Santa Margarita, officially the Municipality of Santa Margarita (Waray: Bungto han Santa Margarita; Tagalog: Bayan ng Santa Margarita), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 26,816 people.
Formerly known as Magsohong, it is bounded to the north by the city of Calbayog and to the south by Gandara.
Vision
Mission
History
The history of Sta. Margarita, Samar is replete with story of guts, courage, more depredations, and the love of a governor for his wife with the beauty of politics all blending into prismatic colors like an interwoven fabric which should be the envy of historically-oriented people.
Legend has it that in pre-Hispanic era two Boholano brothers came to our shores as traders. They brought along merchandise and other goods for sale or barter to the said place which was nameless at that time. “Walo-walo” (strong wind that lasted for eight days causing big waves) prevented the brothers from leaving, and when business deals were over and used the time getting more acquainted with the people of that place.
In their rounds, they found the natives friendly and the soil was fertile with rolling luxuriant hills and seemingly exhaustible marine products. With such natural wealth, the brothers decided to stay for keeps, got married and bore children. The growing families saw to it that they lived near each other for it was the traditional of the times that married children built their houses near the ancestral homes of their parents.
As more and more Boholanos and other Visayan traders arrived with the leadership and initiative of two brothers, the settlements grew and the people felt the need of the identity of the place. And so, recognizing the social and commercial roles that the brothers played in their lives, the natives called the settlement “Mag-igsoon” in their honor which is a Visayan term for “brothers”; but then corrupted to “Magsohong”, a name that still exists to this day.
Like any coastal settlement in the Visayas, “Magsohong” had been subjected to a series of Moro attacks, especially during the Spanish era. They heard the fate that had befallen on the plundered settlements; women were abused or made hostages, homes and farms were looted for food, men were enslaved. These rumors made them determined than ever to fight against the adversaries. Typical is this encounter: As vintas are seen approaching the shores, a “budyong” is blown intermittently, loud and strong. Women, children and the aged stayed inside their houses. The men, young and old, strong, robust and sun-burned armed with sharpened bolos and spears, protected with “taming” or hard wood crouch behind the banana trunk tranches. Finally, Moro vintas landed and the armed pirates jumped into the shallow waters and dashed for the shores, where the “Magsohong” braves are strategically positioned. A fierce battle ensues. Wooden spears, sharp “bolos” clash against brass shields and deadly “kampilans” of the enemy. When the smoke of the battle clears, the sandy shores are soaked with blood, the dead and dying are strewn around, but most of the invaders are routed except for the few that are able to return to their vintas and sail for the open sea.
Read more…
The Moro made successive raids to avenge the death of their comrades but the natives fought hard and long causing more casualties to the enemies. “Magsohongnons” knew they would triumph because of their bravery built on abiding faith and confidence on their leaders – the two Boholano brothers. Besides, in several encounters there was this powerful warrior on a horseback fighting side by side with them, and was equally responsible for their victories. The warrior was noticed only on the last battle they ever had and surmised he was St. James (Señor Santiago). With this and other blessings which they attributed to Señor Santiago, they made him their Patron Saint. On fiestas the succeeding generations commemorate the triumph of their fore bears over the invaders in the form of Moro-Moro dance and “Sinulog” in front of the statue of St. James inside the village chapel.
As days passed by, the Provincial Executive’s tour of duty led to “Magsohong” which by now had become one of the flourishing towns in Samar. Governor Chackon was accompanied by his wife named Margarita was so impressed with the affluence of the place and the warm welcome extended to him and his entourage. In his enthusiasm, the Governor publicly announced that “from now on the settlement shall be called “Margarita”, in honor of his wife and later “Santa” or “Sta.” was added to make it more dignified and gained religious connotations.
The settlers heartily accepted the new name of the place, however; it was reverted into a barrio under the jurisdiction of Calbayog for reasons unknown to them. In later years, they discovered that it was a form of punishment by the Spanish authorities for being suspected as a sympathizers and cohorts with the revolutionaries of General Lukban whose headquarters was in Matuguinao.
In later years, the Caviteños came to the place not as traders but to find a better chance to live having discovered a good fishing ground and decided also to stay and encouraged their relatives to migrate.
Then the Americans came with the establishment of a Civil Administration and the countryside being pacified but the prominent residents lost no time in seeking the help of the provincial government in making Sta. Margarita an independent municipality.
Local leaders went to the Provincial Capitol of Catbalogan to follow up their petition on June 29, 1878, among them were Captain Victorio Obong and Clarencio Calagos with prominent persons like Anastacio Avinion, Saturnine Calagos, Tiburcio Calagos and Ponciano Alegria. For some reasons the American Governor, Curry, turned on deaf ears about the said appeal but they never lost hope. Their patience and perseverance paid off when Governor Curry was replaced by Maximino Cinco of Catbalogan. Once more, with vigor and dynamism, they went back to Catbalogan to explain the intent and Governor Cinco was totally convinced of its merit and ultimately granted the petition.
It may be recalled that the first barrio Captain (Teniente del Barrio) was Clarencio Calagos. Since he was representing a barrio (when Sta. Margarita became a barrio of Calbayog), he was also appointed as councilor for his barrio in the municipal council of Calbayog, then a town.
Captain Herminigildo Rosales, the grandfather of Julio Cardinal Rosales, followed next to Calagos after which came Victorio Colili. Then Simeon and Francisco Calagos were next in that order. They were the officials from the time Sta. Margarita was named in honor of Gov. Chackon’s wife.
Clarencio Calagos returned to political life with his appointment as the first municipal president (mayor) of Sta. Margarita during the Americans regime. His term however was unfinished because he accepted the position as municipal judge known as “Jues de Paz”, in his hometown. Then Roque Negrita, with the Governor’s approval finished Clarencio’s term.
The following were the municipal presidents after Negrita, namely; Victorio Obong, the grandfather of the Ramon O. Reyes; Anastacio Aviñion, Saturnino Calagos (during the Philippine Commonwealth), then Ponciano Alegria and Anastacio Avinion for second time and Ramon Calagos during the Japanese regime.
After the war, Ramon Calagos was charged for an alleged collaboration with the Japanese army and was placed in a stockade at Provincial Capitol barracks in Catbalogan. He was, however acquitted.
Gaspar Parente became the first municipal mayor under the Philippine Republic with his appointment to that position on June 16, 1946, signed by President Manuel Roxas. He remained the town executive with his election victory at the polls in 1947.
The crucial time for Parente came when in that same year, the Secretary to the President, Jose Avelino had a bill turning Calbayog into a city with the incorporation of the towns of Oquendo, Tinambacan, and Sta. Margarita. The municipal mayors of Oquendo and Tinambacan readily agreed but Mayor Parente, though strongly affiliated to Avelino’s party, refused to place Sta. Margarita under Calbayog’s jurisdiction. The people casting aside political differences, relied and supported Parente’s noble stand.
In the election of 1951.Nicanor Reyes was elected as mayor. In the succeeding elections he was followed by Julian Ong, Atty. Cipriano D. Roma, and Atty. Antonio T. Gan up to the time of Martial Law. In October 12, 1978 he acquitted the post for another position and Ely T. Gan took his place.
Ex-Mayor Gaspar Parente at seventy-seven still exudes vitality and a fighting spirit that made him stands boldly against his once powerful boss, Jose Avelino, in defense of the independence of Sta. Margarita. He recalls with nostalgia those salad days when he was still the mayor of his hometown. How, he says proudly, he can look to those times when “I helped my town stand on its feet”. Said account was found accurate and veritable from the findings of the National Historical Institute (NHI) that Sta. Margarita being part of Calbayog during the Spanish colonial period gained independence as a pueblo or town by virtue of Superior Decreto (Decree of the Governor General) on November 28, 1891which is celebrated by Sta. Margarita every November 28 as its Founding Anniversary