Anything Under the Sun
Interesting colonial ordinances
During the Spanish time, there were three unique ordinances passed in the pueblos of Iloilo.
The first one was in the pueblo of Barotac Viejo. It is an ordinance from taxes and tributes all those whose surname was Tupas.
The Spaniards believed that the Tupases in that town were close relatives of the Sultan Tupas of Sugbu (Cebu) to whom they owed so many things.
The second was in the pueblo of Dumangas. In 1855, the Spaniards prohibited the sale of liquor except vino de estanco imported from Spain and sold only by the Spaniards.
The natives under Mateo Doruilag revolted against this wine monopoly because they could not drink tuba -- favorite native coconut wine. In the battle, Dorilag was killed and the Spaniards cut down all his coconut trees.
The third was in the pueblo of Lucena. Fray Fernando Hernandez and Fray Mateo Serapio ordered the natives to speak Hiligaynon only -- and not Kinaray-a, under the pain of sever punishment.