Alangalang

Etymology

The place got its name from the word Alang-alang, a vernacular word for indecision. There was a time when only footpaths existed in Mainit river going to Carigara which was too wide to leap and too narrow to wade in, so travelers were undecided on what to do.

History

Spanish Period

The town began to form from different "rancherías" and "barangays" at about the year 1596, Fr. Cosme de Flores, a priest-engineer, made it into the fourth "doctrina." Fr. Tomas de Montaya, a Manila college professor succeeded Fr. Flores who died at the early age of 29. Alangalang, with Dulag, was made a "cabecera" of nine towns with Fr. Mateo Sanchez as superior.

In 1600, the town suffered from the Moro raids. A punitive force from Cebu under Capitan Francisco de Pedraza was sent to suppress lawlessness. In 1611, a hurricane swept the whole town and floods became frequent. The 18 or 20 rancherias declined in importance and around December 1628, Alangalang became a "visita" of Barugo.

The old town of Alangalang was founded in 1748 (referred to as "Alagalng" in the first Murillo-Velarde Map published more than a decade earlier in 1734) in a site located across the steel bridge at Binongto-an called Bukid Height. This settlement was headed by Francisco Antonis, a courageous leader, together with Pongal, Manamot, Francisco Gariando, Hidalgo Pedrera and Solang Adlao. Antonis was famed for having eaten the liver of a Moro bandit whom he caught during one of the raids. Fr. Baysa, a Franciscan, was then their spiritual mentor. The objective of the Moro raids was the gold church bell. During every Moro attack, the inhabitants would take the gold bell with them to the hills. At one time, when the townsfolk were being pursued, they had to drop the gold bell in the Bangka River only to save it from the invaders, the bell has never been recovered since then.

Alangalang was made into a parish in 1809 according to a historian named Cousin. Towards the end of the 18th century, the settlement in Bukid thrived that Fr. Jose Olmo, then Parish priest, transferred the town across the Mainit River where the provincial nursery is located up to this day. The government officials at that time were the gobernadorcillo, teniente mayor, teniente segundo, cabeza de la barangay or guinhaopan, delgado de las rentas and cuadrilleros. Among the lay leaders were Eulogio Barrantes, Santo Pabilona, Eulogio Daroles and Esteban Pedero. A big flood leveled the town in 1883 and by November of the same year, the gobernadorcillo moved the town to its present site.

By the middle of the 19th century, Alangalang had a rectory and six rural schools; the roads to Palo and Barugo were also opened. The town was noted for its abacá, copra, seeds of "kabalonga", wax, cocoa, tobacco and rice.

Spanish Overthrow / American Period

In 1892, when there was a rebellion in the country, Alangalang was in the middle of the fight. Leocardio Pabilona overthrew the Spanish rule in the town and became the jefe or capitán with a new set of guinhaopan. When the Americans occupied the town upon orders from Pabilona, the inhabitants evacuated the place. The Americans, angered, set the town on fire. It was the hardship of mountain life which finally made the townsfolk yield to American authority.

From then on, the town's growth was steady. Alangalang is a big producer of copra and rice and lies along the route of the busiest national highway of the province. The town has one of the biggest Spanish-made churches and shortly before the war had a new concrete municipal building with a swimming pool.

Burning of Alangalang during 1900

On May 17, 1900, the American forces stationed at Jaro burned the town. Town President Franciso Astorga sued the United States Government for $12,973 for his house and properties but was only reimbursed for $6,500 Mexican currency.

Consolidation of San Miguel into Alangalang

In 1903, the municipality of San Miguel was consolidated into Alangalang but was subsequently reversed by the Governor General in 1909 through Executive Order 81.

World War II

After the fall of Corregidor in May 1942, the municipality became the emergency capital of the province. Provincial and national offices and government records were accordingly transferred there for safekeeping. On December 16, 1942, Japanese planes bombed the town. In August 1943, the town was attacked by the Japanese to weaken guerilla strength. Alangalang again became one of the bulwarks of the resistance movement with Filemon Pabilona and Elias Macina as leaders. In 1944 to 1945, the Filipino forces of the 4th, 9th, 92nd, 93rd and 95th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army took in the town in Alangalang, Leyte fought the battles against the Japanese forces in World War II.

Mainit River Bridge Incident

On Oct 28, 1944, Lt. Col. Thomas E. Clifford Jr.'s troops made contact with the Japanese at the Mainit Bridge where he lost 5 men. The bridge was already fitted with explosives by the enemy but due to quick advance of the American troops, the enemy didn't have the chance to set it off.

Geography

Barangays

Alangalang is politically subdivided into 54 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Aslum
• Astorga (Burabod)
• Bato
• Binongtoan
• Binotong
• Blumentrit (Poblacion)
• Bobonon
• Borseth
• Buenavista
• Bugho
• Buri
• Cabadsan
• Calaasan
• Cambahanon
• Cambolao
• Canvertudes
• Capiz
• Cavite
• Cogon
• Dapdap
• Divisoria
• Ekiran
• Hinapolon (Baras)
• Holy Child I (Poblacion)
• Holy Child II (Poblacion)
• Hubang
• Hupit
• Langit
• Lingayon
• Lourdes
• Lukay
• Magsaysay
• Milagrosa (Poblacion)
• Mudboron
• P. Barrantes
• Peñalosa
• Pepita
• Salvacion
• Salvacion (Poblacion)
• San Antonio
• San Antonio (Poblacion)
• San Diego
• San Francisco East (Francia)
• San Francisco West
• San Isidro
• San Pedro
• San Roque (Poblacion)
• San Vicente
• Santiago
• Santo Niño (Poblacion)
• Santol
• Tabangohay
• Tombo
• Veteranos

Climate

| access-date = 9 February 2020 }}

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Alangalang, Leyte, was 57,185 people, with a density of {{sigfig|57,185/150.54|2}} PD/km2.

Economy

The town was classified as a 3rd class municipality in 1950 then 2nd class in 1954 up to 2021. By 2025, it attained First Class status

Education

There are a total of 49 Elementary Schools, 9 High Schools and 1 University in Alangalang

Elementary/Grade School

• Alangalang I Central School
• Andres C. Yu, Sr. Memorial School
• Aslum Elementary School
• Astorga Elementary School
• Bato Primary School
• Binongtoan Central School
• Borseth Elementary School
• Buenavista Elementary School
• Bugho Elementary School
• Cabadsan Primary School
• Calaasan Elementary School
• Cambahanon Primary School
• Cambulao Primary School
• Canvertudes Primary School
• Capiz Elementary School
• Cavite Primary School
• Cogon Elementary School
• Dapdap Elementary School
• Divisoria Primary School
• Hinapolon Primary School
• Hubang Elementary School
• Hupit Elementary School
• Langit Elementary School
• Lingayon Central School
• Lourdes Elementary School
• Lukay Elementary School
• M. Casaus Elementary School
• Mariquita Cinco Memorial Primary School
• Montaño Elementary School
• Mudboron Elementary School
• P. Barrantes Primary School
• Penalosa Elementary School
• Pepita Elementary School
• Salazar Elementary School
• Salvacion Elementary School
• San Antonio Elementary School
• San Diego Elementary School
• San Francisco East Primary School
• San Francisco West Elementary School
• San Isidro Elementary School
• San Pedro Primary School
• San Vicente Elementary School
• Santiago Primary School
• Santol Elementary School
• Tabangohay Elementary School
• Tinaisan Elementary School
• Tombo Elementary School
• Veteranos Elementary School

High School/Secondary

• Alangalang National High School
• Astorga National High School
• Alangalang Night High School
• Alangalang Agro Industrial School
• Borseth National High School
• Ana G. Yu National High School (in Brgy. Ekiran)
• Holy Trinity College
• Mariano Salazar National High School (in Brgy. Cabadsan)
• Trinidad Caidic National High School (in Brgy. San Diego)

College/Universities

• Visayas State University - Alangalang Campus

Elected Officials

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Alangalang during COVID-19 Pandemic

Like most parts of the world, Alangalang was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. A town councilor from nearby town of Leyte, Leyte tested positive after attending a party in Alangalang. Part of the town was locked-down and then a month later put up online service to mitigate spread of infections. The Mayor also tested positive.

References

References

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