REAPHIS
Full Name: VILLAFLOR, GABRIELLE VINCENT ARANTE
Program & Section Code: BSA-478
DIRECTIONS: In the space provided below, you will write about your municipality’s local history (ORIGIN
OF ITS NAME, BOOKS AND LITERATURES THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED ABOUT THE PLACE,
POPULATION NUMBER, CULTURAL TRAITS, AND COMMON TRADITIONS) THESE ASPECTS MUST
BE PRESENT IN YOUR PAPER OTHERWISE YOUR WORK WILL BE CONSIDERED INVALID. And cite
at least one problem that surrounds in your MUNICIPALITY whether it is SOCIAL, POLITICAL,
ECONOMICAL, or CULTURAL. And create specific points and quantifiable reasons as to why your
community/barangay is facing such problem and provide recommendations in your paper.
Facing the raging waves of the widest and biggest ocean. Eastern edge of the country famous for being
called as the Pearl of the Orient Seas. In between, Luzon and Mindanao regions, are the Visayans’ municipalities.
One of its municipality is Dolores which is located at the Eastern Visayas region and facing upfront the Pacific
Ocean. Dolores, formerly known as Bacod, “Usa han mga bungto nga una nga nasisirakan han adlaw”. “Sirak
Dolores”, a powerful statement known to every local in the municipality which signifies a strong will of
beginning, hope, and to shine amidst adversities. Dolores formerly known as Bacod was born in 1650 with only
few inhabitants living at the mouth of Bacod (Dolores) river. Dolores which means sorrow and sufferings in
Spaniard signifies an important part of the local’s history wherein many Bacodnons took part in Sumuroy
Rebillion in 1649. Because of this, the inhabitants were forced to live near the riverbank because of suppression
and that is how the small rancheria of Dolores were formed. Some of the Bacodnons transferred to the village of
Carolina. The sitio or rancheria of Dolores were later then slowly eroded by flood making its population reduced
to 9 male and 11 females. Its status reverted and it becomes a barrio or visita which became a part of Paric. The
central part of the bungto Bacod was submerged under the Dolores River. The abandoned part of bungto bacod
later then recognized and called by the inhabitants as Binungtoan. The Paric is the barrio under the jurisdiction of
jubasan which is known now as Can-avid. As the population increased, the Paric became a barrio of Tubig which
is now known as Taft. But as the Paric became a significant visita, a royal decree was then used to communicate
to Governor General Rafael Espulino de Echague creating the Paric as pueblo or Municipality, separating it from
Tubig. But later, the Paric was moved to the sitio of Dolores because they think it was much safer from erosion.
Thus, Dolores replaced Paric as población of the pueblo of Paric. That is a tiny part of story of Dolores that was
born in 1650 which became población of the municipalit of Paric in 1870. Dolores being located at the edge of
Eastern Visayas is abundant in sea materials and foods. At the same time, it is blessed by its fertile soil in the part
of its barangays where rice and root crops are harvested. Because of the diversity of Dolores, it does not
necessarily celebrate a particular product that is originally belonged to them because it is both blessed in sea and
land products. Its fiesta is annually celebrated on the 15th and 16th of August. I do think that one of the things that
is a belief that is passed and alive till now is the idea of “ingkanto” and that they do not like salt which I’ve also
been heard before from my grandmother. There is also a samarnon folklore which describes that there is a tradition
and belief before that offering saltless food to ingkanto. Some people say that “It is the customs of tigulang—old
people” but what’s fascinating was that only samarnons had a clear answer to this saying that ingkanto doesn’t
like salt. This is a pre-Hispanic belief and tradition which somehow alive till now, but we have a little information
about it.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/537492
This municipality is currently facing countless problems and I do think that this must be solve immediately
before it sums up and turn into a bigger one. As a teen and with the thought of helping my fellow people who’s
in my age, I would think to define the problem in Dolores which is the increasing number of teenage pregnancies.
Statistical data might not be available to prove this, but as someone who’s also on my teenage years, I know what
my peers have been through. Though it might be a surfaced knowledge or only an overview about this problem,
but I know that it is something that is critically needed to be addressed immediately. Also, I do think that it is
something that is just being overlooked by the adults. They might just think that this is someone that is far from
being a problem and they might also think that this is something like a responsibility of the parents. Though this
is a very fair point but as a community I do think that we must help each other especially the children which is
the future of our municipality.
To address this problem, I would suggest that we must do seminar programs in every barangay. We must
instill proper knowledge about this issue which is very much connected to sex education. Instead of trying to
prevent the teens on knowing something like this, we must educate them properly about this kind of things to
prevent them from trying it for themselves if ever they would become curious. This might be a good SK project
in every barangay in Dolores.
My municipality is diverse. It might be flawed but beauty lies within its nature. People living in the
community is not perfect but there would be time that it is harmonious in some occasions. Cultures and traditions
are mixed. Different religion and race lived here. And the natural beauty of the municipality glistened especially
when the sun shines all over the place. This is my home, a place my family reside, a place where many first times
happened, where I met friends who supports me all the way through, where people would always shine no matter
where you put them, Dolores.