The present location of the City, along the national highway, is the outgrowth of a 26 hectare - an area donated by a Chinese businessman Alejandro Acuña Yap Quiña whose descendants are still living in Victorias.
During the Spanish era, the city was called Tugkagawan and later Malihaw. The name was taken from Malihaw trees which are in abundance along the banks of the Malihaw river.
During Capitan Gregorio Conlu’s term, Moro pirates and tulisanes reigned unmolested. One day the Capitan’s household was robbed. Capitan Gregorio was able to escape together with his secretary Alfonso Pachera, but his wife Capitana Tutang and their servant Micay, were taken aboard the sailboat which immediately sailed for the open sea. When Capitana Tutang was asked whether she knew how to swim, she replied that she could not. She and her servant were thrown overboard while the vessel was just outside the Malihaw river’s mouth. The robbers sailed on believing that Capitana Tutang and her servant were drown. but that was not the case, for Capitana Tutang and her servant were good swimmers. While struggling in the water, Capitana Tutang saw a beutiful Lady whom she believed was the Blessed virgin. When she reached home she prayed and promised to buy an image of the Lady who helped them. But having been divested of her possession, it took her several months of careful savings to accumulate a sizable sum for the purchase of the image from Barcelona, Spain. Since she did not specify what image she wanted, the Capitana received the statue of the “NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LAS VICTORIAS” which to her amazement held the likeness of that Lady who saved them from drowning.
One year before the expiration of the term of Capitan Gregorio, in 1880, two boatloads of Moro pirates entered the Malihaw river to attack Daan Banua (Old Town), At the mouth of the river the plunderers were met by a small banca riden by a Lady who had a long sword and a very big man with a spear. Upon seeing the two, the Moros sailed back in flight.
Three months later, four vintas bearing Moro pirates approached the river’s mouth to sail inland, but again the same banca with a Lady and a very big man stood guard and the marauders steered towards the town of Manapla, where they took captives. During the raid, two captives were able to escape in the direction of Malihaw. These two related their adventure and collaborated the story of the Lady and the very big man in the banca. The story which spread like wild fire reached the ears of the Parish Priest of Saravia Fr. Crispino Hinolan, a Visayan, who immediately went to Malihaw to verify the story. After a thorough investigation, the priest declared that the town was saved by the Virgen Nuestra Señora de las Victorias and Saint Casimiro her companion. The proclamation of the Parish Priest resulted in the occasion of rejoicing and celebration. Capitan Gregorio and Padre Crispino proposed to the inhabitants that the name of the town Malihaw be changed to Nuestra Señora de las Victorias to perpetuate the miraculous incidents. the suggestion was at once received with unanimous enthusiasm and acceptance and the citizens enjoined the Capitan to ask the Governor to approve the change of name. The Governor gave his consent, but retained only “Victorias “ as the official name.
On October 15, 1906 Alejandro Acuña Yap-Quiña, a Chinese Filipino philanthropist, donated 20 hectares of his landholdings to the Municipality of Victorias which became the present town site. In honor of Don Alejandro, Victorias Elementary School-Extension was later named as the Don Alejandro Acuña Yap Quiña Memorial Elementary School during the administration of Mayor Remedios P. Bantug.
SOURCE: VICTORIAS Diamond Jubillee (1907-1982) Souvenir Program
VICTORIAS A CITY AT THE TURN OF A CENTURY
Republic Act No. 8488: The Unforgettable Story
by: Edna A. Pamine
R.A. No. 8488 “ An Act converting the Municipality of Victorias, Negros Occidental, into a component City, to be known as the City of Victorias.”
It was sometime in the 70’s, that mayor Jesus Fermin requested the late cong. Armando Gustilo of the 1st district of Negros Occidental to sponsor a bill in the House of Representatives to convert the municipality of Victorias into a component city of Negros Occidental. The cityhood bill (HB No. 4044) filed by Cong. Gustilo in the house was given its untimely demise when Proclamation Order No. 1081 was declared by the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos on September 21, 1972 placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law.
It was then that desire to become a city was put into rest. Nobody dared to revive the cityhood bid for almost 20 years after that dreadful day when martial rule was implemented in the country. Victorias as a progressive municipality continued to struggle to keep its pace towards progress and stability. Clamour by the people for cityhood was heard every now and then but nobody seemed to take the initiative to make the first step.
Twenty (20) years after, the 1992 synchoronized election resulted in the assumption into office of Mayor Severo A. Palanca as Municipal Mayor. A change in the reign of administration in the municipality was faced with economic and political turmoil. Odds were great, the Palanca administration was faced with challenges left and right.
Upon Palanca’s assumption of office in 1992, the town’s local income was P10,173,029.75, good but not substantive for the implementation of basic projects. With skillful managing of resources, Mayor Palanca reviewed local revenue tax ordinances, launched tax information drives that encourage the people to pay the correct taxes as he implemented meaningful projects. As of 1997, the town local income from taxes was P 22,664,429.08. It was then that Mayor Palanca thought of “How about changing the town into a City.”
It was Res. No. 1, s1995 of the Association of Barangay Captains and many other resolutions coming from the different organizations in Victorias requesting for the conversion of the town into a city that gave more support to the plan of Mayor Palanca. Without delay, Mayor Palanca requested Cong. Jose Carlos Lacson for his sponsorship of a bill converting the town of Victorias into a city. This resulted into the sponsorship of Cong. Lacson of House Bill No. 4894 in the House of Representatives filed last November 13, 1995. Series of preparations, additions, corrections of documents were made. The 1st committee hearing of House Bill No. 4894 was scheduled September 4, 1996 at the Phil. Social Science Center, Quezon City, by the local Government Committee of the House of Representatives chaired by Cong. Ciriaco Alfelor. The hearing was attended in full force by the officials of the municipality led by Mayor Palanca. After the hearing and upon returning to Victorias, many revisions were made. After several revisions of the documents presented to the Committee, the public hearing of HB No. 4894 was scheduled in Victorias on March 19, 1997. Preparations were made. Series of pre-public hearing dialogues wereconducted with the different sectors in the municipality. Cong. Alfelor, chaired the pubic hearing, together with Congressmen Lopez, Salalima, Montilla, Alvarez, Lacson and Marañon. Negros Occidental officials present during the public hearing were Mayor Velez, Zayco and Lizares. Some of the Victoriahanons who spoke unanimously in favor of the cityhood were: Rev. Fr. Arecio P. Dormido, Amparo Ferraris, Alejandro Acuña, Rodrigo Locsin, Joemarie Benedicto, Rafael Valderrama, Mary Ann Dino, Salavador Dignadice, Alvin Soliva, Lope Orocio and Dino Acuña. Two surpised speakers from the crowd, Pastor Dequiña and Ferdinand Buñi, expressed their approval for the cityhood of Victorias without any reservation. To close the public hearing, Cong. Alfelor announced to the general public that Victorias cityhood was approved in principle subject to some revision. Victoriahanons clapped their hands in jubilation. Everybody thought that Victorias will become a city not later than December 1997.
After the March 19 public hearing, the cityhood bill of Victorias suffered delays due to reasons which were beyond the control of the local government unit of Victorias. One of which was the financial crisis of Victorias Milling Company. But Mayor Palanca refused to give up what he had started. With his sustaining efforts and positive actions and plans, he kept on following the bid for cityhood in Manila. He was so determined to pursue what he had started for he believed that Victtorias is ripe and ready to become a city based on the requirements as presented to the approving body of the legislative branch of the government.
At last, efforts of Mayor Palanca paid off, the cityhood bill was finaly approved in the house of representatives on Dec. 9, 1997 and in the Senate on February 5, 1998. One week later, February 11, 1998, the cityhood of Victorias was signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos in Malacañang Palace, Manila, assigning REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8488 “AN ACT CONVERTING MUNICPALITY OF VICTORIAS, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL INTO A COMPONENT CITY, TO BE KNOWN AS THE CITY OF VICTORIAS.” Back home, people received the good news in jubilation. They were euphoric. Caravans were instantly organized, church bells rung for almost an hour. Everybody were overjoyed with the news from Manila. The signing of RA No. 8488 as witnessed by Mayor Severo A. Palanca, SBM Francis Frederick Palanca, SBM Jose Alvior Jr., SBM Salvador Dignadice, Mr. Rodrigo Locsin, Mr. Rodolfo Tribaco, Mrs. Nilda Generoso, Engr. Marilou Soriano, Ms. Armen L. Tabligan and Mr. Ferdinand Palanca.
To put the final touch of cityhood as required in the City Charter, a plebiscite for the purpose was held on March 21. Preparations were made in coordination with the COMELEC. Expenses in holding the plebiscite were borne by the municipality pursuant to Section 49, Art. VIII of RA No. 8488. Information campaign commenced on March 1-19. During this period, the LGU of Victorias as well as civic, professional, religious, business, youth and other similar organization held public rallies or meetings to enlighten the residents on the plebiscite issues. Constructive discussions and debates were encouraged and the voters assured of the freedom to voice their opinions regarding the issue.
To start the campaign period, a caravan was organized on March 1 participated in by the municipal officials and employees led by Mayor Palanca, barangay officials and constituents. NGOs, teachers and other concerned Victoriahanons.
Speaker bureaus and teams were organized to conduct pulong-pulong municipality-wide covering all of the 26 barangays. The teams were composed of municipal officials and department heads led by Mayor Palanca, DECS, NGOs and other concerned Victoriahanons.
The CIDA-LGSP grantees of the muncipality on a scholarship program of the LGU at UNO-R for Master in Public Administration with concentration on Local Government Administration, conducted thier own pulong-pulong to help the LGU in the plebiscite campaign which covered Barangay I, III, IV, VI, VII and XIII. The CIDA-LGSP grantees of the City of Victorias are Resha Aranaez, Faith Bacucang, Nemia Baliguat, Edna Pamine and Rafael Valderrama.
Presidential Proclamation Order NO. 1180 dated March 19, 1998 declared March 20 and 21 special non-working holidays in Victorias in order that the people can prepare for the March 21 plebiscite. On this, it is noteworthy to mention that the Provincial Government is strongly supporting the Cityhood of Victorias by allocationg P750,000.00 for the plebiscite.
The red-letter day came, March 21 plebiscite, one hundred ninety seven (197) precincts opened at 7:00 a.m. to accept voters until 3:00 p.m. It was a long day of waiting, until the final canvassing of ballots begun at the municipal gymnasium. Provincial COMELEC Officers came to assist the canvassing. Atty. Pio Jose Juson, COMELEC Assistant Executive Director for Operations, came to supervise. The results of the plebiscite were canvassed by the Plebiscite Board of Canvasser composed of Mrs. Luz Hilario, Victorias COMELEC Officer, Mrs. Nilda Generos, City Treasurer and Mr. Felix Guelos, DECS Supervisor.
The final result of the plebiscite was 45% voters turn-out or a total of 17, 884 votes out of 39,992 registered voters; 15,988 or 89.38% voted “YES” and 1,899 or 10.63% voted “NO”. The people approved very convincingly the cityhood of Victorias and COMELEC Officer, Mrs. Luz Hilario, made the proclamation before a euphoric and jubilant crowd of more than 3,000 people followed by the blaring of horns, ringing of church and display of fireworks which added glitter to the momentous proclamation.
Indeed, the turning of Victorias into an economic center that qualified the town for cityhood was once great achievement of Mayor Palanca: but perhaps, the greatest achievement of this visionary man was when he moved mountains, suffered sleepless nights and exhausting days, bravely facing the ridicule and insults thrown at him by some people, just to make this northern town into what it is today - - the 9th component city of Negros Occidental. It is hard to imagine how else Mayor Palanca may excel this performance. But as everybody knows, the mayor is always at his best when the odds are great.
It may have taken us 2 years, 2 moths and 28 days of anxiety, agony and pain to realize our dream for cityhood, but all our sacrfices ultimately paid off.
Source: Victorias News, Vol. I, No. 1, dtd. 5/31/98
