Proem
The history taught in our schools were written by our conquerors and those indoctrinated by our conquerors. Our conquerors were of the opinion that before the coming of the Spaniards, the place now called the Philippines were uncivilized and did not have intellectual knowledge.
The fact that Ferdinand Magellan was defeated by the Opongánons (people of Opon, Cebu) indicated that the natives already knew the art of warfare. When Magellan arrived in 1521, the Bisayans already have a system of writing.
Early Teachers and Schools
When Fr. Juan de Torres, S.J., went to Tubod, Loboc, Bohol in 1597 his first convert to Christianity was the wife of the school teacher. Fr. Torres cured the sick child of the couple. Therefore, if there was a school teacher, there was a school. In fact the native school in Loboc was developed by the Jesuits into the Colegio de Loboc. It existed from 1602 to 1768.
Unfortunately we do not have the name of the native school teacher. However it very clear in the Spanish record that the medium of instruction was Sugboanon Bisayà and some Spanish.
Saint Pedro Calungsod was from Genatilan, Cebu. He accompanied his uncle to study in a school and became a catechist. Pedro’s father stayed in Genatilan. Once uncle went to Negros and the other to Bohol. Since Pedro Calungsod became a catechist, he must have studied in Colegio de Loboc. There was no school in Genatilan and in Negros. Therefore, the Colegio de Loboc had produced a Roman Catholic Saint.
The followers of Francisco Dagohoy who were settled in Agbonan (now: San Isidro, Bohol) and Agad (now: Antequera, Bohol) were attacked in 1825 by Spanish and Cebuano forces from Boljoon, Cebu. The accompanying chaplain, Fr. Julian Bermejo, wrote that the native church and school were destroyed. Therefore, if there was a native school, there was also a teacher. Again, unfortunately we do not have the name of the school teacher. We have only the name of the Boholano leader by the name of Gaam.
Native Educational System
During Spanish time, the education of the people were under the charge of the priests and the ecclesiastical people. Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the education of the people was also under the charge of the religious or spiritual leaders.
There is a Spanish record (Anuas Cartas 1609) that tell of a native Boholano priestess by the name of Caryapa (note: Kurarang in Eskaya records). She wrote a prophetic curse that the Bool Kingdom will be destroyed. The Bool Kingdom was destroyed in 1563, 2 years before the arrival of Gen. Legazpi in 1565. The curse was written as a poem and can be considered as the earliest poem in the Philippines.
When Caryapa died, the leadership was taken over by Tamblot. At the end of year 1621 and early 1622, Tamblot led the Boholanos to revolt against the Spaniards.
Bear in mind that the religious belief of Tamblot was not animistic. It was very similar to the Jewish religion. The Spanish description of the temple of Tamblot that was destroyed by the Spaniards is very similar to the description of the “tent-temple” of Prophet Moses to house the Arch of the Covenant.
I have some materials about the early teachings of the Eskaya written in Eskaya script and the contents are similar to Hebrew Kabbalah.
Tamblot brought his followers to the hinterlands of Bohol and continued their culture and it was continued by the Eskaya of Bohol.
The Last Teachers in 1898
The Colegio de Loboc (1602-1768) had courses in Seminary, Music, Normal School, Agriculture, and Military Science.
When the Jesuits were expelled in 1768, the Augustinian Recollects who took over, discontinued the Colegio de Loboc but instead taught only the primary grades supervised by the priests.
When the Spaniards were defeated and left the Philippines, the following were the names of the school teachers in each town in 18998. There was only one teacher for boys and one for girls in each town.
Town Teacher for Boys Teacher for Girls
- Alburquerque——- Don Timoteo Oppus ———— Doña Graciana Pugales
- Anda —————- Don Esteban Escobal ———– (Vacant)
- Antequera ———- (Vacant) ————————– Doña Leoncia Ayta
- Baclayon ———– Don Protasio Clarin ————- Doña Sabina Manding
- Balilihan ———– Don Manuel Diamante ———- Doña Petrona Tagalog
- Batuanan (Alicia) – Don Simplicio Butil ————- Doña Bernardina Ayusan
- Calape ————– Don Policarpo Josol ————- Doña Blasa Flores
- Candijay ————- (Vacant) ————————— (Vacant)
- Carmen ————– Don Quiterio Decasa ———— Doña Felicia Tiongco
- Catigbian ———— Don Guillermo Josol ———— Doña Andrea Suaybaguio
- Corella ————— Don Pedro Togonon ———— (Vacant)
- Cortes —————- Don Lucio Butalid ————– Doña Nieves Sarmiento
- Dauis —————– Don Telesforo Neri ————- (Vacant)
- Dimiao ————— Don Claudio Ramirez ———- Doña Juana Madhus
- Duero —————– (Vacant) ————————– Doña Leocadia Lloren
- Garcia-Hernandez – Don Mariano Cuadra ———– (Vacant)
- Getafe —————- (Vacant) ————————— (Vacant)
- Guindulman ——— Don Isidro Ramario ————- Doña Ines Abrea
- Inabanga ————- (Vacant) ————————— (Vacant)
- Ipil (Trinidad) ——- Don Fortunato Boncales ——- (Vacant)
- Jagna —————— Don Ramon Yap —————- Doña Victoria Pico y Cuesta
- Lila ——————– Don Pedro Fuentes ————– Doña Guadalupe Paler
- Loay —————— Don Manuel Espiritu ————- Doña Candelaria Solideo
- Loboc —————– Don Ildefonso Fernando ——– Doña Eduarda Butalid
- Loon —————— Don Lino Nazareno ————– Doña Basilisa Flores
- Maribojoc ———— Don Pedro Descallar ————- Doña Carmen Simon
- Panglao ————— Don Antonio Arcamo ———— Doña Anastacia Arcamo
- Sevilla —————– Don Apolonio Bastes ———— Doña Fructuosa Belderol
- Sierra-Bullones —— Don Ciriaco Avergonzado —— (Vacant)
- Talibon —————- (Vacant) ————————— Doña Catalina Rosales
- Tagbilaran ———— Don Fernando Rocha ———— Doña Guadalupe Garcia
- Tubigon ————— Don Hermogenes Lumain —— (Vacant)
- Ubay ——————- Don Atilano Reyes ————– Doña Victoria Cutamora
- Valencia ————— Don Monico Miculob ———– Doña Januaria Torralba
- Vilar (Bilar) ———– Don Esteban Lumain ———— Doña Maria Baquial
REMEMBERING OUR SCHOOL TEACHERS . . .