By
Jong Cadion
PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga
del Sur (April
21, 2018) – Municipal Mayor Joel S Sulong of Lapuyan town of this province
expressed his happiness and gratitude for the establishment of JH Cerilles
State College in his municipality.
Mayor Solong disclosed
that life of the people particularly the children of poorest of the poor in the
municipality benefited and improved after sending their children to JH Cerilles
State College.
JH Cerilles State
College established on 2016 thru the effort of the first couple Governor
Antonio H. Cerilles and 2nd District Congresswoman Aurora “Auring”
Enerio Cerilles so that the parents can sent their children to school and avail
a quality education, Mayor Solong said.
Mayor Song added that because
the JH Cerilles State College in Lapuyan has no rooms for the student,
officials of the school agreed with the officials of the Department of
Education to barrow School building during night time through the signing of memorandum
of agreement.
390 students graduated
in JH Cerilles State College-Lapuyan and some were graduated Cum Laude with 60
percent of the graduates already employed in the Department of Education as
regular teachers, Mayor Solong said.
In related development,
Mazyor Solong also said that the establishment of JH Cerilles State
College-Lapuyan also contributed the economic growth following the construction
business establishment in the municipality.
Lapuyan (Subanen: Gbenwa
Dlepuyan) is a third class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur,
Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 27,264
people. The municipality of Lapuyan is located in the southern section of the
Zamboanga del Sur province. It is also often referred to as "Little
America".
Historical
Profile of Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur
Etymology:
The
natives of Lapuyan belong to the Subanen tribe of Region IX. They are peace-loving
people who prefer to live along riverbanks up-stream in order to avoid the
aggressive Moros who live along the coast. The word Subanen is derived from the
word suba, or up-stream riverbank dwellers, because contracts with them can
only be possible when one would go up-stream. These high land dwellers are also
called getaw bentud.
During
the Spanish regime, the region was known as Pengolis. This is derived from the
Subanen word peng-holos-holis, which means patches of clearing in the jungles.
This area first inhabited word by the tribe of Thimuay Ahaten, Thimuay Reho who
settled along the bank of Lapuyan River, which is now the present Poblacion
site of Lapuyan, later succeeded him.
They
were often molested or invaded by the aggressive Maguidanao Datus who live
along the coast and by the Maranaos from Lanao. The Maguindanao Datus would
exact tribute from them while Maranaos would capture them and sell them as
slave.
The
same region later becomes known as Lapuyan. The word Lapuyan is derived from
the Subanen word Gepuyan or Pegupuyan, which means a place for cooking. It was
said later that after long days hunt, the Subanen hunter would cook their food
and rest on the river bank of Thubig-gepuyan which gave name of Lapuyan River.
However,
in the early part of the 19th century, braves Subanens leaders who were cousins
of Thimuay Ahaten and Reho reinforce these tribes. They came from Lakewood (Danao)
and settled in Magusan near the Mount of Kumalarang River. They were sons and
daughter of the Great Subanen Patriarch who discovered Lakewood (Danao). These
Subanen leaders were the ancestors of the Imbings, Lusays, Bugaos, Banghulots,
Mangangots, Huminis, Lingatings, Sulong and other modern day Subanen leaders in
Lapuyan.
These
Subanen leaders clear this region of their enemies and did not submit to Islam
and Catholic religion. They maintained eir religion and animism as their
religion and governed themselves according to their customs and traditions.
But,
during the reign of Thimuay Imbing in the later part of 19th and early part of
20th century, he accepted Christianity, which was introduced by American
Missionaries Mr. & Mrs. David O. Lung in 1912. Rev. & Mrs. Samuel D.
Lomasson continued their missionary works. They put up a Church and a Mission
School was the early Subanen learned to speak English.
Later
it was only by speaking English that they could communicate with their
Christian and Muslim Filipino brothers as well as with foreigners. Because of
this, Lapuyan became known as Little America. Furthermore, this is the only
town in the whole Province of Zamboanga del Sur where English speaking Subanen
predominate.
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