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Guimaras Islands Philippines Guimaras History It was Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, a Spanish leader, who established the Spanish settlement in Guimaras for the purpose of the Christianization of the natives of the island. He and his subordinates organized the pueblicitos or villages of Nayup, with San Pedro Apostol as the patron saint, and Igang, with Sta. Ana as the patroness. In 1742, the island fell under the jurisdiction of Dumangas until 1751 when the Augustinian Order was replaced by the Jesuits, after which the Dominicans took over Guimaras. By 1755, it was organized into a regular parish. When the population increased considerably, the island was given its municipal status with a seat of government at Tilad (Buenavista). In 1908, during the American period, the Guimarasnons were given the democracy to elect their municipal president. One great American left an indelible mark in the island. Douglas McArthur, fresh graduate from West Point as a Second Lieutenant at the age of 23, came to Iloilo as the head of the company of Corps of Engineers. They constructed roads and the Sto. Rosario Wharf, presently named McArthur's Wharf, which are still in use today. Guimaras first gained its status as a sub-province of Iloilo by virtue of R.A. 4667, which was enacted by Congress on June 18, 1966. It was proclaimed as a regular and full-fledged province on May 22, 1992 after a plebiscite was conducted to ratify the approval of its conversion pursuant to Section 462 of R.A. 7160. Shortly after Guimaras acquired its provincial status, President Fidel V. Ramos appointed Emily Relucio-Lopez as its first Governor. The Province of Guimaras was first made up of 3 municipalities. In 1995, by virtue of Republic Act No. 7896 and Republic Act No. 7897, the Municipalities of Sibunag and San Lorenzo were created respectively in the Province of Guimaras. The two new municipalities officially acquired their municipal status after the May 8, 1995 plebiscite held simultaneously with the local election. Mayor Ernesto L. Gedalanga was the first appointed Mayor of the Municipality of Sibunag and Mayor Arsenio Zambarrano was also appointed as the Mayor of San Lorenzo. The temporary seat of government of the Municipality of Sibunag is at Brgy. Sabang while the temporary seat of Government of the Municipality of San Lorenzo is at Brgy. M. Chavez. |
