history Of cardona

            

                                                   HISTORY OF BINANGONAN RIZAL

It is claimed that the binañgonan means “the first town established along the lake”, in reference to a legend that tells of how the towns around Laguna de Baý were named. More likely however is that binañgonan refers to a place from where someone or something rose, which is precisely what binangunan in Filipino means.

A first class municipality, Binangonan lies between the foothills of Sierra Madre and the shores of Laguna de Bay. It is composed of 23 mainland and 17 island barangays.

This town was separated and became an independent parish in 1621 through the initiatives of the Franciscan missionaries. The town was established in 1737 and conquered by the Spaniards in 1763. It became a town in 1900 during the American colonial period. Binangonan’s major historical landmark is the 200-year-old Santa Ursula Parish, located at the heart of the town. Binangonan is a major supplier of freshwater fishes from Laguna de Bay like dulong, ayungin, biya, kanduli, and gurami to Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite and Batangas.

Through the initiative of then Congressman, Gilberto M. Duavit, bestowed most of his Congressional funds for education and related structural facilities with the support of then Gov. Casimiro M. Ynares, Jr., former Mayor Cesar M. Ynares and incumbent Mayor Boyet M. Ynares, Binangonan obtained the title as “The Education Center of Rizal.” This recognition was achieved by the existence of Rizal National Science High School, the University of Rizal System, and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) center, educational institutions that secure and offer quality education to Rizal’s inhabitants where even the less fortunate can achieve quality education including technical and vocational knowledge. Binangonan’s major source of income comes from agriculture, where 49 percent of its total land area are devoted to agriculture and livestock industries, while the source of income of residents in its coastal barangays are mainly fishing and aquaculture industry. Other sources of income come from manufacturing, commercial establishments, real estate, and public utility services.

Japanese occupation

During World War II, Binangonan was one of the evacuation centers for the residents of Manila and neighboring suburbs. People hid in the mountains and in Talim Island. The war brought untold difficulties and sufferings. Schools were temporarily closed; professionals turned to fishing, buy and sell for living. Many died of starvation, malnutrition and diseases while others survived by eating camote tops, papaya, corn, coconut and vegetables. Several people were killed when the Japanese machine- gunned the Rizal Cement Factory. Months after the Japanese occupied the town, Faustino Antiporda organized Bantay Sunog, a brigade tasked in maintaining peace and order by providing volunteer males as nightly guards against looters and trouble makers. At that time, Col. Augustin Marking was recruiting members for his guerrilla unit. Thus, the brigade became the local guerillas secretly affiliated with Marking’s group. Major Teofilo Cenido was appointed mayor of the provost marshal of military police. Weapons available then were one Springfield Rifle and five Granadora from five USAFFE soldiers who escaped from Bataan. In 1942, Japanese troop, guided by two Filipinas, landed in Matikiw and inspected the Rizal Cement Factory. Resisting local guerillas were killed by the invaders. Filipino reinforcement retaliated by wiping out the entire Japanese troop. Dead soldiers, initially buried in the factory, were dug up and fed to the kiln. Even Japanese vessels were sunk in the lake to hide the massacre. Because of this, the Japanese held sona or the screening of all males in the town. The Japanese Kempetai punished suspected guerillas. In spite of the brutal torture inflicted on them, the Filipinos did not betray the guerrilla organization. Talim Island was also subjected to Japanese sona. On August 7, 1942, bombs were dropped in the neighboring towns killing four in Janosa and claiming a number of casualties in Cardona. Suspected guerillas were brought to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Even the parish priest at that time, a Columbian Fr. Martin Strong, was held in Los Banos concentration camp. Late in 1944, the Makapilis identified mostly as Kapampangan's, a group of pro-Japanese Filipinos, occupied the convent and served as Japanese interpreters. They were instruments in the cruelties suffered by the Filipinos.

In January 1945, the Japanese took the convent from the Makapilis and put up their headquarters. But they only stayed there for one week, scared of the nightly apparitions of a white lady believed to be the ghost haunting the convent. Mayor Emerenciano Unida was killed by the Japanese when he refused to reveal the guerrilla organization.

When Filipino troops of the 4th and 42nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 4th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary was liberated and entering in Binangonan on 1945 with the recognized guerrillas of the Col Marking's guerrillas and ROTC Hunter guerillas to defeated and attacking Japanese Imperial forces and ended in World War II under the Japanese Occupation.

Period of independence

Binangonan was liberated from the Japanese forces on February 25, 1945, the feast day of the patroness of the town, Sta. Ursula. The Japanese' plan to burn the town was prevented by the timely arrival of combined American and Philippine Commonwealth army forces on the eve of the feast day. The local guerillas, with Major Ceñido deploying his men in Bunot Mountain, prevented the escape of Japanese forces. The Japanese peacefully retreated and pulled their forces out. The liberation was quite peaceful for no fighting ever took place. It was also a glorious celebration as barrio folks rode on top of tanks and jeepneys with the soldiers of the combined Filipinos and Americans. People lined along the streets, jumping with glee, weeping tears of joy while shouting "Victory". The American and Filipino military commander instructed the guerillas led by Major Ceñido to set up temporary headquarters in poblacion and to do surveillance work. When the combined Filipino and American troops proceeded to Angono, they left the command under the local Military Police, composed of all units in Binangonan. Napoleon Antazo, the town commander of the ROTC Hunter guerillas, was appointed mayor through the orders of the 43rd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army and the 4th and 42nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army. Next to be appointed town mayor from 1945 to 1946 was Casimiro Ynares, Sr., son of Don Jose Ynares. When the Philippines became a Republic in 1946, the municipal government was allowed greater autonomy.

Post-war accomplishments 1946-1951

The first mayor after World War II was Dr. Jose Pacis. Among his accomplishments were as follows.

• Construction of wharf linking the Muella de Sta. Ursula to Pritil.
• Construction of a modern public market, a self-liquidating project funded by the Rehabilitation Finance Corporation.
• Construction of combined basketball courts and tennis courts in the town’s plaza.
• Beautification of the Kalbaryo.
• Additional artesian wells.
• Construction of a new street extending from Munting Bundok to M. H. del Pilar Street, the only one in eastern Rizal at that time, which was completed with the P25,000.00 funds donated by ex-Senator Vicente Madrigal to Mayor Jose Pacis.