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.
