Barangay Officials

Sangguniang Kabataan Officials

History

A retelling of the history of the placed now Barangay VII is to recall first the beginning of
Kabankalan. Barangay VII is one of the 32 barangays of this southern city of which used
to be known as the Little Spanish Town of Negros.
Before the country was colonized by Spain, the place now known as Kabankaln
was a vast expanse of hills and swamps. The Aetas inhabited the area which abounded
with Bangkal trees. But these Aetas did not stay in he place for long. Without knowledge
of plant propagation and other ways of sustaining food resources, they left the place after
the food had become scarce. Then another group of Aetas would settle when trees had
again bore fruits, edible vegetation had flourished, and the river again teemed with fish and
shells.
Later people from Iloilo, a province across the sea, migrated to the place.
Historical accounts said they came from Tigbauan, Iloilo. They organized a settlement and
their leader was Leocadio Tayum. Kabankalan of today has a street named Tayum after
the man who organized the very first settlement.
The Spniards arrived in Negros in 1565 and established a missionchurch in Ilog
in 1584, bringing Christianity to the hill tribes. The place was a part of Ilog, the first capital
of the Negros Occidental Island and Siguijor. The political units within the town were
called barrios.
Kabankalan got its name from the Bangkal trees which proliferated in the area.
Old folks’ stories had it that the Spaniards who first set foot on the area asked the natives
for the name of the place. Could not understand Spanish, the natives thought the Spaniard
were asking for the name of the trees. The particular Spaniard who did the asking pointed
his finger to the vastness of the place, and not to the trees as the natives thought. The
natives answered “Bangkal”. As time passed the term “Bangkal” evolved to Kabankalan.
Many Spaniards married members of prominent families. They procured vast
expanse of land they converted into sugarcane fields. They became the town the town’s
affluent hacienderos. Many natives worked for them as farm-hands while others became
servants. Spaniah families like Zayco, Vidaurrazaga, Lamata, Sola, Bañares, Ada and many

more expanded their families. Old folk said it was a beautiful sight looking at young
“senoritas” promenading down the streets on afternoons. There was in fact a dance saloon
and bowling alley near the riverbank where Spaniards spent time for recreation and
entertainment. The said place is at the area now called Burgos Street, Barangay VII. Due
to numerous Spaniards having settled in the place, it was called the “Little Spanish Town
of Negros”, just as Silay was called as the “Paris of Negros” for its arts and the European
culture infused among its prominent residents.
On March 14, 1907, the Philippine Commission passed the Act 1612 which
authorized the separation of Kabankalan from Ilog. The very first municipal president was
Lorenzo D. Zayco, the grandfather of the present mayor of Kabankalan, Pedro “Bebing”
P. Zayco Jr., the governer of Negros Occidental, Isidro “Pidio” P. Zayco, and the late
Kabankalan Vice-mayor Lorenzo “Nonoy Ante” Zayco. During those early years of
Kabankalan as a town, the barrios were those outside of the poblacion. The poblacion
was still undivided. Then on July 5, 1976, the poblacions of town and cities in the country
were sub-divided into barrios as mandated by Presidential Decree 86. The move added to
the number of barrios in the country. In Kabankalan, the poblacion was divided into nine
barrios. The leader of a barrio was called “barrio capitan” (village chieftain).
The first appointed barrio capitan was Euprosio Mayang. There were barrio
elections which conducted viva voce or the voters would just raise their hands. Later the
term barrio was changed to barangay. The term barangay was taken from the Indonesian
word “balanay” was the form of transportation used by the Indonesian settlers in coming
to the country, long before this was colonized by the Spanish crown.
The first barangay election which was already facilitated by the commission on
Elections (Comelec) was held on May 17, 1982. Mayang won over Celso Perez, another
prominent leader of the barangay whose family is relate to many respected clans. The
following composed the very first barangay council voted through a synchronized
baranagay elections nationwide: Mayang, barangay captain; Raul Rivera, Roy Cavile,
Antonio Gerasmia, Trinidad Gerona, Emma Estrope, and Carlos De Ortega, councilmen;
Albert Gerasmia, kabataang Barangay chaiman; Rodolfo Reyes, barangay Scretary; and
Ernest Jaleco, barangay treasurer. Mayang served from 1982-1987.
The term barangay captain was later change to punong barangay.
Meanwhile the Kabataang Barangay changed to Sangguniang Kabataan.
Among the residents are former Mayor Edwin Perez, former councilor and now
vice-mayor Raul C. Rivera and the late councilor Mamerto Mayoga Jr.. The late Premitivo
avile, one of Kabankalan’s topnotch accountants, also resided in Barangay VII, so with his
late son Bernardo “Sisoy “Cavile was also the city accountant.Likewise respected public
school teachers were amongs its residents.
The early years of the area now called Barangay VII was where the Malayan Club
was situated. Along what is now known as Burgos Street and in the lot acquired later by
Beatriz Alvarez-Jalando-on, the club was a place where Spaniards and Kabankalan’s elite
met for socialization. It had a dance saloon and bowlin alley. In the area also were an ice
plant and an electric plan. Unti the early ‘70s, along the corner of Tayum and Rizal Streets
were the Liberty Theater and La Marimba. The later was where Kabankalan’s social circle
met to play madjong and drank beer. Booth establishments were gutted by a fire 1972.

Old folks say the fire was a curse because the theater shown the very first ‘bomba’ film
entitled “Uhaw” starring Merle Fernandez.
While new buildings have sprouted during the later years and which house business
establishments, there remain the pre-warhouses, testament of by gone days. These are the
houses of the families Perez,Galang, Moya, and Abanilla. During the early post-war years,
the Horvidalla house along the corner of Tayum and Burgos Streets, and the Arroyo
residence along the corner of Bonifacio and Rizal Streets were constructed. The Rivera
house along Rizal Street was demolished to give way to the new dwelling of Councilor
Rivera. An early post-war house, owned by the Riveras along Burgos Street, was gutted
by fire. The place is where the owner of the Golden Key Trading, the Wee family.
The barangay is strategically situated. It is near the river,, where one can enjoy the
idyllic scene of the countryside, a vantage view of Barangay Camugao where coconut trees
abound. It is also fronting the city plaza, the venue of the Charter Day Celebration and
the Sinulog Festival. The St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, the seat of Catholicism in the city,
is situated few meters away.
Culturally, the baranagay takes pride of having parcipated and won in the Sinulog
Festival. In the late ‘70s, tribu Tulo of the Orcena Family won in the destival’s mardigras.
It won third with its “Baraha” motif and the first prize for its Igorot ensemble. Another
Sinulog tribe was that of the Cavile Family called Tribu ni Priming. The tribe sponsored
by the barangay council in 2003vwon second in the merry-making category. The council
also sponsored candidates in the Sinulog Queen and Hara sang Negros searches.
Concerned with the curbing of malnutrition among children, the barangay council
actively participates in the nutrition among children, the barangay council actively
participates in the Nutrition Month celebration every July, conducts a feeding program and
is among the recipients of the Relieve Milk feeding program of the Kabankalan City “Host”
Lions Club.
During the very first Clean and Green contest launched by the city government in
the mid ‘90s Barangay VII won second. It also won third in the Christmas decoration and
lighting competition among the barangays.
Unquestionably, Barangay VII is a small barangay but it has assumed a large stature
due to its barangay council’s well-rounded dimensions of concern for its people and it has
permanent landmarks: the original Town hall, St. Francis Xavier Cathedral and the whole
town now, City Plaza.
Today Barangay VII stands for the Seven Pillars of Concerns, namely: 1. Health,
Cleanliness and Sanitation, 2. Peace and Order, 3. Cultural and Sports Development, 4.
Environmental Awareness, 5. Public Accountability and Transparency, 6. Education and
Values Formation, and 7. Spiritual Growth.

Land Area

• 100.680 sq. kms

Map

Total Population

• 551

Number of Households

• 133

Education Health and Services Facilities

• Barangay Health Center
• GENERIKA