Barangays > Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo

Brief History

This place was once a part of the vast agricultural estate of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. However, when the said military leader was still alive, he failed to make this land productive, thus, it remained a forest where thorny bushes abound. Plants locally known as tambo and dungon grew abundantly in this area. When fishermen from Panay came and built huts near the seashore, they called this place as Tambungon,from the words tambo and dungon.

The fishermen noticed that nobody took care of this agricultural estate. They dared to clear the forests and gradually a wide portion of it was planted to palay and corn. One day, Gen. Aguinaldo, aboard a helicopter, arrived. He ordered the farmers not to cultivate the land. The farmers followed but after a few months, since nobody was taking care of the land, they continued cutting the trees in the area. They converted the forest into productive ricefields and cornfields.

The first settlers of Tambungon were the Bernabe and Montillano families from Panay; the Terrado and Guarda families from Manila. Despite the presence of the deadly disease of malaria, they remained in this place and encouraged their relatives to live here.

It was in the year 1967 when the number of settlers in Tambungon increased. Since Aguinaldo Estate was a part of the wide plain where Barrio Sta. Lucia is located, Tambungon was made as a sitio of the said barrio. The residents of this sitio requested the officials of the Department of Education to open a primary school here. The farmers petitioned the Department of Agrarian Reform to buy Aguinaldo Estate and distribute it to them since they are the actual occupants and tillers.

After three years, the Department of Education assigned Mr. Federico Pacheco as the first teacher of Tambungon. Through cooperative labor, the parents were able to build a schoolhouse made of lumber, cogon and bamboo. In 1974, the primary school became a complete elementary school and a concrete building was constructed by the government.

During martial law period, the irrigation system constructed by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) at Brgy. Malisbong reached Tambungon. However, the group of farmers in this sitio constructed other irrigation systems. Their sources of water were the springs at the hills which protect their community from the strong easterly wind.

Since Tambungon is near Sablayan Prison and Penal Farms, many ex-convicts decided to lead a new life in this place. They convinced their families to settle here permanently.

Although Tambungon was not yet a full fledged barrio, the former mayors of Sablayan assigned here teniente del barrios, the title of the barrio leaders during that time. The first barrio leader assigned here was Vicente Ofema. He was followed by Rosalina Tiburana and Diosdado Terrado who served twice. It was during his term of office when the barangay hall was constructed.

Tambungon was separated from Sta. Lucia and was made as a barangay in 1982. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was registered as its official name. Jerry Esteves was elected as its first barangay captain.

In 1994, the leader of the barangay was Sotero Salazar. During his term of office, the number of teachers at Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Elementary School increased.