Baler and Casiguran mark quadricentennial of evangelization
By Jason de Asis
BALER, Aurora—The 400 years of evangelization in this town will be celebrated on June 11, 2009 according to San Luis Obispo Parish (SLOP) priest Fr. Nilvon Co Villanueva.
A pontifical mass will be presided by Prelature of Infanta Bishop Rolando Tria Tirona together with 36 priests of the prelature at 3 o’clock in the afternoon at SLOP in Baler.
Thousands of people from the Valley-Ding and the prelature are expected to participate in the Eucharistic celebration to commemorate the event.
Also on June 13, 2009, the northern town of Casiguran shall also be commemorating the quadricentennial of its evangelization in time for its town fiesta in honor of its patron San Antonio de Padua.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared 2009 as Year of Baler in recognition of the town’s significant contribution to Philippine history. This town will mark its 400th founding anniversary on August this year.
Under Proclamation 1696, the President also created a National Organizing Committee (NOC) which shall be headed by the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCAA).
The NOC which shall be composed of Departments of Education, Trade and Industry, Tourism, Agriculture and the provincial government of Aurora is tasked to plan, coordinate and implement the programs of the year-round celebration.
235 kilometers east of Manila, Baler, which was created in 1609, was a part of Distrito del Principe, now the province of Nueva Ecija.
Historically, it was in Baler that Spanish soldiers put up their last stand of defense during the liberation of the Philippines from the Spaniards.
It was the historic ‘Siege of Baler’ where 57 Spanish soldiers were holed-up in July 1898 inside the Baler church until their surrender to the Filipino soldiers in June 30, 1899. It was then that General Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree stating that Baler defenders shall be treated ‘not as prisoners but as friends’.
In recognition of this gallantry, heroism and patriotism displayed by both the Spanish soldiers and Filipino guerillas during that remarkable episode of Philippine history, President Arroyo signed the enactment of Republic Act 9187 in 2003 declaring every 30th of June as Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day.