Barangays > Batong Buhay

Brief History

The indigenous people lived in this place during the Spanish regime. They were the group of people seen as settlers in this area by the Igorots and Ilocanos, the first workers at the cattle ranch of the Arellano family.

Years later, the indigenous people transferred to the mountains. Left behind were the Ilocanos and Igorots who cultivated the land in some parts of the pastureland.

Ten years after World War II, farmers from the Visayas, as well as the Tagalog and Ilocos Regions came to this place. Since the family of Arellano was the owner of the land which they occupied, they called their community as Arellano.

On September 26, 1954 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 72, Sablayan Penal Colony & Farm or SPCF was created by President Ramon Magsaysay. On June 15, 1955 the first group of officials and employees, including the sixty eight (68) prisoners of SPCF from Iwahig Penal Colony arrived. The institution was managed by Superintendent Candido Bagaoisan.

The center of the said institution was established in one part of Arellano. At the census conducted in 1960, the prisoners of SPCF were included in the population of the barrio. It continued until 1982 when Brgy. Malisbong was created. Since the newly created barangay was nearer to SPCF than Arellano, the number of prisoners in this institution was included in the population of Malisbong.

In the early part of 1960, Arellano became a barrio. The inhabitants decided to change its name to Batong Buhay due to the huge stone in one part of Mompong River which serves as protection of the barrio, every time floods occur. That same year, the primary school for children was opened at Batong Buhay.

Placed under the jurisdiction of Batong Buhay was Sitio Tuban, one of the oldest settlement in the island of Mindoro where Muslim traders bartered goods with the indigenous people, prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines. At first, the total land area of Batong Buhay was wide but when Brgy. Malisbong and Brgy. Tibag were created, its land area was greatly reduced.

During martial law, under the Comprehensive Land Reform Program or CARP, Hacienda Arellano was bought by the government and distributed to the farmers. Members of a rebel group frequently visited the inhabitants of this place. Luckily, the life of the residents of Batong Buhay remained peaceful.

When Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, Sitio Yapang of Brgy. Batong Buhay was made as a resettlement area of the victims of the said calamity. Many families transferred to this place. The national government constructed houses, school buildings and other structures for them. It also constructed an irrigation system and improved the national highway which passed through this sitio. In order that the children of the victims of Mt. Pinatubo could study, the Department of Education Culture & Sports opened Yapang National High School.