Polillo
Trade relations between the natives of Polillo Islands and Chinese merchants existed long before the Spanish conquerors came to the Philippine Archipelago. Historians narrated that the islands had been inhabited by people with full knowledge in boatmaking, farming and fishing. Trade was by means of barter. Communication was a conglomeration of Malay, Hindu, Chinese and Tagalog. Government was centralized in the barangay proper, or poblacion.
Padre Morga wrote that Polillo originated from the Chinese words "Pu Li Lu" which mean "beautiful island with plenty of food." When Juan de Salcedo, a Spanish conquistador came to Pu Li Lu in 1567, he saw a central government fully organized through the "balangay" with a datu, who had direct supervision and control over all the natives. The inhabitants in decent clothing lived in nipa huts.
In 1571 the Spaniards took hold of the islands of Pu Li Lu. Through the leadership of Padre Domingo, a Spanish friar, a chapel was built, right where the old Spanish church was later constructed. After one and a half years, the people, through forced labor built a concrete wall to protect the "pueblo" of Pu Li Lu from moro pirate invaders. Watch towers called "castillos" were erected in the four corners of the "pueblo." Native islanders stood as guardias" day and night.
The old church was constructed in 1577. Boulders, gravel and sand were mixed with lime produced out of seashells and coral stones. Padre Domingo instigated the planting of sugar cane in sitios: San Isidro, San Antonio and San Francisco. Production of molasses was put into full swing.
Spanish conquistadores were assigned to the "pueblo" of Pu Li Lu to promote church construction. The church tower was constructed with priority, so that in in 1587, in the early summer of May, two huge bronze bells rang atop, bringing joy to both Spaniards and islanders. Due to Spanish tongue deficiency, Padre Domingo changed Pu Li Lu to Polillo. Since 1600 the island has been popularly called Polillo (po-lil-yo).
(Judge Lucy Ovalles submitted this brief history of Polillo. It was taken from a Journal published in conjunction with Polillo's town fiesta on May 1-2, 1982.)