The environment and Mindanao’s future

By: Cielito F. Habito

Nowhere in the country has the economy-environment tradeoff been more evident than in Mindanao, whose natural wealth has been exploited over many decades for the benefit of a relative few, and at great cost to future generations. As an economy that has derived its growth primarily from resource extractive activities, Mindanao must build a sustainable future based on much more prudent management and stewardship of its inherent wealth than in the past. Mindanao 2020, the new 20-year blueprint for the island region formulated collectively by Mindanaoans over the last two years, is based on this key premise. What does this imply for the different production activities that will propel the Mindanao economy in the next 20 years?

Agriculture and agriculture-based industries will continue to be the most prominent driver of the Mindanao economy well into the future. But the right balance between large plantation agriculture and smallholder farming needs to be sought, to both widen benefits and sustain the environment. Apart from bananas, pineapple, oil palm and other plantation crops now dominating Mindanao’s exports, there must be stronger efforts to tap the potentials of non-traditional high value crops thriving in Mindanao, such as mangosteen, marang, lanzones, rambutan, pomelo, durian, and many more. These crops lend themselves to farming models based on sustainable smallholder systems, inasmuch as the existing structure in these crops are already primarily of this nature. Due to their highly perishable nature, expanding the markets for these crops will entail greater value-adding through processing, thereby presenting opportunities for further agri-based industries.

Organic farming and halal food production will expand within Mindanao’s farm sector, given its natural suitability for these specialty niche segments of the market. As these are inherently associated with sustainable production practices, their expansion will also be in keeping with the imperative of planning Mindanao’s future around an increasingly fragile environment.

The forestry industry can no longer rely on logging of old growth forests, which are close to depletion in Mindanao. Forest products must henceforth be derived from sustainable forestry based on well-managed commercial tree farming. Massive reforestation is called for in the face of large-scale deforestation over the past decades, now being manifested in serious environmental disasters such as landslides, devastating floods, and depleting groundwater resources.

Coastal and marine fisheries will have to be pursued in more carefully measured steps, to avoid the further depletion of fishery resources that has already impacted on the lives of millions of Mindanaoans. Mariculture will figure more prominently in Mindanao’s fisheries sector, particularly as efforts to rejuvenate marine fisheries resources through fishing moratoriums on key fishing grounds will reduce production from that source in the short to medium term.

Mining is in Mindanao to stay, and there is no room for extreme positions on this. A number of large mining projects are just starting or are in the pipeline, and it is widely agreed that the key imperative is to ensure responsible mining operations, whether by large, medium or small firms. The immediate need is to clearly define and get wide agreement on what it really means to do “responsible mining.” Apart from environmental sustainability, achieving broader benefits from the industry than is currently obtained needs to be addressed with appropriate policy and program interventions. Part of this is the need to ensure greater domestic value-adding in the industry, by encouraging more processing of mineral and metal products within the country and minimizing if not avoiding the direct export of raw mineral ores.

The prospects for industry and manufacturing will be severely constrained by energy availability and cost through the medium term. Large hydroelectric dams and power plants are now faced with greater risks to efficiency and profitability due to siltation of waterways and loss of surface water. In light of this, there must be a conscious move towards small hydroelectric plants and other renewable energy facilities (solar, wind, biomass), along with work to reforest and restore Mindanao’s watersheds.

Tourism development, particularly ecotourism, can be a “win-win” for the economy and environment, and must be pursued vigorously through policy reform and public investments. Much has been done in preparing the groundwork for this under a tourism cluster approach; what is needed is to reach Mindanao-wide consensus on the prioritization of tourism development initiatives, as well as in packaging tourism attractions.

Finally, peace and security are likely to be compromised anew within the next 20 years if various natural resource and environment pressures are not properly managed and allowed to lead to new tensions and conflicts. These pressures include tightening water supplies; competing claims over agricultural and mineral lands; depleting fisheries; and air, soil and water degradation due to pollution from mining and industrial activities. This makes it even more critical that ecosystems are planned and managed in a way that will prevent such pressures from even arising. Fostering common stewardship of the shared natural resourcebase across social, economic, cultural and political lines would help avert or minimize the likelihood that such tensions will arise and escalate into violent conflict in the future. Indeed, the very future of Mindanao rests on the future of its environment.

note: The admin of this site asked permission from the author before it was reposted

Kun sa NBA jaoy Celtics vs. Lakers, sa PBA jaoy Toyota vs. Crispa, sa UAAP jaoy Ateneo vs. La Salle, sa ato lungsod sa Cantilan jaoy sab Linintian vs. Magosilom. Mutuo na ak gajod na an  mga Pilipino regionalistic, kun jaoy pa term na “Barangaylistic” pwede gajod mu-apply sa mga Cantilangnon.

Magduwa na gan nan basketball an Linintian sanan Magosilom puno na dajon an Cantilan gym. Amo ra nan finals permi an duwa maskin lajo pa an finals. An iban intawon na team, kun sila na an magduwa gamay dakan gajod manan-aw.

Nan high school pa ako dayhon gihapon an storya sa classroom. Maglalis kay si kwan limbungan, si kwan naniko, si kwan bayot, na! maskin mu-abot sa Buyan an storya di gihapon magdaog kay wayay mag papildi.  Hibayo na man kamo nan ugali nan mga Cantilangnon. Si Maam Dading sanan si Maam Tabudlong, mga high school teacher ko, mu-intra sab nan istorya. Si Maam Dads adto dapit sa Magosilom, si Maam Tabs sa Linintian mudapit.

Harooy, di gajod gihapon magdaog.

Na di ra kun sa basketball. Kun pista, amo gihapon, pagana-gana nan mga bandiritas sanan mga booth, pagwapa-gwapa nan mga senior citizens na usahay daba punto na kabaga an mga make-up dakan kunu mudyaga tan-awon.

Kun pasko, amo gihapon, pasanag-sanag nan mga lanterns kada bayay, kuyang dakan pun-on nan Christmas lights an mga bayay bahala dako an bayranan sa kuryente. Bagan Linintian man an permi mudaog nan jaon? (hehe sorry im being bias, aga Linintian ako, ok da kun jaoy mo react na taga-Magosilom)

Bitaw, ok da jaon, jaon gihap an spirit nan sportmanship, part na ini nan kultura nan Cantilan. Maskin haon putda an Cantilangnon daya-daya gajod an ato mga kina-ija. At the end of the day, lipay-lipay da gihapon ta.

Mahinumdum gajod ako sa una, gamay pa ako, masin duwa ako nan pusil-pusil iban an mga kabatan-onan sa una sa Barangay Linintian, Cantilan. Mabibo gajod karajaw. Nahinumdum ako na an kontra nam permi mga taga Embarkadero sanan mga taga Magosilom. Mag lanat-lanat, mag-tiruhay, mag-pinukpokay nan puyo nan pusil-pusil. Kun mapuk-pok kaw, aw na manhubag gajod an uyo, man-labag an likod, pero yay gihap labot basta makabayos puk-pok sanan sipa sa kontra payts na.

An amo leader-leader kunu jadto na mga panahon si Taay an ngayan, taga Linintian da gihapon. Jaoy sab amo mga strategy jadto, waya waya pa lagi, amo da kunu mga sundalo, sundalo nan Linintian, Linintian brigade.

Strategy 1.

Duha ka linya na straight, dungan atakehon an mga taga-Embarkadero, an una na linya mu-atake hampan musunod an ikaduha na linya pag-atake, hampan an una na sab mubunot na dajon nan puyo pinuk-pukay na dajon.

Strategy 2.

Mu-atake, hampan pan-snatchon da an “pusil-pusil” nan kontra.

Strategy 3.

Kun dabo an kontra, mangihi, putson an ihi nan plastic selopin, hampan amoy ipan-labak sa kontra. (This is 2nd most effective strategy nan jadto na mga panahon)

Strategy 4.

Dynamita. Malibang or manhanap nan basa pa na tae nan ido, putson nan newspaper sanan plastic, ilabak sa kontra, BOMBS AWAY! Aw na mag-sibyagan lagi dajon sila. (#1 most effective strategy hehehe)

Ay-ay kabibo lam gajod adto na mga panahon, kun an kalaban an mugamit nan strategy 3 sanan 4, aw ok da gihapon, diretso sayom sa suba sa Linintian (Limpyo pa bagan adto na mga panahon).

Nahurot gajod an mga kawahan jadto na panahon sa Baybay, Consuelo, sanan sa Tambis, kay tanhimo nan pusil-pusil. Dabo sab nakakwarta kay an iban na mga kabatan-onan magpahimo dakan sab. Nahimo sab matod sija gamy na negosyo. Tag 10 pesos kun magpahimo kaw imo na an mga lastiko sanan chinese garter na gamiton. An di silencer 20 magpahimo. An mamaligja-ay nan lastiko hurot-hurot sa an ila mga baligja.

Ay-ay kabibo lam gajod. Marajaw gani naka-experience pa ako jaon sa Cantilan. Lahi na man gud an uso kuman, DOTA ALL-STARS naman sa computer. Puno na bitaw nan computer shops sa Cantilan kuman kay kusog an demand. Kun an mga TFC na naka-apil pa nan ini, kun manguli kamo sa ato lungsod, tya dijo, magduwa ta pusil-pusil, hampan mag-pinuku-ay tae!hehe

Bitaw, magkalipay gajod ako kun jaoy ako hikit-an na magduwa pa nan pusil-pusil sa ato lungsod, kun waya na man, kay pas-pas man gajod an panahon, lahi lahi na man uso kuman, maskin mahibay-an lam nan mga kabatan-onan kuman o sa mga musunod pa na mga panahon sa Cantilan na jaoy baja pusil-pusil na kalingawan nan waya pa an mga computer.

Kagana lam kun madajon adto nabasahan ko sa thread sa Barangay FB about sa “museum” ba adto?

Note: Sa waya kahibayo kun unoy pusil-pusil, made of kawajan jaon. An bala binasa na papel, mostly newspaper kay mas hapdos kuno mu-igo sa panit. An iban mugamit sab nan kapaja, balahon.

Cantilan Surigao del Sur Tarsier

Our little friend battles illegal mining

by: Yasser Eli Almeda

CANTILAN, PROVINCE OF SURIGAO DEL SUR, PHILIPPINES (22/Sept) –Following the discovery of tarsiers (Tarsius syrichta) in the mountains of Cantilan, the people rejoiced as they can now add a natural icon to promote for the eco-tourism programs of the town.

However, the Philippine Tarsier found in Cantilan is facing destruction because of the continued illegal logging and mining operation of Marcventures Mining Development Corporation (MMDC).

MMDC is directly mining the proclaimed critical watershed area under Presidential Proclamation No. 1747 dated March 23, 2009 by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Yet, the company still continue to operate regardless of the subsisting 7-month Temporary Environmental Restraining Order (TEPO) issued by the Regional Trial Court dated May 26, 2011 and released on June 7, 2011.

Mount Hilong-hilong, the area in which the mining company operates, has been declared as Protected Area for Endangered Wildlife by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). According to the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), biologically rich areas in the country are still vulnerable to extractive activities like mining.

The mountains of Surigao and Agusan provinces are proclaimed to be “key biodiversity area” and are home to endangered flora and fauna.

Photo courtesy by: Frank

Sources:

Kantilang.i.ph

Save Cantilan

Noches sa ijo tanan.

Sugdan ko sa ini na thread an pagpost nan mga balak Kinantilangnon. Jaon na balak sa ubos sinuyat (taghubad/translate) ko sa Cantilangnon tuyo ka tuig na an minagi. Tininguha na mga Butang (Desiderata) ni Max Ehrmann an taytol. Kon jaoy ijo lain pa na mga Kinantilangnon na balak, pakipost rakan dire. salamat. ^^
——-

Tininguha na mga Butang (Desiderata)
ni Max Ehrmann

Padajon sa panaw bisan pa sa kasaba sanan kapaspas sa panahon
sanan hinumdomi uno an kalinaw didon sa kahilom.

Kutob sa mahimo ajaw pagtalaw
Magmabinatiun kaw sa tanan tawo.
Isulti an imo mga kamatuodan sa hilom sanan sa katin-aw,
sanan panalinga sa iban,
kay misan an ngangoy sanan an ignorante,
sila sab, jaoy mga kaugalingon na istorya.
Likaje an mga borara sanan mga mapahitas-on na tawo,
kay sila makasamad sa kayag.

Kon ipareho mo an kaugalingon sa iban,
ma yay puyos ra kaw sanan masakitan;
kay sa tanan higajon jaoy labaw sanan ubos pa sa imo.
Pahemosli an imo mga kalambuan sanan mga plano.
Tutoki an kaugalingong mga tinguha, pero magpaubos.
isa ini ka tinuod na bahandi sa baylo-baylo na jagan sa panahon.

Paghinay-hinay didon sa mga kalihokan;
kay an kalibutan puno sa mga panlimbong.
Pero dili unta makapabuta sa imo an uno man galing na pagkalegdong jaon kaw;
dabo na tawo an naninguha sa taas na kahibayo;
sanan sa misan hain, an kinabuhi puno sa pagpakabayani.
Magmatinud-anon sa kaugalingon.
Hilabina, ajaw pagsalig sa pagbati,
Samot na sa pagkasuspetsoso sa gugma;
kay atubangan sa tanan mga kaaya sanan mawaya an gana,
tuig-tuig ini pareha sa sagbot.

Kuhaa sa kamapaubsanon an tambag sa mga tuig,
Nan hinay-hinaji pagbija an mga butang sa kabatan-on.
Pasuliga an kalig-un sa espiritu kay ini an sagang sa kalit na demalas.
Pero ajaw lisda an imo kaugalingon sa dugyom na mga palandungon.
Dabo kahadlok an natawo sa kahawoy sanan pag-isa-isa.

Likod sa makarajaw na disiplina,
magmatinud-anon kaw sa kaugalingon.
Anak kaw sa kaliyongan,
Na pareha ra sa kakahujan sanan sa kabituonan;
jaoy imo katungod na uno ini kaw.
Klaro man o dili sa imo,
wayay pagduda na an kaliyongan naningkamot gajud pag-abre sa imo.

Ugsa pagmalinawon iban sa Dyos,
misan uno pay imo pagsabot sa Ija,
sanan uno may galing imo mga trinabahuan sanan tinguha,
sa alingasa sanan makalilibog na kinabuhi, pagmalinawon sa imo kayag.

Misan pa sa tanan mga bakak, pangilad sanan nabuak na mga damgo,
maganing pagihapon na kalibutan.
Pagdaya nan pahiyom.
Paningkamot na magmalipajon.

Reposted from Cantilan FB Group

Posted by: Jason Sigfred S. Seril

Reposted from Cantilan FB Group

Posted by: Dino Robert

Vicente Buniel Paqueo – Born on April 5, 1947 in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur. His parents Juan and Caridad Buniel Paqueo of Claver, Surigao del Norte and Cantilan , respectively. He finished cum laude A.B. Economics in University of the Philippines in1969 and earned his Ph.D in 1977. In 1983, he was awarded by the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines (for human resource economics research) as one of the Outstanding Young Scientist. He worked for 12 years as a professor for the UP School of Economics before joining the World Bank in 1985 as an analyst. source:www.unitedsuriguenos.com

Cantilan’s Name-Calling Culture

By Euly V. Eleazar
Bandillo The CCMCL-USA Newsletter

EVERYONE knows that a.k.a. stands for the phrase “also known as.” It’s another way of saying “otherwise,” derived from the Latin “alias.”

Writers and artists have their professional aliases called pseudonyms or pennames. Actors use stage or movie names, too. In the crime world, aliases are used to waylay or deceive nosey law agents World Scope Encyclopedia, 1969 and the Oxford Word finder Dictionary and Thesaurus, 1996).

The usage of an alias is normally acceptable if the user himself designates it. But other than self-choice, it becomes name-calling (ngayan-ngayan), which is abusive.

Cantilan excels in name-calling for fun, which the public enjoys. Those given aliases, sans their personal consent become the silently resentful souls of the town upon knowing of their appellation. In the CarCanMadCarLan area alone, many persons are victims of unglamorous names appended to them. Some are more known of their alias rather than of their Christian or surnames. This abusive name-calling cultural practice is centuries old and universal in the region.

Historical and cultural researchers won’t be surprised to find out how name-calling originated in the area. The dense ethnic composition of the once huge Caraga Province (from the present Davao Oriental to the Misamises) that was recorded as Surigao Province on the last decades of the 19th century Spanish period is a rich resource of name-calling. The dominant Manobo, Mandaja (or Mandaya) and Mamanwa tribes then practiced the culture of naming their newborn after places or things of their fancy. The later generations, mostly of migrant Visayan stock made it a pastime of calling some persons other names than their own.

To start, Mantika (pork lard) was the appellation given to the father of Mania and Medardo (as of 1982, no one knows of their whereabouts). They were neighbors of Kutsara (spoon); Ekog (tail), baptized as Ambrosio Cubillan, father of Rolando; Tambuli (Pacific triton), known as Serapio Crabajales; Bager (slang for mischievous) was Bernardo Arreza, father of former town councilor Titoy; and Pating (shark) was Zosimo Uriarte.

Then there was Katsila (Spaniard), father of Pare Godo Urbiztondo. Berenghinas (eggplant) was the father of Tiyong Crabajales. Bagis (naughty) was a Millan in Baybay I (San Pedro). Buyagat (big eyed) was Genero (Alo) Arreza. His son Dativo was called attorney being extra-argumentative. Mandunggo (anatomically one of the stomachs of a cow) was father of Didi and Mesot Puerto. Karas (harrow or rake) was the father of the late mayor Diego Millan. Utsohan (a preserving jar that contains eight glasses of tuba or coconut sap) lived in Consuelo.

Upatan (a measure of palay containing 4 gantas) was another Consuelo man. Pala (spade) was the father of the late Samuel Azarcon. Baong (polished coconut shell used as a drinking vessel) was Antonino Guazon. Sako (sack) was a name given to Antonino Arreza. His neighbor, Senon Plaza was Parot (for parrot). Living close by them was Tap-ong (waste mound) known as Fortunato Mirabales. In Madrid Bulingot was Vicente Mollaneda.

Ang-ang (ladder rung) was Simeon Arreza, father of Ontong now a Madrid resident. Bugisak (young mullet or biyanak) was a paternal relative of Rolando Julve. Basilan (Basilan Island) was Paquito Roy’s father. Another son, Nonito was called Basi. Paquito himself was called Sargin by his father-in-law, Conos, but got the high ranking title Colonel when yours truly gave him a “rapid promotion” during Martial Law. Thus, the out-of-towners military men deployed in Cantilan addressed him, Sir.

Burot (bloated) was Kesyo and Cardo Guillen’s father. Vice Gov. Jose Arreza was called Wayahan (for his left handed slap of unruly persons). Batuhan (basket made of pandanus leaves used to store newly harvested palay) was the father of Rafael Lozaldo of Consuelo. Celestino Cuartero, father of Pare Candong was named Espelman being tall like the Texan Robert Spielman, who came to Cantilan then as a guerilla commander during World War II. Parotpot (tiny fish caught in fine-meshed baling) was the name given to Teofilo Pingol, father of Marianita P. Urquia and Leoncia P. Catre, and stepfather of Benjamin U. Guimary, husband of Portia Nena Arreza.

The father of Procopio Olvida was named Angsohan, a tiny species of shrimp (not shrimp fry as misconceived). Palalay, an indiscriminate womanizer was the grandfather of the late Anatalio, and Orcesio Lozaldo, and by some reportedly “unclaimed” descendants from Cantilan up to Consolacion and Siargao islands in Surigao del Norte. Bigas, Tagalog for bugas of polished rice was a monicker given to Vicente Cuballes.

Kabang (with spot like skin pigmentations) was Montano A. Ortiz I, Colero (a corruption of the word cholera) was given to Pedro A. Coleto who was considered by some as choleric and sweeping when angered. Karkab of Magasang have no connotation or equivalent in Cantilan terminologies.

Pagod (charred object or charcoal), also of Magasang was so called due to his very dark skin. Another person named for the color of his skin was Mr. Santos, an Ilocano teacher. He was called Black Santos. Later on, Santos Azarcon got the same name – Black Santos. Karagan (garruluous and somewhat clumsy) was the name of Catalino, father of former town councilor Tinong Urquia. Pasilit became the name of Tapi Barrangay Captain Crispin Sual, who can hardly pronounce the word “facilitate” without pausing on “facility”.

Baga (lung), grandfather of Virginia Sering Segar-Lugo was the great grandfather of Mare Malou Lugo Herrera. Hapuyas (fondler) was the father of the late Procopio “Reddy” Almeda, grandfather of Yolanda Almeda Millan who is the wife of Rizalino or “Isang”. Isang’s father Manuel “Awing” Millan was also called Dinagit, meaning, snatched by a hawk and dropped. Gara (short of gara-gara or show-off) was given to Gaudencio Cuartero. Ciento-trayenta was a Guimary married to Bernardita Orneta of Magasang. Sometimes he was also called Davao-Oregon, his favorite places to recall. Pompio Cuballes was called Lagtab for supposedly being physically forceful in entering the houses of helpless widows at night by using his bolo as the weapon of doorway destruction.

Some stories behind the name-calling culture in Cantilan are very apparent with no further explanation. Others have tales too long to write down and unmentionables like bata pa (still a baby), camisola (chemise), trombone slide, etc. (all of them meaning uncircumcised).

One of my “respondents” in Cantilan who happily accepted the jokes of name-calling was Father Herman Maalman, MSC. At a drinking bout of “Kulafu” at a store near the old public market that was flattened by a fire of suspicious origin, he said he respected Cantilan culture and won’t impose his European manners. The 23-year Cantilan parish priest, who retired and died in about 1982, said he loved to be named as Holitawo (his corruption of olitawo) among his catechist-angels, led by durable Agatonica “Tikay” Lugo.

Reposted from Cantilan FB Group

Posted by: Don Uriarte

Excerpts from Cantilan’s (Missing) Historical Streets

By: Euly V. Eleazar 

Cantilan mini park photo by: Edmund R. L. Ortega

Let’s start with the Linintian District. Standing at the eastern tip of Jose P. Rizal St. , facing the western part of the town, you will be on the Padre Modesto Casabana Marzo St. that is missing in the tourism map.

To the right-hand side, were the houses of the Arreo, Luga, Cuballes, Loren, Luarez, Buet and Arizobal families. The dead end of Marzo Street was the Cantilan Hotel (Canhot) that was part of the wooded Mirable area, home to some Puertos and Arrezas.

To the left of Marzo Street , the corner properties belonged to the Ruaza and Miraballes families. Adjacent to them were the residences of Maria Arizobal, Domingo Doloriel, Baye Ata, and the parents of Migdoy Duero whose property faced the house of the Mollanedas, known as the parents of Macario (Cayo) who was father of Madrid mayor “JoeMoll”; police officer Vicente “bulingot”; Petra (Sister Peter of the Cross, SPC); and of course CCMCL-USA’s favorite Game of the Four Winds (mahjong) player, Panoy, who can talk with his ivory cards, according to Geobert.

In the 1970s, the town officials have utilized the marshy end of Marzo Street , as a dumpsite for Cantilan’s garbage, which smelled obnoxious with its content of dead fowls and animals. However, it attracted squatters who in-migrated from other towns. They constructed makeshift abodes on stilts connected to each other by catwalks to make their huts accessible during high tide.

Another visibly missing street in the tourism map is the Eusebio Buniel Street . It is the street next to Marzo if you are coming from Barangay San Pedro (then Baybay I); scarcely inhabited Gapas-gapas and Sabang in the South, and Kansosyo, Kanhotchkiss and Kanbuyagat in the North-Northeast; or those coming from Consuelo, Huyamao Island and Kabituonan.

The old residents on Buniel Street (some of them have already passed to the Great Beyond) were Manuel Duero Millan and wife Engkay; Rufino Puerto and wife Irenea; Eladio and Pepay Cortez; the Orpinas (Clemens and wife Vita now live at the corner, enjoying their US pension); the Vicente Mirandas; Simeon Arreza (Ontong’s father); the Pablo Arrezas (the late Jaime Arreza’s father); the Realingos; the Hale Buniels; the Mateo Buniels (the late Boss Okoy’s father); and the Federico Cubillans. At the Southern dead end lived the late mayor Juan Orozco Buniel and family, and their neighbor Agrecio de los Arcos (father of “Totoy” the husband of Cirila Orozco de los Arcos, Dr. of Education, of SSIT). Beauteous Comadre Jeana Y. Palang lives on Buniel Street , as well as SSIT teacher, Mercinda Puerto and family. The street name honors Eusebio, uncle of Juan 0. Buniel. Eusebio was an acolyte of Father Marzo at Daan Lungsod, and new Cantilan . He was a survivor of the 1856 hurricane and tidal waves that demolished the original 1782 parish.

After Buniel Street is Coleto Street , named after Matias Coleto, a convent assistant in Marzo’s time. He was the father of Gov. Pedro Arreza Coleto and 10 other children. Matias’ brother, Francisco was a capitan and judge assigned by the Spaniards to the newly founded pueblo of Carrascal in 1895. The street was not named in honor of the late mayor Felix Guevara Coleto (20th century), first husband of widow Besing Buniel, who remarried in California to widower Craciolo (Lolok) Arienza.

Orillaneda Street was named after the maternal grandfather of the late Gov. Bernardino O. Almeda (of the then still undivided Surigao.)

Ortega Street is misidentified (unless there is a revision of a 1970s town resolution to that effect). What appears as Ortega Street now was the former Burgos Street that stretched from Falcon to Julve Street . Burgos Street was named after one of the martyred GomBurZa priests (Gomez, Burgos , Zamora ) who were shot by the Spaniards on suspicion of instigating the Cavite Mutiny.

In like manner, La Purisima Concepcion Street that became Ortega Street in the 1970s seemed to have been restored. Ortega Street honors former mayor Bernardino Ortega, builder of the old public market that was burned into ashes (videotaped by Geobert 0. Tuldanes), and the sheltered landing quay at Embarcadero where motor launches from Surigao and from other places docked before the current mountain road was constructed. This road was made through the efforts of Governor Coleto and pre-commonwealth Assemblyman Montano Arreza Ortiz I, father of the late vice governor Montano Balbuena Ortiz, Jr., and grandfather of Boy Tano of California.

Herrera Street then started from Falcon Street through La Purisima up to Rizal Street . The old church (circa 1857-1957) didn’t block the street then. During the period of Joseph Van den Berg (1957-1962), the century-old church—a monument to free labor of our Cantilangnon forebears, was demolished. When the present church was constructed, Van den Berg also erased the Herrera Street portion from La Purisima to Rizal Street . Only about 100 meters remains of the old Herrera Street , which is sandwiched between the Coleto Center tennis court grounds, (now Cantilan Sports Center , editor) and the public plaza.

Urbiztondo Street could be in honor of Mariano Urbiztondo, a pillar of the old church’s founding by Father Marzo. Capitan Mariano (1870s) was the grandfather of Vicente, who sired Arthur Lu., Arnold (Yayo), twins Conchita and Charito, and Pepe. Yayo’s son Cyrus, CCMCL-USA peace officer is a descendant of Mariano. However, Urbiztondo Street could also be in honor of three other notable capitanes from Daan Lungsod and modern Cantilan, namely: Cleto Urbiztondo, 1830; Pascual Urbiztondo (grandfather of Pare Godo), 1850; and Gregorio Urbiztondo (father of Tanting, Petring and Goroy (1870s). On this account, please don’t ask Mamar in California . I suspect this is beyond his expertise, he being focused on the pretty chicks of Cantilan and suburbs then (just a joke).

Orozco Street honors Capitan Miguel Orozco of the 1860s. He was a reliable parish worker of Father Marzo. Plaza Street honors Cabeza Antonio Plaza (father of Senon (Parot) Plaza and Mommy Unding Plaza Guillen Arreza from cabeza Tonio’s first marriage, and Adelmo Plaza son from the second marriage.)

Ortiz Street memorializes Capitan Victor Ortiz, father of former mayor Juan Duero Ortiz, who sired the illustrous lawyer Montano Arreza Ortiz, Sr., pre-Commonwealth Assemblyman, 1935 Constitutional Convention Delegate-Framer to the old Philippine Constitution and Judge, Court of First Instance of Butuan City and the present Agusans; Dr. Arcadio A. Ortiz, M.D.; Jesuit Pacifico A. Ortiz, Ph.D. (Pol-Sci, Fordham University), Manuel L. Quezon’s chaplain, UP Diliman chaplain, first elected president of Ateneo de Manila University, and 1971 Con-Con Delegate of Rizal province but resigned in protest of the 1973 Marcos Constitution; Concordia 0. Herrera and Zosima 0. Buniel. Capitan Victor originally owned the house constructed in 1857 that is now occupied by Juan Bartolome Ortega and his wife of the Ortiz-Bullo clan. The latter are the parents of Juanito, Flordeliz Susan, Gracia Corazon, Lulu Fenina, Floro, Jesus and Charito Ligaya. (Can they kindly furnish me a listing of their Mom’s ancestry?)

San Agustin Street at the town’s western end was dedicated by Father Marzo to the memory of Padre Valero de San Agustin, founding priest of Daan Lungsod (1760s) which became a regular parish in 1782. It celebrated its bicentennial anniversary in 1982.(The bicentennial was my “baby” as well as “Cantilan : A Cradle Of Towns” a phrase I coined at that time.)

San Roque Street is a 20th century creation. The few residents at that outskirts of town chose to identify and call their Purok as San Roque, hence the name of their street. The physical or civil improvements there started during the period of the late mayor Fabio Guazon Altrecha (1980-1986).

From North to South of Cantilan proper, Julve Street honors Jose Julve, who declared ownership of a huge tract of land that now encompass private structures, the whole Pilot Elementary School grounds, and some parts at the back of the Surigao del Sur Institute of Technology. Jose was the maternal ancestor of the late lawyer Magdaleno “Tub” Julve Estrada and his older siblings: Feling, Imong, Maring and Loling. Jose was also a close relative of Nicolas Julve, who in-migrated to Cavite City in the early part of the 20th century. Likewise, Jose was a close ancestral relative of present Vice Mayor Rolando U. Julve and the other Julves living along Pagantayan and Kabakhan. (The only Julve, who is not known to have blood relations with Jose is former Cabangahan captain Julve Nadao.)

Dela Pena Street honors a former mayor (his charcoal portrait with his Christian name is hanging in the Cantilan Tribunal).

Arizobal Street honors either Capitan Santiago Arizobal (a Moro fighter from Ilihan in Daan Lungsod of the 1840s) or Capitan Pedro Arizobal, 1880. It is more likely named after Capitan Pedro since the street is of Father Marzo vintage.

Rizal Street was the old Immaculada Concepcion that honored Cantilan’s patron saint. It was changed into Rizal Street in the 1920s to honor Jose Rizal, the American choice of a Filipino national hero who disfavored a bloody revolution.

Parallel to it was the old La Purisima Street that was also changed to Ortega Street in the 1970s but probably restored or reverted to La Purisima again with another town legislation.

Arreza Street (19th century) honors Capitan Francisco Arreza (1840s), who was another fierce Moro fighter of Daan Lungsod. He was believed to be an ethnic Manobo co-warrior (bagani) of Santiago Arizobal. (The author strongly believes that both men were either bagani Bangkayan or Sandigan before their Christianization. Unfortunately, some of the old baptismal records of the Cantilan parish from the 1600s were turned over by Father Maalman (personally told the author during their collateral readings of the remaining parish records in 1982) to Jesuit Francisco Demetrio of the Xavier University Museum in Cagayan de Oro City. Following Maalman’s revelation, the author did a research work at Xavier that year but only found some religious relics.

Falcon Street was constructed in Marzo time (1855-1878). It memorializes Capitan Mariano Arreza Falcon, who like the Urbiztondo town leaders and Miguel Orozco then led the construction of the 1856 bamboo and nipa church of Marzo . That old church preceded the first limestone church with iron sheet roofing that was destroyed by a typhoon and later reconstructed. Joseph Van den Berg demolished this church in 1957. The current church of Cantilan was built through the joint efforts of the town’s people under the parish administration of Maalman.

At the Southern end of Cantilan proper are Copper, Nickel and Iron streets , which have only miniscule historical value. These streets are the offshoots of local traumatic reminders of the Martial Law period in Cantilan. They bear the hue of that dictatorship that sipped from the central government in Manila into the marrows of the local leadership of this remote community.

~oo~

Reposted from Cantilan FB Group

Posted by: Don Uriarte

Sources: Bebong Arreza, CANSATbatch79

Photo courtesy by: Edmund R. L. Ortega