15/09/2024
“Bancasi wasn’t built in a Day”
A HISTORY OF
BRGY BANCASI, BUTUAN CITY
Compiled and written by Edgar Asuela (October 9, 2011)
As man had his own story to tell, so is a place. In the Philippines. The name of a place was either taken from a name of a tree or topography of a land, from the name of some unique animals or from some famous persons or saints.
IT’S NAME
Barangay Bancasi has gotten its name in a person. This person is a Datu from Jolo who came to this place and captivated the natives with his charm and good leadership. His name was Datu Balangkasi.
It was typical of old, that oceans or seas, rivers or creeks where the way of travel. If the place has a river, the way of life of those that lives there, are more advance and prosperous than that of place which does not have this bodies of water. As this was the major means of transportation during those early times. Bancasi creek connects to that of Libertad River does connect to Masau River where the Balanghai Boat was unearthed. Most probably this was the way Datu Balangkasi pass through to reach Bancasi from Jolo.
According to Manay Oping (Cleofe Cuenca) a devout Butuanon parishioner of St. Joseph Cathedral Parish “…The Butuanos and Agusan Manobos, ethno linguistic communities in Northeastern Mindanao share common cognates and nuances in their lingua franca. Occasionally they do not use letter “l” in their terminologies, especially when it is used in any syllable or letter of the word… Kinabol (anoa pellets) becomes kinaboo while Balangkasi becomes Bangkasi hence the name Bancasi from the village atop Pinamangculan hills…”
Bangkasi was adopted as the official name right after Datu Balangkasi died.
Most probably it was during the liberation time that the word Bancasi where use by either, an American or a Filipino soldier. For it was printed as sort of an address: at the Bancasi Camp …‘115 Home Defense Center Bancasi, Butuan City, at present, this place is now occupied by Butuan Airport, and the Camp was transferred to where it is now located. So it would be safe to conclude that even before Bancasi became a Barrio a Camp in Bancasi was already established.
IT’S TOPOGRAPHY
Barangay Bancasi is among the 59 rural barangay of the total 86 barangay of Butuan City. It is 7 kilometers away from the city proper and it is along the national highway. Is basically an agricultural area. It has a land area of approximately 565 hectares of which 428 hectares are agricultural lands, 60 hectares is forestall, 4 hectares is swampy, 63 is residential and 10 hectares is idle or marginal lands.
Bancasi is bounded in the north by the Municipality of Buenavista, on the south by barangay Pinamanculan, and on the west by barangay Dumalagan. On the east by barangay Libertad Its topography is flat to hilly. Bancasi was then a small sitio of Libertad.
In response to the rapid growth. Bancasi formally became a Barrio. The actual date was determined by a side note from an autobiography of Hon. Guillermo R. Sanchez, He says.
“…On August 2, 1950, Butuan was created as a City by a bill created by the former Congressman Marcos Calo. A month after that Bancasi was made into a Barrio…”
IT’S PEOPLE
In the late part of the 50’s thirty (30) percent of the population were from the military coming from all over the Philippines, They brought their families and settled here. This includes: Tagalog from Luzon, Ilongo from Panay and Negros Island, Boholanon from Bohol, Waray from Leyte and from different parts of Mindanao. This makes Bancasi a mixed people coming from the different parts of the Philippines.
ITS LEADER’S
1. Hon. Inocentes Culob. (1950 - 1954) Lumad. He Donated 5,000 sq. meters lot for Bancasi Elementary School.
2. Hon. Leonardo Pores, (1955 – 1959) A waray by birth.
3. Hon. Estelito B. Dagondon, from Misamis Occidental. 1960-1961) Married one of the daughters of Hon . Innocnete Culob.
4. No Record Available From 1961 to 1966.
5. Hon. Sony Mendoza, 1966-1967. An Ilocano,
6. Hon. Fidel Ceniza, Sr. from 1967-1983, from Bohol He was elected for 3 consecutive terms.
7. Hon. Medardo Ceniza (1984-85)
8. Hon. Marina Catinoy, (1986-1992) from Leyte’
9. Hon. Ambrocio Curillan, Sr. a Butuanon (1993-1997)
10. Hon. Marcelino C. Condino, from Bantayan, Cebu (Elected for 3 terms with extension 1997- 2010)
11. Hon Fidel G. Ceniza,Jr. From 2010-2023 He was elected for 3 Consecutive terms with extension
12. Hon. Reygalado A. Gerzon .From Dec . 2023 up to the present.
