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Santiago, Henceforth

A brief historical sketch of Santiago prepared by Narciso P. Gonzaga, a Municipal Development Analyst, mentioned that there were only three Filipino-owned sari-sari stores in Santiago in 1917. Santiago used to acquire its provisions and merchandise from Chinese traders in Echague, who in turn took their stock from Aparri, Cagayan until the opening of the Villa-Verde Trail, an improved version of the road built by the Spaniards back in 1736.

The Cagayan River served as the major and migration route into the Cagayan Valley before the introduction of land transportation via the Villa-Verde whether during the Spanish Regime or the American Occupation. During this period, Echague used to be the landing zone for the merchandise intended for Santiago, Cordon and Bagabag, owing to its proximity to the big river.

The opening of the Villa-Verde Trail holds a distinct significance not only for Santiago but also for the entire Cagayan Valley. It facilitated the entry into the valley of immigrants from various provinces of Luzon. Santiago absorbed a sizable share of immigrants. The new route introduced Santiago to other things and led her to progress. For instance, there was a novel experience of beholding the first car, a Model T Ford that reached the town in the 1920s, which was said to be owned by a Mr. Matute. This was followed shortly by another car, a Ford Run-About, owned by Justo de Guzman of Cordon. The Villa-Verde Trail indeed, ushered the Valley into a new age of development.

The initiated impetus of growth and development which Santiago enjoyed from the opening of the Villa-Verde Trail, was soon followed by a business boom in the 1930s when the Santiago-Cabanatuan and Santiago-Ipil-ipil Jones road was constructed. Within this period, the first public market in Santiago was constructed. It occupied the block bounded by the Provincial Road, Abauag Street, and Carreon Street, where it remained until 1948.

Most major structures and residential buildings in the town were razed to the ground by American bombs at the height of the Liberation Campaign. These were rebuilt, however, on the same site after the war. The old municipal building was relocated just behind the area occupied by the old Philippine National Bank building. This suffered the same fate of being burned down. It was not rebuilt; instead the municipal government rented the house of Gaudencio and Justa Bayaua at the corner of Bayaua and Tumanut Streets. The house still exists to this day.

Several misfortunes took place and destroyed the site of the municipal government until 1949. This time, under the leadership of Juan dela Cruz, the Santiago Municipal Government formally acquired the triangular lot bounded by Camacam and Panganiban Streets and Daang Maharlika which is now the site of the old municipal compound and the present public market. It has a total of six hectares and was originally a part of a 95 hectares reservation for a farm school. It became isolated to the main part when the National Diversion Road, now part of the Maharlika, was constructed in 1846.

A relentless effort of the municipal government, headed by Mayor dela Cruz and the then Department of Public Instruction approved the donation of the reservation site for a farm school, identified as Lot No. 1 Santiago Cadastre, to the Municipal Government. A large part of this area was later subdivided into residential lots, which now form part of Victory Norte and Victory Sur.

The following were some historical highlights of Santiago after the liberation period:

• In 1945, the Municipal Council requested the provincial treasurer to be allowed to take possession of unclaimed carabao, horses and other objects of value which had earlier been commandered to realize more funds for the municipal government.

• In the same year, the local postmaster organized his office in his own house about one kilometer away from the municipal building.

• It took some years before the services like the telegraph; postal money order and registered letter were restored.

• Still in 1945, horse shoeing was listed as among the taxable trade in Santiago.

• As early as 1947, the Municipal Council proposed the Construction of the Santiago Waterworks System.

• In the same year, the old Municipal Cemetery at Dubinan identified as Lot No. 610 Santiago Cadastre, was donated by the Municipal Government as a school site, presently the Dubinan Elementary School.

• Agustin Panganiban, the Municipal Assessor in 1947, showed a magnanimous act when he politely turned down an increase in his salary on the ground that "it was unfair to his co-employees".

• Japanese stragglers posted a real danger to local farmers long after the liberation that the municipal government petitioned the U.S. Army Unit stationed in Santiago to provide protection and if possible to permit the reactivation of the local guerilla force to go after said stragglers.

• In 1948, the Municipal Council proposed the establishment of a paper mill to process one million cubic meters of lumber, representing the output of Santiago’s forest region.

• The Municipal Mayor's salary in 1948 was one hundred seventy (170.00) pesos a month.

• The first Boy and Girl Scouts’ week in Santiago was held in December 1948.

• Secondary education in Santiago became operational in 1940 with the establishment of two private high schools. The Mabini Memorial High School was located at Dubinan and was owned by Judge Tiburcio Bascos. It offered a complete 4-year high school course. The Northeastern Junior High School was owned by a corporation, which was founded by Atty. Francisco Padua. It offered first and second year courses only.

• During the Japanese occupation, the two high schools were closed. After the war, the Northeastern Junior High School resumed operation. This time it offered a complete normal course.

• In 1951, La Salette of Santiago was opened by the La Salette Missionaries. It offered a complete 4-year secondary course, followed by the opening of the college department a year later.

• Since Santiago is situated within the typhoon belt, it becomes an unwilling host of typhoons and other calamities. In fact, the history of Santiago could not be accurately written without mentioning the role, no matter how unpleasant, the floods play in it.

As was the general pattern throughout the country, the Japanese invasion force sent to Santiago was met with only a token of resistance. But this does not preclude the patriotism or nationalism of the local citizenry.

Like other municipalities of wartime Philippines, Santiago was not spared of betrayal perpetrated by Filipinos who cast their lots with the enemy when the going was good, false posing as Makapili (Pro-Filipino) but were, in fact, bribed to hound local citizens who were loyal to the Filipino flag. Through the workings of the Makapili, not a few local citizens were put to the Japanese sword, clubbed to death, or mowed down with machine- gunfire.

The number of Santiago’s war casualties was compounded with death caused by diseases and hunger. This was because the Japanese made Santiago a center of their reinforcement activities toward the end of the war in their last ditch effort to gain victory. The development led to the wholesale commandeering of foodstuff, medicine, clothing and any object of vital importance in an emergency situation such as war.

But the Japanese were not alone in the plunder of Santiago. During the American counter-offensive, which eventually resulted in the liberation of the municipality, Santiago became the daily target of the American aerial strikes. Incessant bombing and staffing by American planes turned Santiago into a veritable ghost town, comparable in extent of damage to the worst hit cities of the world during the war.

Historical records show that the Municipality of Santiago was officially created by a Royal Decree on May 4, 1743. At that time that this decree was promulgated, the town of Diffun and Saguday in the province of Quirino and the towns of Cordon, Ramon and San Mateo in the province of Isabela were barrios of this Municipality. Notwithstanding, the creation of these municipalities from the original land area, Santiago has developed and progressed to become the leading agricultural commercial, industrial and educational center of Cagayan Valley today.

By virtue of R.A. 7720, Santiago became the first city in the whole Region 02. Cityhood for the town of Santiago was a vision of enduring popular progress which Mayor Jose "Pempe" Miranda pursued out of an early dream of his predecessor and the late Rep. Antonio M. Abaya of the 4th District of Isabela.

The march of Santiago to cityhood has been long and tedious, yet it dramatically showed that when people unite and work together for a common desire, they can achieve monumental results. During his second term in office, Mayor Jose "Pempe" Miranda took with characteristic boldness the preparatory steps towards the realization of cityhood for the town of his birth.

In 1992, he issued Executive Order No. 92-05, which created and tasked an adhoc committee to conduct a thorough study and submit recommendations on the conversion of Santiago into a city. Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO) Carlos L. Hernal headed the committee. It found out at once that the town's population was not yet large enough to qualify it for cityhood. However, the acute legalistic mind of Fiscal Valentin Pelayo saw the possibility of cityhood as contained in the Local Government Code which provides that a municipality may be converted into a city as long as one of the two requirements - number of population and land area are met.

Being sure that Santiago had the qualification for cityhood, Mayor Miranda right away endeavored for an intelligent attempt at earning urban distinction for Santiago. On February 15, 1993, he signed Executive Order No. 93-03, which created a joint Executive-Legislative Committee whose members included all members of the Sangguniang Bayan, all the heads of municipal government offices, and Fiscal Pelayo.

On February 19, 1993, the Santiago municipal government officials visited and toured the cities of San Jose and Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija, San Carlos in Pangasinan, and Angeles in Pampanga. Immediately afterwards, consultations and dialogues regarding cityhood were conducted to get the people’s pulse.

On March 4, 1993, a significant step towards cityhood took place when the Sangguniang Bayan approved Executive Resolution No. 93-29, which was subsequently endorsed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Isabela under the leadership of Governor Benjamin Dy and Vice Governor Manuel Binag. In this resolution, authored by all of the members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Rep. Antonio M. Abaya was tasked to sponsor a bill providing for the conversion of the Municipality of Santiago into a city. The Honorable Congressman then filled House Bill No. 8817 at the lower House under his sponsorship and those of Representatives Albano, Respicio, and Dy, Jr of the Province of Isabela. On November 25, 1993, the bill was discussed extensively in a public hearing conducted by the House of the Representatives - Committee on Local Government, chaired by Rep. Ciriaco Alfelor of Camarines Sur.

On December 17, 1993, the bill converting Santiago into an Independent Component City was approved by the Lower House. On February 23, 1994, Senate Bill No. 1243, which had been sponsored jointly by Senators Raul S. Roco and Roberto Romulo, the Senate Majority Floor Leader, was presented for public hearing. It was approved on March 14, 1994 after another public hearing, conducted by the Senate Committee on Local Government, chaired by Senator Vicente Sotto III.

On May 5, 1994, an important event took place in Malacañang Palace, Manila, when Republic Act 7720 was signed by His Excellency, President Fidel V. Ramos, creating the town of Santiago as an independent component city - the first in Region 02. July 3, 1994 marked the cityhood of Santiago as manifested by overwhelming votes of the people through the plebiscite. The conversion of Santiago into an Independent Component City ushered in a new era of development.