BARANGAY IGBUGO

Brief History

Barangay Igbugo in Oyungan Valley is four kilometers from the national road and nine kilometers from the Poblacion.

This place got its name from bugo trees that were plentiful there in the past.

In the early days, houses were scattered on the clearings. When piracy and robbery were rampant, the native decided to form a village for protection. The site chosen was one surrounded by hills and concealed by thick bamboo chumps. A double palisade was built around the site. The natives were so fearful of pirates that they muzzle dogs and cocks to keep the place from being detected. Old timers recall exploits of Aning Buktoto (Manuel Navisaga) a hunchback who fought robbers and always won. They said Aning Buktot has an anting-anting or talisman. In pre-war years, Igbugo was called Barrio Santo Niño, named after its patron saint. It was then the religious center in the Oyungan Valley. The Barrios of Narorogan, Igsoligue, Awang, Igcabito-on, Cawayanan, Igpandan, Bacolod, Nam-o Sur, Nam- Norte, Ilog-Ilog and Naclub in the Bacauan Valley were all under its patronal charge. The barrio fiesta of Igbugp was founded by the late Juan Nievales. Other barrio church leader who aided him were Simeon Murcia, Oriculo Faling, Nicasio Faling, Daniel Nualla, Paulino Mondano, Demetrio Nopueto and Ibon Ninal. During the fiesta, visitors from distant place were treated to various food and entertained with games like wrestling, bullfighting, juego de anillo and zarzuela.

Before the war, Igbugo had a barrio school with Marcos Faicol as the first teacher. For lack of enrollment, it was closed after the opening of two schools in Ilog-Ilog and Bacolod. After the war, Igbugo opened classes for out-of-school children with Flor de Luz Nievales as teacher. This school was later on formally established and is now known as Igbugo Elementary School.

Igbugo's barangay heads were Tenientes Arterio Murcia, Elias Murcia, Juan Nievales (1901-1920), Nicolas Navisaga (1921-1925), Pablo Faling (1926-1931), Nicasio Faling (1932-1937), Ebon Ninal (1938-1942), Julian Ninal (1943-1945) and (1960-1971), Anacleto Mupas (1945-1947), Anastacio Faling (1948-1951), Cruz Navisaga (1952-1955), and Jose Nebreja (1956-1959), Germanico Munion (1972-1979).

During the Japanese occupation, many people from the Poblacion sought refuge there. On February 12, 1943, a Sunday, two Japanese dropped planes bombs on the barrio. One bomb fell on scampering civilians killing Demeteria Neluna and her young child, both of barrio Damilisan.

Igbugo celebrate its barangay fiesta in January but the gaiety and fanfare of pre-war years are gone.

The barrio's successful citizens include Jesus N. Nievales, retired assistant provincial treasurer of Iloilo, his children, Frank, Administrative Officer, of the Iloilo Provincial Hospital, Cecilia, a pharmacist working abroad, Bernalou, Commerce and Eva, a woman lawyer connected with the NBI Manila.

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Vision/Mission

Unity, Happiness and God centered Barangay Officials and all members of the barangay in all endeavors for the attainment of all the dreams for the barangays in four to five years.

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Objectives

1. Maintenance of barangay water system.
2. Improvement of barangay road.

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