- Advertisement -

A. Paulita Roa

STREET names form a part of our public memory because they serve as reminders of our past – of the local and national events and personages that are preserved in perpetuity for the succeeding generations to know and remember the who, what, where and why in our history. This is the reason why in our Local Government Code, it specifies that it is the historical committee in a town or city that must lead in the naming of streets for this is a serious undertaking  that should not to be taken lightly.

- Advertisement -

Take for example a street in Iligan City that for a time became the laughing stock in that area. The street marker read “B.S.Ong St.” One day, some pranksters climbed the street pole and erased the two periods on the marker, so it became the “B Song St.” After a long while, the city government finally changed the marker and it is now known as the “Benito Ong St.”

Do you know that there is only one street in Cagayan de Oro that is named after a woman? The main street leading to the Agora Market from the C.M. Recto national highway is the Arcadia Valenzuela St. She was the leader of the female corps of volunteers from Lapasan during the Philippine – American war in 1900 – 1901. Valenzuela was the close relative of Pio Valenzuela, a prominent Katipunero from Bulacan and a close friend of Dr. Jose P. Rizal. The prominent Valenzuela clan in Lapasan is proud of their ancestress who is considered a heroine of our city.

The Toribio Chaves St. starts near the PNB building and ends in Burgos St. The Cepalco and Post Office buildings as well as part of the Lourdes College campus are all located in this street. It used to be called Calle Filipinas and in the 1960s, this was named in honor of Toribio Chaves, a poet, who, in 1898 became the first elected Municipal Presidente or Mayor of Cagayan de Misamis (Cagayan de Oro) under the Aguinaldo revolutionary government. Chaves composed the poem “Pinahanungod” or Dedication that was recited during the first ever Independence day celebration and the first hoisting of the Philippine flag in town on January 10, 1899. A copy of this patriotic poem is on display at the Ramon and Rosario Chaves gallery at the City Museum.

To the locals, the Cruz Taal  St. is associated mostly with pimps, female and gay prostitutes, bars and beer joints. This street used to be called Calle Legazpi in honor of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who started the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. Lt. Taal was a soldier under the Western Mindanao Division during the Philippine – American War. He was in charge of a group that guarded a small fort in Macahambus hill for it was the gateway to the large headquarters of his commanding officer, Col. Apolinar Velez. There was a very narrow trail leading to this fort and on both sides were precipices full of sharp pointed sticks and spears that were placed there by Taal and his men.Far below the precipices is the raging Cagayan River.

On June 4, 1900, American soldiers attacked the fort but suffered many casualties and had to call for reinforcements. Even if Taal and his men had a limited supply of ammunition, they were able to defeat the enemy for their fort was strategically well located. On the side of the local defenders, only one was killed in action. The Battle of Macahambus hill is very historic for it was the first victory garnered by the Filipinos against the Americans in Mindanao during the 1900 – 1901 war. Its too bad that the street named after this hero is known as the honky tonk district of the city

Fabian Abellanosa was a contemporary of Arcadia Valenzuela, Toribio Chaves and Cruz Taal.The street named after him used to be known as Calle Jocson. He was a poet, composer and playwright. During the Philippine – American War, Abellanosa started the local seditious theater by composing songs and writing plays with nationalistic themes. One of his popular songs composed during that period is “Ako Ang Biyuda.” It is about a young widow with many children who called out to the leaders of the revolution about her plight. She told them that nothing was left to her except her tears and grief. She despaired over her husband who kept the oath he made in Club Popular for he died while fighting the enemy.

I consider this a rare song for it has a historical significance to it. This oath or juramento in Club (pronounced as Cloob) Popular is known in local history as the Pact of Resistance. On Jan. 16, 1900, hundreds of patriotic citizens gathered at the Club upon hearing that the American soldiers were taking possession of several provinces in the Philippines.There, they signed the pact vowing to fight the Americans should they invade their land so they can preserve their freedom. Most of those who died in that 1900 – 1901 war were signers of that pact.

Abellanosa also composed delightful operettas or musicales that were well loved by the Kagay-anons. He had a theater group composed mostly of his relatives that performed his works. Sad to say that today, no one can come up and present an operetta by this foremost artist. I wish that his descendants will be able to do so soon.

I will be writing once in a while about the heroes and illustrious persons and their stories behind those street names. Of course, I will not write about the streets in Brgy. Nazareth for up until today,these have no names, just numbers. Therefore, those streets are utterly lacking in historical substance and local flavor.

Disclaimer

Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.

- Advertisement -