Pinili Ilocos Norte Philippines
Brief history of Pinili
Pinili was established as a town on January 1, 1920 by virtue of
Executive Order No.92 s.1919, which was signed by the governor general on
December 20, 1919,
The place was formerly covered by a thick forest where wild animals abound. In
1920, at the height of the Filipino-American War, the rebel priest, Monsignor
Gregono Aglipay, fled to the thick forest with several of his men and formed his
sandatahan, to fight against the Americans who invaded the province. The
Filipino soldiers under his command were weak in military tactics, and almost
outnumbered by the enemies. To protect soldiers from the attack of the invaders,
Monsignor Aglipay ordered some of his men to climb the tallest tamarind tree on
top of the hill to watch for the coming of the American forces. When the
watchers saw that there was something unusual they reported it to the hiding
soldiers, so that they would be ready to fight. This was how the place was used
during the war. For further protection, the priest ordered the settlers to build
their houses newer to each other,
After the war, the people agreed to form a barrio making Ignacio Lahadez and
Gabriel Pagdilao as their heads. After some months of staying in the settlement,
Lafradez and Pagdilao were suspected of initiating a rebellion against the
government. So they were imprisoned in Laoag where they met Buenaventura
Lacuesta who was also imprisoned without knowing his fault. The three were set
free when the provincial government found out that there was no sufficient
evidence against them.
The three returned to the place and continued their objective - to establish a
town. Gabriel Pagdilao went to Manila to secure permission from the Philippine
Commission to establish Pinili as a town,
The people met to plan and lay out the town. The thick forest that covered the
town was ultimately wiped out. Streets were set and houses were built. The
southern part was occupied by those from Badoc, while the northern part was
occupied by those from Batac and Paoay.
Inhabitants increased until July 7,1902, when a cholera epidemic occurred in the
place killing many people, including Buenaventura Lacuesta. The two leaders who
were left continued their plan, but unfortunately after seven years, Gabriel
Pagdilao died. Lafradez was too old then to carry his tasks.
However, the people were not discouraged, On April 15, 1919, a meeting was held
in the settlement to elect a new leader who would help the aging Lafradez in
carrying out the plan. Rupuerto Valbuena, a public school teacher, was elected.
After assuming the position, he prepared a petition and forwarded it to Msgr.
Gregorio Aglipay requesting his assistance in the movement. The petition was
also signed by Ignacio Lafradez, Mariano Coloma, Heracleb Edmalin, Simeon
Dacanay, Tito Bagsac, Simeon Pagdilao, Atanacio Catgado, Bibiano Urbano, Mamerto
Saludes, Ponciano Fernandez, Modesto Pagdilao, Eusebio Buduan, Julian Lafradez,
Mariano Lafradez, Matias Coloma, Lorenzo Albano, Tomas Rafla, and Rupuerto
Valbuena. In return, Msgr. Aglipay gave them his assurance of full support and
this encouraged the people to continue the movement.
Another petition signed by .1,188 inhabitants of the 24 barrios comprising the
proposed town was made by the representatives of the second district requesting
the higher authorities to approve the move to establish a municipality. Copies
of the said petition were forwarded to the provincial board of Ilocos Norte, the
House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Office of the Governor General of
the Philippines.
The bill was unanimously approved by all the above-mentioned offices, so it
became a law. On November 28, 1919, the provincial board of Ilocos Norte passed
Resolution No. 883 requesting the governor general of the Philippines to order
the separation of the barrios from the towns to which they belonged, so that
they could form the newly created municipality of Pinili.
On December 20, 1919, the governor general of the Philippines signed Executive
Order No.92, ordering the establishment of a new municipality in Ilocos Norte.
It took effect on the day of the town's formal inauguration on January 1, 1920.
The significant event was attended by the members of the Provincial Board of
Ilocos Norte and the municipal council ors of the three towns of Badoc, Paoay
and Batac.
Origin of Its Name
There were three factors that made Pinili (Pinili means selected)
the name of the town:
1. General Gregorio Aglipay selected it as the place of refuge of his army.
2. The place was inhabited only by selected people.
3. The place was chosen as the site of the poblacion because of its historical
value.
