THE UNTOLD HISTORY OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF SIKATUNA
(PART I)
If you think the Great Boholano Chieftain has any political significance in the naming of our town, you are wrong! History is bereft of evidence that would show any relics or traces of his presence in this little piece of territory now called Municipality of Sikatuna. There’s a misconception in the use of our name Sikatuna, but in reality it’s a pure namesake, nothing more, nothing less.
But why did we use the name SIKATUNA anyway? Well, the truth is that, the name SIKATUNA was only adopted as a matter of
Idem Sonans (meaning: sounding the same or identically; names pronounced the same but varied in spelling). The proposed name was actually SAIKATONA (pronounced as: SA IKA TO NA), a visayan phrase which means, ON THE THIRD TIME. SAIKATONA was proposed by our forefathers in order to emphasize three (3) things. First is, the fact that we became a town on the third time that we have to adopt a new name. Second is, the fact that as a new town, our municipal territory was re-defined and changed by law for the third time also. Third is, the fact that the newly created town is actually our third mother-town already after having been a part of Baclayon and Albur before.
The story of our political past goes this way. In the very beginning, we were part of Baclayon as Barrio CAMBOJOD. Then later on, when Albur became a town, we were made a part of its new territory, and our name was changed to CORNAGO. It was then after the change of allegiance from Baclayon to Albur that our local political leaders craved for independence. Thus, headed by Clemente Lacea, they sought the advice of Miguel Oppus (“Tan Igueâ€), who was then a prominent political figure in the province, and who was also perceived by many as the political mentor of Clemente Lacea (“Tan Entingâ€). According to the political brilliance of Tan Igue, it would require a sympathetic Municipal President to understand their desire to become a new town. So the only way for Cornago to achieve that dream is to first grab the Municipal Presidency of Albur in the 1916 election, so that by the use of moral ascendancy over the municipal council it can secure the enactment of the required ordinance. Acting on that advice, Clemente Lacea ran for Municipal President of Albur in the 1916 elections. And with the full support of the people of Cornago who rallied behind his cause, Clemente Lacea was duly elected into office as the Municipal President of Albur in the year 1916. During his term of office, everything went well in accordance with the sound advise of Tan Igue, and Clemente Lacea was able to steer the municipal council into enacting the ordinance recommending the creation of Cornago into a separate town. But after that successful feat of Clemente Lacea, came the dilemma of what name to give to our new town. Again, the brilliance of Tan Igue jokingly came up with the idea that the new name should have some connection with the number “three†(“3â€) which has already manifested so much significance in our political journey. As a new town you will adopt a third name; you will also have a third territory; and finally, your new town will become your third mother-town. So why don’t you call your new town as SAIKATONA, quipped Tan Igue! And that witty remark of Tan Igue gave way to the application of the principle of
Idem Sonans. SAIKATONA sounds like SIKATUNA, so at the end of the day, we became SIKATUNA.
I know nothing about numerology, but I think the future of Sikatuna indeed lies in whatever there is in the number THREE (3). I would say so because, in the final stretch of our historical account, three (3) people were actually responsible for the birth of the Municipality of Sikatuna. First is, CLEMENTE LACEA (“Tan Entingâ€), who brought us to a new territory like what Moses did to his people in the Old Testament. Second is, MIGUEL OPPUS (“Tan Igueâ€), not only for babying Tan Enting as his political protégée, but for being the Provincial Board Member who authored the provincial ordinance concurring to the creation of the Municipality of Sikatuna. And the third indispensable element of history is the good SENATOR JOSE A. CLARIN --- who was then the District Senator of the 11th Senatorial District comprising the provinces of Bohol, Surigao, Misamis Oriental, and Misamis Occidental --- for his sponsorship of our municipal charter, which is Executive Order No. 88, dated 05 December 1917.
. . . . . . . TO BE CONTINUED.
Note:
I hope this will be of help to anyone who needs to know about our past. But human as we are, this is not a perfect piece of work, so please call my attention in case there may be some imperfections or omissions in my historical facts. Lastly, I would like to give the credit to where it is due. I learned all these facts from Mr. FORTUNATO O. AHAT, Retired School Principal, Sikatuna Central Elementary School, who just turned 85 years old last June 13, 2007.
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