Bobon
is a municipality in the province of Northern Samar,
Philippines.It has a population of 16,851 people in
3,213 households, as of year 2000.
Before the Spanish regime, the place was just a cluster
of hamlets situated along the mouth of Sag-od River.
Fishermen and traders from the Bicol region used to
take refuge on the place whenever bad weather occurs.
In one of these occasions, they found a natural huge
well. The water from the well was clear, sweet and potable
for drinking. From that time on these fishermen and
the traders never failed to drop by and anchor not only
to take refuge but to fetch from the well. In Bicol,
water well is called “Bobon”- that’s
how the place derived its name.
As time went by, due to natural causes, the well slowly
filled with sand and eventually disappeared. Despite
of this, more settlers from other parts of Samar Island
and Bicol came making the place into a bigger community
they called BOBON.
Bobon is now 100 years as
a Municipality!!!
Bobon –
during Spanish Period
When the Spaniards came, Bobon was already
a community of fishermen, farmers and traders.
Palapag was then the center of Jesuit mission
and as the missionaries extended their faith
to some parts of the island, they found
out that Bobon had enough settlers to have
their own pastor. So, in 1679, Fr. Raymundus
Claramont was assigned as the first Jesuit
missionary of Bobon. With Fr. Calaramont’s
leadership, the Bobonanons constructed a
“convento” and a small house
of worship. The last Jesuit to minister
Bobon was Fr. Joseph Bremont. The long years
of service by the Jesuit missionaries in
the Philippines ended when King Charles
III issued an order to expel the Jesuit
Mision from all Spanish colonies all over
the world and the replacement by the Franciscan
Missionaries.
Bobon- into a Pueblo
(town)
Originally, Bobon was a Barrio of Catarman
and was under a missionary assigned in Catarman
parish. In 1838, the Bobonanons started
the construction of the Roman Catholic Church,
the convento and the massive walls surrounding
the area. The convento was completed in
1842. in August 4, 1863, by virtue of a
decree issued by Bishop Romualdo of Cebu,
Bobon became a pueblo and a parish independent
from Catarman. However, after a few years,
Bobon was again reverted into a visita of
Catarman. But in 1906, upon compliance to
all the requirements, Bobon became a municipality
covering the big barrios of Biri, Carangian,
Rosario, Dancalan and other smaller barrios.
Bobon’s Political Leaders
During Spanish Period
Pueblos at that time were administered by
an executive officer called “capitanes.”
The capitanes, together with the comun de
principales, or the municipal council supervised
thw town. In 1833, Capitan Juan Cayetano
was the town executive who, together with
his council members, was responsible for
turning Sitio Sumisip and Pinonayan into
a resettlement area for his people.
In 1852, Capitan Anselmo Rodriguez
was the town executive who, together with his comun
de principales, filed a petition requesting for their
own priest, since Bobon and Catarman at that time was
ministered by only one priest.
Among the early executive officials
of Bobon were Capitan Crisostomo Batiles,
Capitan Antonio Tobes, Capitan Gregorio
Balite, Capitan Ruperto Balite, Capitan
Buenaventura Tagros, Capitan Felicianio
Paredes, Capitan Eleodoro Paredes, and Capitan
Pedro Balite.
Bobon- during
American Period
When William H. Taft was appointed governor-general
for Samar island, he designated Marshal
Jackson to supervise the northern coast
of Samar, including Bobon. Jackson supervised
the construction of the noted Colgante Bridge
and the dirt road between Bobon and Catarman.
The enactment of the Tydings-McDuffie Law
by the US congress on March 24, 1934 which
established the Commonwealth Government
of the Philippines was the most significant
in the early part of the American regime.
Under the form of government, Manuel L.
quezon and Sergio Osmena were elected President
and Vice President, respectively in a national
election held in September 12, 1935.
The local government was administered by
an appointed Municipal Lieutenant. For Bobon,
Esperidion Paredes was appointed Municipal
Lieutenant. He was succeeded by his close
relative Cayetano Paredes when the later
became judge.
One of the legacies of the American regime
was the introduction of electoral reform.
Through the process, the political participation
by the Filipino people increased to its
high level. At that time, the mayor serves
a term of four years. Jose Balite Sr. was
elected mayor and serve for twelve (12)
consecutive years (1925-1937).
In the next election, Eladio T. Balite ran
for Mayor against Pablo Abellar. Eladio
Balite and his running mate, Jose Balite,
Sr. won but elected the mayor, Eladio served
only for three months and he resigned from
office. Jose Balite, Sr. assumed as mayor
from 1937-1941.
Bobon- during Japanese
time
During the early Japanese occupation, the
incumbent mayor, Jose Balite, Sr. fled to
Bicol and vacated his position. It was then
that Pablo Abellar was appointed mayor by
the Japanese and served until late 1945
when the American forces landed in Leyte.
Bobon and the
Municipal Mayors
From President Roxas administration to present,
thirteen (13) mayors served Bobon. Felipe
Yturriaga was appointed by the late Congressman
Agripino Escareal as mayor. In 1947, he
was succeeded by Francisco Evaristo on Sugust
4, 1947. Evaristo served the municipality
for two (2) years.
In the 1949 election, Eleuterio Duran
won and served a four (4) year term. In the same year
(1949), President Quirino issued an Executive Order
making Carangian into a municipality and renaming it
to San Jose. In 1953, Juan Divina was elected mayor
but he resigned after a few months to serve President
Magsaysay as technical adviser. The Vica-Mayor Pedro
Tatoy was disqualified to assume the office due to an
administrative case. The first councilor then Domingo
Agasang took over the position and served two (2) years.
In the 1955 election, Conrado Carpina
defeated Celerino Tobes and served from 1955 to 1959.
Pio Merida won the 1960 election against Conrado Carpina
and served Bobon for Eight (8) years due to his re-election
in 1964. in the 1968 election, Jose Chan was proclaimed
mayor but served only for two (2) years due to COMELEC
decision in favor of Senecio Duran who served the last
two (2) years of the term. On the same year RA 5500
sponsored by the Cong. Eusebio Moore was enacted creating
Biri into a Municipality.
In 1971, Bernardo Carpina and Calixto
Paredes were elected Mayor and Vice-Mayor, respectively.
Mayor Ben Carpina served the longest term, fifteen (15)
years (1971-1986). Jaime Lustico was appointed OIC Mayor
for two years. The first election under the 1987 constitution
brought Jose B. Balite, Jr. to local power and was re-elected
twice for a term of nine (9) years. In the 1998 election,
Elena Sia Balite won as mayor of Bobon and still serving
her last term of office.
