The place of Dueñas in Philippine history
(Descendants of National Heroine Nazaria L. Lagos)
Did you know that the first Capital of the Philippines is Simsiman, “the Old Panay”?
Did you also know that the “heart” of the Philippines is Panay and the “heart” of Panay is the old town Laglag (Dueñas)? When the town Dueñas was still known as, “Laglag”, the towns of Janiuay, Lambunao, Calinog, Passi, San Enrique, Dingle and Pototan were once part of (Laglag) Dueñas.
My favorite writer once said, “It is only through the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential and what is invisible to the eyes”.
Ramon L. Lagos, Sr., my grandfather and a local historian, devoted his heart and soul in writing numerous books which are of great value to present and future generation. He said, “the noble and heroic past should be appreciated by us, for the same holds the key to a better and brighter nation”. When my grandfather wrote the “History of Dueñas”, Simsiman occupied only a few lines in it. But Simsiman played an important part in the History of Panay and of the Philippines. We believe that its heroic past should be recorded as a precious legacy for the future generations.
The world is very different now. Sometimes the new generation dares to forget our past – our History. But I dare you all, not to forget, that we are the heirs of our forefathers. The torch has been passed to a new generation of Filipinos. In our hands will rest the final success or failure of our course.
Based on my grandfather's interview of some Negritoes in 1916, Tan Martin was the Chief of the Aetas in Panay from 1888 up to 1948. When he died, Goyang, an officer under Tan Martin and an accomplished Balitao Dancer, and Ati Elder Tiago, who assisted Tan Martin in his governmental affairs, were the direct descendants of the blue blood Negritoes that lived in Simsiman.
Historian Ramon L. Lagos Sr. got most of the rich sources of information about Simsiman through the old folks of Laglag (now Dueñas) like Bartolome Lagos, Juan dela Cruz Lagos and Segundo Lagos (husband of the National Heroine Nazaria Lagos) and other early ancestors.
Bartolome Lagos, founder of Dueñas, got his story from his immediate grandfather Apoy Benito Lagos, the Patriarch of Simsiman in 1595, and the first Gobernadorcillo of Laglag in 1600. Bartolome handed down his story about Simsiman to his son Segundo Lagos (husband of National Heroine Nazaria Lagos). Later in 1898, Segundo Lagos himself became President of Dueñas.
It is very discouraging to know that some foreign writers of our history were not able to make thorough research about our past. They stayed in the country in so short a time, mostly in the capital, and whatever data they obtained was either mythical or hearsay. Hopefully, with this write-up would be of great help to historians, researchers and students.
The Far East historians reveal that 25,000 years ago, the small black people of Asia immigrated to these islands. According to them our islands were once connected with the mainland of Asia. Later, after their arrival, the island bridges which connected us to Asia submerged. Thus, the small black people whom we called Aetas became the first inhabitants of our country. The Ati were called by the Spaniards “Negritoes” which means “little blacks”.
The Aetas while yet in Asia were educated with the art of the Chinese Government. They learned much of the Chinese culture. There were intermarriages between the Aetas and the Chinese. So, when these small black people immigrated to the Philippines, some were already Ati-Chinese mestizos. They brought with them Chinese civilization and no wonder when they settled in the Philippines they were able to organize a government similar to that of the Chinese. Their Chief of State was called Datu.
Before the year 1212, according to Ati Tan Martin and collaborated by Ati Elder Goyang, the whole Aetas of the Philippines were under Datu Pulpulan and at this time the Philippines was called by the aetas, “Mga pulo sang Ati”, or “Island of Aetas”. During those days the islands had no name except that the Aetas called the island “Island of Simsiman”. So goes the Old Panay or “Mal-am nga Panay” as termed by Elder Tiago. (To be continued)
* Based on the book “History of Simsiman” (the Old Panay) Copyright 1968 written by Ramon L. Lagos, Sr. who was the 6th son of National Heroine Nazaria P. Lagos. He was a former politician, pharmacist (a graduate of U.P Manila. Top 9 in the Pharmacy Board in the whole Philippines), businessman, philanthropist, former chairman of the Municipal Historical committee in Dueñas, and author of almost 20 books.