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Puerto
Galera History
The
Spaniards discovered Puerto Galera in the early 16th century as
a safe haven for their trade ships during heavy squalls and
typhoons; the words literally mean 'Port of the Galleons'. The
sheltered
Bay
of
Puerto Galera
itself remains an anchorage for boats during bad weather to this
day, although it's the beaches of Small La laguna and Sabang
that now provide the main attraction to new comers.
Puerto
Galera, one of the oldest settlements of the religious
missionaries, was founded in 1574 as the original capital of
Mindoro
. Originally, the town was located at the Lagundian, now a
"sitio", chosen by the Spanish authorities as the
provincial capital due to its excellent harbor and natural
beauty. But due to its susceptibility to moro raids, the
Spaniards were forced to transfer the town from the
Lagundian to the present site, which they named Puerto Galera. The
town was popularly known as "Puerto Galera" (Port of
the Galleons). Spanish galleons coming from
Mexico
and
Spain
used the presence of an excellent port or berthing place to
take refuge during stormy weather before proceeding to
Manila
.
The
mountains and the good harbor nearby served the
Spaniards well as shields from the moro pirates and other
marauders. Several guard houses and watch towers were built
at the top of the surrounding mountains. The biggest was
constructed at Dampalitan Point, north of the town facing
Batangas Channel. Public and Military headquarters,
hospitals, warehouses and a convent made of stone were also
erected through the efforts of both the church and
the state. A wharf was also built at
Muelle
Bay
. Adjacent to this stood a warehouse for rice, which caught
fire one night. It is widely believed that the charcoaled
grains, popularly known as "black rice", till
remain scattered at the shores of Muelle up to this day.
In
1837, the seat of government was transferred to Calapan
due to the suitable agricultural plains and the Spaniards
opted to stay there. When Puerto Galera was no longer the
seat of the government, the Spanish government officials
left the town and only the friars remained. A "cabesa"
or "capitan
del
pueblo" was then appointed by the "governador"
to collect the tributes or taxes from the people and to
maintain peace and order. Among the heads of the town
called "gobernadorcillos" who became famous were
Jose Salamat, Juan Quinto, Aguido Cobarrubias and Hilarion
Axalan.
Guarding
the coasts of Puerto Galera was a Spanish warship,
named "Caņonero Mariveles". However, on November
18, 1879, the ill-fated battleship was hit by a powerful storm,
which caused it to sink outside the West Coast of Muelle.
As a tribute to the lost ship and its crew, a wooden cross
was erected right at the center of Muelle with
the following inscription: "Ultima tierra que pesaron
los tripolantes del Caņonero Mariveles el 18 de Noviembre
de 1879, Memoria de sus campaņero". As one of the greatest
relics of the past century, this cross was renovated in 1938 by
a Spanish national named Luis Gomez y Sotto.
Revolutionaries
from Puerto Galera participated in the overthrow of
the Spanish Government in
Mindoro
in 1898 -1900 under the leadership of brothers Miguel and
Estanislao Cobarrubias Sr. During the American regime, a
military governor by the name Captain Robert Offley was
appointed. On November 2, 1902, Puerto Galera was again
made the capital of the province until 1903. It was
annexed to Calapan in 1905 as a barrio represented by
Hilarion Axalan in the Calapan town council in 1916. In
1919 it was made a municipal district with Isidro Suzara as
"municipal president".
On
February 21, 1928, Under Act. No. 3415, it was organized
into an independent municipality with Anacleto Atienza as
first "municipal presidente". Estanislao
Cobarrubias Sr. was the last "municipal presidente"
of the civil government and the first municipal mayor
of the commonwealth government.
On
February 27, 1942, the Japanese air force and naval
auxiliary occupied the town. Leoncio Axalan, who was
supposed to end his term as mayor in 1942, was made to
extend his term until 1946 because of his courage and
integrity. It was indeed a great test for a man to run the
affairs of the municipal government amidst the warring
parties, the guerrillas and the Japanese.
After
the liberation in 1946, then Governor Arturo Ignacio
appointed Rafael Garcia as the municipal mayor of Puerto
Galera. In 1948, Estanislao Brucal, an officer of the
guerrilla unit in
Mindoro
during the Japanese occupation, became the first elected
municipal mayor of Puerto Galera under the Republican form
of Government.
In
1972, during the third term of Mayor Rogelio Cataquis, the
sitios of Sto. Niņo and Villaflor were created and
organized into regular barangays together with the recognition
of Poblacion as a duly organized barangay. On December 26, 1973,
PD 354 was issued by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos
making Puerto Galera a reservation area under the Man
and Biosphere Program of the UNESCO.
Today,
the beautiful and scenic Puerto Galera is the center of
tourism in this province, making full use of its long line
of white beaches and its abundant flora and fauna.
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