Historical Highlights of the Province of Abra (1585-1920)
Prepared by: Fr. Dominic T. Gaioni, S.V.D.
1585 - The Tinguians were mentioned for the first time in a letter of Father Dominic de Salazar to the King of Spain.
1598 - Bangued was occupied by Spanish Ilokano forces. They established a garrison to protect the Spanish Missionaries from the headhunters, to christianize the Tinguians, and to locate gold mines.
1598 - Bangued was organized into a Mission Station by Fathers Marin and Minon, to serve as a center for the catechization of the infidels (infieles) of Abra.
1599 - Bangued was formally organized into a pueblo (town) under the Spanish Regime.
1608 April 23 - Juan Francisco Salcedo was condemned for his bad attack (mala entrada) on the Tinguians of Ilokos.
1610 - At Agayayaos pass near Narvacan a band of Tinguians descended on the party of the Dominican Provincial, Fr. Baltazar Fort. His Filipino cargo-bearers dropped their loads at the first sound of the war cries and fled, and so did his religious companies. The mountaineers, despite the reputation for being more interested in human needs than more mundane objects of robbery, fell on the baggage rather than the Provincial which took to heels and made good escape while they were dividing the spoils.
1612 - Bangued was made an independent Mission Territory by the Augustinians with Fr. Pedro Columbo in charge.
1614 - Father Juan Pareja started work in the mountains of Abra and "converted" many infidels," concentrating them into the pueblos (town under the Spanish control).
1615 - Father Juan Pareja organized Bangued into a mission center and baptized 3,000 Tinguians through the help of chief Don Miguel Domaoal.
1620 - The population of Abra was estimated to be about 25,000.
1624 - Abra has about three thousand Christians.
1626 - Father Juan Pareja organized Sabangan, Tayong (present day Tayum) and Bukaw (present day Dolores) into Mission Stations north of Bangued. These villages were in continuous warfare with village of Talamey (present day San Quintin) Palang Nataan, Langiden calaba and Cabulao.
1666 - A party of Tinguians took part in the battle of Narvacan against Zambal and Pangasinan insurgents. The Tinguians killed four hundred enemies and even took the head of the bodyguards of the Spanish priests.
1669 - Father Gabriel Alvares, coming back from a Lepanto expedition, built a temporary chapel in Tayum.
1680s - The Bishop of Nueva Segovia switched his residence of Lal-lo, Cagayan to Vigan under the pretext that he has to administer interim to the natives of the village of Bengues (present day Bangued).
1704 - This was the founding date of the modern town of Bangued, according to Cavada.
1718 - Fr. Jose Echevaria began to work among the Tinguians near Dingras.
1723 - Patok (present day Penarrubia) was formally organized into a town under the Spanish regime.
1725 - Tayum was organized under the Spanish regime.
1730 - Fr. Juan Francisco de San Antonio lamented that in spite of widespread mission only negligible success was achieved among the Tinguians.
1731 - Tomas Ortiz gave recommendations in order to convert the Tinguians. "So that the pagans will listen, with some effect, or pleasure or at least with least resistance, try to win their good will with kindness especially of the most principal among them, at the same time visiting their towns or the places where they dwell, as can be done, for example for the towns of the Tinguians of Ilokos, and if all these gentle means not suffice, proceed with prudence to make break through against the said Tinguians and others like them, such as they will not be given the offices of Captain, chief of others which they are used to, that they will be prevented communications with Christians and all trade and commerce prohibited them, and they will be deprived of their fields and if the threats not suffice, arrange by means of the royal justice that they should attend sermons so as to be more amenable, and that the justice that the maganitos, augories, and superstitious and other similar abuses not only to confuse the christian but not to be performed at all. Moreover, it was to be borne in mind though they can not be forced to receive baptism, they ought to be forced to obey the commandments of God's law and also to attend the preaching of doctrine."
1742 - Fr. Jose Tomas Marin reached Anayan, Tineg, coming from the Magara River Valley in Apayao.
1743 - Auditor General Arzadon took favorable action as a Tinguian complaint that they had been forced to cut wood and bamboo and performed other services against their will without pay by the local gobernadorcillos, the kings representatives order payment and full arrears and 100 lashes for such officials misdemeanor.
1745 - Fr. Gabriel organized Ganagan (now San Juan) into a Mission Station.
1758 - Auditor Don Jose Ignacio de Arzadon considered them (the Tinguians) to be quiet people, and of good habits so much so indeed that although pagans they excelled many christians in the same practices.
1758 June 18 - Through a request from bishop Juan de la Fuente, King Ferdinand VI exempted all Tinguians from paying tribute for life and from forced labor, if they should accept baptism.
1762 December 14 - Two days before his Birthday (December 16) Diego Silang raised the banner of revolt. The Tinguians were deeply involved in Ilocos revolt. Mainly because Maria Josefa Gabriela Cariño Silang, wife of Diego Silang allegedly has blood ties with the Tinguians of Pidigan, Abra. When the ultimatum of the Spanish government Don Simon de Anda on February 1, 1763 was received, Silang promptly sent his treasury and silver, together with cannons, powder and ball, to headman Miguel Flores in Tayum, Abra in case a last-death stand should become necessary. Silang also sent orders to the heads of all pagan towns "from Palang to Lagangilang to muster their forces and come down immediately," because the fathers and headman were actually creating a disturbance and a new war has begun. After Silang was treacherously shot on May 28, 1763, his uncle, Nicolas Cariño took charge the resistance with Headquarters in Abra. Cariño died in battle leaving his Tinguian Lieutenants Tagabueng and Miguel Flores to withdraw to Tayum for a last stand. But after Tagabueng himself went over to the government side under appointment as Sergeant Major of the Tinguians, Flores and other hold-out chieftains were quickly rounded up and executed on September 20, 1763 - together with Silang's widow Gabriela who made her own Amazonian contribution to the resistance. When the lowland forces returned triumphantly to their town following the execution of the September, they were received with traditional ceremonies in the victory celebrations once practiced by their ancestors. "This saddened the ministers" Fray Pedro noted, but they know that the Filipinos have the same anitos nowadays as in 200 years of Christianity, their pagan rites still hold their own and worse, may not surely disappear.
1771 - Governor General Simon de Anda reverses Arzadon policy of attraction, requiring the Tinguians to pay taxes to render forced labor and assigning priests to convert them.
1803 - Tayum became an independent parish.
1820 - French Surgeon Paul P. De la Gineniere visited Abra. He described the life of the village of the Palang a celebration of the people of Lagangilang after the victory over the raiders from Ginaang, and a funeral ceremony in Manabo, where a dead corpse was dried up and mummified in typical Cordillera fashion.
1823 May 14 - Fr. Bernardo Lago opened a new Mission field; Pidigan Abra. He was the greatest Abra Missionary.
His methods:
1. Learns the local Igorot (Tinguian) language. 2. Lives a holy life. 3. Holds services and preaches in the open, this proves to be a strong attraction for the Tinguians. 4. He's not "afraid" to destroy the stone idols under a large tree (Pinpinaing). 5. Distributes relief goods. 6. Teaches the people how to change from kaingin in farming to wet rice agriculture. 7. Builds houses for those he convinced to come out of their hamlets and settle in them.
1824 - Fr. B. Lago built a church, a convent and watch tower as a protection from attacks by the headhundters.
1827 - Fr. B. Lago received some companions and converted the pagans of the following villages, Sideg, Pidigan, Magpala, Talamey, Langiden, Kawayan Pangal, Dalaguisin, Calaba, Caupasan, Danglas, Gaddani, Malaylay Manabo, Patok, Annay.
1832 - The town of Magpala was organized into a Mission Station with the new name of San Gregorio.
1835 January 1-18 - Col. Guillermo Galvey returning from an expedition passed through Baay, where he was met by six Kalinga from Ginaang, he lectured them on the subjects of homicide; they suggested he'd better wait until next time, because they were all cutting rice just now.
1838 - Col. Galvey established 3rd Division Fort General Martinez in Bucay.
1846 October 8 - The province of Abra was established with a military Governor, Capt. Ramon Tajonero. The new province included also most of Kalinga territory east of Cordillera, and the Lepanto District in the South.
1847 May - Bucay was organized into a mission station and chosen as the Capital of Abra.
1849 January 12 - The Governor of Begins waged a punitive expedition against the Igorots.
1852 - A retaliatory expedition moved out of Bucay, Abra against Besao and Bontoc, led by Capt. Perez.
1855 December 9-31 - Col. Bernardo Luiz de Lanzarote made an expedition with fifty five troops from Abra against Kalinga Igorots.
1863 - Bangued was chosen as the new Capital of Abra.
1866 - Bollilising was formally organized into a town and given the new name of Villavieja.
1867 - An Agustinian circular letter solicited alms for Ilocos and Abra pagans who were flood victims.
1868 - Don Esteban de Penarrubia, the harshest oppressor of the Tingguians was the new Governor of Abra. Under his order all those who refused baptism were to be expelled from the organized communities (pueblos) an edict which means virtual banishment from their old homes and confiscation of their property. Further, no Tinguian in native dress was to be allowed to enter the towns. Conversions increased with amazing rapidity, but when it was learned that many of the new converts still practiced their old customs, the Governor had the apostates seized and imprisoned. The hostile attitude of Peñarrubia encouraged adventures from the coast in the seizure of lands the exploitation of the Tinguians and thus a deep resentment was added to the dislike the Tinguians already held for the Christians.
1868 - Talamey was organized into a town (pueblo) with new name San Quintin, its separation from Pidigan was officially recognized by Government in 1884.
1878 - Fedelisan and Sagada sold rice to a scientific expedition surveying for the Abra-Cagayan Military road.
1879 February - Works started in Military road to Cagayan from Baay, Abra. Opposition from local people was overcome through the service of Igorot leader Don Agaton Alzate and his son Don Ismael from Bucay. It reached Masisiat by April 27.
1879 November 20 - Work began on the Abra-Cagayan road and reached Dupagan 19 kms. from Baay by the end of the year.
1880 February 23 - The Gaceta de Manila announced that the eastbound road going from Abra and the west bound road from Isabela met in Gaang, Baoangan (Bal-balasang), Kalinga on the 17th.
1880 May 2 - Work stopped on Abra-Cagayan road for the rainy seasons, with less of six hundred forty eight and the one thousand ten deserters and invalids. The telegraph line reached Talatang, Salegseg, Kalinga.
1880 November 30 - Road building Engineer Evaristo Lievana met Primo de Rivera in Bangued to hold a meeting with Kalinga chieftains from Bangued Salegseg, Balatok and opening a military road across Abra.
1880 December 29 - The missionary priest of Bucay handed out gifts of used clothing collected by Manila high society ladies to pagans submitting to Spanish government.
1881 January 9-17 - Fr. Rufino Redondon, C.S.A., accompanied Lepanto Commander Luis Sarella on a peace-making expedition from Bucay, Abra to Kayan, he distributed clothes, money and tobacco to Lubuagan and Balatok chiefs in Lul-lono (Luba, Abra).
1881 January 14 - Governor General Fernando Primo de Rivera issued an ultimatum for all independent pagans to submit to the Central Government by April 1, or suffer the destructions of the fields, livestock, and houses.
1882 - Bukaw (today's Dolores) became a pueblo.
1882 October - German scientist Dr. Hans Mayer visited San Quintin, Bangued, La Paz, Dolores, Bucay, Bal-balasang and Guinaang. Returned to Abra through Lingey, Dol-dolaw, Sallapadan, San Jose, Lul-lono, Bollo-lising and Narvacan.
1884 - Patok (now Penarrubia) was renamed Alfonso XII in honor of the King of Spain.
1884 - The village of Ganagan was formally organized into a town under the new Spanish name of San Juan, but the natives did not accept Christianity until much later under the leadership of Kapitan Tangidaw, who assumed the Spanish name of Juan Taverner.
1885 May 7 - The military Governor of Abra reported an unsuccesful attempt to apprehend five Balatok Igorots.
1885 - The village of Bukaw was formally organized into town under the Spanish name of Dolores, in honor of the wife of the Governor of Bangued.
1886 April 1 - Thirty six Filipinos were sent to Madrid to attend the exposition De Las Islas Filipinas. Nine of them were Igorots, Lao-lao from Danao, Gumadang from Lepanto, three from Bontoc, three from Manabo, Abra including a thirty five year old teacher Purugganan and their leader and interpreter Don Ismael Alzate from Bucay, a much decorated supporter of the Spanish projects in his home province of Abra, who was reported to read and speak seventeen (17) languages and dialects including English. These men were "examined, measured and exhibited," in the Igorot village of expositions.
1886 November 1 - Warriors from Fedelisan, Nainit Sagada and other Bontoc barrios attacked and burned Mayabo (Tubo, Abra).
1889 - Manabo Tinguians had twenty nine of their number killed and lost twenty five heads to the Igorots of Besao.
1889 August 26 - Eleven Spanish Missionaries fled Abra, on account of the revolution against Spain.
1889 August 28 - The village of San Guillermo (now Sadag, Sallapadan, Abra) appealed for tax exemption because of recent raids by Mainit and Bulagang warriors.
1898-1900 - Abra without priests.
1898 November 12 - Twenty six people of Bucay complained to the President of the revolutionary forces especially with regard to church property.
1899 - The Americans arrived in Abra.
1900-1909 - Eleven Diocesan priests served Abra off and on, but never more than four at any time in the towns of Bangued, Pidigan, Tayum and Bucay.
1901 - Col. William Bowen, Military Governor of Abra.
1901 August - Governor General Taft visited Abra, in the company of Fr. Gregorio Aglipay.
1902 - Lt. Col. Juan Villamor was elected Provincial Governor of Abra.
1903 - The Americans changed the name of Patok from Alfonso XII to Penarrubia, in honor of Governor Penarrubia, Tinguians' harshest oppressor.
1905 - Abra was annexed to the province of Ilocos Sur.
1907 - The towns of Agsimao and Balantay in Tineg suffered defeat in raid carried against Dagar (Apayao).
1909 - Arrival of the Divine Word Missionaries in Abra; Cagutungan (now San Isidro) is the first field work.
1917 - Became a province again, detached from Ilocos Sur and congressional Act 2683 March 9.
1917 - Hon. Julio Borbon, Governor of Abra.
1920 - The Mayor of the Patok (Penarrubia) Montero Clevelan enforced a Municipal ordinance against all men wearing long hair in the traditional Tingguian custom.
Source: Arya Abra Festival Diamond Anniversary Province of Abra 1917-1992