast Day: August 16

                   Last Saturday of March (Sitio Lanag)

                  May 10 (Sitio Talab-an)

Patron Saint: St. Roch

                      St. Joseph (Sitio Lanag)

                      Virgin Mary (Sitio Talab-an) 

               The word "buhay" means long time ago or for a long period. According to the elderly residents, it was in this place that the Spaniards stayed for a long time because it is the gateway of Alimodian of people coming from Oton and San Miguel going to the town proper thus the name Buhay. It was believed according to the documents written during the Spanish period that this barrio was established in 1753. The sitios covered by the barrio were Baclayan, Bancal, Catugban, Lanag and Bliawat. There was a Spanish fortress built in Sitio Baclayan.

                During the American period, the provincial road was completed and the people started to build their homes at the roadside.

                Farming is the primary source of livelihood of the people in this barangay. During the Spanish period, the people were asked to plant sugarcane and Muscovado sugar mill was built by Jose Jemora and David Anas in Balud and Telesforo Alminaza in Sitio Lanag. During World War II, the Japanese asked the people to plant cotton to be sold in the town of San Miguel. 

                For a long time, Barangay Bancal and Buhay celebrate their fiesta together every August 16 in a church in Baclayan situated in between the two barangays. Both also have the same patron saint, St. Roch. 

                Through the efforts of Barangay Captain Pedro Tabangcura, Barangay Buhay celebrated their fiesta starting on August 16, 1983 in a separate church. Because the barangay has yet to build their own church, the first mass was held in the Barangay Multi-purpose Stage which was officiated by Father Justiniano Hingco, the town's parish priest. The next year the barangay constructed a chapel in the lot of Feliciano Caluste. The barangay first fiesta queen was Concepcion Alminaza. 

                Today, there are two sitios in Barangay Buhay that celebrates their own fiesta. Sitio Lanag started their own fiesta on March 27, 2008 in honor of St. Joseph. Father Edgar Palmos, the town's parish priest officiated the first mass in the sitio.  Every year  the sitio celebrates their fiesta every last Saturday of March. 

                 Sitio Talab-an celebrates their fiesta as a whole gathering of the residents feasting on their food in honor of Our Beloved Virgin Mary every May 10 since after the war in 1945. This gathering was already a common occasion to celebrate simultaneously with mass for the Flores de Mayo or May flower in honor of the Virgin Mary as well.      

Alimodian Barangay - Bulod

Bulod 

Feast Day: 2nd Saturday of February

Patron Saint: Our Lady of Miraculous Medal

               Barangay Bulod was formerly a sitio of Barangay Ban-ag but due to the rapid population growth, it became an independent barangay in 1968. The first barangay captain was Jesus Ami. The name Bulod came from a kind of tree, Bubog above a hilly part of the barangay which is visible from afar. Due to the wrong pronunciation of some, the name became Bulod. 

                Our Lady of Miraculous Medal was chosen as the patron saint and her feast is celebrated every second Saturday of February. The first fiesta was celebrated in 1973 during the incumbency of Barangay Captain Jesus Ami.The first priest to held mass in the barangay was Father Ismael Castaño. The first fiesta queen of the barangay was Jocelyn Berondo in 1989. 

                The means of livelihood of the people here is farming where they produce rice grains, maize, coconut, bananas and vegetables. In 135 households, 122 of them are Roman Catholics and 13 are of other religious affiliation. 

                 Long time ago, the barangay is well remembered due to a huge tree that stands above the hill which was called "payong payong" most especially by the people of the town proper. Now when you climb and reach the peak of that hill, you can see the whole town proper and the Aganan River below.    

Alimodian Barangay - Bugang

Bugang

Feast Day: December 27

Patron Saint: Little Child Jesus

               According to the stories of the elderly, there was a tribe or group of residents a long time ago that live a good life in a place where the land is fertile and there is plenty of water. They were happy in this place because of good harvests and they have a peaceful living. However a long drought came and the plants withered and animals died. The leaders and officials assemble and decided to look for a good place to transfer. 

                The men went until they reach the wilderness at the base of a high and steep mountain. They rested so they can spent the night in the forest. They look for water to prepare their food. One of their member reach a far part of the wild towards the mountain.  He was puzzled when he heard a rippling  sound of a flowing water. He called his group and they were all amused about the spring that they found. The grass surrounding the spring was known to them as "Bugang." They transfer  and establish their tribe near the spring and they call their place "Bugang." Until now there are plenty of grass of this kind surrounding the barangay. 

               The first fiesta of the barangay was held on December 27, 1983 under the leadership of Barangay Captain Aurelia Cantomayor in honor of their patron saint, Little Child Jesus. On April 15, 2006 the barangay celebrated the feast of St. Vincent Ferrer with Father Renante Salabe officiating the mass.However on the succeeding years until now the residents returned to their original feast day of December 27 in honor of their patron saint, Little Child Jesus.      

Alimodian Barangay - Binalud

Binalud

Feast Day: 3rd Saturday of January

Patron Saint: Little Child Jesus 

               It was believed that the name of the place comes from the root word "balud" or flood in English. Due to its close proximity to the Aganan River if the place was under flood, the place is floating in the flood (balud) that is why the barangay is called Binalud. 

               According to a native of the barangay, their patron saint was mysteriously chosen. There was a woman who was deeply sad for there was no saint and no fiesta is being celebrated  in their barangay. One day while she was harvesting their corn crop yield she heard a voice saying: "The barangay patron saint will be the Little Child Jesus."

               The woman was so amused and in prayers she said: "Yes my Lord, be with me as I persevere."

               The woman went to the newly appointed captain and then agreed that by the next year, 1985, the barangay will hold and celebrate a fiesta in honor of their patron saint, Little Child Jesus.  

               The barangay is just two kilometers from the town proper. Since the barangay is a way towards the town proper from the city, the barangay is a huge place for settlement and farm. 

               The barangay celebrated their first fiesta in 1985 with parish priest, Father Ismael Castaño officiating the first mass in the barangay. The captain during that year was Rodolfo Almendros.  

               

Alimodian Barangay - Baong

Baong

Feast Day: 4th Saturday of October

Patron Saint: Guardian Angel  

Alimodian Barangay - Ban-ag

Ban-ag

Feast Day: 2nd Saturday of January 

                  December 26 (Sitio Pandan)

Patron Saint: Little Child Jesus

                     Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (Sitio Pandan)

               In 1918, the place has full of timber and large wood and lots of fresh, pure, clean and cool water that flows from the spring of a brook in the place. That is why the place is a favorite place of different kinds of animals where different kinds of plants also thrive. According to some elderly residents, the name Ban-ag came from a kind of shellfish called "banag" which are abundant in the brooks, canals, tributaries and springs during those early days. However, according to some other people, the name of the place came from a native wood called "Tan-ag" which are abundant also in the place in those days. There was an increase in settlement and people started to buy and work on their farmlands in 1920s. 

               The first Teniente del Barrio of Ban-ag was Santiago Alsaga  in 1930. During the Japanese period and then the Huk rebel group came to the place, the people evacuated away from Ban-ag but returned in the 1950s.  The first Catholic church constructed in this barangay was built during the incumbency of Teniente Arcadio Sacatin (1954-1958).  The patron saint that was chosen by the people was the Little Child Jesus. The first leader who was called Barangay Captain was Magdalena Allosa in 1965. This is also the same year where the first fiesta queen was chosen who happens to be Estela Velarde which was followed by Quirica Amargo and Lorna Mameloco the following succeeding years. 

                There are two sitios in Ban-ag: Oyan oyan and Pandan which was formerly called Agak. Sitio Pandan celebrates their fiesta every December 26 in honor of their patron saint, Our Lady of Immaculate Conception.