HISTORY

Youtube Video Courtesy of JMantua0920 www.youtube.com/@JMantua0920 

A brief history

According to Reuel "Jek - Jek" M. Junio, in the midst of vast fertile agricultural land approximately 24 kilometers north of Ormoc City, 85 kilometers from Tacloban and about 993 kilometers from Manila passing the Maharlika highway lies the Municipality of Kananga. It comprises of 23 barangays and a population of about 56, 000 formerly a progressive barrio of Ormoc City. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Capoocan and Carigara; the northeastern side by the town of Jaro; on the northwestern side by the town of Leyte and the western side were the towns of Villaba and Matag-ob while on the southeastern and south portions by the City of Ormoc.

The town of Kananga was created through the painstaking efforts of a few prominent residents who through thick and thin worked out in seeking the signatures of hundreds of barrio people. They crafted a resolution requesting the Honorable Congressman Domingo Veloso to submit a bill for its creation. The frontliners in the quest for the creation were: Liberato Taganas, Pascual Reyes, Francisco Malinao, Marcelo Bonite, Pastor Dasigan, Servando Veloso, Jose Macauba, Gregorio Rabanos, Dionesio Terencio, Felix Cotiangco, Sr., Apolonia Hermosilla Malinao, Segunda Rabanos and Fausta Campo.

The early settlers revealed that the present poblacion was a dense forest and abundantly growing were ilang-ilang trees and a hub of wild animals. During its blossom time, the forest enchants fragrant smell like "Agua Cananga" similar to a bottled Spanish perfume which was very popular in the market at that time. Another version was that of a female resident of Kananga called "Anga" known for selling native drinks locally known as Tuba. Habitu'es of Anga's store named it as "Kan Anga" meaning Anga's store or place. This linguistic origin is indicative because coconut sap from its inflorescence served as its early drink and livelihood for the early inhabitants.

Kananga shared in Leyte's historical prominence by being one of the hideouts of the "Pulahanes movement" a Filipino nationalist group trying to resist American take-over during the Filipino - American war.

The mountain range on the western side forms part of the infamous YAMASHITA LINE stretching towards the BUGA-BUGA hills in Villaba, Leyte where hundreds of Americans, Japanese and Filipinos died during World War II.

A story has it, that on its north eastern mountain ranges, Capt. Cinco and Imong Villegas of the "Pulahanes" ruled the area after the war. They terrorized barrio residents thus prompting the peace loving inhabitants to clamor for their own municipal government. The populace need adequate police protection which the City of Ormoc at that time cannot provide.

On June 17, 1950, Republic Act No. 542 authored by Congressman Domingo Veloso and approved by President Elpidio Quirino was enacted creating the municipality of Kananga, Leyte.

Originally, Kananga comprises of 11 barangays, to wit: Lonoy, Kananga, Rizal, Tugbong, Montebello, Aguiting, Agay-ayan, Montealegre, Libungao, Naghalin and Masarayao.

By virtue of Municipal Council Resolution No. 10, passed on 16 January 1959 resolved to submit a list of barrios thru the Director of the Bureau of Census and Statistics to Congress and declared the following as regular barrios of Kananga to wit: Aguiting, Bagabao, Cacao, Kawayan, Hiluctogan, Libertad, Libongao, Lim-ao, Lonoy, Mahawan, Masarayao, Montealegre, Montebello, Naghalin, Natubgan, Poblacion, Rizal, Sto. Domingo, San Ignacio, San Isidro, Sto. Niño, Tagaytay, and Tugbong.

The barrio of Bagaba-o was later ceded to Leyte, Leyte. However, on January 3, 1964 the Municipal Council passed a resolution converting Sitio Tongonan of Lim-ao into a regular barrio thus the municipality is still comprised of 23 barangays.

The municipal symbols are the following:

Municipal Flower - Ilang-ilang

Municipal Tree - Bayong

Municipal Bird - Kalaw

Mr. Perfecto Mendoza, a Presidential appointee served as Mayor from June 17, 1950- December 31, 1951. He transferred the seat of government to Brgy. Libungao a thriving settlement about 1.5 km south of the present poblacion for obvious reasons. However, majority of the inhabitants petitioned the President requesting that the newly created town be established in Kananga as originally specified in the bill. The general consensus prevailed due to the growing political and economic importance of Kananga.

The first elected Mayor was Hon. Liberato Taganas. January 1, 1952-December 31, 1955.

The first elected Municipal Council members were: Hon. Pedro Bonjoc as Vice Mayor, Ireneo Bunal, Alipio Cabatingan, Mariano Gonzalo, Crisologo Batiller, Francisco Malinao and Feliciano Larrazabal,Sr

.

The second, third, fourth and fifth elected Mayor was Feliciano Larrazabal, Sr. January 1, 1956 - December 31, 1971. Credited for the expansion and development of the municipal poblacion. Some of the original structures, infrastructures constructed still stands today.

The sixth elected Mayor was Hon. Jorge P. Tan, Jr. January 1, 1972 - December 31, 1975.

He served for only one year and seven months.

Vice Mayor Reynaldo S. Laurente succeeded as Municipal Mayor from January 1, 1976 - December 31, 1979 under hold over capacity for 4 years under Martial law years.

Still under Martial law, Hon. Reynaldo S. Laurente was elected Mayor from January 1980 - March 31, 1986.

Under the Freedom Constitution of President Cory Aquino in 1986, Arturo Conejos was installed OIC Mayor from April 1, 1986 - December 31, 1987.

During the 1988 campaign period, DILG Secretary Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. appointed caretaker officials headed by caretaker Mayor Feliciano Larrazabal, Jr. for two months from January 1 to February 27, 1988.

The seventh, eight and nineth elected Mayor was Hon. Eduardo V. Napari. February 28, 1988 to June 30,1998.

The Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth elected Mayor was Giovani Ed M. Napari. June 30, 1998 to June 30, 2007.

The 13t, 14th and 15th elected Mayor was Elmer C. Codilla. June 30, 2007 to June 30, 2016.

The 16th elected Mayor was Rowena Codilla. June 30, 2016 to June 30, 2019.

Presently, the Incumbent and 17th elected Mayor is Manuel Vicente M. Torres. Elected on May 14, 2019.

Sources: 1. Notes of Dick S. Junio 2. Kananga 50th Foundation Day Anniversary Souvenir Book 3. 2005 Kananga Fiesta Souvenir Book 4. Wikipedia 5. Chanrobles 6. Notes of Reuel M. Junio

Source: https://www.facebook.com/Kanangaprofiles

The History of Towns in Region VIII, Philippines

By the Latter Day Saints Mission Network

Amidst a vast and fertile agricultural land approximately 23 kilometers north of Ormoc City, lies the municipality of Kananga, which, during the Spanish time was but a stretch of virgin wilderness. The Spanish soldiers used to bivouac in the place on their Ormoc-Carigara expeditions. They always loved to linger in the area owing to the extravagant array of wild flowers, notably the giant Ilang-ilang blossoms whose fragrance enchanted them and which abounded in the region. The delicate scent of this particular flower made one Spanish lieutenant remark, "Como Agua Cananga," referring to the old famous Spanish perfume with that label. The name stuck, and the people began calling the place Kananga - a name which has lived through the centuries to this very day. Such was the origin of the name of the town.

Until about 1920, the present site of the municipality of Kananga used to be a sitio of Barrio Lonoy, Ormoc City. A few settlers in six or seven scattered shacks populated it. As the years passed, more settlers form Carigara and Ormoc moved in. The population increased until it was ready to be elevated to barrio status.

Mrs. Josefa Bukalang, one of the wealthy landowners at the time, was inspired by the influx of these pioneers that she donated school sites to Kananga. The community was inaugurated a full-fledged barrio, owing chiefly to the efforts of Teodoro Sacay, councilor for the sitio in the municipal council of Ormoc City. Cagayong was the first teniente del barrio of Kananga.

The construction of the Ormoc-Kananga and later the Kananga-Tacloban road in the early 1930's linking Kananga to both east and west coasts of Leyte on one long highway, the Tacloban-Ormoc road, hastened the growth of Kananga. Many people were attracted to settle in the place. Commerce and industry were stimulated. Agriculture received a big boost. The living conditions of the people improved.

During the Japanese occupation, due to its strategic position, Kananga was chosen as the rendezvous center of the civil officials of the Resistance Movement in Ormoc, Capoocan, Palompon, Merida and Albuera. A guerilla unit was stationed in the barrio for espionage rather than for armed attack against the enemy.

Shortly after General Douglas MacArthur and his troops landed ashore on the Red Beach, Palo, Leyte and other points on the east coast of the province, General Yamashita, "Tiger of Malaya," established the now famous "Yamashita Line" or " Ormoc Corridor" for defensive forces against the American forces. The defense installation extended across the mountain vastness of Barrios Kananga and Lonoy, and was defended by 200,000 Japanese soldiers recruited from the neighboring islands and the various Japanese garrisons in Leyte at the time. The 77th and 7th divisions of the American Army destroyed the " Ormoc Corridor". Japanese soldiers were killed by the thousands and the few hundreds who escaped unhurt fled to Buga-buga in Villaba where they made their last stand in Leyte.

On June 17, 1950, Kananga was created a regular municipality by virtue of Republic Act No. 542, an important milestone for the community. The first administrators of the municipality were appointed by the President, the usual procedure for newly created political subdivisions. The first mayor of Kananga was Perfecto Mendoza, appointed by the president.

The officials were faced by the numerous problems that usually arose in new municipalities. However, due to the cooperation of the people and through the initiative and efforts of the town officials, these problems were solved.

The first elective mayor of Kananga was Liberator Taganas with Pedro Banjoc as Vice-Mayor.

Source: https://www.mission.net/philippines/tacloban/page.php?lang=eng&pg_id=1736

Thanks to its Webmaster Mike Merkley of the LDS Mission Network.

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