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Borongan City Cultural Mapping Program, 2nd Floor Borongan City Transport Terminal Building, Borongan (2026)

21/11/2025

As we observe the 69th anniversary on November 26, 2025 of the passing of the late Iñigo Labro Abenis, who served as Congressman for the 3rd District of (Eastern) Samar from 1922 to 1925, let us take a moment to reflect on his biography and honor his contributions by contemplating his life and service.

IÑIGO LABRO ABENIS was a farmer, merchant, public servant and politician born on June 1, 1895, in Borongan, Samar, to Magno Basada Abenis and Rafaela del Rama Labro of Calbiga. His parents were married on June 10, 1884, during a Catholic ceremony led by Fr. Antonio Ibañez in Calbiga.

Señor Magno B. Abenis was elected by the local principalia in February 1899 to serve as the Presidente Municipal of Borongan, a position he held from 1899 to 1904.

His eldest half-brother, Pio Colon Cultura-Abenis, were married to Matilde del Valle Sulse, who is the sibling of Gov. Juan D. Sulse, who served as the Governor of Samar from 1922 to 1931.

Iñigo was baptized Roman Catholic by Fray Gil Martinez, a Franciscan missionary from Mayorga, Spain, and parish priest of Borongan from 1889 to 1898.

Abenis pursued his education at the San Juan de Letrán School under the Dominican Fathers from 1908 to 1913, then continued at the San Beda School of the Benedictines until 1915, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He later attended law school, earning a Bachelor of Laws degree, and began his career as a clerk in the House of Representatives (1916–1918), followed by a brief stint at the Census Bureau before returning to his province to serve the country in a broader capacity.

Driven by a strong desire to contribute to public service, Abenis ran for Representative of the Third District of (Eastern) Samar in June 6, 1922 National Election, running as an independent and relying on his personal prestige and the trust of his constituents. He won by 2,476 votes, defeating Iñigo Daza (2,148) and Gerardo Morrero (1,735).

In the sixth congress, he served as a member of the Committee on Banks, Corporations, and Lands of the Friars. On the eve of the Second Session of Congress, he joined the Nationalista Party -Collectivista wing led by Manuel Roxas of Capiz, aligned with leaders who would shape the era, including Speaker Roxas and Senate President Manuel L. Quezon. Abenis served as a Congressman for Samar alongside Jose Avelino of the First District and Pascual B. Azanza of the Second District, until his defeat of 166 votes in the 1925 congressional election to Gerardo Morero of Guiuan.

Beyond his public service, Abenis was married to Ermelinda Mangibin, and they resided in Borongan, Samar. He passed away on November 26, 1966, in Brgy. Del Remedio, Sulat, due to cardiac arrest. His remains were transported to the home of his sibling, Genoviva Abenis-Puno, on Baybay 1, Borongan, and laid to rest in Balud Catholic Cemetery after an eight-day period. In recognition of his notable contributions, Baybay 1 Street was named in his memory.

References:
1. Directorio official dela Camara de Represente (1923) Feliciano Gomez, p. 153;

2. Marriage record of Magno Abenis and Rafaela Labro (1884) Issued by Our Lady of Annunciation Parish, Calbiga, Samar;

3. Interview and Statement of Mrs. Ermelinda Abenis-Besario, daughter of Cong. Iñigo Abenis (2023), Guinhulngan, Negros Oriental; and

4. Governors of Samar by Wikipedia;

Photo digitalized by Samuel Capones Alagabia.

09/10/2023

Venerable Father Máximo Durana (1892-1936)
Formerly assigned priest to Borongan, Sulat, San Julian and Catbalogan, Samar soon to be Catholic Church Saint.

Father Máximo Durana y Rodríguez was born in Torre, in the County of Treviño (Burgos) on August 13, 1892. His parents were Román and Feliciana. He was first in school, well behaved and assiduous at religious events. From 1904 to 1908 he studied humanities at the Carmelites of Villafranca (Navarra). He wore the Franciscan habit on December 30, 1908 in Pastrana (Guadalajara), where he made his temporary profession on December 31, 1909. He studied philosophy and theology at the convent of La Puebla de Montalbán (Toledo), except for the last year and a half, which he did in Consuegra (Toledo). He made his solemn profession in Pastrana on May 4, 1913.

In 1916 he was assigned to the Philippines, where he was ordained a priest on November of that year. He exercised his priestly apostolate in several parishes on the island of Samar: Catbalogan, San Julián, Sulat and Borongan. In 1933 he returned to Spain and spent that year in the convent of Mayorga de Campos (Valladolid). In 1934 he lived in Segovia. In 1935 he was assigned to Almagro (Ciudad Real), where he carried out the priestly apostolate with enthusiasm. He was the director of the Antoniana Youth and the administrator of the community. He had good preaching and communication skills.

On July 24, 1936, Father Máximo Durana and the other Franciscans of the Almagro convent were expelled from the convent by order of the municipal authorities. Father Durana was hosted by a family from the town. On the afternoon of the next day, the Franciscans and Dominicans of the town were taken to an uninhabited house, which served as a prison. In it the religious prayed together and the priests celebrated the Eucharist until those who guarded them forbade it.

On July 28, Father Durana was authorized to leave the prison house and went to the nearby town of Moral de Calatrava, where he stayed at the home of a nephew of a Franciscan. On August 14 he was imprisoned in the Town Hall of that town. He was calm, he prayed a lot and said to his fellow prisoners, referring to the jailers: “Even if they do whatever they want to you, don't defend yourselves, forgive them, they don't know what they're doing.”

On August 30 he was transferred to the hermitage of Our Lady of the Sierra, along with Father Manuel Trujillo (his life is narrated on page 104 because he belonged to the Community of San Antonio de Madrid), a Franciscan and also a prisoner. in the city Hall. Except for a short time when they talked with the prisoners, they spent the time praying. After midnight, the guards woke up the prisoners, and one said out loud: “Let the friars come out!” They also took out three laymen. They took the five prisoners in two cars to the end of Pozuelo de Calatrava (Ciudad Real).

There, near the town, Father Máximo Durana, Father Trujillo and the three laymen were shot around 2 in the morning on August 31, 1936. The Franciscans forgave their executioners. That same day, the five were buried in the local cemetery. The remains of Father Trujillo and Father Durana were transferred to the Franciscan convent of Almagro after the civil war. And, after successive transfers, they rest in the church of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo, Spain.

Reference: (1.) 464 Martires Website-Durana, P. Maximo; (2.) Photo of the late Isidoro Bajado/Mercia Dolot Balan, and (3.) Manuelito S. Uy

27/09/2023

On 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟕, 𝟏𝟗𝟒𝟐, the remote landscapes of 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧 situated in Brgy. Tabunan, Borongan, Samar, Philippines bore witness to a remarkable display of valor and resistance against the Japanese occupation as a significant and daring event unfolded.

Pablo C. Rosales Sr., a former USAFFE soldier and a guerilla leader operating in the region, recounted his perspective of the event. Rosales and his courageous comrades, including Lt. Gregorio Hermo, PC Sgts. F. Doculara, H. Dario, Alejandro Quiloña, PFC J. Palada, Lt. Domingo Apelado, Martino Agda, Jaime Pombo, Lt. Julio Tonelete, PVT. Celestino Agda, and Sgt. Isabelo Florida, together with his dedicated volunteers, Anatalio Illado, Candido Rafada, Eutiquio Guasis, Agaton Rafada, Delfin Catimon, Honorato Capito, Jose Celada, Adriano Arca, Justo Gerna, Lucio Catimon, Enrique Celada and Francisco Bernas, strategically positioned themselves along the Bayaran Mountain, overlooking the Bayaran Bridge. As the Japanese convoy comprising two military trucks and a commandeered car approached, Rosales gave the order to open fire. Their machine guns and rifles roared into action, catching the Japanese forces completely off guard, and those who attempted to take cover behind the nearby coconut trees and ditches were ensnared in a lethal ambush as volunteers had been stationed there to eliminate them. All these lead to a devastating and bloody aftermath for the enemy forces.

Out of the 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 (𝟑𝟕) 𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 on their way to Catbalogan, only five (5) managed to escape, however, their story took a grim twist as resistance volunteers in San Julian, Samar eventually brought an end to their lives. In addition, as a result of the fierce and prolonged confrontation, they captured an abundance of fi****ms and ammunition.

Remarkably, Rosales had given explicit instruction to spare the life of a fellow Filipino, Captain Juan Causing who had surrendered to the Japanese and was with the party in the leading car. Captain Causing played a pivotal role for the victory of Filipinos during that encounter as he consistently provided Rosales with crucial intelligence about potential Japanese movements, including their planned journey to Catbalogan that day.

The significance of this confrontation was heightened by the fact that the Japanese group they confronted constituted the entire garrison stationed in Borongan, resulting in the liberation of the town from occupation.

With the Japanese presence eradicated from the town, Rosales and his battle-hardened volunteers emerged from almost a year of hiding in the jungles. They celebrated their newfound freedom with long-awaited baths and fresh clothing. They even underwent a transformation, shedding their overgrown hair and beards.

When it became widely known that the Japanese garrison had perished in Borongan, "fair-weathered officers" and their men, who had stayed in safe evacuations and had little or no encounter with Japanese soldiers, swiftly entered the town. They attempted to assert their authority in Borongan and their rationale was that, as regulars with the full array of authority, they possessed the complete authority to issue commands, which indeed they did, and this generated tensions among the heroes of Bayaran. They resented the intrusion of these fair-weathered officers who had not faced the brunt of the Japanese occupation and felt that their sacrifices and hard-fought victories were being undermined by those who had not shared their experiences in the face of danger.

In the end, the events of September 27, 1942, in Bayaran, Brgy. Tabunan, Borongan, Samar, serve as a testament to the unwavering courage, bravery, and determination of Filipino guerrilla and volunteer fighters, united in their resolve to defend and liberate their homeland and their fellow countrymen against the Japanese occupation, while also navigating the complexities of leadership and authority during tumultuous times.

Additional Information:
List of USAFFE Guerilla in the Bayaran Encounter, Tabunan, Borongan, Eastern Samar
Lt. Gregorio Hermo - Leader
Lt. Domingo A. Apelado - Machine Gunner
Lt. Pablo Rosales - Light Machine Gunner
Lt. Julio Tonelete - Rifleman
Col. Jaime Pombo - Rifleman
Pvt. Celestino Agda - Assistant Machine Gunner
Sgt. Isabelo Florida - Rifleman

References:
Rosales, P.C. (n.d.) A SHORT AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF PABLO C. ROSALES
Apelado, D.A. (n.d.) Autobiography of Domingo A. Apelado

Mapped by: Eloisa May C. Gilbuena

Illustrated by: Noileen Joyce Quial

07/09/2023

Today, September 8, 2023 our City Fiesta, we commemorate the 272nd year anniversary of Borongan stone church dedication in honor of Our Lady of Borongan. On September 8, 1751, the parish priest of Guiuan, Father Juan Jose Delgado, presided over the church's inauguration. He later documented the event in the first ever encyclopedia of the country, Historia General Sacroprona Politica Religioso delas Yslas Poniente Lamadas Phillipinas." Likewise, he dedicated this book to Our Lady of Borongan, which he had brought from Mexico about 32 years earlier and arrived on July 2, 1718, on board the galleon ship Nuestra Señora de Begoña.

06/09/2023

Participated today in the Civic Military Parade of Borongan City in honor of Borongan City Town Fiesta.

01/09/2023

As memories of yesterday fades, sometimes all that we left, are photographs.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane as we unearth our shared memories through the photos of the old Borongan.

Unveil your oldest photos and take part in the meaningful project, 𝗠𝗚𝗔 𝗟𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗡 𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗞𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗢: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵-𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘯.

𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗦 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆:
1st Place: PHP 3,000.00
2nd Place: PHP 2,000.00
3rd Place: PHP 1,000.00
10 Consolation: PHP 300.00 each

𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦:
1. Past Celebrations
(Town Fiestas, Baptism, Religious Celebrations in honor of Saints, Semana Santa, Christmas, Feast of the Santo Nino, Ordinations, Hermanidad, Cofradias, etc.)

2. Historical Events
(Local Elections, Inaugurations of Town Officials, Natural Calamities, Athletic Meets, etc.)

3. Intangible Heritage
(Pamatbat, Tambalan, Folk Healing, Indigenous Knowledge, Industry, Local Craftsmanship, Dance and Song Performance, etc.)

4. Significant Personalities
(Past Mayors/President, Vice Mayors/President, Governor, Vice Governor, Parish Priests, Native Priests, Local Heroes, Centenarians, Ordinaries, Bishops, etc.)

5. Landscapes/Seascapes/Natural and Scenic Views

6. Old Church/Cathedral (Inside and Outside Look)

7. Sacred Images/Images of Religious Objects

8. Old Monuments & Structures

9. School Buildings/Town or Municipal Hall

10. Bridges, Roads, Pathways

11. Early Vehicles and Means of Transportation

12. Baluartes in Borongan

13. Spanish Quartel in Sabang, Borongan

𝗠𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗦:
1. Participants must submit photographs that are at least 𝗳𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘆 (50) 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗹𝗱.

2. Each participant can submit 𝗼𝗻𝗲 (1) 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆.

3. Participants must fill out the official old photograph 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺 (https://forms.gle/C16f4aBAQzzbj6sR9) that can be found on the page of 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 or obtained from the 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

4. The photograph must come with a 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 written on the front and/or back and will be subject to verification by an archival materials expert.

5. Participants must be willing to engage in a 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 with the city, allowing the Office of the Population Development the right to use a copy of each photograph for promotional and documentation purposes.

6. Participants must submit their entries between 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 1-29, 2023.

7. Photo verification will be from 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 2-13, 2023.

8. Winners will be announced by 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 23, 2023.

𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠:
https://forms.gle/C16f4aBAQzzbj6sR9
https://forms.gle/C16f4aBAQzzbj6sR9
https://forms.gle/C16f4aBAQzzbj6sR9

This project is brought to you by the Borongan Cultural and Historical Society in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Borongan City Cultural Mapping Program.

Borongan City Cultural Mapping Program

21/11/2025

09/10/2023

27/09/2023

07/09/2023

06/09/2023

01/09/2023

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