Timeline: Bulusan, Año de 1738

There are several references to my hometown, Bulusan, Sorsogon in Chronicas de la Apostolica de S. Gregorio de Religiosos Descalzos de N.S.P. S. Francisco.

Published in 1738 and authored by one Fr. Juan Francisco de S. Antonio, this book of three parts has a chapter (XVI) dedicated mainly to the Embocadero (San Bernardino Strait) where Bulusan was mentioned.

Chapter XVII De la Isla de Luzon, also bears Bulusan's name.

For both chapters, it appears that Bulusan was a usual geographical point of reference being the southernmost point of Luzon during that period.  Matnog, which now holds the title, was to separate from Bulusan only in 1785.

The chapter on Zamboanga also mentions its distance from Bulusan.

Chapter XXVIII mentions watchtowers and fortresses in detail.  No entries for Bulusan nor for the entire Bicolandia.  We must remember that this was 1738.  They would be built in the second half of the 1700s.


"Punta de Bulusan" was the common reference to the town, literally meaning, "point of Bulusan." This should not to be confused with the way the word "Punta" was attached to the town's fortress.

"Punta de Santiago" makes an appearance as well, but it is again highly doubtful that this would be in reference to the town's fortress.  It could most probably be in reference to Santiago de Libon, the first-ever parish in the region, farther north of Bulusan.



[Note: A former college professor recently pointed out that the use of "Punta" in Bulusan's fortress, "Punta Diamante," is erroneous and misleading, as the term should only be used to refer to a natural geographical point.  He however concurred with my suggestion that the correct-albeit-forgotten name might have indeed been, "Fuerza y Iglesia de Santiago," as it had been the convention to name fortresses and churches after the locality's patron saint.  Archival documents are yet to be unearthed in support of this theory, or that of my other theory, i.e., that the term might have been in fact intentional, perhaps in an attempt not to have another "Fuerza de Santiago," which was actually the name by which Fort Santiago in Intramuros was known during those times.]

Heavily-Damaged Philippine Churches During the Philippine-American War (1899-1902)

In the advent of the American occupation of the Philippines and the ensuing insurrection, many church buildings around the country were either overtaken by the American army for use as camps, or were destroyed/vandalized/burned by the insurgents, the Americans, or the natives themselves.

TOP 3 IN KABIKOLAN

In Kabikolan, Bulusan in Sorsogon topped the list (4th, national) with a claim of P144,745, an amount which the U.S. Congress declined in a series of hearings in January 1908.  It was for the "destruction by burning of the church, convent, and missions of the town and its suburbs."

Daraga, Albay (13th, national) made a claim for "rent and damages, church and convent, amounting to P86,858" and was granted P980.

Labo in Ambos Camarines (14th, national) also made a claim for P53,974.25.  This was for "damages to church, convent,  and effects  therein by fire."  Nothing was paid.

Then Apostolic Administrator Msgr. Jorge Barlin of then Diocese (now Archdiocese) of Nueva Caceres, was the lone Filipino bishop who represented the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines in these proceedings.  He was with three American bishops: Bishop Rooker, Bishop Daugherty, and Bishop Hendrick.  They all provided their respective sworn testimonies as to the claims of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.

In his letter to Lt. Col. John A. Hull of the Board on Church Claims in Manila dated 15 December 1906, Bishop Barlin, writing from Nueva Caceres, implored the Board to reconsider granting "at the least, two-thirds of the amount represented" of the claims under his bishopric, to allow the rebuilding and repair of the ruined churches.

He particularly stated that "wherever a claim is made for building burned, belonging to the Roman Catholic Church and situated in the above-mentioned pueblos, it is exclusively due to acts of the American troops and never to the insurgents, who, true enough, burned some of the churches and parish houses during the past insurrection against the Government of the United States, such as the churches at Canaman and Magarao, in the province of [C]ambos Camarines, and that of  Guinobatan in the province of Albay."

He further cited the fact of price increases in labor and materials and the prevailing "poverty and want" of many of the churches in his jurisdiction, a far cry from more prosperous times before calamities such as "rinderpest, invasion by locusts, and drought."

TOP 10 NATIONWIDE

1. Paco, Manila (P300,000)
2. Hilongos, Leyte (P205,050)
3. San Simon, Pampanga (P150,300)
4. Bulusan, Sorsogon (P144,745)
5. Mexico, Pampanga (P124,700.24)
6. Marilao, Bulacan (P123,296)
7. Bocaue, Bulacan (P121,996)
8. Jaro, Iloilo (P117,899)
9. Wright, Samar (P108,000)
10. Caloocan, Rizal (P102,120)


We could but imagine the extent of damage that these churches might have endured.

A total of 407 claims were filed nationwide for a total of P4,885,926.26, of which only P726,060.37 (14.86 percent) was recommended for payment by the U.S. Congress.

A Philippine Peso was then equivalent to 50 U.S. Cents.

Source: Catholic Church Claims in the Philippine Islands Published by the U.S. Congress, House Committee on Insular Affairs, Washington, 1908