San Esteban Ilocos Sur Philippines

History of San Esteban

According to the history of the Municipality, San Esteban was once a wilderness teeming with grasses like the cogon and bagbagotot. The town was thus named Cabagbagototan because of the grass’ abundance. Another legend tells that a certain stranger named Iban or Esteban was stoned to death at the feast of Naglawlawan, a place where they gathered and made offerings to their anitos. The most coherent tale on how this town was named pertains to the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen, who was stoned to death because of trumped-up charge of blasphemy against Moses and the Law. When the Augustinian fathers came to Ciudad Fernandina and spread out in the year 1625, they founded the parish of San Esteban; but it has always been attached to the town of Santiago until 1910. Since this town had many stones or rocks from which mortar and pestle and other stone products were made, it was logical for the friars to name the place SAN ESTEBAN.

THE SAN ESTEBAN MARKER

“In our desire to leave a lasting legacy and prove to all that in spite of our twilight years we can actively contribute and show concern towards community development, we humbly dedicate to the present and future generations of our beloved hometown of San Esteban this boundary marker”.

Thus goes the dedication etched in the marble plaque composed by the Senior Citizens of San Nicolas, the people behind this project. It is mounted on the pedestal of the newly build 20 ft. high and triangular shaped San Esteban Marker, the latest landmark that dots the changing landscape of the town.

The marker was planned by architects of the Historical Preservation Division, national Historic Institute, Manila and was built from indigenous materials like the San Esteban stone and Vigan red tiles. The alsong is an original creation of stone crafters from San Pablo.

SAN ESTEBAN LANDING SITE

“Twice surfacing at Santiago Cove on November 21, 1944, the USSGAR landed on this beach. Commandoes of the Army of the United States with equipment, arms, ammunitions and supplies led by Capts. William Vaughn and William Farell were Lts. Fred Behan and “Donald Jamison with two other Americans and Larry Guzman with other G Filipinos of the First Filipino regiment. The landing was effected by USAFIP-NL under Col. Russell W. Volkmann with other paramilitary and guerilla units. By order of Volkmann, Jamison and Maj. Ferdinand E. Marcos sneaked through the cordon of Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita to an air strip in Isabela and flew to camp Spencer”.

The above words are etched on the marble tablet of the historical San Esteban Landing Marker unveiled by no less than the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos in grandiose ceremonies in 1979, one of the few occasions where a Philippine President set foot on this town. Mr. Larry Guzman, a native of San Esteban and a guerilla during World War II, thought of erecting the marker to immortalize the significant events that transpired in San Esteban and led to the eventual liberation of the Philippines from the Japanese Imperial Army.

Unfortunately, the pedestal of the marker was swept by strong currents caused by Typhoon Feria on July, 2001 and only the table remains intact. The name Ferdinand Marcos on the marker was even scraped by vandals during the post Marcos era. The extent of damage was reported to the National Historical Institute whose personnel came and made an ocular inspection and designed a new concept of the marker. They agreed to the suggestion that it will be relocated a little bit to the north so it will rest on San Esteban soil. The original one is situated in Santiago and is in contradiction to its name-San Esteban Landing.

THE MORO WATCHTOWER IN BATERIA

This is perhaps the oldest landmark in San Esteban, an accredited tourism site as declared by the Philippine Tourism Authority and an authentic historical structure found in the registry of the National Historical Institute.

There is no information on the exact year the tower was built but the looks of it suggest it has been in existence since the 16th or 17th century or during the Spanish times.

The old people say this was a vanguard against approaching pirates. Strategically located on a cove, the guards positioned at the tower could forewarn the residents of incoming marauders. The pirates may have been Moros, thus the name Moro Watchtower. The place was named Bateria because of the tower. In military parlance, “battery” refers to a row of cannons and the tower has serrated openings where they can fit the barrel of the cannon and fire on invaders.

Aware of the importance of the landmark, residents if Bateria recently turned the adjacent area of the watchtower into an ark. They have grown ornamental plants, built benches and picnic tables for visitors and continue to maintain its surroundings. The watchtower has become a symbol of San Esteban and a permanent structure representing a rich culture and heritage.