A BRIEF HISTORY
(History of Hinunangan – Copied at the Multi-Media Center, National Library, T.M Kalaw, Manila)
In the year 1750 or about the middle of the 18th century, Hinunangan was still a wilderness with its virgin forest extending to the seashore. By this period, Boholano peddlers often dropped anchor at the mouth of the Das-ay River and sometimes stayed a forth night in the hut which they called “Hononganan” (resting place or hut) which this place was known. Some peddlers were attracted by the fertility of the soil and the potential natural wealth of the forest, rivers and sea. One of them was Palonoy. So he with his family migrated to “Hononganan” in a barangay they founded near the Das-ay River, making his kaingin along the seashore going north westward. Other wave of Boholano peddlers did likewise and “Hononganan” was fairly peopled within a short period. One of the immigrants was Kadio, given a nickname ‘Kid’ for he could jump higher that three feet of the tallest man especially when surrounded by his enemies. In the year 1850, a priest named Fray Pedro came along to live with these settlers. Being a friars he could hardly imitate the correct pronunciation of “Hononganan”. Instead, he pronounced it as Hinunangan and in his communication to other officials of the Spanish government, he used Hinunangan to be the name of the place. That is the way “Hononganan” came to be changed to Hinunangan. This farthest mission station at the town of Abuyog separated from its mother parish in the year 1851 and assigned to be the first parish priest was Fray Pedro Monasterio. The church named after the holy apostles Peter and Paul is made of hardwood called mamposteria. Construction started in 1852 under the leadership and direction of Fray Pedro Monasterio but still it had no roof. The Parochial House is of nipa and so is the Tribunal (Municipal Building). There is a primary school whose teachers are supported by the community under Fray Pedro. The town of Hinunangan has other mission under it, in the North called Silago, while thru other leagues to the South is Hinundayan, Hinunangan has a mission of its own as it has wooden church and it promises to be a future big town because of its good strategic location and due to its fertile and virgin lands. Furthermore, to the South of this is another mission station called Anahawan. Victor Calleja, Preacher (Dominican Order) who was 26 years old at the time has served this town. As to the situation of the Parish, it has 1,338 taxpayer with a population of 5,140. The good and fertile land produced rice, abaca, corn, coconut and others. (Taken from the Spanish records of 1886). Palonoy, in 1853 donated a part of his kaingin for a church site and in that year the church of Hinunangan was erected. Fray Pedro chose St. Peter and St. Paul as the Patron Saints for his town, perhaps to immortalize his name in the place. It was in this period that Moro pirates often came and capture Christians to be sold as slaves. One time Kadyo and Koros (Cruz) were surrounded by the Moros. Kadio had a hard time to save Koros to be captured by the Moros. Koros parents and relatives wept for him. They thought he would never come back. All means to recapture him from the moros were useless. In 1889, Koros, the moro captive escaped and was able to return home at the age of sixty three (63), and since then he was called “Koros Bihag” which means a moro captive. HINUNANGAN – Which means a small hut at the side of the mouth of the Das-ay (Basay) river where passers-by or travelers rest or take shelter during the night or rainy days. Most of the Boholano peddlers used this hut as their resting place after travel. Hence, the meaning was derived from the word ‘Honong’ which means stop or rest, or a resting place temporarily.
