HISTORY OF NABAS

The municipality of Nabas was formerly part of the vast territorial extent of the municipality of Ibajay in the province of Capiz. Nabas was then a barrio called Alimbo, named after a river the delta of which it now occupies. The territorial limit of the municipality of Ibajay was then enormous but with poor road network. The people of this municipality spoke two distinct dialects. The western side constituting now the municipality of Nabas spoke and continues to speak until today a dialect similar to the one spoken by the neighboring Antiqueños. Those in the eastern side that constitutes now the municipality of Ibajay, spoke another dialect generally spoken by most towns of the province of Aklan. The existence of these two distinct dialects and the extremely wide territorial extent of the municipality of Ibajay brought about the separation of the western section into Nabas town. This event was inevitable and just a natural thing to happen.

The people became conscious of the growing population whose dialect and customs differ from those of the eastern side of the municipality. The influx of migrants from the nearby province of Antique continued that further emphasized the difference in dialect and culture to some extent. They thought that as a separate municipality they could live better independently. This began the groundwork for the separation of Barrio Alimbo together with its neighboring barrios of Panaytayon (Toledo), Gibon, Pakilawa (Unidos), Namao (Rizal), Kabangrosan (Union) and Nagustan to compose a municipality. In 1854, the municipality was formed and named "Navas", after Governor Nava of the province of Capiz who came to inspect the area before its creation.

The earliest recorded date for the existence of the municipality of Nabas was in 1845 when it was then referred to as Barrio Alimbo. It was then a small coastal village facing the Sibuyan Sea that occupies the floodplains of Alimbo River and stretches to the hills and mountains to the west. Its inhabitants were solely dependent to marginal fishing and farming for their livelihood similar to what it is now today. Hunting was then common with wild pig, monkey and deer as the primary game animals abundant in the locality.

The prominent founders of the municipality of Nabas were the families of Rioja, Castillon, Solanoy, Angelan, Sadiasa, Sumanga and Briones. Before Alimbo became the municipality of Nabas, the following were the Cabeza de Barangays:

1846 - Don Mariano Castillo
1847 - Don Esteban Solanoy
1848 - Don Seberano Angelan
1849 - Don Pablo Ynoy
1850 - Don Raymundo Sadiasa
1851 - Don David Sumanga
1852 - Don Mariano Rioja
1853 - Don Remegio Briones

Alimbo ceased to be a barrio in 1853 and became an established municipality in 1854 called "Navas". The name of the municipality has been variably spelled as "Navas" and "Nabas". This was the result of the early teaching methods known as the Cartilla System that dominantly use the letter "b" than "v", especially in syllabication. In 1906, the Municipal Council in a resolution approved by unanimous vote adopted the name "Nabas" as the official name.


An unfortunate event happened in 1859 during the term of Capitan Tiburcio Jamangal. The tobacco monopoly that was proclaimed in 1782, the pet project of Governor General Jose Basco, was brought for enforcement by Mr. Domingo Garcia to the town of Nabas. On the contrary, the town failed to cooperate in the implementation of this decree that made Capitan Tiburcio Jamangal explaining the matter in Manila. As an offshoot of this event, the town of Nabas existed without a Capitan from 1860 to 1861, probably a form of reprisal. The tobacco monopoly, established to expand tax collection in the country, continued for almost a hundred years and was abolished only by the King of Spain in 1881 due to the abuses of the officials implementing the monopoly.

Those who governed the town from 1854 to 1892 were officially called Governadorcillos and fondly known as Capitan by the masses. Those whose term was from 1893 to 1898 were officially called Capitan Municipal. Another term, Presidente, was later used to call the town leader that ended during the term of Pacifico Palanog in 1935. The term mayor was first used during his term and continued to be use until today.

During the Spanish regime, the Capitanes were elected by a board of 13 electors composed of the out-going Capitan, 6 Ex-Capitanes and 6 incumbent Cabeza de Barangay who were selected by lot. The election was presided by the parish priest and his choice was usually elected. The officials of the town and barangay received no salary and their positions were honorary. However, they and their families were exempted from forced labor and tributes.

The Spanish Occupation

In 1864, Juan Barraca privately founded the first formal school in Poblacion, Nabas. It started teaching the basics in religion, reading and writing. At one time, it had an enrollment of around 80 pupils that manifested the need for better education. This spearheaded the establishment of a public school for primary level in 1880 with Juan Barraca and Vicente Duhali designated as Maestro Municipal. Classes for boys and girls were separated and the subjects taught were reading, writing, arithmetic and music.

When the revolution of 1896 broke out, Governor General Polavieja ordered the establishment and maintenance of garrisons throughout the islands. Two garrisons were established in this municipality, one in the Poblacion and the other in Barangay Gibon. These garrisons were manned by both Filipino and Spanish soldiers under the command of Teniente Manuel Gil and Teniente Jose Gallego. However, these were abandoned when the Filipino insurgents under General Ananias Diokno landed in Banggoy (Barangay Buenasuerte) on November 16, 1898. Before the Spanish soldiers left their garrisons, native rebels raided them under the command of Titong Bulag who died in the encounter.

The American Occupation

The American occupation began in 1899 and they established a military government headed by a military governor. However, this was temporary and it did not affect the Spanish framework of government in far-flung towns like Nabas. In the middle of 1901, a civil government was inaugurated that ended the military government. The organizational structure of the government was set forth in the Philippine Bill of 1902 approved by the American Congress. On the contrary, these changes did not seriously affect the mentality of the people that were largely influenced under the Spanish system. The town leader supposedly to be called President, was still addressed as Capitan that ended only during the term of Gervacio Magalles (1917-1919) who was elected under the Jones Law.
Infrastructure development started to flourish during this era with the opening of the road between Nabas and Ibajay during the term of Manuel A. Roxas as Governor of Capiz in !920. This also made Nabas accessible to Kalibo, the provincial capital of the province. Alimbo Bridge was constructed under the legislative effort of Leonardo Festin of Romblon, representative third district of Capiz. In 1935, the national road traversing from the Poblacion to Toledo was extended to Gibon and later to Pook.

In 1904, James A. Reams, an American Supervisor, came to Nabas to organize classes in Grade I. Later, the class was split into Grade I and II until in 1912 it became a complete primary school with Mr. Bartolome Taunan as Principal Teacher. In the absence of formal classroom buildings, the classes were held in big houses such as that of Capitan Lucio Guevara. On the contrary, intermediate education (Grade V and VI) was pursued in Kalibo. During this period, complete intermediate schools were only in Kalibo and Capiz. However, intermediate classes became available in Ibajay and Pandan by 1917. By 1922, intermediate education reached Nabas with Mr. Aristeo Palomata as Principal Teacher under the supervision of Mr. Mauro Tumbucon, Supervising Teacher of Ibajay, Nabas and Buruanga. The first intermediate classes held at the big house of Tana Insang and the following year was transferred to the present site of the Nabas Central School.
Classes were held normally until 1931-1934 when the government suffered financial difficulties. These resulted to the closing of some classes, not until 1935 when everything normalized. The reopening of classes that were closed was made possible through the efforts of Mr. Bartolome Carillo, then District Supervisor of Ibajay, Nabas and Buruanga.

During World War II

When World War II broke out, most of the town residents fled to the hinterlands to hide from invading Japanese armies. They live out of vegetables they plant and livestock they raise in the mountains and hills. This was the time when people live in fear, hardship and total sacrifice for aside from the occupying Japanese armies, there were the guerillas who have turned arrogant and cruel to the civilians.

It was in May 1942 when the first contingent of Japanese soldiers under the command of Captain Ito occupied the Poblacion. However, seeing no resistance they left the place for only a short time. On September 24, 1942, a representative from guerilla unit of General Peralta from Mount Baloy, came to help organize a guerilla unit. Captain Jose Buena, a native of Buenavista, led this unit. On December 20, 1942, Colonel Cirilo Garcia arrived and organized the CPC Area with its headquarters at the house of Moises Solidum. This had the purpose of gathering intelligence reports from Luzon and neighboring areas to be passed on to General Peralta , then to General MacArthur in Australia.

In March 1943, Japanese forces under Col. Kinosta landed in Nagustan and captured guerilla MP Mansueto dela Cruz, who was unaware of the landing. He was brought to Cebu for training and indoctrination and later came back as Japanese PC. The capture of Mansueto dela Cruz was considered a blessing in disguise for he was instrumental in restraining the atrocities of the Japanese against the civilians. On December 16, 1943, Japanese forces under the command of Lt. Mitsikita and Lt. Mitani entered Nabas from Ibajay accompanied by then Representative Jose M. Reyes and Mansueto dela Cruz. They gathered all the male civilians and held a meeting at the Catholic Church. Later, they proceeded to Burauanga via Unidos and Malay. The next day another Japanese contingent from Iloilo under Col. Kinesta passed at the crossroads of Ibajay-Nabas-Pandan and proceeded on foot to Pandan. They were ambushed by the guerillas somewhere in Pinatuad.

In June 1944, Col. Garcia from then Libertad, Pandan established his headquarters in Toledo with his advanced CP at Aquino, Ibajay. They were now well armed witgh supplies coming from the submarine landing in Barangay Bitadton, Culasi, Antique. They were planning to attack the Japanese garrison in Ibajay, but before it could happen the Japanese left to join their forces in Kalibo. Col. Garcia followed the retreating Japanese forces by establishing a headquarters in Makato with his advance CP at Numancia. This was preparatory to the liberation of Kalibo from the Japanese, which later succeeded.

Sometime in May 1945, General Staff of the 8th Army riding in American armored cars and some tanks entered Kalibo to contact 61st of Col. Garcia. They road as far as Nabas to herald the liberation of Panay and all other places in the Philippines. It was only this time that the people who fled to the mountains returned to their homes in the Poblacion only to find most of their houses burned. Cooperative reconstruction was made using light materials to provide roof to the returning civilians. Later, PCAU Governor Delfin Reynaldo arrived in Nabas, organized the Municipal Government and appointed Mr. Aristeo Palomata as acting PCAU Mayor of Nabas.

The Post War Era

With the liberation complete and reconstruction works on going, Mr. Beato dela Cruz came to organize classes in the Poblacion and the Barangays. In August 1945, Pedro Zaldivar assumed his post as Mayor and Nicanor Illicito as District Supervisor of Nabas per instruction from the higher authorities, Potenciano Kapunan replaced Nicanor Illicito after a month and Ibajay, Nabas and Buruanga was made as one district with its office in Ibajay. Mayor Pedro Zaldivar and District Supervisor Potenciano Kapunan, together with Principal Juan Yeban began the arduous task of reconstructing the schools in the Poblacion and the barangays. Mayor Zaldivar also started the construction of the public market and the town plaza.

Under the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines with Roxas as President and Jose Reyes as Representative of the third district of Capiz under the Liberal Party, Mayor Zaldivar used his party affiliation to secure national funding for the improvement of Nabas. Classes in Unidos were organized by Mr. Ramon Abenir , Teacher-in-Charge in Toledo, who was replace by Mr. Edilberto Miralles. Mr. Edilberto Miralles later resigned to run for mayor under the LP ticket in the first local election under the republic held on November 8, 1947 which he won.

Under the term Mayor Edilberto Miralles and Mr. Apolonio Zaraspe as District Supervisor, they approached the well-known politician and educator, Mr. Pacifico R. Palanog, to put up a private high school in Nabas. The plan materialized with the opening of the school on February 8, 1948 through the joint efforts of the Nabasnon and putting behind political rivalry for the time being. As presented by Mr. Ramon Abenir that was unanimously selected by a
Popular meeting the school was named Western Aklan Academy with Mr. Pacifico R. Palanog as director. Other major events that transpired under the term of Mayor E. Miralles was the transfer of the public market to its site and the construction of the big school building in the elementary school.

In the first national election held on November 8, 1949 when Elpidio Quirino was elected president of the Republic under the NP, Godofredo P. Ramos of the LP won as congressman of the third district of Capiz. The latter together with Mr. Palanog helped Timoteo D. Sarol to win the local elections of November 13, 1951. In the following national election of November 10, 1953 when Magsaysay was elected president under the NP ticket, G.P. Ramos was re-elected on the same ticket. With the NP in power, Atty. Amideo M. Zaldivar, under the LP ticket, challenged the well-entrenched political strength of Mr. Palanog and Congressman G. P. Ramos in the local election of November 8, 1955. Atty. A. M. Zaldivar won and under his term the annex building of the public market, the basketball court in the plaza and the Town Hall were constructed. Unfortunately , he met an accident that compelled him to rest for years from an active political career. Fidel Palomata was elected mayor in the local election of November 10, 1959, but was unhappy, as majority of the elected councilors was not cooperative with him.

A good man is always loved and wanted by the people to lead them, Mayor Pacifico R. Palanog was reinstalled in the election of November 12, 1963. However, just like the previous administration of Mayor F. Palomata, his elected councilors were mostly from rival camp. The concreting of Gen. Luna Street was the major improvement during this administration.

November 14, 1967, local election, Atty. Gideon de Pedro made a return bout with Mayor P. F. Palanog. The political rivalry of these two persons was paralleled to the maxim " A quitter never wins and a winner never quits". This time Atty. G. de Pedro succeed in his quest. Under his administration, the plaza was fenced with iron bars and the lane beside it cemented. A two-storey market stall was also constructed. Further, Sitio Kumalaskas of Barangay Gibon, separated and changed its name to what is now Barangay Laserna. Likewise, Taguroroc was made into a barangay. Furthermore, it was also under his efforts that the national high school in Toledo, Solido, Unidos and Union were opened.

The 1971 local election was the most critical and sensational in the history of Nabas or even the whole of Aklan. It was a political war of money, goons and power, but in the end the sentiment of the people overpowered everything. Atty. Maria Carillo Zaldivar was elected the first female mayor of the town with Mr. Pacifico Palanog as Vice Mayor. Councilor Ramon Abenir, Sr. was later appointed as Municipal Development Coordinator and Municipal Information Officer. On the other hand, Mr. Segundo B. Cahilig was appointed Secretary later to the position of Civil Security Officer and Municipal Budget Officer. In her term, revenue measures were passes to improve the collection system and many improvements were made. It was also during her term that the Municipal Council adopted a resolution creating Alimbo-Baybay as anew barangay.

The Martial Law and the New Society

The turmoil that had gripped the country in 1972 lead to the declaration of Martial Law by President Ferdinand E. Marcos. This period was marked by the aggressiveness of the New People’s Army (NPA) and the political rallies of the Kabataang Makabayan (KM) had become irrepressible and bloody. In line
With the policies of the New Society, Mayor M. C. Zaldivar laid off some municipal employees who were termed as "backslides". Although belonging to the LP ticket that was against the Marcos administration, Mayor M. C. Zaldivar strongly supported the programs of the New Society. Her sincerity of cooperation was further exhibited by giving the president not less than 98% votes in all plebiscites made.

In August 1974 the Municipality of Nabas hosted the Military Exercise of the 7th US fleet and the Philippine Navy in Barangay Gibon. This event made Nabas the focal point of interest and glorification in Panay Island. During their 10 –day stay, the US CIVAC team repaired and painted the school buildings in the barangay and rendered free medical and dental services to the people. Before leaving Nabas, they donated building materials, books, office supplies, athletic equipment, hospital equipment, medical supplies and medicines, petroleum and even C – rations. Another naval exercise was held by the PHILINDO Navy in June 1977 and by the US – RP Navy in August 1978.

The tenure of office of the 1971 Municipal officials was extended indefinitely by President Marcos. Further, in January 1976 the Municipal Council was renamed and came to be known as Sangguniang Bayan. The composition was retained with 9 more members added for a total of 18.

The Sangguniang Bayan members receive only per diems of P 20.00 per session. The regular session is once a month and the special session is not more than 6 times a year that is cancelled only by the mayor when needed. In August 1976 the Sangguniang Bayan lost a precious member with the unfortunate death of Vice Mayor Pacifico R. Palanog. The Sangguniang Bayan continued to exist with only 17 members.

On March 14-19, 1977, the town hosted the 10th Provincial Jamborette held at Camp Maria in the Poblacion. Hon. Jorge Ma. Cui, Secretary General of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), and Dr. Beato de la Cruz, School Division Superintendent of Aklan, were both inspired and impressed of the cleanliness and magnificence of the camp and the well-decorated stage. The attendance and cooperation of the BSP, the GSP and the enthusiastic support of the people of Nabas amplified this. Dr. Beato dela Cruz considered Cap Maria as the best campsite in the province of Aklan as expressed in his speech during the Grand Closing Ceremonies.

The reign of Mayor Maria C. Zaldivar ended in 1987 with the comeback of her husband, Atty. Amideo M. Zaldivar in the political arena. Mayor Amideo M. Zaldivar, a very resilient politician, continued to dominate the mayoralty race in the municipality of Nabas until 1998 when he completed his three-term stint. A lot of improvements, mostly infrastructures, were made under her administration. On the other hand, the people of Nabas would most remember him as Mayor who personalizes his service to his constituents providing for their individual needs. In 1994, the town again hosted the Military Exercise of the US-RP team in Barangay Gibon after 20 years. For one week, this event attracted visitors from all over the province curious to see the military maneuvers and the display of military hardware. The US CIVAC team also conducted free medical mission in selected barangays and also constructed some classrooms.